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Wang CZ, Zhang YJ, Chu YF, Zhong LG, Xu JP, Liang LY, Long TF, Fang LX, Sun J, Liao XP, Zhou YF. Tobramycin-resistant small colony variant mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium shows collateral sensitivity to nitrofurantoin. Virulence 2024; 15:2356692. [PMID: 38797966 PMCID: PMC11135859 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2356692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The increasing antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health challenge, threatening our ability to combat infectious diseases. The phenomenon of collateral sensitivity, whereby resistance to one antibiotic is accompanied by increased sensitivity to another, offers potential avenues for novel therapeutic interventions against infections unresponsive to classical treatments. In this study, we elucidate the emergence of tobramycin (TOB)-resistant small colony variants (SCVs) due to mutations in the hemL gene, which render S. Typhimurium more susceptible to nitrofurantoin (NIT). Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the collateral sensitivity in TOB-resistant S. Typhimurium SCVs primarily stems from disruptions in haem biosynthesis. This leads to dysfunction in the electron transport chain (ETC) and redox imbalance, ultimately inducing lethal accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, the upregulation of nfsA/B expressions facilitates the conversion of NIT prodrug into its active form, promoting ROS-mediated bacterial killing and contributing to this collateral sensitivity pattern. Importantly, alternative NIT therapy demonstrates a significant reduction of bacterial load by more than 2.24-log10 cfu/g in the murine thigh infection and colitis models. Our findings corroborate the collateral sensitivity of S. Typhimurium to nitrofurans as a consequence of evolving resistance to aminoglycosides. This provides a promising approach for treating infections due to aminoglycoside-resistant strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Zhen Wang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Jun Zhang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Fei Chu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Long-Gen Zhong
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Peng Xu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liu-Yan Liang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Teng-Fei Long
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang-Xing Fang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Sun
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Liao
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Feng Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Liao M, Gong H, Shen K, Wang Z, Li R, Campana M, Hu X, Lu JR. Unlocking roles of cationic and aromatic residues in peptide amphiphiles in treating drug-resistant gram-positive pathogens. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 672:209-223. [PMID: 38838629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a rising threat to global health because the number of essential antibiotics used for treating MDR infections is increasingly compromised. In this work we report a group of new amphiphilic peptides (AMPs) derived from the well-studied G3 (G(IIKK)3I-NH2) to fight infections from Gram-positive bacteria including susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), focusing on membrane interactions. Time-dependent killing experiments revealed that substitutions of II by WW (GWK), II by FF (GFK) and KK by RR (GIR) resulted in improved bactericidal efficiencies compared to G3 (GIK) on both S. aureus and MRSA, with the order of GWK > GIR > GFK > GIK. Electronic microscopy imaging revealed structural disruptions of AMP binding to bacterial cell walls. Fluorescence assays including AMP binding to anionic lipoteichoic acids (LTA) in cell-free and cell systems indicated concentration and time-dependent membrane destabilization associated with bacterial killing. Furthermore, AMP's binding to anionic plasma membrane via similar fluorescence assays revealed a different extent of membrane depolarization and leakage. These observations were supported by the penetration of AMPs into the LTA barrier and the subsequent structural compromise to the cytoplasmic membrane as revealed from SANS (small angle neutron scattering). Both experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that GWK and GIR could make the membrane more rigid but less effective in diffusive efficiency than GIK and GFK through forming intramembrane peptide nanoaggregates associated with hydrophobic mismatch and formation of fluidic and rigid patches. The reported peptide-aggregate-induced phase-separation emerged as a crucial factor in accelerated membrane disintegration and fast bacterial killing. This work has demonstrated the importance of membrane interactions to the development of more effective AMPs and the relevance of the approaches as reported in assisting this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Liao
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Haoning Gong
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Kangcheng Shen
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Ziwei Wang
- National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Renzhi Li
- Department of Materials, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Mario Campana
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron & Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Xuzhi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
| | - Jian R Lu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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Buijs NP, Vlaming HC, Kotsogianni I, Arts M, Willemse J, Duan Y, Alexander FM, Cochrane SA, Schneider T, Martin NI. A classic antibiotic reimagined: Rationally designed bacitracin variants exhibit potent activity against vancomycin-resistant pathogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315310121. [PMID: 38990944 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315310121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacitracin is a macrocyclic peptide antibiotic that is widely used as a topical treatment for infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. Mechanistically, bacitracin targets bacteria by specifically binding to the phospholipid undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (C55PP), which plays a key role in the bacterial lipid II cycle. Recent crystallographic studies have shown that when bound to C55PP, bacitracin adopts a highly ordered amphipathic conformation. In doing so, all hydrophobic side chains align on one face of the bacitracin-C55PP complex, presumably interacting with the bacterial cell membrane. These insights led us to undertake structure-activity investigations into the individual contribution of the nonpolar amino acids found in bacitracin. To achieve this we designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of bacitracin analogues, a number of which were found to exhibit significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against clinically relevant, drug-resistant pathogens. As for the natural product, these next-generation bacitracins were found to form stable complexes with C55PP. The structure-activity insights thus obtained serve to inform the design of C55PP-targeting antibiotics, a key and underexploited antibacterial strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ned P Buijs
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Halana C Vlaming
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Ioli Kotsogianni
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Melina Arts
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Joost Willemse
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Yunhao Duan
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Francesca M Alexander
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen A Cochrane
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Nathaniel I Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 BE, The Netherlands
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Dharshini KS, Ameen F, Anbazhagan V. Mechanistic Investigation on the Antibacterial Activity of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Prepared Using Root Extract of Sarsaparilla and Demonstrated their In Vivo Efficacy in Zebrafish Model. Curr Microbiol 2024; 81:268. [PMID: 39003685 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-024-03794-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic success rates are decreasing as drug-resistant bacteria become more prevalent, prompting the development of new therapeutic drugs. Herein, we demonstrated the antimicrobial activity of sarsaparilla root extract fabricated silver nanoparticles (sAgNPs). The UV-Visible spectra revealed that the surface Plasmon resonance maxima of sAgNPs were at 415 nm. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that the particles are spherical with size of 12-35 nm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sAgNPs against Escherichia coli, uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 62.5, 62.5, 62.5, 62.5, 125 and 125 µM, respectively. At 1X MIC, sAgNPs induces excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and disturbs the bacteria membrane intergity, causing cytoplamic membrane depolarization. Interestingly, antibacterial activity of sAgNPs was considerably reduced in the presence of an antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine, suggesting that ROS-induced membrane damage is a plausible cause of cell death. In contrast to many studies that only report the in vitro activity of NPs, we determined the in vivo antibacterial efficacy using the zebrafish model. It was found that sAgNPs protect fish from infection by inhibiting bacterial growth and eliminating them from the fish. In addition, the catalytic potential of sAgNPs for wastewater decontamination was demonstrated by degrading organic pollutants such as methyl orange, congo red, reactive black, and acid blue. The pollutants degraded in less than 10 min, and the reaction follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. As a proof of concept, the catalytic potential of sAgNPs in degrading mixed dyes to satisfy industrial wastewater treatment needs was established. In summary, sAgNPs have the potential to act as nanocatalysts and nano-drugs, addressing key challenges in medical and environmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karnan Singaravelu Dharshini
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, 613 401, India
| | - Fuad Ameen
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Veerappan Anbazhagan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, 613 401, India.
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Decker T, Rautenbach M, Khan S, Khan W. Antibacterial efficacy and membrane mechanism of action of the Serratia-derived non-ionic lipopeptide, serrawettin W2-FL10. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0295223. [PMID: 38842361 PMCID: PMC11218446 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02952-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, and mechanism of action of the non-ionic, cyclic lipopeptide, serrawettin W2-FL10 against Staphylococcus aureus. W2-FL10 exhibited potent activity against the Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus subtilis, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 6.3 to 31.3 μg/mL, while no activity was observed against Gram-negative bacteria. Broth microdilution assays showed that W2-FL10 interacted with key cell membrane components, such as lipid phosphatidyl glycerol and lipoteichoic acid of S. aureus. Upon membrane interaction, W2-FL10 dissipated membrane potential within 12 min and increased S. aureus membrane permeability within 28-40 min, albeit at slower rates and higher concentrations than the lytic peptide melittin. The observed membrane permeability, as detected with propidium iodide (PI), may be attributed to transmembrane pores/lesions, possibly dependent on dimer-driven lipopeptide oligomerization in the membrane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging also visually confirmed the formation of lesions in the cell wall of one of the S. aureus strains, and cell damage within 1 h of exposure to W2-FL10, corroborating the rapid time-kill kinetics of the S. aureus strains. This bactericidal action against the S. aureus strains corresponded to membrane permeabilization by W2-FL10, indicating that self-promoted uptake into the cytosol may be part of the mode of action. Finally, this lipopeptide exhibited low to moderate cytotoxicity to the Chinese hamster ovarian (CHO) cell line in comparison to the control (emetine) with an optimal lipophilicity range (log D value of 2.5), signifying its potential as an antibiotic candidate. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern, urgently requiring antibacterial compounds exhibiting low adverse health effects. In this study, a novel antibacterial lipopeptide analog is described, serrawettin W2-FL10 (derived from Serratia marcescens), with potent activity displayed against Staphylococcus aureus. Mechanistic studies revealed that W2-FL10 targets the cell membrane of S. aureus, causing depolarization and permeabilization because of transmembrane lesions/pores, resulting in the leakage of intracellular components, possible cytosolic uptake of W2-FL10, and ultimately cell death. This study provides the first insight into the mode of action of a non-ionic lipopeptide. The low to moderate cytotoxicity of W2-FL10 also highlights its application as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Decker
- Water Health Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Marina Rautenbach
- BioPep Peptide Group, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Sehaam Khan
- Water Health Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Wesaal Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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Roy D, Michalet X, Miller EW, Weiss S. Towards optical measurements of membrane potential values in Bacillus subtilis using fluorescence lifetime. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.13.598880. [PMID: 38915670 PMCID: PMC11195253 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.13.598880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Membrane potential (MP) changes can provide a simple readout of bacterial functional and metabolic state or stress levels. While several optical methods exist for measuring fast changes in MP in excitable cells, there is a dearth of such methods for absolute and precise measurements of steady-state membrane potentials (MPs) in bacterial cells. Conventional electrode-based methods for the measurement of MP are not suitable for calibrating optical methods in small bacterial cells. While optical measurement based on Nernstian indicators have been successfully used, they do not provide absolute or precise quantification of MP or its changes. We present a novel, calibrated MP recording approach to address this gap. Our method is based on (i) a unique VoltageFluor (VF) optical transducer, whose fluorescence lifetime varies as a function of MP via photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) and (ii) a quantitative phasor-FLIM analysis for high-throughput readout. This method allows MP changes to be easily recorded, quantified and visualized. Using our preliminary Bacillus subtilis-specific MP versus VF lifetime calibration, we estimated the MP for unperturbed B. subtilis cells to be -65 mV and that for chemically depolarized cells as -14 mV. Our work paves the way for deeper insights into bacterial electrophysiology and bioelectricity research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debjit Roy
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xavier Michalet
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California Nano Systems Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Evan W. Miller
- Departments of Chemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California at Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Shimon Weiss
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California Nano Systems Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
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Bourqqia-Ramzi M, Mansilla-Guardiola J, Muñoz-Rodriguez D, Quarta E, Lombardo-Hernandez J, Murciano-Cespedosa A, Conejero-Meca FJ, Mateos González Á, Geuna S, Garcia-Esteban MT, Herrera-Rincon C. From the Microbiome to the Electrome: Implications for the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6233. [PMID: 38892419 PMCID: PMC11172653 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome plays a fundamental role in metabolism, as well as the immune and nervous systems. Microbial imbalance (dysbiosis) can contribute to subsequent physical and mental pathologies. As such, interest has been growing in the microbiota-gut-brain brain axis and the bioelectrical communication that could exist between bacterial and nervous cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the bioelectrical profile (electrome) of two bacterial species characteristic of the gut microbiome: a Proteobacteria Gram-negative bacillus Escherichia coli (E. coli), and a Firmicutes Gram-positive coccus Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). We analyzed both bacterial strains to (i) validate the fluorescent probe bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol, DiBAC4(3), as a reliable reporter of the changes in membrane potential (Vmem) for both bacteria; (ii) assess the evolution of the bioelectric profile throughout the growth of both strains; (iii) investigate the effects of two neural-type stimuli on Vmem changes: the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate (Glu) and the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA); (iv) examine the impact of the bioelectrical changes induced by neurotransmitters on bacterial growth, viability, and cultivability using absorbance, live/dead fluorescent probes, and viable counts, respectively. Our findings reveal distinct bioelectrical profiles characteristic of each bacterial species and growth phase. Importantly, neural-type stimuli induce Vmem changes without affecting bacterial growth, viability, or cultivability, suggesting a specific bioelectrical response in bacterial cells to neurotransmitter cues. These results contribute to understanding the bacterial response to external stimuli, with potential implications for modulating bacterial bioelectricity as a novel therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwane Bourqqia-Ramzi
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
- Department of Neurosciences “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Jesús Mansilla-Guardiola
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
- Unit of Microbiology, Department of Genetic, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Muñoz-Rodriguez
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
| | - Elisa Quarta
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center “Guido Tarone”, University of Torino, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Juan Lombardo-Hernandez
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
| | - Antonio Murciano-Cespedosa
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
- Neuro-Computing and Neuro-Robotics Research Group, Neural Plasticity Research Group Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco José Conejero-Meca
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
| | - Álvaro Mateos González
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
- University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Stefano Geuna
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Cavalieri Ottolenghi Neuroscience Institute, University of Turin, Ospedale San Luigi, 10043 Turin, Italy
| | - María Teresa Garcia-Esteban
- Unit of Microbiology, Department of Genetic, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Celia Herrera-Rincon
- Modeling, Data Analysis &Computational Tools for Biology Research Group, Biomathematics Unit, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology & Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.-R.); (J.M.-G.)
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8
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Sidarta M, Lorente Martín AI, Monsalve A, Marinho Righetto G, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M. Lipid phase separation impairs membrane thickness sensing by the Bacillus subtilis sensor kinase DesK. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0392523. [PMID: 38717171 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03925-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane fluidity and thickness have emerged as crucial factors for the activity of and resistance to several antimicrobials. However, the lack of tools to study membrane fluidity and, in particular, thickness in living bacteria limits our understanding of this interplay. The Bacillus subtilis histidine kinase/phosphatase DesK is a molecular sensor that directly detects membrane thickness. It controls activity of DesR, which regulates expression of the lipid desaturase Des, known for its role in cold adaptation and daptomycin susceptibility. We hypothesized that this property could be exploited to develop biosensors and reporters for antibiotic-induced changes in membrane fluidity and thickness. To test this, we designed three assays based on the des system: activation of the Pdes promoter as reporter for membrane thickening, localization of DesK-GFP(green-fluorescent protein) as proxy for rigidified membrane domains, and antibiotic sensitivity of des, desK, and desR deletion mutants as readout for the importance of membrane rigidification/thickening under the tested condition. While we could not confirm the suitability of the des system as reporter for antibiotic-induced changes in membrane thickness, we did observe that des expression is only activated by mild temperature shocks, likely due to partitioning of the sensor DesK into fluid membrane domains upon phase separation, precluding effective thickness sensing under harsh cold shock and antibiotic stress conditions. Similarly, we did not observe any sensitivity of the deletion mutants to either temperature or antibiotic stress, raising the question to what extent the des system contributes to fluidity adaptation under these conditions. IMPORTANCE The B. subtilis des system is a prime model for direct molecular membrane thickness sensor and, as such, has been well studied in vitro. Our study shows that our understanding of its function in vivo and its importance under temperature and antibiotic stress is still very limited. Specifically, our results suggest that (i) the des system senses very subtle membrane fluidity changes that escape detection by established fluidity reporters like laurdan; (ii) membrane thickness sensing by DesK is impaired by phase separation due to partitioning of the protein into the fluid phase; and (iii) fluidity adaptations by Des are too subtle to elicit growth defects under rigidifying conditions, raising the question of how much the des system contributes to adaptation of overall membrane fluidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margareth Sidarta
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ana I Lorente Martín
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anuntxi Monsalve
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gabriela Marinho Righetto
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
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9
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Xue M, Chakraborty S, Gao R, Wang S, Gu M, Shen N, Wei L, Cao C, Sun X, Cai J. Antimicrobial Guanidinylate Polycarbonates Show Oral In Vivo Efficacy Against Clostridioides Difficile. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303295. [PMID: 38321619 PMCID: PMC11144102 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The emerging antibiotic resistance has been named by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top 10 threats to public health. Notably, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VREF) are designated as serious threats, whereas Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is recognized as one of the most urgent threats to human health and unmet medical need. Herein, they report the design and application of novel biodegradable polymers - the lipidated antimicrobial guanidinylate polycarbonates. These polymers showed potent antimicrobial activity against a panel of bacteria with fast-killing kinetics and low resistance development tendency, mainly due to their bacterial membrane disruption mechanism. More importantly, the optimal polymer showed excellent antibacterial activity against C. difficile infection (CDI) in vivo via oral administration. In addition, compared with vancomycin, the polymer demonstrated a much-prolonged therapeutic effect and virtually diminished recurrence rate of CDI. The convenient synthesis, easy scale-up, low cost, as well as biodegradability of this class of polycarbonates, together with their in vitro broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and orally in vivo efficacy against CDI, suggest the great potential of lipidated guandinylate polycarbonates as a new class of antibacterial biomaterials to treat CDI and combat emerging antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menglin Xue
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Soumyadeep Chakraborty
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Ruixuan Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Shaohui Wang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Meng Gu
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Ning Shen
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Lulu Wei
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Chuanhai Cao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Xingmin Sun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Jianfeng Cai
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA
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10
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Zhuang J, Liu S, Du GF, Fang Z, Wu J, Li N, Zhong T, Xu J, He QY, Sun X. YjgM is a crotonyltransferase critical for polymyxin resistance of Escherichia coli. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114161. [PMID: 38678561 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Lysine crotonylation has attracted widespread attention in recent years. However, little is known about bacterial crotonylation, particularly crotonyltransferase and decrotonylase, and its effects on antibiotic resistance. Our study demonstrates the ubiquitous presence of crotonylation in E. coli, which promotes bacterial resistance to polymyxin. We identify the crotonyltransferase YjgM and its regulatory pathways in E. coli with a focus on crotonylation. Further studies show that YjgM upregulates the crotonylation of the substrate protein PmrA, thereby boosting PmrA's affinity for binding to the promoter of eptA, which, in turn, promotes EptA expression and confers polymyxin resistance in E. coli. Additionally, we discover that PmrA's crucial crotonylation site and functional site is Lys 164. These significant discoveries highlight the role of crotonylation in bacterial drug resistance and offer a fresh perspective on creating antibacterial compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianpeng Zhuang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiqin Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gao-Fei Du
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Technology School, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zuye Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayi Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nan Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tairan Zhong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiayi Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing-Yu He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xuesong Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology and State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Institute of Life and Health Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
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11
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Fulgencio S, Scaccaglia M, Frei A. Exploration of Rhenium Bisquinoline Tricarbonyl Complexes for their Antibacterial Properties. Chembiochem 2024:e202400435. [PMID: 38785033 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Metal complexes have emerged as a promising source for novel classes of antibacterial agents to combat the rise of antimicrobial resistance around the world. In the exploration of the transition metal chemical space for novel metalloantibiotics, the rhenium tricarbonyl moiety has been identified as a promising scaffold. Here we have prepared eight novel rhenium bisquinoline tricarbonyl complexes and explored their antibacterial properties. Significant activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was observed. However, all complexes also showed significant toxicity against human cells, putting into question the prospects of this specific rhenium compound class as metalloantibiotics. To better understand their biological effects, we conduct the first mode of action studies on rhenium bisquinoline complexes and show that they are able to form pores through bacterial membranes. Their straight-forward synthesis and tuneability suggests that further optimisation of this compound class could lead to compounds with enhanced bacterial specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Fulgencio
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mirco Scaccaglia
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Angelo Frei
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, U.K
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12
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Zhang LM, Zhou SW, Huang XS, Chen YF, Mwangi J, Fang YQ, Du T, Zhao M, Shi L, Lu QM. Blap-6, a Novel Antifungal Peptide from the Chinese Medicinal Beetle Blaps rhynchopetera against Cryptococcus neoformans. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5336. [PMID: 38791374 PMCID: PMC11121495 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans) is a pathogenic fungus that can cause life-threatening meningitis, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems. The current standard treatment involves the combination of amphotericin B and azole drugs, but this regimen often leads to inevitable toxicity in patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new antifungal drugs with improved safety profiles. We screened antimicrobial peptides from the hemolymph transcriptome of Blaps rhynchopetera (B. rhynchopetera), a folk Chinese medicine. We found an antimicrobial peptide named blap-6 that exhibited potent activity against bacteria and fungi. Blap-6 is composed of 17 amino acids (KRCRFRIYRWGFPRRRF), and it has excellent antifungal activity against C. neoformans, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.81 μM. Blap-6 exhibits strong antifungal kinetic characteristics. Mechanistic studies revealed that blap-6 exerts its antifungal activity by penetrating and disrupting the integrity of the fungal cell membrane. In addition to its direct antifungal effect, blap-6 showed strong biofilm inhibition and scavenging activity. Notably, the peptide exhibited low hemolytic and cytotoxicity to human cells and may be a potential candidate antimicrobial drug for fungal infection caused by C. neoformans.
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Affiliation(s)
- La-Mei Zhang
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China; (L.-M.Z.); (T.D.); (M.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Sheng-Wen Zhou
- Engineering Laboratory of Peptides of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Sino-African Joint Research Center, and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.17 Longxin Road, Kunming 650201, China; (S.-W.Z.); (X.-S.H.); (Y.-F.C.); (J.M.); (Y.-Q.F.)
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Shan Huang
- Engineering Laboratory of Peptides of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Sino-African Joint Research Center, and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.17 Longxin Road, Kunming 650201, China; (S.-W.Z.); (X.-S.H.); (Y.-F.C.); (J.M.); (Y.-Q.F.)
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yi-Fan Chen
- Engineering Laboratory of Peptides of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Sino-African Joint Research Center, and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.17 Longxin Road, Kunming 650201, China; (S.-W.Z.); (X.-S.H.); (Y.-F.C.); (J.M.); (Y.-Q.F.)
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - James Mwangi
- Engineering Laboratory of Peptides of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Sino-African Joint Research Center, and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.17 Longxin Road, Kunming 650201, China; (S.-W.Z.); (X.-S.H.); (Y.-F.C.); (J.M.); (Y.-Q.F.)
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ya-Qun Fang
- Engineering Laboratory of Peptides of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Sino-African Joint Research Center, and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.17 Longxin Road, Kunming 650201, China; (S.-W.Z.); (X.-S.H.); (Y.-F.C.); (J.M.); (Y.-Q.F.)
| | - Ting Du
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China; (L.-M.Z.); (T.D.); (M.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China; (L.-M.Z.); (T.D.); (M.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming 650224, China; (L.-M.Z.); (T.D.); (M.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Qiu-Min Lu
- Engineering Laboratory of Peptides of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Sino-African Joint Research Center, and New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.17 Longxin Road, Kunming 650201, China; (S.-W.Z.); (X.-S.H.); (Y.-F.C.); (J.M.); (Y.-Q.F.)
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13
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Xing H, Wigham C, Lee SR, Pereira AJ, de Campos LJ, Picco AS, Huck-Iriart C, Escudero C, Perez-Chirinos L, Gajaweera S, Comer J, Sasselli IR, Stupp SI, Zha RH, Conda-Sheridan M. Enhanced Hydrogen Bonding by Urea Functionalization Tunes the Stability and Biological Properties of Peptide Amphiphiles. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:2823-2837. [PMID: 38602228 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Self-assembled nanostructures such as those formed by peptide amphiphiles (PAs) are of great interest in biological and pharmacological applications. Herein, a simple and widely applicable chemical modification, a urea motif, was included in the PA's molecular structure to stabilize the nanostructures by virtue of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Since the amino acid residue nearest to the lipid tail is the most relevant for stability, we decided to include the urea modification at that position. We prepared four groups of molecules (13 PAs in all), with varying levels of intermolecular cohesion, using amino acids with distinct β-sheet promoting potential and/or containing hydrophobic tails of distinct lengths. Each subset contained one urea-modified PA and nonmodified PAs, all with the same peptide sequence. The varied responses of these PAs to variations in pH, temperature, counterions, and biologically related proteins were examined using microscopic, X-ray, spectrometric techniques, and molecular simulations. We found that the urea group contributes to the stabilization of the morphology and internal arrangement of the assemblies against environmental stimuli for all peptide sequences. In addition, microbiological and biological studies were performed with the cationic PAs. These assays reveal that the addition of urea linkages affects the PA-cell membrane interaction, showing the potential to increase the selectivity toward bacteria. Our data indicate that the urea motif can be used to tune the stability of a wide range of PA nanostructures, allowing flexibility on the biomaterial's design and opening a myriad of options for clinical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihua Xing
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Caleb Wigham
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, United States
| | - Sieun Ruth Lee
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Aramis J Pereira
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Luana J de Campos
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Agustín S Picco
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas, INIFTA-CONICET-UNLP, La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Cristián Huck-Iriart
- ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Experiments Division, 08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Carlos Escudero
- ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Experiments Division, 08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Laura Perez-Chirinos
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia 20014, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Sandun Gajaweera
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Jeffrey Comer
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, United States
| | - Ivan R Sasselli
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia 20014, San Sebastián, Spain
- Centro de Fisica de Materiales (CFM), CSIC-UPV/EHU, Donostia 20018, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Samuel I Stupp
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine, and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - R Helen Zha
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, United States
| | - Martin Conda-Sheridan
- College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
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14
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Ghosh S, Sen S, Jash M, Ghosh S, Jana A, Roy R, Mukherjee N, Mukherjee D, Sarkar J, Ghosh S. Synergistic Augmentation of Beta-Lactams: Exploring Quinoline-Derived Amphipathic Small Molecules as Antimicrobial Potentiators against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1267-1285. [PMID: 38442370 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00696] [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: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The escalation of bacterial resistance against existing therapeutic antimicrobials has reached a critical peak, leading to the rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Stringent pathways in novel drug discovery hinder our progress in this survival race. A promising approach to combat emerging antibiotic resistance involves enhancing conventional ineffective antimicrobials using low-toxicity small molecule adjuvants. Recent research interest lies in weak membrane-perturbing agents with unique cyclic hydrophobic components, addressing a significant gap in antimicrobial drug exploration. Our study demonstrates that quinoline-based amphipathic small molecules, SG-B-52 and SG-B-22, significantly reduce MICs of selected beta-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin and amoxicillin) against lethal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Mechanistically, membrane perturbation, depolarization, and ROS generation drive cellular lysis and death. These molecules display minimal in vitro and in vivo toxicity, showcased through hemolysis assays, cell cytotoxicity analysis, and studies on albino Wistar rats. SG-B-52 exhibits impressive biofilm-clearing abilities against MRSA biofilms, proposing a strategy to enhance beta-lactam antibiosis and encouraging the development of potent antimicrobial potentiators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surojit Ghosh
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Samya Sen
- iHUB Drishti Foundation, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Moumita Jash
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Satyajit Ghosh
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Aniket Jana
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Rajsekhar Roy
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Nabanita Mukherjee
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Dipro Mukherjee
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
| | - Jayita Sarkar
- Centre for Research and Development of Scientific Instruments (CRDSI), Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 342030, India
| | - Surajit Ghosh
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
- Smart Healthcare Department, Interdisciplinary Research Platform, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
- iHUB Drishti Foundation, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan 342030, India
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15
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Wei X, Gao J, Zhou D, Xu C, Chen P, Chen S, Zhang Y, Liu X, Li G, Zhu G, Liu H, Li J, Geng B, Gao L, Cheng Z, Lamont IL, Pletzer D, Jin Y, Jin S, Wu W. Murepavadin promotes the killing efficacies of aminoglycoside antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa by enhancing membrane potential. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0153923. [PMID: 38470195 PMCID: PMC10989017 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01539-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Murepavadin is a peptidomimetic that specifically targets the lipopolysaccharide transport protein LptD of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, we found that murepavadin enhances the bactericidal efficacies of tobramycin and amikacin. We further demonstrated that murepavadin enhances bacterial respiration activity and subsequent membrane potential, which promotes intracellular uptake of aminoglycoside antibiotics. In addition, the murepavadin-amikacin combination displayed a synergistic bactericidal effect in a murine pneumonia model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoya Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiacong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Dandan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Congjuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuiping Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, 5th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanhong Zhang
- Nankai University Affiliated Hospital (Tianjin Forth Hospital), Tianjin, China
| | - Xuehua Liu
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guanxian Li
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Guangbo Zhu
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Huimin Liu
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinjin Li
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Bin Geng
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Linlin Gao
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University Affiliated Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhihui Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Iain L. Lamont
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Pletzer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Yongxin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shouguang Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Weihui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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16
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Liao M, Gong H, Liu H, Shen K, Ge T, King S, Schweins R, McBain AJ, Hu X, Lu JR. Combination of a pH-responsive peptide amphiphile and a conventional antibiotic in treating Gram-negative bacteria. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 659:397-412. [PMID: 38183806 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical treatments ofgastric infections using antibiotics suffer from the undesired killing of commensal bacteria and emergence of antibiotic resistance. It is desirable to develop pH-responsive antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that kill pathogenic bacteria such as H. pyloriand resistant E. coli under acidic environment with minimal impact to commensal bacteria whilst not causing antibiotic resistance. EXPERIMENTS Using a combined approach of cell assays, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and membrane models facilitating biophysical and biochemical measurements including small angle neutron scattering (SANS), we have characterized the pH-responsive physiochemical properties and antimicrobial performance of two amphiphilic AMPs, GIIKDIIKDIIKDI-NH2 and GIIKKIIDDIIKKI-NH2 (denoted as 3D and 2D, respectively), that were designed by selective substitutions of cationic residues of Lys (K) in the extensively studied AMP G(IIKK)3I-NH2 with anionic residue Asp (D). FINDINGS Whilst 2D kept non-ordered coils across the entire pH range studied, 3D displayed a range of secondary structures when pH was shifted from basic to acidic, with distinct self-assembly into nanofibers in aqueous environment. Further experimental and modeling studies revealed that the AMPs interacted differently with the inner and outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria in a pH-responsive manner and that the structural features characterized by membrane leakage and intramembrane nanoaggregates revealed from fluorescence spectroscopy and SANS were well linked to antimicrobial actions. Different antimicrobial efficacies of 2D and 3D were underlined by the interplay between their ability to bind to the outer membrane lipid LPS (lipopolysaccharide), outer membrane permeability change and inner membrane depolarization and leakage. Furthermore, AMP's binding with the inner membrane under acidic condition caused both the dissipation of membrane potential (Δψ) and the continuous dissipation of transmembrane ΔpH, with Δψ and ΔpH being the key components of the proton motive force. Combinations of antibiotic (Minocycline) with the pH-responsive AMP generated the synergistic effects against Gram-negative bacteria only under acidic condition. These features are crucial to target applications to gastric infections, anti-acne and wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Liao
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Haoning Gong
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Huayang Liu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Kangcheng Shen
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Tianhao Ge
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Stephen King
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron & Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | - Andrew J McBain
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Xuzhi Hu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Jian R Lu
- Biological Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, School of Natural Science, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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17
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Dombach JL, Christensen GL, Allgood SC, Quintana JLJ, Detweiler CS. Inhibition of multiple staphylococcal growth states by a small molecule that disrupts membrane fluidity and voltage. mSphere 2024; 9:e0077223. [PMID: 38445864 PMCID: PMC10964410 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00772-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
New molecular approaches to disrupting bacterial infections are needed. The bacterial cell membrane is an essential structure with diverse potential lipid and protein targets for antimicrobials. While rapid lysis of the bacterial cell membrane kills bacteria, lytic compounds are generally toxic to whole animals. In contrast, compounds that subtly damage the bacterial cell membrane could disable a microbe, facilitating pathogen clearance by the immune system with limited compound toxicity. A previously described small molecule, D66, terminates Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infection of macrophages and reduces tissue colonization in mice. The compound dissipates bacterial inner membrane voltage without rapid cell lysis under broth conditions that permeabilize the outer membrane or disable efflux pumps. In standard media, the cell envelope protects Gram-negative bacteria from D66. We evaluated the activity of D66 in Gram-positive bacteria because their distinct envelope structure, specifically the absence of an outer membrane, could facilitate mechanism of action studies. We observed that D66 inhibited Gram-positive bacterial cell growth, rapidly increased Staphylococcus aureus membrane fluidity, and disrupted membrane voltage while barrier function remained intact. The compound also prevented planktonic staphylococcus from forming biofilms and a disturbed three-dimensional structure in 1-day-old biofilms. D66 furthermore reduced the survival of staphylococcal persister cells and of intracellular S. aureus. These data indicate that staphylococcal cells in multiple growth states germane to infection are susceptible to changes in lipid packing and membrane conductivity. Thus, agents that subtly damage bacterial cell membranes could have utility in preventing or treating disease.IMPORTANCEAn underutilized potential antibacterial target is the cell membrane, which supports or associates with approximately half of bacterial proteins and has a phospholipid makeup distinct from mammalian cell membranes. Previously, an experimental small molecule, D66, was shown to subtly damage Gram-negative bacterial cell membranes and to disrupt infection of mammalian cells. Here, we show that D66 increases the fluidity of Gram-positive bacterial cell membranes, dissipates membrane voltage, and inhibits the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus in several infection-relevant growth states. Thus, compounds that cause membrane damage without lysing cells could be useful for mitigating infections caused by S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Dombach
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Grace L. Christensen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Samual C. Allgood
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Joaquin L. J. Quintana
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Corrella S. Detweiler
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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18
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Wei X, Hu Y, Sun C, Wu S. Characterization of a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide Bacipeptin against Foodborne Pathogens. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:5283-5292. [PMID: 38429098 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The increasing emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens and development of biopreservatives in food industries has increased the demand of novel and safe antimicrobial agents. In this study, a marine bacterial strain Bacillus licheniformis M1 was isolated and exhibited obvious antimicrobial activities against foodborne pathogens, especially against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial agent was purified and identified as a novel antimicrobial peptide, which was designated as bacipeptin, and the corresponding mechanism was further investigated by electron microscopy observation and transcriptomic analysis with biochemical validation. The results showed that bacipeptin could reduce the virulence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and exerted its antimicrobial activity by interfering with histidine metabolism, inducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and down-regulating genes related to Na+/H+ antiporter and the cell wall, thus causing damage to the cell wall and membrane. Overall, our study provides a novel natural product against foodborne pathogens and discloses the corresponding action mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuanyuan Hu
- College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Chaomin Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
- Center of Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Shimei Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
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19
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Pereira AJ, Xing H, de Campos LJ, Seleem MA, de Oliveira KMP, Obaro SK, Conda-Sheridan M. Structure-Activity Relationship Study to Develop Peptide Amphiphiles as Species-Specific Antimicrobials. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303986. [PMID: 38221408 PMCID: PMC10939825 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptide amphiphiles (PAs) are a promising class of molecules that can disrupt the bacterial membrane or act as drug nanocarriers. In this study, we prepared 33 PAs to establish supramolecular structure-activity relationships. We studied the morphology and activity of the nanostructures against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii). Next, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the key contributors to activity. We found that for S. aureus, the zeta potential was the major contributor to the activity while Gram-negative bacteria were more influenced by the partition coefficient (LogP) with the following order P. aeruginosa>E. coli>A. baumannii. We also performed a study of the mechanism of action of selected PAs on the bacterial membrane assessing the membrane permeability and depolarization, changes in zeta potential and overall integrity. We studied the toxicity of the nanostructures against mammalian cells. Finally, we performed an in vivo study using the wax moth larvae to determine the therapeutic efficacy of the active PAs. This study shows cationic PA nanostructures can be an intriguing platform for the development of nanoantibacterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aramis J. Pereira
- A. J. Pereira, Dr. H. Xing, L. J. de Campos, Prof. Dr. M. Conda-Sheridan, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE 68198 (USA)
| | - Huihua Xing
- A. J. Pereira, Dr. H. Xing, L. J. de Campos, Prof. Dr. M. Conda-Sheridan, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE 68198 (USA)
| | - Luana J. de Campos
- A. J. Pereira, Dr. H. Xing, L. J. de Campos, Prof. Dr. M. Conda-Sheridan, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE 68198 (USA)
| | - Mohamed A. Seleem
- Dr. M.A. Seleem, Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 4434003 (Egypt)
| | - Kelly M. P. de Oliveira
- Prof. Dr. K. M. P. de Oliveira, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, MS 79804-970 (Brazil)
| | - Stephen K. Obaro
- Prof. Dr. S. K. Obaro, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL 35233 (USA), International Foundation against Infectious Diseases in Nigeria (IFAIN), Abuja, 900108 (Nigeria)
| | - Martin Conda-Sheridan
- A. J. Pereira, Dr. H. Xing, L. J. de Campos, Prof. Dr. M. Conda-Sheridan, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE 68198 (USA)
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20
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Lobertti CA, Gizzi FO, Magni C, Rial A, Chabalgoity JA, Yim L, Blancato VS, Asquith CRM, García Véscovi E. Enhancing colistin efficacy against Salmonella infections with a quinazoline-based dual therapeutic strategy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5148. [PMID: 38429351 PMCID: PMC10907601 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55793-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Colistin remains one of the last-resort therapies for combating infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacterales, despite its adverse nephro- and neuro-toxic effects. This study elucidates the mechanism of action of a non-antibiotic 4-anilinoquinazoline-based compound that synergistically enhances the effectiveness of colistin against Salmonella enterica. The quinazoline sensitizes Salmonella by deactivating intrinsic, mutational, and transferable resistance mechanisms that enable Salmonella to counteract the antibiotic impact colistin, together with an induced disruption to the electrochemical balance of the bacterial membrane. The attenuation of colistin resistance via the combined treatment approach also proves efficacious against E. coli, Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter strains. The dual therapy reduces the mortality of Galleria mellonella larvae undergoing a systemic Salmonella infection when compared to individual drug treatments. Overall, our findings unveil the potential of the quinazoline-colistin combined therapy as an innovative strategy against MDR bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Lobertti
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Fernán O Gizzi
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christian Magni
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Analía Rial
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de La República, Avda. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - José A Chabalgoity
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de La República, Avda. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Lucía Yim
- Departamento de Desarrollo Biotecnológico, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de La República, Avda. Alfredo Navarro 3051, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Víctor S Blancato
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Christopher R M Asquith
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Eleonora García Véscovi
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Predio CCT-CONICET Rosario, S2000, Santa Fe, Rosario, Argentina.
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21
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Safwan SM, Kumar N, Mehta D, Singh M, Saini V, Pandey N, Khatol S, Batheja S, Singh J, Walia P, Bajaj A. Xanthone Derivatives Enhance the Therapeutic Potential of Neomycin against Polymicrobial Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:527-540. [PMID: 38294409 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00471] [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: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Gram-negative bacterial infections are difficult to manage as many antibiotics are ineffective owing to the presence of impermeable bacterial membranes. Polymicrobial infections pose a serious threat due to the inadequate efficacy of available antibiotics, thereby necessitating the administration of antibiotics at higher doses. Antibiotic adjuvants have emerged as a boon as they can augment the therapeutic potential of available antibiotics. However, the toxicity profile of antibiotic adjuvants is a major hurdle in clinical translation. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and biological activities of xanthone-derived molecules as potential antibiotic adjuvants. Our SAR studies witnessed that the p-dimethylamino pyridine-derivative of xanthone (X8) enhances the efficacy of neomycin (NEO) against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and causes a synergistic antimicrobial effect without any toxicity against mammalian cells. Biochemical studies suggest that the combination of X8 and NEO, apart from inhibiting protein synthesis, enhances the membrane permeability by binding to lipopolysaccharide. Notably, the combination of X8 and NEO can disrupt the monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilms and show promising therapeutic potential against a murine wound infection model. Collectively, our results unveil the combination of X8 and NEO as a suitable adjuvant therapy for the inhibition of the Gram-negative bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Mohamad Safwan
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Neeraj Kumar
- Lord Shiva College of Pharmacy, Near Civil Hospital, Sirsa 125055, Haryana, India
| | - Devashish Mehta
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Mohit Singh
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Varsha Saini
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Nishant Pandey
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Steffi Khatol
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Shalini Batheja
- Lord Shiva College of Pharmacy, Near Civil Hospital, Sirsa 125055, Haryana, India
| | - Jitender Singh
- Lord Shiva College of Pharmacy, Near Civil Hospital, Sirsa 125055, Haryana, India
| | - Preeti Walia
- Lord Shiva College of Pharmacy, Near Civil Hospital, Sirsa 125055, Haryana, India
| | - Avinash Bajaj
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Third Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
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22
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Jeon E, Kim MK, Park Y. Efficacy of the bee-venom antimicrobial peptide Osmin against sensitive and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024; 63:107054. [PMID: 38072166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.107054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae strains causes severe problems in the treatment of bacterial infections owing to limited treatment options. Especially, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is rapidly spreading worldwide and is emerging as a new cause of drug-resistant healthcare-associated infections. CRKP also has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most pressing antibiotic resistance threats. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are drawing considerable attention as ideal antibiotic alternative candidates to combat MDR bacterial infections. In a previous study, Osmin is composed of 17 amino acids and is isolated from solitary bee (Osmia rufa) venom. Herein, we evaluated the potential of Osmin to be used against drug-resistant K. pneumoniae as an alternative to conventional antibiotics. Osmin exhibited significant antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity and lower toxicity than melittin, a well-known bee venom peptide. Additionally, we confirmed that it possesses a bactericidal mechanism that rapidly destroys bacterial membranes. Osmin was relatively more stable than melittin under the influence of various environmental factors and unlike conventional antibiotics, it exhibited a low bacterial resistance risk. During in vivo tests, Osmin reduced bacterial growth and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and fibrosis-related genes in mice with CRKP-induced sepsis. Overall, our results indicate a high potential for Osmin to be used as a valuable therapeutic agent against drug-resistant K. pneumoniae infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunyeong Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Kyung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoonkyung Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; Research Center for Proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
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23
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Lavekar AG, Thakare R, Saima, Equbal D, Chopra S, Sinha AK. Indole-based aryl sulfides target the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus without detectable resistance. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22123. [PMID: 37840429 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Sulfur-containing classes of the scaffold "Arylthioindoles" have been evaluated for antibacterial activity; they demonstrated excellent potency against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as well as against vancomycin-resistant strains and a panel of clinical isolates of resistant strains. In this study, we have elucidated the mechanism of action of lead compounds, wherein they target the cell wall of S. aureus. Further, S. aureus failed to develop resistance against two lead compounds tested in a serial passage experiment in the presence of the compounds over a period of 40 days. Both the compounds demonstrated comparable in vivo efficacy with vancomycin in a neutropenic mice thigh infection model. The results of these antibacterial activities emphasize the excellent potential of thioethers for developing novel antibiotics and may fill in as a target for the adjustment of accessible molecules to develop new powerful antibacterial agents with fewer side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya G Lavekar
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi, India
| | - Ritesh Thakare
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Department of Cell and Cancer Biology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Saima
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- School of Advanced Chemical Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Danish Equbal
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi, India
| | - Sidharth Chopra
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi, India
- Division of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Arun K Sinha
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi, India
- Ranchi University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
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24
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Schäfer AB, Sidarta M, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Marinho Righetto G, Arshad A, Wenzel M. Dissecting antibiotic effects on the cell envelope using bacterial cytological profiling: a phenotypic analysis starter kit. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0327523. [PMID: 38289933 PMCID: PMC10913488 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03275-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic analysis assays such as bacterial cytological profiling (BCP) have become increasingly popular for antibiotic mode of action analysis. A plethora of dyes, protein fusions, and reporter strains are available and have been used for this purpose, enabling both rapid mode of action categorization and in-depth analysis of antibiotic mechanisms. However, non-expert researchers may struggle choosing suitable assays and interpreting results. This is a particular problem for antibiotics that have multiple or complex targets, such as the bacterial cell envelope. Here, we set out to curate a minimal set of accessible and affordable phenotypic assays that allow distinction between membrane and cell wall targets, can identify dual-action inhibitors, and can be implemented in most research environments. To this end, we employed BCP, membrane potential, fluidity, and cell wall synthesis assays. To assess specificity and ease of interpretation, we tested three well-characterized and commercially available reference antibiotics: the potassium ionophore valinomycin, the lipid II-binding glycopeptide vancomycin, and the dual-action lantibiotic nisin, which binds lipid II and forms a membrane pore. Based on our experiments, we suggest a minimal set of BCP, a membrane-potentiometric probe, and fluorescent protein fusions to MinD and MreB as basic assay set and recommend complementing these assays with Laurdan-based fluidity measurements and a PliaI reporter fusion, where indicated. We believe that our results can provide guidance for researchers who wish to use phenotypic analysis for mode of action studies but do not possess the specialized equipment or expert knowledge to employ the full breadth of possible techniques.IMPORTANCEPhenotypic analysis assays using specialized fluorescence fusions and dyes have become increasingly popular in antibiotic mode of action analysis. However, it can be difficult to implement these methods due to the need for specialized equipment and/or the complexity of bacterial cell biology and physiology, making the interpretation of results difficult for non-experts. This is especially problematic for compounds that have multiple or pleiotropic effects, such as inhibitors of the bacterial cell envelope. In order to make phenotypic analysis assays accessible to labs, whose primary expertise is not bacterial cell biology, or with limited equipment and resources, a set of simple and broadly accessible assays is needed that is easy to implement, execute, and interpret. Here, we have curated a set of assays and strains that does not need highly specialized equipment, can be performed in most labs, and is straightforward to interpret without knowing the intricacies of bacterial cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Margareth Sidarta
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gabriela Marinho Righetto
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Aysha Arshad
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), Gothenburg, Sweden
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25
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Zhang Y, Zheng M, Wang Z, Liu Z, Chen S, Li X, Shi Y, Hu H. Discovery of novel antibacterial agent for the infected wound treatment: all-hydrocarbon stapling optimization of LL-37. Theranostics 2024; 14:1181-1194. [PMID: 38323312 PMCID: PMC10845205 DOI: 10.7150/thno.87916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Antimicrobial peptide LL-37 has been recognized as a favorable alternative to antibiotics due to its broad antibacterial spectrum, low resistance development and diverse biological activities. However, its high manufactory cost, poor proteolytic stability, and unpredictable cytotoxicity seriously hindered its medical translation. Methods: To push the frontiers of its clinical application, all-hydrocarbon stapling strategy was exploited here for the structural modification of KR-12, the core and minimal fragment of LL-37. Results: Based on a library of KR-12 derivatives that designed and synthesized to be stapled at positions of either i, i+4 or i, i+7, structure to activity relationship was investigated. Among them, KR-12(Q5, D9) with the glutamine and aspartic acid residues stapled displayed increased helical content and positive charge. The reinforced α-helical conformation not only protected it from proteolytic hydrolysis but also improved its antibacterial efficacy via effective membrane perturbation and anti-inflammatory efficacy via compact LPS binding. Besides, the increased positive charge endowed it with an enhanced therapeutic index. On infected wound mouse model, it was demonstrated to eliminate bacteria and promote wound closure and regeneration effectively. Conclusion: Overall, the all-hydrocarbon stapling was proven to lay the foundation for the future development of antibacterial agents. KR-12(Q5, D9) could serve as a lead compound for the clinical treatment of bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Zhang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Mengjun Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zhinan Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Sumeng Chen
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yejiao Shi
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Honggang Hu
- School of Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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26
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Arora A, Singh M, Saini V, Mehta D, Safwan SM, Pandey N, Verma V, Bajaj A. Cholic Acid-Derived Gemini Amphiphile Can Eradicate Interkingdom Polymicrobial Biofilms and Wound Infections. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:138-154. [PMID: 38146853 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00369] [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: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Biofilm infections are mainly caused by Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) like Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fungi like Candida albicans. These infections are responsible for antimicrobial tolerance, and commensal interactions of these microbes pose a severe threat to chronic infections. Treatment therapies against biofilm infections are limited to eradicating only 20-30% of infections. Here, we present the synthesis of a series of bile acid-derived molecules using lithocholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and cholic acid where two bile acid molecules are tethered through 3'-hydroxyl or 24'-carboxyl terminals with varying spacer length (trimethylene, pentamethylene, octamethylene, and dodecamethylene). Our structure-activity relationship investigations revealed that G21, a cholic acid-derived gemini amphiphile having trimethylene spacer tethered through the C24 position, is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. Biochemical studies witnessed that G21 interacts with negatively charged lipoteichoic acid, lipopolysaccharide, and phosphatidylcholine moieties of GPB, GNB, and fungi and disrupts the microbial cell membranes. We further demonstrated that G21 can eradicate polymicrobial biofilms and wound infections and prevent bacteria and fungi from developing drug resistance. Therefore, our findings revealed the potential of G21 as a versatile antimicrobial agent capable of effectively targeting polymicrobial biofilms and wound infections, suggesting that it is a promising antimicrobial agent for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Arora
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar 125001, Haryana, India
| | - Mohit Singh
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Varsha Saini
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Devashish Mehta
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Sayed M Safwan
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Nishant Pandey
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Vikas Verma
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar 125001, Haryana, India
| | - Avinash Bajaj
- Laboratory of Nanotechnology and Chemical Biology, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, NCR Biotech Cluster, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
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27
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Beyer L, Schäfer AB, Undabarrena A, Mattsby-Baltzer I, Tietze D, Svensson E, Stubelius A, Wenzel M, Cámara B, Tietze AA. Mimicking Nonribosomal Peptides from the Marine Actinomycete Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 Leads to Antimicrobial Peptides. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:79-92. [PMID: 38113038 PMCID: PMC10788856 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms within the marine environment have been shown to be very effective sources of naturally produced antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Several nonribosomal peptides were identified based on genome mining predictions of Streptomyces sp. H-KF8, a marine Actinomycetota isolated from a remote Northern Chilean Patagonian fjord. Based on these predictions, a series of eight peptides, including cyclic peptides, were designed and chemically synthesized. Six of these peptides showed antimicrobial activity. Mode of action studies suggest that two of these peptides potentially act on the cell membrane via a novel mechanism allowing the passage of small ions, resulting in the dissipation of the membrane potential. This study shows that though structurally similar peptides, determined by NMR spectroscopy, the incorporation of small sequence mutations results in a dramatic influence on their bioactivity including mode of action. The qualified hit sequence can serve as a basis for more potent AMPs in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa
I. Beyer
- Department
of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular
and Translational Medicine, University of
Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan
7B, Gothenburg 413 90, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, Göteborg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Department
of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of
Technology, Kemigården 4, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, Göteborg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Agustina Undabarrena
- Departamento
de Química & Centro de Biotecnología Daniel Alkalay
Lowitt, Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular y Biotecnología
Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico
Santa María, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Inger Mattsby-Baltzer
- Department
of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, The Sahlgrenska
Academy at University of Gothenburg, University
of Gothenburg, Box 440, Göteborg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Daniel Tietze
- Department
of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular
and Translational Medicine, University of
Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan
7B, Gothenburg 413 90, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, Göteborg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Elin Svensson
- Department
of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of
Technology, Kemigården 4, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Stubelius
- Department
of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of
Technology, Kemigården 4, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Department
of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of
Technology, Kemigården 4, Göteborg 412 96, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, Göteborg 405 30, Sweden
| | - Beatriz Cámara
- Departamento
de Química & Centro de Biotecnología Daniel Alkalay
Lowitt, Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular y Biotecnología
Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico
Santa María, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Alesia A. Tietze
- Department
of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular
and Translational Medicine, University of
Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan
7B, Gothenburg 413 90, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg, University of Gothenburg, Box 100, Göteborg 405 30, Sweden
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28
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Puls JS, Winnerling B, Power JJ, Krüger AM, Brajtenbach D, Johnson M, Bilici K, Camus L, Fließwasser T, Schneider T, Sahl HG, Ghosal D, Kubitscheck U, Heilbronner S, Grein F. Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteriocin A37 kills natural competitors with a unique mechanism of action. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae044. [PMID: 38470311 PMCID: PMC10988021 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Many bacteria produce antimicrobial compounds such as lantibiotics to gain advantage in the competitive natural environments of microbiomes. Epilancins constitute an until now underexplored family of lantibiotics with an unknown ecological role and unresolved mode of action. We discovered production of an epilancin in the nasal isolate Staphylococcus epidermidis A37. Using bioinformatic tools, we found that epilancins are frequently encoded within staphylococcal genomes, highlighting their ecological relevance. We demonstrate that production of epilancin A37 contributes to Staphylococcus epidermidis competition specifically against natural corynebacterial competitors. Combining microbiological approaches with quantitative in vivo and in vitro fluorescence microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, we show that A37 enters the corynebacterial cytoplasm through a partially transmembrane-potential-driven uptake without impairing the cell membrane function. Upon intracellular aggregation, A37 induces the formation of intracellular membrane vesicles, which are heavily loaded with the compound and are essential for the antibacterial activity of the epilancin. Our work sheds light on the ecological role of epilancins for staphylococci mediated by a mode of action previously unknown for lantibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Samuel Puls
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin Winnerling
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeffrey J Power
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annika M Krüger
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dominik Brajtenbach
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthew Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Kevser Bilici
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Laura Camus
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Fließwasser
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Sahl
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Debnath Ghosal
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ulrich Kubitscheck
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Heilbronner
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Present address: Faculty of Biology, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 82152 München, Germany
| | - Fabian Grein
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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29
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Kamal El-sagheir A, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Abd El-Gaber MK, Aboraia AS, Persson J, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M, Omar FA. N4-Substituted Piperazinyl Norfloxacin Derivatives with Broad-Spectrum Activity and Multiple Mechanisms on Gyrase, Topoisomerase IV, and Bacterial Cell Wall Synthesis. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2023; 3:494-506. [PMID: 38144255 PMCID: PMC10739246 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.3c00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Fluoroquinolones are an important class of antibiotics with broad-spectrum antibacterial and antitubercular activity. Here, we describe the design and synthesis of a series of 38 N4-substituted piperazinyl norfloxacin derivatives. Their activity and mechanism of action were characterized using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches. Several compounds displayed interesting activities against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and few displayed antimycobacterial activity, whereby some were as potent as norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Molecular docking experiments suggested that the new derivatives inhibit both DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV in a similar manner as norfloxacin. Selecting the most promising candidates for experimental mode of action analysis, we confirmed DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV as targets of all tested compounds using enzymatic in vitro assays. Phenotypic analysis of both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis confirmed a typical gyrase inhibition phenotype for all of the tested compounds. Assessment of possible additional targets revealed three compounds with unique effects on the B. subtilis cell wall synthesis machinery, suggesting that they may have an additional target in this pathway. Comparison with known cell wall synthesis inhibitors showed that the new compounds elicit a distinct and, so far, unique phenotype, suggesting that they act differently from known cell wall synthesis inhibitors. Interestingly, our phenotypic analysis revealed that both norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin displayed additional cellular effects as well, which may be indicative of the so far unknown additional mechanisms of fluoroquinolones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Ahmed S. Aboraia
- Medicinal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Jonatan Persson
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Center
for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe), 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Farghaly A. Omar
- Medicinal
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
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30
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Kamal El-Sagheir AM, Abdelmesseh Nekhala I, Abd El-Gaber MK, Aboraia AS, Persson J, Schäfer AB, Wenzel M, Omar FA. Rational design, synthesis, molecular modeling, biological activity, and mechanism of action of polypharmacological norfloxacin hydroxamic acid derivatives. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2593-2610. [PMID: 38099058 PMCID: PMC10718593 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00309d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antibiotics that target gyrase and topoisomerase IV, involved in DNA compaction and segregation. We synthesized 28 novel norfloxacin hydroxamic acid derivatives with additional metal-chelating and hydrophobic pharmacophores, designed to enable interactions with additional drug targets. Several compounds showed equal or better activity than norfloxacin against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and mycobacteria, with MICs as low as 0.18 μM. The most interesting derivatives were selected for in silico, in vitro, and in vivo mode of action studies. Molecular docking, enzyme inhibition, and bacterial cytological profiling confirmed inhibition of gyrase and topoisomerase IV for all except two tested derivatives (10f and 11f). Further phenotypic analysis revealed polypharmacological effects on peptidoglycan synthesis for four derivatives (16a, 17a, 17b, 20b). Interestingly, compounds 17a, 17b, and 20b, showed never seen before effects on cell wall synthetic enzymes, including MreB, MurG, and PonA, suggesting a novel mechanism of action, possibly impairing the lipid II cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ireny Abdelmesseh Nekhala
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
| | | | - Ahmed S Aboraia
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University Assiut 71526 Egypt
| | - Jonatan Persson
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology 412 96 Gothenburg Sweden
- Center for Antibiotic Resistance Research in Gothenburg (CARe) Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Farghaly A Omar
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University Assiut 71526 Egypt
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31
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Bonvin E, Personne H, Paschoud T, Reusser J, Gan BH, Luscher A, Köhler T, van Delden C, Reymond JL. Antimicrobial Peptide-Peptoid Hybrids with and without Membrane Disruption. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2593-2606. [PMID: 38062792 PMCID: PMC10714400 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Among synthetic analogues of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) under investigation to address antimicrobial resistance, peptoids (N-alkylated oligoglycines) have been reported to act both by membrane disruption and on intracellular targets. Here we gradually introduced peptoid units into the membrane-disruptive undecapeptide KKLLKLLKLLL to test a possible transition toward intracellular targeting. We found that selected hybrids containing up to five peptoid units retained the parent AMP's α-helical folding, membrane disruption, and antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative bacteria including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae while showing reduced hemolysis and cell toxicities. Furthermore, some hybrids containing as few as three peptoid units as well as the full peptoid lost folding, membrane disruption, hemolysis, and cytotoxicity but displayed strong antibacterial activity under dilute medium conditions typical for proline-rich antimicrobial peptides (PrAMPs), pointing to intracellular targeting. These findings parallel previous reports that partially helical amphiphilic peptoids are privileged oligomers for antibiotic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Bonvin
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hippolyte Personne
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thierry Paschoud
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jérémie Reusser
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bee-Ha Gan
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Luscher
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Service of
Infectious Diseases, University Hospital
of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thilo Köhler
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Service of
Infectious Diseases, University Hospital
of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christian van Delden
- Department
of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Service of
Infectious Diseases, University Hospital
of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Louis Reymond
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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32
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Moglad E, Elekhnawy E, Negm WA, Eliwa D, Sami Younis S, Mohamed Elmansory B, Mahgoub S, Ahmed EA, Momtaz Al-Fakhrany O. Antibacterial and anti-Toxoplasma activities of Aspergillus niger endophytic fungus isolated from Ficus retusa: in vitro and in vivo approach. ARTIFICIAL CELLS, NANOMEDICINE, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 51:297-308. [PMID: 37224186 DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2023.2215531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Emergent records propose that Aspergillus niger endophytic fungus is a vital source for various bioactive molecules possessing many biological properties. The current study was designed to inspect the antibacterial and anti-Toxoplasma potentials of Ficus retusa-derived endophytic fungi. After isolation and identification (using 18S rRNA gene sequencing) of A. niger endophytic fungus, LC/MS was utilized for identification and authentication of the chemical profile of the A. niger endophyte extract. Then, the fungal extract was assessed for its antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates. Additionally, its efficacy against Toxoplasma gondii was elucidated in vivo. The fungal extract displayed antibacterial activity against K. pneumoniae isolates with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 64-512 µg/mL. It also possessed a membrane potential dissipating effect using flow cytometry. Moreover, it formed distorted cells with rough surfaces and deformed shapes using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Regarding its antibiofilm activity, it resulted in a dysregulation of the genes encoding biofilm formation (fimH, mrkA and mrkD) using qRT-PCR in nine K. pneumoniae isolates. The in vivo anti-Toxoplasma potential was demonstrated by decreasing the mortality rate of mice and reducing the tachyzoites' count in the peritoneal fluids and liver impression smears of mice. In addition, the deformities of the parasite decreased, as revealed by SEM and the inflammation in tissues diminished. Thus, A. niger endophytic fungi could be a valuable source of antibacterial and anti-Toxoplasma compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehssan Moglad
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Engy Elekhnawy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Walaa A Negm
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Duaa Eliwa
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Salwa Sami Younis
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | | | - Sebaey Mahgoub
- Department of Basic Research, Proteomics and Metabolomics Research Program, Children's Cancer Hospital 57357, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman A Ahmed
- Department of Basic Research, Proteomics and Metabolomics Research Program, Children's Cancer Hospital 57357, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
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33
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Cebrián R, Lucas R, Fernández-Cantos MV, Slot K, Peñalver P, Martínez-García M, Párraga-Leo A, de Paz MV, García F, Kuipers OP, Morales JC. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of aminoalkyl resveratrol derivatives inspired by cationic peptides. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2023; 38:267-281. [PMID: 36600674 PMCID: PMC9828810 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2146685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern, far from being resolved. The need of new drugs against new targets is imminent. In this work, we present a family of aminoalkyl resveratrol derivatives with antibacterial activity inspired by the properties of cationic amphipathic antimicrobial peptides. Surprisingly, the newly designed molecules display modest activity against aerobically growing bacteria but show surprisingly good antimicrobial activity against anaerobic bacteria (Gram-negative and Gram-positive) suggesting specificity towards this bacterial group. Preliminary studies into the action mechanism suggest that activity takes place at the membrane level, while no cross-resistance with traditional antibiotics is observed. Actually, some good synergistic relations with existing antibiotics were found against Gram-negative pathogens. However, some cytotoxicity was observed, despite their low haemolytic activity. Our results show the importance of the balance between positively charged moieties and hydrophobicity to improve antimicrobial activity, setting the stage for the design of new drugs based on these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Cebrián
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. GRANADA, University Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain,CONTACT Rubén Cebrián University Hospital San Cecilio,Clinical Microbiology Department, Av. de la Innovación s/n, 18061, Granada, Spain
| | - Ricardo Lucas
- Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - María Victoria Fernández-Cantos
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen Slot
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pablo Peñalver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-García
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Párraga-Leo
- Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - María Violante de Paz
- Department of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Federico García
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs. GRANADA, University Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain
| | - Oscar P. Kuipers
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands,Oscar P. Kuipers University of Groningen, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Genetics, Nijenborgh 7, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Juan Carlos Morales
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Armilla, Granada, Spain,Juan Carlos Morales Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avda. del Conocimiento 17, Armilla, 18016Granada, Spain
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Zhao N, Isguven S, Evans R, Schaer TP, Hickok NJ. Berberine disrupts staphylococcal proton motive force to cause potent anti-staphylococcal effects in vitro. Biofilm 2023; 5:100117. [PMID: 37090161 PMCID: PMC10113750 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of antibiotic resistance has increased the urgency for more effective treatments of bacterial infections. Biofilm formation has complicated this issue as biofilm bacteria become tolerant to antibiotics due to environmental factors such as nutrient deprivation and adhesion. In septic arthritis, a disease with an 11% mortality rate, bacteria in synovial fluid organize into floating, protein-rich, bacterial aggregates (mm-cm) that display depressed metabolism and antibiotic tolerance. In this study, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is the most common pathogen in septic arthritis, was tested against different inhibitors that modulate bacterial surface protein availability and that should decrease bacterial aggregation. One of these, berberine, a quaternary ammonium compound, was found to reduce bacterial counts by 3-7 logs in human synovial fluid (aggregating medium) with no effect in tryptic soy broth (TSB, non-aggregating). Unlike traditional antibiotics, the bactericidal activity of berberine appeared to be independent of bacterial metabolism. To elucidate the mechanism, we used synovial fluid fractionation, targeted MRSA transposon insertion mutants, dyes to assess changes in membrane potential (DiSC3(5)) and membrane permeability (propidium iodide (PI)), colony counting, and fluorescence spectroscopy. We showed that berberine's activity was dependent on an alkaline pH and berberine killed both methicillin-sensitive S. aureus and MRSA in alkaline media (pH 8.5-9.0; p < 0.0001 vs. same pH controls). Under these alkaline conditions, berberine localized to S. aureus where berberine was isolated in cytoplasmic (∼95%) and DNA (∼5%) fractions. Importantly, berberine increased bacterial cell membrane permeability, and disrupted the proton motive force, suggesting a mechanism whereby it may be able to synergize with other antibacterial compounds under less harsh conditions. We suggest that berberine, which is cheap and readily available, can be made into an effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Zhao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Selin Isguven
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel Evans
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas P. Schaer
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA, USA
| | - Noreen J. Hickok
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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35
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Allen RA, McCormack CEM, Wuest WM. Deriving Novel Quaternary Ammonium Compound Disinfectant Scaffolds from a Natural Product: Mechanistic Insights of the Quaternization of Ianthelliformisamine C. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300253. [PMID: 37770411 PMCID: PMC10841702 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
In the search for novel quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) disinfectants that can evade bacterial resistance, we turned to natural products as a source of inspiration. Herein we used natural product ianthelliformisamine C as a scaffold to design a small library of QACs. We first synthesized ianthelliformisamine C via an amide coupling that allowed for facile purification without the need for protecting groups. We then alkylated and quaternized the internal amines to yield four novel QACs, but all but one demonstrated no antibacterial activity against the tested strains. Using a combination of membrane depolarization and permeabilization assays, we were able to demonstrate that ianthelliformisamine C and the active QAC analog enact cell death via membrane permeabilization, contrary to prior reports on ianthelliformisamine C's mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - William M Wuest
- Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 30322, Atlanta, GA, USA
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36
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Zhu Y, Luo X, Yu Z, Wen S, Bao G, Zhang L, Zhang C, Xian Y. Dye-sensitized rare-earth-doped nanoprobe for simultaneously enhanced NIR-II imaging and precise treatment of bacterial infection. Acta Biomater 2023; 170:532-542. [PMID: 37669712 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.08.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for causing life-threatening infections that result in high morbidity and mortality rates. The development of advanced imaging and therapeutic methods for in vivo diagnosis and treatment of MRSA infections remains challenging. Here, we develop a hybrid nanoplatform based on rare-earth-doped nanoparticles (RENPs) sensitized by a moiety-engineered near-infrared (NIR) TPEO-820 dye and with a ZIF-8 layer that incorporates CysNO, a photochemically triggered nitric oxide donor. We then use the hybrid for both NIR-II bioimaging and photoactivatable treatment of MRSA-infected wounds. We show that the NIR dye sensitization leads to an 8.5-fold enhancement of the downshifting emission and facilitates deep-tissue NIR-II imaging of bacterial infections. Moreover, the sensitization strategy enhances the UV emission of RENPs by two orders of magnitude, leading to the efficiently controllable release of nitric oxide for effective disinfection of MRSA in vitro and in vivo. The hybrid nanoplatform thus offers promising opportunities for simultaneous localization and controllable treatment of MRSA. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Early detection and treatment of MRSA infections are crucial for reducing public health risks. It is a significant challenge that develops sensitive in vivo diagnosis and complete elimination of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Herein, a nanoplatform has been developed for photoactivatable therapy of MRSA infections and deep tissue NIR-II imaging. This platform utilizes lanthanide-doped rare earth nanoparticles (RENPs) that are sensitized by a moiety-engineered near-infrared (NIR) dye TPEO-820. The TPEO-820 sensitized RENPs exhibit 5 times increase in the release of NO concentration for MRSA treatment compared to unsensitized RENPs, enabling precise therapy of MRSA infection both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the platform demonstrates NIR-II luminescence in vivo, allowing for sensitive imaging in deep tissue for MRSA infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxin Zhu
- The Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xianzhu Luo
- The Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zihang Yu
- The Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Shihui Wen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Guochen Bao
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Le Zhang
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Cuiling Zhang
- The Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yuezhong Xian
- The Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
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Zhang N, Shan W, Gao L, Kou SH, Lu C, Yang H, Peng B, Tam KY, Lee LTO, Zheng J. Repurposing the Hedgehog pathway inhibitor, BMS-833923, as a phosphatidylglycerol-selective membrane-disruptive colistin adjuvant against ESKAPE pathogens. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2023; 62:106888. [PMID: 37328075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2023.106888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The rapid emergence and spread of multi-drug- or pan-drug-resistant bacterial pathogens, such as ESKAPE, pose a serious threat to global health. However, the development of novel antibiotics is hindered by difficulties in identifying new antibiotic targets and the rapid development of drug resistance. Drug repurposing is an effective alternative strategy for combating antibiotic resistance that both saves resources and extends the life of existing antibiotics in combination treatment regimens. Screening of a chemical compound library identified BMS-833923 (BMS), a smoothened antagonist that kills Gram-positive bacteria directly, and potentiates colistin to destroy various Gram-negative bacteria. BMS did not induce detectable antibiotic resistance in vitro, and showed effective activity against drug-resistant bacteria in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that BMS caused membrane disruption by targeting the membrane phospholipids phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin, promoting membrane dysfunction, metabolic disturbance, leakage of cellular components, and, ultimately, cell death. This study describes a potential strategy to enhance the efficacy of colistin and combat multi-drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian Zhang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Wenying Shan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China; Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Liangliang Gao
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Si Hoi Kou
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Chang Lu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huilin Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bo Peng
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Kin Yip Tam
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China; Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Leo Tsz On Lee
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China; Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China; Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Centre for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China; Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China.
| | - Jun Zheng
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China.
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38
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Wu J, Xu C, Ye Z, Chen H, Wang Y, Yang K, Yuan B. Transition between Different Diffusion Modes of Individual Lipids during the Membrane-Specific Action of As-CATH4 Peptides. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2301713. [PMID: 37093200 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The cell membrane permeabilization ability of immune defense antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is widely applied in biomedicine. Although the mechanisms of peptide-membrane interactions have been widely investigated, analyses at the molecular level are still lacking. Herein, the membrane-specific action of a native AMP, As-CATH4, is investigated using a single-lipid tracking method in combination with live cell and model membrane assays conducted at different scales. The peptide-membrane interaction process is characterized by analyzing single-lipid diffusion behaviors. As-CATH4 exhibits potent antimicrobial activity through bacterial membrane permeabilization, with moderate cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. In-plane diffusion analyses of individual lipids show that the lipid molecules exhibit non-Gaussian and heterogeneous diffusion behaviors in both pristine and peptide-treated membranes, which can be decomposed into two Gaussian subgroups corresponding to normal- and slow-diffusive lipids. Assessment of the temporal evolution of these two diffusion modes of lipids reveal that the peptide action states of As-CATH4 include surface binding, transmembrane defect formation, and dynamic equilibrium. The action mechanisms of As-CATH4 at varying concentrations and against different membranes are distinguished. This work resolves the simultaneous mixed diffusion mechanisms of single lipids in biomimetic cell membranes, especially during dynamic membrane permeabilization by AMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Wu
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, P. R. China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523808, P. R. China
| | - Cheng Xu
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, P. R. China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523808, P. R. China
| | - Zifan Ye
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Haibo Chen
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, P. R. China
| | - Yipeng Wang
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Kai Yang
- Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research & School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215006, P. R. China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523808, P. R. China
| | - Bing Yuan
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523808, P. R. China
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Ganesan N, Mishra B, Felix L, Mylonakis E. Antimicrobial Peptides and Small Molecules Targeting the Cell Membrane of Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0003722. [PMID: 37129495 PMCID: PMC10304793 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00037-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical management of Staphylococcus aureus infections presents a challenge due to the high incidence, considerable virulence, and emergence of drug resistance mechanisms. The treatment of drug-resistant strains, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is further complicated by the development of tolerance and persistence to antimicrobial agents in clinical use. To address these challenges, membrane disruptors, that are not generally considered during drug discovery for agents against S. aureus, should be explored. The cell membrane protects S. aureus from external stresses and antimicrobial agents, but membrane-targeting antimicrobial agents are probably less likely to promote bacterial resistance. Nontypical linear cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), highly modified AMPs such as daptomycin (lipopeptide), bacitracin (cyclic peptide), and gramicidin S (cyclic peptide), are currently in clinical use. Recent studies have demonstrated that AMPs and small molecules can penetrate the cell membrane of S. aureus, inhibit phospholipid biosynthesis, or block the passage of solutes between the periplasm and the exterior of the cell. In addition to their primary mechanism of action (MOA) that targets the bacterial membrane, AMPs and small molecules may also impact bacteria through secondary mechanisms such as targeting the biofilm, and downregulating virulence genes of S. aureus. In this review, we discuss the current state of research into cell membrane-targeting AMPs and small molecules and their potential mechanisms of action against drug-resistant physiological forms of S. aureus, including persister cells and biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narchonai Ganesan
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Biswajit Mishra
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - LewisOscar Felix
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Eleftherios Mylonakis
- Infectious Diseases Division, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
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40
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Zhang LM, Yang M, Zhou SW, Zhang H, Feng Y, Shi L, Li DS, Lu QM, Zhang ZH, Zhao M. Blapstin, a Diapause-Specific Peptide-Like Peptide from the Chinese Medicinal Beetle Blaps rhynchopetera, Has Antifungal Function. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0308922. [PMID: 37140456 PMCID: PMC10269622 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03089-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance against bacteria and fungi has become common in recent years, and it is urgent to discover novel antimicrobial peptides to manage this problem. Many antimicrobial peptides from insects have been reported to have antifungal activity and are candidate molecules in the treatment of human diseases. In the present study, we characterized an antifungal peptide named blapstin that was isolated from the Chinese medicinal beetle Blaps rhynchopetera used in folk medicine. The complete coding sequence was cloned from the cDNA library prepared from the midgut of B. rhynchopetera. It is a 41-amino-acid diapause-specific peptide (DSP)-like peptide stabilized by three disulfide bridges and shows antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum with MICs of 7 μM and 5.3 μM, respectively. The C. albicans and T. rubrum treated with blapstin showed irregular and shrunken cell membranes. In addition, blapstin inhibited the activity of C. albicans biofilm and showed little hemolytic or toxic activity on human cells and it is highly expressed in the fat body, followed by the hemolymph, midgut, muscle, and defensive glands. These results indicate that blapstin may help insects fight against fungi and showed a potential application in the development of antifungal reagents. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans is one of the conditional pathogenic fungi causing severe nosocomial infections. Trichophyton rubrum and other skin fungi are the main pathogens of superficial cutaneous fungal diseases, especially in children and the elderly. At present, antibiotics such as amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and fluconazole are the main drugs for the clinical treatment of C. albicans and T. rubrum infections. However, these drugs have certain acute toxicity. Long-term use can increase kidney damage and other side effects. Therefore, obtaining broad-spectrum antifungal drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity for the treatment of C. albicans and T. rubrum infections is a top priority. Blapstin is an antifungal peptide which shows activity against C. albicans and T. rubrum. The discovery of blapstin provides a novel clue for our understanding of the innate immunity of Blaps rhynchopetera and provides a template for designing antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- La-Mei Zhang
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng-Wen Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiu-Min Lu
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhong-He Zhang
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
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41
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VanderWal AR, Park JU, Polevoda B, Nicosia JK, Vargas AMM, Kellogg EH, O’Connell MR. Csx28 is a membrane pore that enhances CRISPR-Cas13b-dependent antiphage defense. Science 2023; 380:410-415. [PMID: 37104586 PMCID: PMC10228660 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm1184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Type VI CRISPR-Cas systems use RNA-guided ribonuclease (RNase) Cas13 to defend bacteria against viruses, and some of these systems encode putative membrane proteins that have unclear roles in Cas13-mediated defense. We show that Csx28, of type VI-B2 systems, is a transmembrane protein that assists to slow cellular metabolism upon viral infection, increasing antiviral defense. High-resolution cryo-electron microscopy reveals that Csx28 forms an octameric pore-like structure. These Csx28 pores localize to the inner membrane in vivo. Csx28's antiviral activity in vivo requires sequence-specific cleavage of viral messenger RNAs by Cas13b, which subsequently results in membrane depolarization, slowed metabolism, and inhibition of sustained viral infection. Our work suggests a mechanism by which Csx28 acts as a downstream, Cas13b-dependent effector protein that uses membrane perturbation as an antiviral defense strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arica R. VanderWal
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
| | - Jung-Un Park
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University; Ithaca, USA
| | - Bogdan Polevoda
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
| | - Julia K. Nicosia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
| | - Adrian M. Molina Vargas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
| | | | - Mitchell R. O’Connell
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
- Center for RNA Biology, University of Rochester; Rochester, USA
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42
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Gao Y, Amon JD, Artzi L, Ramírez-Guadiana FH, Brock KP, Cofsky JC, Marks DS, Kruse AC, Rudner DZ. Bacterial spore germination receptors are nutrient-gated ion channels. Science 2023; 380:387-391. [PMID: 37104613 PMCID: PMC11154005 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg9829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial spores resist antibiotics and sterilization and can remain metabolically inactive for decades, but they can rapidly germinate and resume growth in response to nutrients. Broadly conserved receptors embedded in the spore membrane detect nutrients, but how spores transduce these signals remains unclear. Here, we found that these receptors form oligomeric membrane channels. Mutations predicted to widen the channel initiated germination in the absence of nutrients, whereas those that narrow it prevented ion release and germination in response to nutrients. Expressing receptors with widened channels during vegetative growth caused loss of membrane potential and cell death, whereas the addition of germinants to cells expressing wild-type receptors triggered membrane depolarization. Therefore, germinant receptors act as nutrient-gated ion channels such that ion release initiates exit from dormancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Gao
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical ScF(2hool, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston MA 02115
| | - Jeremy D. Amon
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical ScF(2hool, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston MA 02115
- Present Address: Moderna Genomics, 200 Technology Square, Cambridge MA 02139
| | - Lior Artzi
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical ScF(2hool, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston MA 02115
- Present Address: Evolved By Nature, 196 Boston Ave, Medford MA 02155
| | | | - Kelly P. Brock
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115
- Present Address: Kernal Biologics, 238 Main Street, Cambrdige MA 02142
| | - Joshua C. Cofsky
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 250 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115
| | - Deborah S. Marks
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115
| | - Andrew C. Kruse
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 250 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115
| | - David Z. Rudner
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical ScF(2hool, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston MA 02115
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43
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Puls JS, Brajtenbach D, Schneider T, Kubitscheck U, Grein F. Inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis is sufficient for total arrest of staphylococcal cell division. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade9023. [PMID: 36947615 PMCID: PMC10032595 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade9023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial cell wall biosynthesis is the target of many important antibiotics. Its spatiotemporal organization is closely coordinated with cell division. However, the role of peptidoglycan synthesis within cell division is not fully understood. Even less is known about the impact of antibiotics on the coordination of these two essential processes. Visualizing the essential cell division protein FtsZ and other key proteins in Staphylococcus aureus, we show that antibiotics targeting peptidoglycan synthesis arrest cell division within minutes of treatment. The glycopeptides vancomycin and telavancin completely inhibit septum constriction in all phases of cell division. The beta-lactam oxacillin stops division progress by preventing recruitment of the major peptidoglycan synthase PBP2 to the septum, revealing PBP2 as crucial for septum closure. Our work identifies cell division as key cellular target of these antibiotics and provides evidence that peptidoglycan synthesis is the essential driving force of septum constriction throughout cell division of S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Samuel Puls
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dominik Brajtenbach
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kubitscheck
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Fabian Grein
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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44
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Secondary metabolic profiling of Serratia marcescens NP10 reveals new stephensiolides and glucosamine derivatives with bacterial membrane activity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2360. [PMID: 36759548 PMCID: PMC9911388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28502-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Secondary metabolic profiling, using UPLC-MSE and molecular networking, revealed the secondary metabolites produced by Serratia marcescens NP10. The NP10 strain co-produced cyclic and open-ring stephensiolides (i.e., fatty acyl chain linked to Thr-Ser-Ser-Ile/Leu-Ile/Leu/Val) and glucosamine derivatives (i.e., fatty acyl chain linked to Val-glucose-butyric/oxo-hexanoic acid), with the structures of sixteen new stephensiolides (L-Y) and three new glucosamine derivatives (L-N) proposed. Genome mining identified sphA (stephensiolides) and gcd (glucosamine derivatives) gene clusters within Serratia genomes available on NBCI using antiSMASH, revealing specificity scores of the adenylation-domains within each module that corroborates MSE data. Of the nine RP-HPLC fractions, two stephensiolides and two glucosamine derivatives exhibited activity against Staphylococcus aureus (IC50 of 25-79 µg/mL). 1H NMR analysis confirmed the structure of the four active compounds as stephensiolide K, a novel analogue stephensiolide U, and glucosamine derivatives A and C. Stephensiolides K and U were found to cause membrane depolarisation and affect the membrane permeability of S. aureus, while glucosamine derivatives A and C primarily caused membrane depolarisation. New members of the stephensiolide and glucosamine derivative families were thus identified, and results obtained shed light on their antibacterial properties and mode of membrane activity.
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45
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Schäfer AB, Steenhuis M, Jim KK, Neef J, O’Keefe S, Whitehead RC, Swanton E, Wang B, Halbedel S, High S, van Dijl JM, Luirink J, Wenzel M. Dual Action of Eeyarestatin 24 on Sec-Dependent Protein Secretion and Bacterial DNA. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:253-269. [PMID: 36637435 PMCID: PMC9926488 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Eeyarestatin 24 (ES24) is a promising new antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity. It shares structural similarity with nitrofurantoin (NFT), yet appears to have a distinct and novel mechanism: ES24 was found to inhibit SecYEG-mediated protein transport and membrane insertion in Gram-negative bacteria. However, possible additional targets have not yet been explored. Moreover, its activity was notably better against Gram-positive bacteria, for which its mechanism of action had not yet been investigated. We have used transcriptomic stress response profiling, phenotypic assays, and protein secretion analyses to investigate the mode of action of ES24 in comparison with NFT using the Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis and have compared our findings to Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Here, we show the inhibition of Sec-dependent protein secretion in B. subtilis and additionally provide evidence for DNA damage, probably caused by the generation of reactive derivatives of ES24. Interestingly, ES24 caused a gradual dissipation of the membrane potential, which led to delocalization of cytokinetic proteins and subsequent cell elongation in E. coli. However, none of those effects were observed in B. subtilis, thereby suggesting that ES24 displays distinct mechanistic differences with respect to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Despite its structural similarity to NFT, ES24 profoundly differed in our phenotypic analysis, which implies that it does not share the NFT mechanism of generalized macromolecule and structural damage. Importantly, ES24 outperformed NFT in vivo in a zebrafish embryo pneumococcal infection model. Our results suggest that ES24 not only inhibits the Sec translocon, but also targets bacterial DNA and, in Gram-negative bacteria, the cell membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Britt Schäfer
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maurice Steenhuis
- Molecular
Microbiology, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kin Ki Jim
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam University Medical Centers - Location Vrije Universiteit
Amsterdam, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Amsterdam
Institute for Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam
University Medical Centers, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jolanda Neef
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah O’Keefe
- School
of
Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Roger C. Whitehead
- School
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Eileithyia Swanton
- School
of
Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Biwen Wang
- Bacterial
Cell Biology and Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sven Halbedel
- FG11
Division of Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Legionella, Robert Koch Institute, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany,Institute
for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stephen High
- School
of
Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Maarten van Dijl
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joen Luirink
- Molecular
Microbiology, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences (AIMMS), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
| | - Michaela Wenzel
- Division
of Chemical Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden,
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46
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Han G, Lee DG. Antibacterial Mode of Action of β-Amyrin Promotes Apoptosis-Like Death in Escherichia coli by Producing Reactive Oxygen Species. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 32:1547-1552. [PMID: 36384774 PMCID: PMC9843749 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2209.09040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
β-Amyrin is a pentacyclic triterpene widely distributed in leaves and stems worldwide. The ability of β-amyrin to induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in microorganisms suggests its potential as an antimicrobial agent. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the antibacterial mode of action of β-amyrin. We treated Escherichia coli cells with β-amyrin and found that it triggered ROS accumulation. Excessive stress caused by ROS, particularly hydroxyl radicals, induces glutathione (GSH) dysfunction. GSH protects cells from oxidative and osmotic stresses; thus, its dysfunction leads to membrane depolarization. The resultant change in membrane potential leads to the release of apoptotic proteins, such as caspases. The activated caspases-like protein promotes the cleavage of DNA into single strands, which is a hallmark of apoptosis-like death in bacteria. Apoptotic cells usually undergo events such as DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine exposure, differentiating them from necrotic cells, and the cells treated with β-amyrin in this study were positive for annexin V and negative for propidium iodide, indicating apoptosis-like death. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the antibacterial mode of action of β-amyrin involves the induction of ROS, which resulted in apoptosis-like death in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giyeol Han
- School of Life Sciences, BK 21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Gun Lee
- School of Life Sciences, BK 21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea,Corresponding author Phone: +82-53-950-5373 Fax: +82-53-955-5522 E-mail:
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47
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Cai Q, Yu Q, Liang W, Li H, Liu J, Li H, Chen Y, Fang S, Zhong R, Liu S, Lin S. Membrane-Active Nonivamide Derivatives as Effective Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobials: Rational Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation. J Med Chem 2022; 65:16754-16773. [PMID: 36510819 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is emerging as a "global public health concern". To address the growing epidemic of multidrug-resistant pathogens, the development of novel antimicrobials is urgently needed. In this study, by biomimicking cationic antibacterial peptides, we designed and synthesized a series of new membrane-active nonivamide and capsaicin derivatives as peptidomimetic antimicrobials. Through modulating charge/hydrophobicity balance and rationalizing structure-activity relationships of these peptidomimetics, compound 51 was identified as the lead compound. Compound 51 exhibited potent antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria (MICs = 0.39-0.78 μg/mL) and Gram-negative bacteria (MICs = 1.56-6.25 μg/mL), with low hemolytic activity and low cytotoxicity. Compound 51 displayed a faster bactericidal action through a membrane-disruptive mechanism and avoided bacterial resistance development. Furthermore, compound 51 significantly reduced the microbial burden in a murine model of keratitis infected by Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Hence, this design strategy can provide a promising and effective solution to overcome antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiongna Cai
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Qian Yu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Wanxin Liang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Haizhou Li
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Jiayong Liu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Hongxia Li
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Yongzhi Chen
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Shanfang Fang
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Rongcui Zhong
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Shouping Liu
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Shuimu Lin
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, the NMPA and State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
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Cai X, Orsi M, Capecchi A, Köhler T, van Delden C, Javor S, Reymond JL. An intrinsically disordered antimicrobial peptide dendrimer from stereorandomized virtual screening. CELL REPORTS. PHYSICAL SCIENCE 2022; 3:101161. [PMID: 36632208 PMCID: PMC9780108 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.101161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-disruptive amphiphilic antimicrobial peptides behave as intrinsically disordered proteins by being unordered in water and becoming α-helical in contact with biological membranes. We recently discovered that synthesizing the α-helical antimicrobial peptide dendrimer L-T25 ((KL)8(KKL)4(KLL)2 KKLL) using racemic amino acids to form stereorandomized sr-T25, an analytically pure mixture of all possible diastereoisomers of L-T25, preserved antibacterial activity but abolished hemolysis and cytotoxicity, pointing to an intrinsically disordered antibacterial conformation and an α-helical cytotoxic conformation. In this study, to identify non-toxic intrinsically disordered homochiral antimicrobial peptide dendrimers (AMPDs), we surveyed sixty-three sr-analogs of sr-T25 selected by virtual screening. One of the analogs, sr-X18 ((KL)8(KLK)4(KLL)2 KLLL), lost antibacterial activity as L-enantiomer and became hemolytic due to α-helical folding. By contrast, the L- and D-enantiomers of sr-X22 ((KL)8(KL)4(KKLL)2 KLKK) were equally antibacterial, non-hemolytic, and non-toxic, implying an intrinsically disordered bioactive conformation. Screening stereorandomized libraries may be generally useful to identify or optimize intrinsically disordered bioactive peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingguang Cai
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Markus Orsi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alice Capecchi
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thilo Köhler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Service of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christian van Delden
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Service of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sacha Javor
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Louis Reymond
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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49
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Singaravelu D, Binjawhar DN, Ameen F, Veerappan A. Lectin-Fortified Cationic Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles Gain Dual Targeting Capabilities to Treat Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Infection. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:43934-43944. [PMID: 36506188 PMCID: PMC9730473 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Targeted drug delivery maximizes the chance to combat infection caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Herein, lectin-fortified cationic copper sulfide (cCuS) nanoparticles were suggested for targeted adhesion to bacterial membranes and to enforce bacterial death. Jacalin, a lectin from jackfruit seed, was conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and its ability to recognize bacterial cell surface glycans was demonstrated. Jacalin formed a noncovalent complex with cCuS, which was investigated by fluorescence quenching measurements. The data revealed that jacalin-cCuS (JcCuS) had a good affinity with an association constant K a of 2.27 (± 0.28) × 104 M-1. The resultant JcCuS complex displayed excellent anti-infective activity against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cCuS was 62.5 μM, which was 2-fold lower than that of the broad-spectrum antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Interestingly, the MIC of JcCuS was reduced to 15.63 μM, which was attributed to jacalin fortification. The mechanistic study unveiled that JcCuS affected the membrane integrity, depolarized the inner membrane, and produced excess reactive oxygen species to combat CRAB at a lower concentration compared to cCuS. A. baumannii formed a biofilm more readily, which played a critical role in pathogenesis and resistance in clinical settings. JcCuS (3.91 μM) displayed stronger antibiofilm activity without affecting the metabolic viability of CRAB. Microscopy analyses confirmed the inhibition of biofilm formation and disruption of the mature biofilm upon treatment with JcCuS. Furthermore, JcCuS hindered pellicle formation and inhibited the biofilm-associated virulence factor of CRAB such as exopolysaccharide, cell surface hydrophobicity, swarming, and twitching mobility. The anti-infective potential of JcCuS was demonstrated by rescuing CRAB-infected zebrafish. The reduction in pathogen proliferation in muscle tissues was observed in the treated group, and the fish recovered from the infection and was restored to normal life within 12 h. The findings illustrate that lectin fortification offers a unique advantage in enhancing the therapeutic potential of antimicrobials against human pathogens of critical priority worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharshini
Karnan Singaravelu
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, Shanmugha Arts,
Science, Technology & Research Academy
(SASTRA) Deemed University, Thanjavur613401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dalal Nasser Binjawhar
- Department
of Chemistry, College of Science, Princess
Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh11671, Saudi
Arabia
| | - Fuad Ameen
- Department
of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anbazhagan Veerappan
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, Shanmugha Arts,
Science, Technology & Research Academy
(SASTRA) Deemed University, Thanjavur613401, Tamil Nadu, India
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50
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Chowdhury AR, Mukherjee D, Singh AK, Chakravortty D. Loss of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) impairs the survival of Salmonella Typhimurium by inducing membrane damage in the presence of ceftazidime and meropenem. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 77:3376-3389. [PMID: 36177811 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is one of the significant non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars that causes gastroenteritis. The rapid development of antimicrobial resistance necessitates studying new antimicrobials and their therapeutic targets in this pathogen. Our study aimed to investigate the role of four prominent outer membrane porins of S. Typhimurium, namely OmpA, OmpC, OmpD and OmpF, in developing resistance against ceftazidime and meropenem. METHODS The antibiotic-mediated inhibition of bacterial growth was determined by measuring the absorbance and the resazurin assay. DiBAC4 (Bis-(1,3-Dibutylbarbituric Acid)Trimethine Oxonol), 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluoroscein diacetate (DCFDA) and propidium iodide were used to determine the outer membrane depolarization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and subsequent killing of Salmonella. The expression of oxidative stress-response and efflux pump genes was quantified by quantitative RT-qPCR. HPLC was done to determine the amount of antibiotics that entered the bacteria. The damage to the bacterial outer membrane was studied by confocal and atomic force microscopy. The in vivo efficacy of ceftazidime and meropenem were tested in the C57BL/6 mouse model. RESULTS Deleting ompA reduced the survival of Salmonella in the presence of ceftazidime and meropenem. Massive outer membrane depolarization and reduced expression of oxidative stress-response genes in S. Typhimurium ΔompA hampered its growth in the presence of antibiotics. The enhanced uptake of antibiotics and decreased expression of efflux pump genes in S. Typhimurium ΔompA resulted in damage to the bacterial outer membrane. The clearance of the S. Typhimurium ΔompA from C57BL/6 mice with ceftazidime treatment proved the role of OmpA in rendering protection against β-lactam antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS OmpA protects S. Typhimurium from two broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics, ceftazidime and meropenem, by maintaining the stability of the outer membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atish Roy Chowdhury
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Debapriya Mukherjee
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Ashish Kumar Singh
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Dipshikha Chakravortty
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India.,Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, India.,School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
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