Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Strategies for Host Adaptation

Phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Enarthrocarpus clavatus Delile ex Godr flowers extracts

The phytochemical profile of various plant species reveals that some compounds possess notable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In this study we investigated for the first time, the antioxidant activity (FRAP, DPPH and TAC), total phenolic contents and total flavonoid contents of Enarthrocarpus clavatus Delile ex Godr flowers extracts (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) as well as their antimicrobial activity. The results obtained showed that the methanol extract contained the highest content of total phenolics (346.7 mg GAE/g DE) and flavonoids (339.9 mg QE/g) as it exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity. Furthermore, E. clavatus flower extracts have been tested for their activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and an interesting activity was obtained with methanol extract (MICs = 31.25 µg.mL-1). The chemical composition of methanol extract was investigated using a high-performance liquid chromatographic method coupled with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS). Therefore, 28 compounds were detected among them 18 were identified as flavonoids, phenolic acids and fatty acids.

Ecotin protects Salmonella Typhimurium against the microbicidal activity of host proteases

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium causes acute diarrhea upon oral infection in humans. The harsh and proteolytic environment found in the gastrointestinal tract is the first obstacle that these bacteria face after infection. However, the mechanisms that allow Salmonella to survive the hostile conditions of the gut are poorly understood. The ecotin gene is found in an extensive range of known phyla of bacteria and it encodes a protein that has been shown to inhibit serine proteases. Thus, in the present work we studied the role of ecotin of Salmonella Typhimurium in host-pathogen interactions. We found that Salmonella Typhimurium Δ ecotin strain exhibited lower inflammation in a murine model of Salmonella induced colitis. The Δ ecotin mutant was more susceptible to the action of pancreatin and purified pancreatic elastase. In addition, the lack of ecotin led to impaired adhesion to Caco-2 and HT-29 cell lines, related to the proteolytic activity of brush border enzymes. Besides, Δ ecotin showed higher susceptibility to lysosomal proteolytic content and intracellular replication defects in macrophages. In addition, we found Ecotin to have a crucial role in Salmonella against the microbicide action of granules released and neutrophil extracellular traps from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Thus, the work presented here highlights the importance of ecotin in Salmonella as countermeasures against the host proteolytic defense system.

IMPORTANCE

The gastrointestinal tract is a very complex and harsh environment. Salmonella is a successful food borne pathogen, but little is known about its capacity to survive against the proteolysis of the gut lumen and intracellular proteases. Here, we show that Ecotin, a serine protease inhibitor, plays an important role in protecting Salmonella against proteases present at different sites encountered during oral infection. Our results indicate that Ecotin is an important virulence factor in Salmonella , adding another tool to the wide range of features this pathogen uses during oral infection.

Gut microbiome carbon and sulfur metabolisms support Salmonella during pathogen infection

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a pervasive enteric pathogen and an ongoing global threat to public health. Ecological studies in the Salmonella impacted gut remain underrepresented in the literature, discounting the microbiome mediated interactions that may inform Salmonella physiology during colonization and infection. To understand the microbial ecology of Salmonella remodeling of the gut microbiome, here we performed multi-omics approaches on fecal microbial communities from untreated and Salmonella -infected mice. Reconstructed genomes recruited metatranscriptomic and metabolomic data providing a strain-resolved view of the expressed metabolisms of the microbiome during Salmonella infection. This data informed possible Salmonella interactions with members of the gut microbiome that were previously uncharacterized. Salmonella- induced inflammation significantly reduced the diversity of transcriptionally active members in the gut microbiome, yet increased gene expression was detected for 7 members, with Luxibacter and Ligilactobacillus being the most active. Metatranscriptomic insights from Salmonella and other persistent taxa in the inflamed microbiome further expounded the necessity for oxidative tolerance mechanisms to endure the host inflammatory responses to infection. In the inflamed gut lactate was a key metabolite, with microbiota production and consumption reported amongst transcriptionally active members. We also showed that organic sulfur sources could be converted by gut microbiota to yield inorganic sulfur pools that become oxidized in the inflamed gut, resulting in thiosulfate and tetrathionate that supports Salmonella respiration. Advancement of pathobiome understanding beyond inferences from prior amplicon-based approaches can hold promise for infection mitigation, with the active community outlined here offering intriguing organismal and metabolic therapeutic targets.

Gut microbiota carbon and sulfur metabolisms support Salmonella infections

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a pervasive enteric pathogen and ongoing global threat to public health. Ecological studies in the Salmonella impacted gut remain underrepresented in the literature, discounting microbiome mediated interactions that may inform Salmonella physiology during colonization and infection. To understand the microbial ecology of Salmonella remodeling of the gut microbiome, we performed multi-omics on fecal microbial communities from untreated and Salmonella-infected mice. Reconstructed genomes recruited metatranscriptomic and metabolomic data providing a strain-resolved view of the expressed metabolisms of the microbiome during Salmonella infection. These data informed possible Salmonella interactions with members of the gut microbiome that were previously uncharacterized. Salmonella-induced inflammation significantly reduced the diversity of genomes that recruited transcripts in the gut microbiome, yet increased transcript mapping was observed for seven members, among which Luxibacter and Ligilactobacillus transcript read recruitment was most prevalent. Metatranscriptomic insights from Salmonella and other persistent taxa in the inflamed microbiome further expounded the necessity for oxidative tolerance mechanisms to endure the host inflammatory responses to infection. In the inflamed gut lactate was a key metabolite, with microbiota production and consumption reported amongst members with detected transcript recruitment. We also showed that organic sulfur sources could be converted by gut microbiota to yield inorganic sulfur pools that become oxidized in the inflamed gut, resulting in thiosulfate and tetrathionate that support Salmonella respiration. This research advances physiological microbiome insights beyond prior amplicon-based approaches, with the transcriptionally active organismal and metabolic pathways outlined here offering intriguing intervention targets in the Salmonella-infected intestine.

The heparin-binding hemagglutinin protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a nucleoid-associated protein

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) regulate multiple cellular processes such as gene expression, virulence, and dormancy throughout bacterial species. NAPs help in the survival and adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) within the host. Fourteen NAPs have been identified in Escherichia coli; however, only seven NAPs are documented in Mtb. Given its complex lifestyle, it is reasonable to assume that Mtb would encode for more NAPs. Using bioinformatics tools and biochemical experiments, we have identified the heparin-binding hemagglutinin (HbhA) protein of Mtb as a novel sequence-independent DNA-binding protein which has previously been characterized as an adhesion molecule required for extrapulmonary dissemination. Deleting the carboxy-terminal domain of HbhA resulted in a complete loss of its DNA-binding activity. Atomic force microscopy showed HbhA-mediated architectural modulations in the DNA, which may play a regulatory role in transcription and genome organization. Our results showed that HbhA colocalizes with the nucleoid region of Mtb. Transcriptomics analyses of a hbhA KO strain revealed that it regulates the expression of ∼36% of total and ∼29% of essential genes. Deletion of hbhA resulted in the upregulation of ∼73% of all differentially expressed genes, belonging to multiple pathways suggesting it to be a global repressor. The results show that HbhA is a nonessential NAP regulating gene expression globally and acting as a plausible transcriptional repressor.

Gut microbiota alteration with growth performance, histopathological lesions, and immune responses in Salmonella Typhimurium-infected weaned piglets

Salmonella Typhimurium can cause gastroenteritis in weaned piglets, which are particularly vulnerable to dietary changes and dysfunction of their immature organs. The colonization of S. Typhimurium could disrupt the gut microbiota and increase susceptibility to the bacterium. This study aimed to investigate the alterations of gut microbiota in S. Typhimurium-infected weaned piglets. Ten 49-day-old pigs were divided into two groups: S. Typhimurium-inoculated (ST, n = 6) and negative control (NC, n = 4) groups. The body weight and S. Typhimurium fecal shedding were monitored for 14 days after S. Typhimurium inoculation (dpi). The intestinal tissues were collected at 14 dpi; histopathological lesions and cytokine gene expression were evaluated. The gut microbiome composition and short-chain fatty acid concentrations were analyzed in fecal samples collected at 14 dpi. The average daily gain and gut microbiota alpha diversity in ST group tended to be lower than NC group at 14 dpi. Linear discriminant analysis effect size results showed a significant increase in the abundance of two genera and five species, while a significant decrease was observed in the five genera and nine species within the gut microbiota of ST group. Among the significantly less abundant bacteria in the ST group, Lachnospira eligens and Anaerobium acetethylicum produce acetate and butyrate, and may be considered as key S. Typhimurium infection-preventing bacteria. The overall results provide invaluable information about changes in the gut microbiota of S. Typhimurium-infected weaned piglets, which can be used to develop alternative measures to antibiotics and prevent ST bacterial infection.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Regulated Intestinal Microbial Community and Cytokines to Inhibit Salmonella typhimurium Infection

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are recognized as food-grade safe microorganisms and have many beneficial effects. LAB could maintain the host intestinal homeostasis and regulate intestinal microbial community to exert antibacterial effects. In this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum, Lp01) strain isolated from pig intestine was orally administered to C57BL/6 mice, and mice were then infected with Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC14028). The protective effects of L. plantarum were evaluated by monitoring body weight loss, survival rates, bacterial loads in tissue, colon histopathology analysis, and cytokine secretion. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was also utilized to detect the dynamics of the blind gut microbial community in mice. We found that L. plantarum could significantly reduce the body weight loss and improve the survival rates. The survival rate in the L. P-Sty group was up to 67.5%, which was much higher than that in the STY group (25%). Counting of bacterial loads displayed that the colony-forming unit (CFU) of S. typhimurium in the spleen (p < 0.05) and the liver (p < 0.05) from L. P-Sty group both decreased, compared with STY group. Intestinal histopathology showed that it alleviated the intestinal injury caused by Salmonella, inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and promoted anti-inflammatory cytokines (p < 0. 01). In addition, L. plantarum also significantly ameliorated the intestinal gut microbiome disturbance caused by Salmonella. It displayed an obvious increase of beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bacteroidetes and reduction of pathogenic bacteria like Proteobacteria. In conclusion, L. plantarum could regulate microbial community to inhibit Salmonella typhimurium infection.

Phenotype Alterations in the Cecal Ecosystem Involved in the Asymptomatic Intestinal Persistence of Paratyphoid Salmonella in Chickens

The gastrointestinal ecosystem involves interactions between the host, gut microbiota, and external environment. To colonize the gut of poultry, Salmonella must surmount barriers levied by the intestine including mucosal innate immune responses and microbiota-mediated niche restrictions. Accordingly, comprehending Salmonella intestinal colonization in poultry requires an understanding of how the pathogen interacts with the intestinal ecosystem. In chickens, the paratyphoid Salmonella have evolved the capacity to survive the initial immune response and persist in the avian ceca for months without triggering clinical signs. The persistence of a Salmonella infection in the avian host involves both host defenses and tolerogenic defense strategies. The initial phase of the Salmonella-gut ecosystem interaction is characteristically an innate pro-inflammatory response that controls bacterial invasion. The second phase is initiated by an expansion of the T regulatory cell population in the cecum of Salmonella-infected chickens accompanied by well-defined shifts in the enteric neuro-immunometabolic pathways that changes the local phenotype from pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory environment. Thus, paratyphoid Salmonella in chickens have evolved a unique survival strategy that minimizes the inflammatory response (disease resistance) during the initial infection and then induces an immunometabolic reprogramming in the cecum that alters the host defense to disease tolerance that provides an environment conducive to drive asymptomatic carriage of the bacterial pathogen.

Fructose-enabled killing of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enteritidis by gentamicin: Insight from reprogramming metabolomics

Salmonella enterica is a food-borne pathogen that poses a severe threat to both poultry production and human health. Antibiotics are critical for the initial treatment of bacterial infections. However, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics results in the rapid evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the discovery and development of new antibiotics are declining. Therefore, understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms and developing novel control measures are essential. In the present study, GC-MS-based metabolomics analysis was performed to determine the metabolic profile of gentamicin sensitive (SE-S) and resistant (SE-R) S. enterica. Fructose was identified as a crucial biomarker. Further analysis demonstrated a global depressed central carbon metabolism and energy metabolism in SE-R. The decrease in the pyruvate cycle reduces the production of NADH and ATP, causing a decrease in membrane potential, which contributes to gentamicin resistance. Exogenous fructose potentiated the effectiveness of gentamicin in killing SE-R by promoting the pyruvate cycle, NADH, ATP and membrane potential, thereby increasing gentamicin intake. Further, fructose plus gentamicin improved the survival rate of chicken infected with gentamicin-resistant Salmonella in vivo. Given that metabolite structures are conserved across species, fructose identified from bacteria could be used as a biomarker for breeding disease-resistant phenotypes in chicken. Therefore, a novel strategy is proposed for fighting against antibiotic-resistant S. enterica, including exploring molecules suppressed by antibiotics and providing a new approach to find pathogen targets for disease resistance in chicken breeding.

Enhanced probiotic potential of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens OSU-BDGOA1 through co-culture with Kluyveromyces marxianus bdgo-ym6

Introduction

Due to the increasing consumer demand for the development and improvement of functional foods containing probiotics, new probiotic candidates need to be explored as well as novel means to enhance their beneficial effects. Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens OSU-BDGOA1 is a strain isolated from kefir grains that has demonstrated probiotic traits. This species is the main inhabitant of kefir grains and is responsible for the production of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) whit vast technological applications and potential bioactivities. Research has shown that interkingdom interactions of yeast and lactic acid bacteria can enhance metabolic activities and promote resistance to environmental stressors.

Methods

Comparative genomic analyses were performed to distinguish OSU-BDGOA1 from other strains of the same species, and the genome was mined to provide molecular evidence for relevant probiotic properties. We further assessed the cumulative effect on the probiotic properties of OSU-BDGOA1 and Kluyveromyces marxianus bdgo-ym6 yeast co-culture compared to monocultures.

Results

Survival during simulated digestion assessed by the INFOGEST digestion model showed higher survival of OSU-BDGOA1 and bdgo-ym6 in co-culture. The adhesion to intestinal cells assessed with the Caco-2 intestinal cell model revealed enhanced adhesion of OSU-BDGOA1 in co-culture. The observed increase in survival during digestion could be associated with the increased production of EPS during the late exponential and early stationary phases of co-culture that, by enhancing co-aggregation between the yeast and the bacterium, protects the microorganisms from severe gastrointestinal conditions as observed by SEM images. Immune modulation and barrier function for recovery and prevention of flagellin-mediated inflammation by Salmonella Typhimurium heat-killed cells (HKSC) in Caco-2 cells were also measured. OSU-BDGOA1 in mono- and co-culture regulated inflammation through downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and increased membrane barrier integrity assessed by TEER, FD4 permeability, and expression of tight junctions.

Discussion

The results of the study warrant further research into the application of co-cultures of yeast and LAB in functional probiotic products and the potential to increase EPS production by co-culture strategies.

Organoids as a novel tool in modelling infectious diseases

Infectious diseases worldwide affect human health and have important societal impacts. A better understanding of infectious diseases is urgently needed. In vitro and in vivo infection models have brought notable contributions to the current knowledge of these diseases. Organoids are multicellular culture systems resembling tissue architecture and function, recapitulating many characteristics of human disease and elucidating mechanisms of host-infectious agent interactions in the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, the central nervous system and the skin. Here, we discuss the applicability of the organoid technology for modeling pathogenesis, host response and features, which can be explored for the development of preventive and therapeutic treatments.

Survivability of Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC 14208) and Listeria innocua (ATCC 51742) on lignocellulosic materials for paper packaging

Lignocellulosic materials are widely used for food packaging due to their renewable and biodegradable nature. However, their porous and absorptive properties can lead to the uptake and retention of bacteria during food processing, transportation, and storage, which pose a potential risk for outbreaks of foodborne disease. Thus, it is of great importance to understand how bacteria proliferate and survive on lignocellulosic surfaces. The aim of this research was to compare the growth and survivability of Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria innocua on bleached and unbleached paper packaging materials. Two different paper materials were fabricated to simulate linerboard from fully bleached and unbleached market pulps and inoculated with each bacterium at high bacterial loads (10⁷ CFU). The bacteria propagated during the first 48 h of incubation and persisted at very high levels (>10⁷ CFU/cm²) for 40 days for all paper and bacterium types. However, the unbleached paper allowed for a greater degree of bacterial growth to occur compared to bleached paper, suspected to be due to the more hydrophobic nature of the unbleached, lignin-containing fibers. Several other considerations may also alter the behavior of bacteria on lignocellulosic materials, such as storage conditions, nutrient availability, and chemical composition of the fibers.

Small RNAs Activate Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 by Modulating mRNA Stability through the hilD mRNA 3' Untranslated Region

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is an enteric pathogen associated with foodborne disease. Salmonella invades the intestinal epithelium using a type three secretion system encoded on Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1). SPI-1 genes are tightly regulated by a complex feed-forward loop to ensure proper spatial and temporal expression. Most regulatory input is integrated at HilD, through control of hilD mRNA translation or HilD protein activity. The hilD mRNA possesses a 310-nucleotide 3' untranslated region (UTR) that influences HilD and SPI-1 expression, and this regulation is dependent on Hfq and RNase E, cofactors known to mediate small RNA (sRNA) activities. Thus, we hypothesized that the hilD mRNA 3' UTR is a target for sRNAs. Here, we show that two sRNAs, SdsR and Spot 42, regulate SPI-1 by targeting different regions of the hilD mRNA 3' UTR. Regulatory activities of these sRNAs depended on Hfq and RNase E, in agreement with previous roles found for both at the hilD 3' UTR. Salmonella mutants lacking SdsR and Spot 42 had decreased virulence in a mouse model of infection. Collectively, this work suggests that these sRNAs targeting the hilD mRNA 3' UTR increase hilD mRNA levels by interfering with RNase E-dependent mRNA degradation and that this regulatory effect is required for Salmonella invasiveness. Our work provides novel insights into mechanisms of sRNA regulation at bacterial mRNA 3' UTRs and adds to our knowledge of post-transcriptional regulation of the SPI-1 complex feed-forward loop. IMPORTANCE Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a prominent foodborne pathogen, infecting millions of people a year. To express virulence genes at the correct time and place in the host, Salmonella uses a complex regulatory network that senses environmental conditions. Known for their role in allowing quick responses to stress and virulence conditions, we investigated the role of small RNAs in facilitating precise expression of virulence genes. We found that the 3' untranslated region of the hilD mRNA, encoding a key virulence regulator, is a target for small RNAs and RNase E. The small RNAs stabilize hilD mRNA to allow proper expression of Salmonella virulence genes in the host.

Butyrate producers, "The Sentinel of Gut": Their intestinal significance with and beyond butyrate, and prospective use as microbial therapeutics

Gut-microbial butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) of significant physiological importance than the other major SCFAs (acetate and propionate). Most butyrate producers belong to the Clostridium cluster of the phylum Firmicutes, such as Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Eubacterium, Anaerostipes, Coprococcus, Subdoligranulum, and Anaerobutyricum. They metabolize carbohydrates via the butyryl-CoA: acetate CoA-transferase pathway and butyrate kinase terminal enzymes to produce most of butyrate. Although, in minor fractions, amino acids can also be utilized to generate butyrate via glutamate and lysine pathways. Butyrogenic microbes play a vital role in various gut-associated metabolisms. Butyrate is used by colonocytes to generate energy, stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor to maintain the anaerobic environment in the gut, maintains gut barrier integrity by regulating Claudin-1 and synaptopodin expression, limits pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-12), and inhibits oncogenic pathways (Akt/ERK, Wnt, and TGF-β signaling). Colonic butyrate producers shape the gut microbial community by secreting various anti-microbial substances, such as cathelicidins, reuterin, and β-defensin-1, and maintain gut homeostasis by releasing anti-inflammatory molecules, such as IgA, vitamin B, and microbial anti-inflammatory molecules. Additionally, butyrate producers, such as Roseburia, produce anti-carcinogenic metabolites, such as shikimic acid and a precursor of conjugated linoleic acid. In this review, we summarized the significance of butyrate, critically examined the role and relevance of butyrate producers, and contextualized their importance as microbial therapeutics.

Complementary measurement of nontyphoidal Salmonella-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in oral fluid and serum

Objectives

Immuno-epidemiological studies of orally acquired, enteric pathogens such as nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) often focus on serological measures of immunity, ignoring potentially relevant oral mucosal responses. In this study we sought to assess the levels and detectability of both oral fluid and serum IgG and IgA to NTS antigens, in endemic and non-endemic populations.

Methods

IgG and IgA antibodies specific for Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis O antigen and phase 1 flagellin were assessed using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Paired oral fluid and serum samples were collected from groups of 50 UK adults, Kenyan adults and Kenyan infants. Additionally, oral fluid alone was collected from 304 Kenyan individuals across a range of ages.

Results

Antigen-specific IgG and IgA was detectable in the oral fluid of both adults and infants. Oral fluid antibody increased with age, peaking in adulthood for both IgG and IgA but a separate peak was also observed for IgA in infants. Oral fluid and serum responses correlated for IgG but not IgA. Despite standardised collection the relationship between oral fluid volume and antibody levels varied with age and country of origin.

Conclusions

Measurement of NTS-specific oral fluid antibody can be used to complement measurement of serum antibody. For IgA in particular, oral fluid may offer insights into how protective immunity to NTS changes as individuals transition with age, from maternal to acquired systemic and mucosal immunity. This may prove useful in helping to guide future vaccine design.

Nutrient Availability and Biofilm Polysaccharide Shape the Bacillaene-Dependent Antagonism of Bacillus subtilis against Salmonella Typhimurium

Salmonella enterica is one of the most common foodborne pathogens and, due to the spread of antibiotic resistance, new antimicrobial strategies are urgently needed to control it. In this study, we explored the probiotic potential of Bacillus subtilis PS-216 and elucidated the mechanisms that underlie the interactions between this soil isolate and the model pathogenic strain S. Typhimurium SL1344. The results reveal that B. subtilis PS-216 inhibits the growth and biofilm formation of S. Typhimurium through the production of the pks cluster-dependent polyketide bacillaene. The presence of S. Typhimurium enhanced the activity of the PpksC promoter that controls bacillaene production, suggesting that B. subtilis senses and responds to Salmonella. The level of Salmonella inhibition, overall PpksC activity, and PpksC induction by Salmonella were all higher in nutrient-rich conditions than in nutrient-depleted conditions. Although eliminating the extracellular polysaccharide production of B. subtilis via deletion of the epsA-O operon had no significant effect on inhibitory activity against Salmonella in nutrient-rich conditions, this deletion mutant showed an enhanced antagonism against Salmonella in nutrient-depleted conditions, revealing an intricate relationship between exopolysaccharide production, nutrient availability, and bacillaene synthesis. Overall, this work provides evidence on the regulatory role of nutrient availability, sensing of the competitor, and EpsA-O polysaccharide in the social outcome of bacillaene-dependent competition between B. subtilis and S. Typhimurium. IMPORTANCE Probiotic bacteria represent an alternative for controlling foodborne disease caused by Salmonella enterica, which constitutes a serious concern during food production due to its antibiotic resistance and resilience to environmental stress. Bacillus subtilis is gaining popularity as a probiotic, but its behavior in biofilms with pathogens such as Salmonella remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that the antagonism of B. subtilis is mediated by the polyketide bacillaene and that the production of bacillaene is a highly dynamic trait which depends on environmental factors such as nutrient availability and the presence of competitors. Moreover, the production of extracellular polysaccharides by B. subtilis further alters the influence of these factors. Hence, this work highlights the inhibitory effect of B. subtilis, which is condition-dependent, and the importance of evaluating probiotic strains under conditions relevant to the intended use.

The rpoS gene confers resistance to low osmolarity conditions in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi

Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium and Typhi are enteropathogens that differ in host range and the diseases that they cause. We found that exposure to a combination of hypotonicity and the detergent Triton X-100 significantly reduced the viability of the S. Typhi strain Ty2 but had no effect on the S. Typhimurium strain SL1344. Further analysis revealed that hypotonicity was the critical factor: incubation in distilled water alone was sufficient to kill Ty2, while the addition of sodium chloride inhibited killing in a dose-dependent manner. Ty2's loss of viability in water was modified by culture conditions: bacteria grown in well-aerated shaking cultures were more susceptible than bacteria grown under less aerated static conditions. Ty2, like many S. Typhi clinical isolates, has an inactivating mutation in the rpoS gene, a transcriptional regulator of stress responses, whereas most S. Typhimurium strains, including SL1344, have the wild-type gene. Transformation of Ty2 with a plasmid expressing wild-type rpoS, but not the empty vector, significantly increased survival in distilled water. Moreover, an S. Typhi strain with wild-type rpoS had unimpaired survival in water. Inactivation of the wild-type gene in this strain significantly reduced survival, while replacement with an arabinose-inducible allele of rpoS restored viability in water under inducing conditions. Our observations on rpoS-dependent differences in susceptibility to hypotonic conditions may be relevant to the ability of S. Typhi and S. Typhimurium to tolerate the various environments they encounter during the infectious cycle. They also have implications for the handling of these organisms during experimental manipulations.

Discovery of antipsychotic loxapine derivatives against intracellular multidrug-resistant bacteria

The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria highlight the need for new antibacterial interventions. A screening of 24 newly synthesized dibenzoxazepines identified a small molecule compound, SW14, with potent inhibitory activity against intracellular multidrug-resistant and fluoroquinolone-resistant strains of S. typhimurium in macrophages and epithelial cells. Moreover, intra-macrophagic Salmonella typhi, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Listeria monocytogenes and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are also susceptible to SW14. Overall, our findings suggest that SW14 has a broad-spectrum activity against intracellular bacteria.

Polyimidazolium Protects against an Invasive Clinical Isolate of Salmonella Typhimurium

Frequent outbreaks of Salmonella Typhimurium infection, in both animal and human populations and with the potential for zoonotic transmission, pose a significant threat to the public health sector. The rapid emergence and spread of more invasive multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Salmonella further highlight the need for the development of new drugs with effective broad-spectrum bactericidal activities. The synthesis and evaluation of main-chain cationic polyimidazolium 1 (PIM1) against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria have previously demonstrated the efficacy profile of PIM1. The present study focuses on the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of PIM1 against Salmonella in both in vitro and in ovo settings. In vitro, PIM1 exhibited bactericidal activity against three strains of Salmonella at a low dosage of 8 μg/mL. The anti-biofilm activity of PIM1 was evident by its elimination of planktonic cells within preformed biofilms in a dose-dependent manner. During the host cell infection process, PIM1 reduces the extracellular bacterial load, which reduces adhesion and invasion to limit the establishment of infection. Once intracellular, Salmonella strains were tolerant and protected from PIM1 treatment. In a chicken egg infection model, PIM1 exhibited therapeutic activity for both Salmonella strains, using stationary-phase and exponential-phase inocula. Moreover, PIM1 showed a remarkable efficacy against the stationary-phase inocula of drug-resistant Salmonella by eliminating the bacterial burden in >50% of the infected chicken egg embryos. Collectively, our results highlight the potential for PIM1 as a replacement therapy for existing antibiotic applications on the poultry farm, given the efficiency and low toxicity profile demonstrated in our agriculturally relevant chicken embryo model.

Toxin-Antitoxin Systems: A Key Role on Persister Formation in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

The toxin and antitoxin modules in bacteria consist of a toxin molecule that has activity to inhibit various cellular processes and its cognate antitoxin that neutralizes the toxin. This system is considered taking part in the formation of persister cells, which are a subpopulation of recalcitrant cells able to survive antimicrobial treatment without any resistance mechanisms. Importantly, persisters have been associated with long-term infections and treatment failures in healthcare settings. It is a public health concern since persisters can be involved in the evolution and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance amidst the aggravating spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria and insufficient novel antimicrobial therapy to tackle this issue. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is one of the most prevalent Salmonella serotypes in the world and is a leading cause of food-borne salmonellosis. S. Typhimurium has been known to cause persistent infection and a wealth of investigations on Salmonella persisters indicates that toxin and antitoxin modules play a role in mediating the phenotypic switch of persisters, rendering its survival ability in the presence of antimicrobial agents. In this review, we discuss findings regarding mechanisms that underly persistence in S. Typhimurium, especially the involvement of toxin and antitoxin modules.

Potential of gut-derived short-chain fatty acids to control enteric pathogens

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are a very important group of metabolites located in the gut that play a crucial role in the regulation of gut function and pathogen resistance. Since many enteric pathogens respond differently to various SCFAs, substantial efforts have been made to understand the regulatory effects of SCFA types on enteric pathogens. The application of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) in bacterial research provides a new perspective for studying the regulation of enteric pathogens by different SCFAs. Existing evidence suggests that the SCFAs acetate, propionate, and butyrate influence bacterial processes by extensively promoting the acylation of key bacterial proteins. SCFAs can also prevent the invasion of pathogenic bacteria by regulating the barrier function and immune status of the host gut. In this review, we describe the mechanisms by which different SCFAs modulate the pathogenicity of enteric pathogens from multiple perspectives. We also explore some recent findings on how enteric pathogens counteract SCFA inhibition. Lastly, we discuss the prospects and limitations of applying SCFAs to control enteric pathogens.

Improvement of Mueller-Kauffman Tetrathionate-Novobiocin (MKTTn) enrichment medium for the detection of Salmonella enterica by the addition of ex situ-generated tetrathionate

The detection of Salmonella in food is based on the use of a selective enrichment broth such as Muller-Kauffman Tetrathionate-Novobiocin (MKTTn), in which tetrathionate plays a key role by providing Salmonella with a growth advantage. As sodium tetrathionate is unstable, it is generated in situ by the addition of iodine (Lugol's solution) before seeding. This step is cumbersome as the solution is easily spilled, compromising the performance of the medium and hindering the work of technicians. The aim of this study was to optimize MKTTn broth by generating tetrathionate ex situ through an external reaction between iodine and thiosulphate followed by lyophilization. Quality control procedures were performed to compare the modified and original media, testing pure productivity (enrichment with 50-120 CFU of Salmonella Thyphimurim ATCC 14028 and Salmonella Enteritidis ATCC 13076 and plating on Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar, XLD), mixed productivity (50-120 CFU of Salmonella strains and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli at ≥10⁴ CFU and XLD plating) and selectivity (≥10⁴ CFU of P. aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis and plating on Tryptone Casein Soy agar, TSA). The modified MKTTn medium (S/L) performed comparably with the original medium in terms of growth of both Salmonella strains (>300 colonies in XLD), alone or with P. aeruginosa and E. coli. Quantitative assays showed no statistically significant differences in the number of colonies grown on XLD after 10^-5 dilution (p = 0.7015 with S. Thyphimurim ATCC 14028 and p = 0.2387 with S. enteritidis ATCC 13076; ANOVA test). MKTTn medium (S/L) was also selective against E. coli (≤100 colonies) and E. faecalis (<10 colonies). These results suggest that adding tetrathionate as a lyophilisate (S/L) is a feasible alternative to the use of Lugol's solution for the preparation of MKTTn enrichment broth and does not affect the properties of the medium.

Resolution and characterization of contributions of select protein and coupled solvent configurational fluctuations to radical rearrangement catalysis in coenzyme B12-dependent ethanolamine ammonia-lyase

Coenzyme B12 (adenosylcobalamin) -dependent ethanolamine ammonia-lyase (EAL) is the signature enzyme in ethanolamine utilization metabolism associated with microbiome homeostasis and disease conditions in the human gut. The enzyme conducts a complex choreography of bond-making/bond-breaking steps that rearrange substrate to products through a radical mechanism, with themes common to other coenzyme B12-dependent and radical enzymes. The methods presented are targeted to test the hypothesis that particular, select protein and coupled solvent configurational fluctuations contribute to enzyme function. The general approach is to correlate enzyme function with an introduced perturbation that alters the properties (for example, degree of concertedness, or collectiveness) of protein and coupled solvent dynamics. Methods for sample preparation and low-temperature kinetic measurements by using temperature-step reaction initiation and time-resolved, full-spectrum electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy are detailed. A framework for interpretation of results obtained in ensemble systems under conditions of statistical equilibrium within the reacting, globally unstable state is presented. The temperature-dependence of the first-order rate constants for decay of the cryotrapped paramagnetic substrate radical state in EAL, through the chemical step of radical rearrangement, displays a piecewise-continuous Arrhenius dependence from 203 to 295K, punctuated by a kinetic bifurcation over 219-220K. The results reveal the obligatory contribution of a class of select collective protein and coupled solvent fluctuations to the interconversion of two resolved, sequential configurational substates, on the decay time scale. The select class of collective fluctuations also contributes to the chemical step. The methods and analysis are generally applicable to other coenzyme B12-dependent and related radical enzymes.

Secretion Systems in Gram-Negative Bacterial Fish Pathogens

Bacterial fish pathogens are one of the key challenges in the aquaculture industry, one of the fast-growing industries worldwide. These pathogens rely on arsenal of virulence factors such as toxins, adhesins, effectors and enzymes to promote colonization and infection. Translocation of virulence factors across the membrane to either the extracellular environment or directly into the host cells is performed by single or multiple dedicated secretion systems. These secretion systems are often key to the infection process. They can range from simple single-protein systems to complex injection needles made from dozens of subunits. Here, we review the different types of secretion systems in Gram-negative bacterial fish pathogens and describe their putative roles in pathogenicity. We find that the available information is fragmented and often descriptive, and hope that our overview will help researchers to more systematically learn from the similarities and differences between the virulence factors and secretion systems of the fish-pathogenic species described here.

Impacts of feeding organic acid-based feed additives on diarrhea, performance, and fecal microbiome characteristics of pigs after weaning challenged with an enterotoxigenic strain of Escherichia coli

Post weaning diarrhea (PWD) caused by enterotoxigenic strains of E. coli (ETEC) remains a major problem in the industry, causing decreases in performance and survival of weaned pigs. Traditionally, antimicrobials have been used for its mitigation/control. This study tested the hypothesis that a combination of two organic acid (OA)-based commercial feed additives, Presan FX [an OA, medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) and phenolic compound-based product] and Fysal MP (free and buffered OA based on formic acid), would reduce PWD and improve post-weaning performance in pigs challenged with an F4-ETEC. This combination was assessed against a Negative control diet without any feed additives and a diet containing amoxicillin. Combined with a reduction in temperature during the infection period, inoculation with F4-ETEC resulted in 81% of pigs developing diarrhea, but with no differences between treatments (P > 0.05). However, between days 14 to 20 of the study and due to colonization by Salmonella serovars, pigs fed the combination of Presan FX and Fysal MP showed less (P = 0.014) diarrhea commensurate with a lower (P = 0.018) proportion of Salmonella numbers relative to total bacterial numbers. This caused less (P = 0.049) therapeutic antibiotic administrations relative to the diet with amoxicillin during this time. The diversity of bacteria within amoxicillin-treated pigs was lower (P = 0.004) than the diversity in control or Presan FX + Fysal MP-treated pigs (P = 0.01). Pair-wise comparisons showed that amoxicillin-treated pigs had altered (P < 0.001) fecal microbial communities relative to both Presan FX + Fysal MP-treated pigs and control pigs. Amoxicillin-treated pigs were characterized by an increased abundance of bacterial families generally linked to inflammation and dysbiosis in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), whereas Presan FX + Fysal MP-treated pigs had an increased abundance of bacterial families considered beneficial commensals for the GIT. Control pigs were characterized by an increased abundance of Spirochaetaceae associated with healthy piglets, as well as bacterial families associated with reduced feed intake and appetite. The combination of two OA-based feed additives did not reduce the incidence of F4 ETEC-associated diarrhea nor enhance performance. However, the combination markedly reduced diarrhea caused by Salmonella that occurred following the ETEC infection, commensurate with less therapeutic administrations relative to the diet with amoxicillin.

Copper Homeostatic Mechanisms and Their Role in the Virulence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica

Copper is an essential micronutrient that also exerts toxic effects at high concentrations. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on copper handling and homeostasis systems in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. We describe the mechanisms by which transcriptional regulators, efflux pumps, detoxification enzymes, metallochaperones, and ancillary copper response systems orchestrate cellular response to copper stress. E. coli and S. enterica are important pathogens of humans and animals. We discuss the critical role of copper during killing of these pathogens by macrophages and in nutritional immunity at the bacterial-pathogen-host interface. In closing, we identify opportunities to advance our understanding of the biological roles of copper in these model enteric bacterial pathogens.

Diversity, Chemical Constituents, and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi Isolated From Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort

The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity of endophytic fungi of different parts of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (CX) and further characterize their biological activities and identify chemical compounds produced by these endophytic fungi. A total of 21 endophytic fungi were isolated and identified from CX. Penicillium oxalicum, Simplicillium sp., and Colletotrichum sp. were identified as promising strains by the color reaction. Comparing different organic extracts of the three strains, it was observed that the ethyl acetate extract of Penicillium oxalicum and Simplicillium sp. and the n-butanol extract of Colletotrichum sp. showed significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The ethyl acetate extracts of Penicillium oxalicum had outstanding antioxidant and antibacterial effects, and its radical scavenging rates for ABTS and DPPH were 98.43 ± 0.006% and 90.11 ± 0.032%, respectively. At the same time, their IC₅₀ values were only 0.18 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 0.04 ± 0.003 mg/mL. The ethyl acetate extract of Penicillium oxalicum showed MIC value of only 0.5 mg/mL against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. By liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), we found that Penicillium oxalicum could produce many high-value polyphenols, such as hesperidin (36.06 μmol/g), ferulic acid (1.17 μmol/g), and alternariol (12.64 μmol/g), which can be a potential resource for the pharmaceutical industry. In conclusion, these results increase the diversity of CX endophytic fungi and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of their secondary metabolites.

Pyruvate Oxidase as a Key Determinant of Pneumococcal Viability during Transcytosis across Brain Endothelium

Streptococcus pneumoniae invades a myriad of host tissues following efficient breaching of cellular barriers. However, strategies adopted by pneumococcus for evasion of host intracellular defenses governing successful transcytosis across host cellular barriers remain elusive. In this study, using brain endothelium as a model host barrier, we observed that pneumococcus containing endocytic vacuoles (PCVs), formed following S. pneumoniae internalization into brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), undergo early maturation and acidification, with a major subset acquiring lysosome-like characteristics. Exploration of measures that would preserve pneumococcal viability in the lethal acidic pH of these lysosome-like vacuoles revealed a critical role of the two-component system response regulator, CiaR, which was previously implicated in induction of acid tolerance response. Pyruvate oxidase (SpxB), a key sugar-metabolizing enzyme that catalyzes oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl phosphate, was found to contribute to acid stress tolerance, presumably via acetyl phosphate-mediated phosphorylation and activation of CiaR, independent of its cognate kinase CiaH. Hydrogen peroxide, the by-product of an SpxB-catalyzed reaction, was also found to improve pneumococcal intracellular survival by oxidative inactivation of lysosomal cysteine cathepsins, thus compromising the degradative capacity of the host lysosomes. As expected, a ΔspxB mutant was found to be significantly attenuated in its ability to survive inside the BMEC endocytic vacuoles, reflecting its reduced transcytosis ability. Collectively, our studies establish SpxB as an important virulence determinant facilitating pneumococcal survival inside host cells, ensuring successful trafficking across host cellular barriers. IMPORTANCE Host cellular barriers have innate immune defenses to restrict microbial passage into sterile compartments. Here, by focusing on the blood-brain barrier endothelium, we investigated mechanisms that enable Streptococcus pneumoniae to traverse through host barriers. Pyruvate oxidase, a pneumococcal sugar-metabolizing enzyme, was found to play a crucial role in this via generation of acetyl phosphate and hydrogen peroxide. A two-pronged approach consisting of acetyl phosphate-mediated activation of acid tolerance response and hydrogen peroxide-mediated inactivation of lysosomal enzymes enabled pneumococci to maintain viability inside the degradative vacuoles of the brain endothelium for successful transcytosis across the barrier. Thus, pyruvate oxidase is a key virulence determinant and can potentially serve as a viable candidate for therapeutic interventions for better management of invasive pneumococcal diseases.

Parasite Survival and Disease Persistence in Cystic Fibrosis, Schistosomiasis and Pathogenic Bacterial Diseases: A Role for Universal Stress Proteins?

Universal stress proteins (USPs) were originally discovered in Escherichia coli over two decades ago and since then their presence has been detected in various organisms that include plants, archaea, metazoans, and bacteria. As their name suggests, they function in a series of various cellular responses in both abiotic and biotic stressful conditions such as oxidative stress, exposure to DNA damaging agents, nutrient starvation, high temperature and acidic stress, among others. Although a highly conserved group of proteins, the molecular and biochemical aspects of their functions are largely evasive. This is concerning, as it was observed that USPs act as essential contributors to the survival/persistence of various infectious pathogens. Their ubiquitous nature in various organisms, as well as their augmentation during conditions of stress, is a clear indication of their direct or indirect importance in providing resilience against such conditions. This paper seeks to clarify what has already been reported in the literature on the proposed mechanism of action of USPs in pathogenic organisms.

Nanovaccines against Animal Pathogens: The Latest Findings

Nowadays, safe and efficacious vaccines represent powerful and cost-effective tools for global health and economic growth. In the veterinary field, these are undoubtedly key tools for improving productivity and fighting zoonoses. However, cases of persistent infections, rapidly evolving pathogens having high variability or emerging/re-emerging pathogens for which no effective vaccines have been developed point out the continuing need for new vaccine alternatives to control outbreaks. Most licensed vaccines have been successfully used for many years now; however, they have intrinsic limitations, such as variable efficacy, adverse effects, and some shortcomings. More effective adjuvants and novel delivery systems may foster real vaccine effectiveness and timely implementation. Emerging vaccine technologies involving nanoparticles such as self-assembling proteins, virus-like particles, liposomes, virosomes, and polymeric nanoparticles offer novel, safe, and high-potential approaches to address many vaccine development-related challenges. Nanotechnology is accelerating the evolution of vaccines because nanomaterials having encapsulation ability and very advantageous properties due to their size and surface area serve as effective vehicles for antigen delivery and immunostimulatory agents. This review discusses the requirements for an effective, broad-coverage-elicited immune response, the main nanoplatforms for producing it, and the latest nanovaccine applications for fighting animal pathogens.

Antimicrobial Activity of Extracts from the Humiria balsamifera (Aubl)

Humiria balsamifera (Aubl), commonly known as "mirim", is a plant of the Humiriaceae family, which consists of 39 species divided between eight genera: Duckesia, Endopleura, Humiria, Humiriastrum, Hylocara, Sacoglottis, Schistostemon, and Vantenea. This study aimed to characterize H. balsamifera extracts by LC-MS/MS and evaluate their antimicrobial potential through in vitro and in vivo assays. The leaves and stem bark of H. balsamifera were collected and dried at room temperature and then ground in a knife mill. The extracts were prepared with organic solvents in order to increase the polarity index (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol). The antimicrobial effects of these extracts were evaluated against the following bacterial strains: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 15313, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium ATCC 14028, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538. The best activity was observed in the ethyl acetate (EALE = 780 µg/mL), methanol (MLE = 780 µg/mL), and hexane (HLE = 1560 µg/mL) leaf extracts against S. aureus. Considering the results for both antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities, the EALE extract was chosen to proceed to the infection assays, which used Tenebrio molitor larvae. The EALE treatment was able to extend the average lifespan of the larvae (6.5 days) in comparison to S. aureus-infected larvae (1 day). Next, the samples were characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer, allowing the identification of 11 substances, including seven flavonoids, substances whose antimicrobial activity is already well-reported in the literature. The number of bioactive compounds found in the chemical composition of H. balsamifera emphasizes its significance in both traditional medicine and scientific research that studies new treatments based on substances from the Brazilian flora.

Overcoming reduced antibiotic susceptibility in intracellular Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium using AR-12

Host-directed therapies (HDTs) could enhance the activity of traditional antibiotics. AR-12 is a promising HDT against intracellular pathogens including Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and has been shown to act through modulation of autophagy and the Akt kinase pathway. Since AR-12 does not inhibit the growth of planktonic bacteria but only works in conjunction with the infected host-cell, we hypothesized that AR-12 could enhance the activity of antibiotics in less-susceptible strains in the intracellular host environment. We found that repetitive passaging of S. typhimurium in macrophages in the absence of antibiotics led to a 4-fold reduction in their intracellular susceptibility to streptomycin (STR), but had no effect on the bacteria's sensitivity to AR-12. Moreover, when the host-passaged strains were treated with a combined therapy of AR-12 and STR, there was a significant reduction of intracellular bacterial burden compared to STR monotherapy. Additionally, co-treatment of macrophages infected with multi-drug resistant S. typhimurium with AR-12 and STR or ampicillin showed enhanced clearance of the intracellular bacteria. The drug combination did not elicit this effect on planktonic bacteria. Overall, AR-12 enhanced the clearance of less susceptible S. typhimurium in an intracellular environment.

Antimicrobial Activity and Antibiofilm Potential of Coenzyme Q0 against Salmonella Typhimurium

Coenzyme Q₀ (CoQ₀) has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects; however, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of CoQ₀ against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium are unknown. Thus, we investigated the bacteriostatic and antibiofilm activities, along with the underlying mechanism, of CoQ₀ against S. Typhimurium. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CoQ₀ against S. enterica serovars Typhimurium was 0.1–0.2 mg/mL (549–1098 µM), and CoQ₀ at MIC and 2MIC decreased viable S. Typhimurium counts below detectable limits within 6 and 4 h, respectively. CoQ₀ at 20MIC (4 mg/mL) reduced S. Typhimurium on raw chicken by 1.5 log CFU/cm³ within 6 h. CoQ₀ effectively disrupted cell membrane integrity and induced morphological changes in the cell, resulting in hyperpolarization, decreased intracellular ATP concentrations, and cellular constituents leakage. Biofilm-associated S. Typhimurium cells were killed by CoQ₀ treatment. These findings suggest that CoQ₀ could be applied as a natural antibacterial substance for use against S. Typhimurium by the food industry.

Biosynthetic versatility of marine-derived fungi on the delivery of novel antibacterial agents against priority pathogens

Despite the increasing number of novel marine natural products being reported from fungi in the last three decades, to date only the broad-spectrum cephalosporin C can be tracked back as marine fungal-derived drug. Cephalosporins were isolated in the early 1940s from a strain of Acremonium chrysogenum obtained in a sample collected in sewage water in the Sardinian coast, preliminary findings allowing the discovery of cephalosporin C. Since then, bioprospection of marine fungi has been enabling the identification of several metabolites with antibacterial effects, many of which proving to be active against multi-drug resistant strains, available data suggesting also that some might fuel the pharmaceutical firepower towards some of the bacterial pathogens classified as a priority by the World Health Organization. Considering the success of their terrestrial counterparts on the discovery and development of several antibiotics that are nowadays used in the clinical setting, marine fungi obviously come into mind as producers of new prototypes to counteract antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are no longer responding to available treatments. We mainly aim to provide a snapshot on those metabolites that are likely to proceed to advanced preclinical development, not only based on their antibacterial potency, but also considering their targets and modes of action, and activity against priority pathogens.

Coupling of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase protein and solvent dynamics characterized by the temperature-dependence of EPR spin probe mobility and dielectric permittivity

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is used to address the remarkable persistence of the native Arrhenius dependence of the 2-aminopropanol substrate radical rearrangement reaction in B₁₂-dependent ethanolamine ammonia-lyase (EAL) from Salmonella typhimurium from physiological to cryogenic (220 K) temperatures. Two-component TEMPOL spin probe mobility in the presence of 10 mM (0.08% v/v) 2-aminopropanol over 200-265 K demonstrates characteristic concentric aqueous-cosolvent mesodomain and protein-associated domain (PAD, hydration layer) solvent phases around EAL in the frozen solution. The mesodomain formed by the relatively small amount of 2-aminopropanol is highly confined, as shown by an elevated temperature for the order-disorder transition (ODT) in the PAD (230-235 K) and large activation energy for TEMPOL rotation. Addition of 2% v/v dimethylsulfoxide expands the mesodomain, partially relieves PAD confinement, and leads to an ODT at 205-210 K. The ODT is also manifested as a deviation of the temperature-dependence of the EPR amplitude of cob(II)alamin and the substrate radical, bound in the enzyme active site, from Curie law behavior. This is attributed to an increase in sample dielectric permittivity above the ODT at the microwave frequency of 9.5 GHz. The relatively high frequency dielectric response indicates an origin in coupled protein surface group-water fluctuations of the Johari-Goldstein β type that span spatial scales of ∼0.1-10 Å on temporal scales of 10^-10-10^-7 s. The orthogonal EPR spin probe rotational mobility and solvent dielectric measurements characterize features of EAL protein-solvent dynamical coupling and reveal that excess substrate acts as a fluidizing cryosolvent to enable native enzyme reactivity at cryogenic temperatures.

Genomic Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance in Food Chain and Livestock-Associated Salmonella Species

The rising trend of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by foodborne bacteria is a public health concern as these pathogens are easily transmitted to humans through the food chain. Non-typhoid Salmonella spp. is one of the leading foodborne pathogens which infect humans worldwide and is associated with food and livestock. Due to the lack of discovery of new antibiotics and the pressure exerted by antimicrobial resistance in the pharmaceutical industry, this review aimed to address the issue of antibiotic use in livestock which leads to AMR in Salmonella. Much attention was given to resistance to carbapenems and colistin which are the last-line antibiotics used in cases of multi drug resistant bacterial infections. In the present review, we highlighted data published on antimicrobial resistant Salmonella species and serovars associated with livestock and food chain animals. The importance of genomic characterization of carbapenem and colistin resistant Salmonella in determining the relationship between human clinical isolates and food animal isolates was also discussed in this review. Plasmids, transposons, and insertion sequence elements mediate dissemination of not only AMR genes but also genes for resistance to heavy metals and disinfectants, thus limiting the therapeutic options for treatment and control of Salmonella. Genes for resistance to colistin (mcr-1 to mcr-9) and carbapenem (blaVIM-1, blaDNM-1, and blaNDM-5) have been detected from poultry, pig, and human Salmonella isolates, indicating food animal-associated AMR which is a threat to human public health. Genotyping, plasmid characterization, and phylogenetic analysis is important in understanding the epidemiology of livestock-related Salmonella so that measures of preventing foodborne threats to humans can be improved.

Copper Handling in the Salmonella Cell Envelope and Its Impact on Virulence

Copper (Cu) plays a key role at the host-pathogen interface as both an essential element and a toxic element. Intracellular strains of pathogenic Salmonella have acquired the periplasmic Cu chaperone, CueP, and the thiol oxidoreductases complex Scs, while losing the ancestral Cu-detoxification Cus system. Coregulation of these species-specific factors link Cu with redox stress and allows Salmonella to counteract Cu toxicity during infection.

The phylogenomics of CRISPR-Cas system and revelation of its features in Salmonella

Salmonellae display intricate evolutionary patterns comprising over 2500 serovars having diverse pathogenic profiles. The acquisition and/or exchange of various virulence factors influences the evolutionary framework. To gain insights into evolution of Salmonella in association with the CRISPR-Cas genes we performed phylogenetic surveillance across strains of 22 Salmonella serovars. The strains differed in their CRISPR1-leader and cas operon features assorting into two main clades, CRISPR1-STY/cas-STY and CRISPR1-STM/cas-STM, comprising majorly typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars respectively. Serovars of these two clades displayed better relatedness, concerning CRISPR1-leader and cas operon, across genera than between themselves. This signifies the acquisition of CRISPR1/Cas region could be through a horizontal gene transfer event owing to the presence of mobile genetic elements flanking CRISPR1 array. Comparison of CRISPR and cas phenograms with that of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) suggests differential evolution of CRISPR/Cas system. As opposed to broad-host-range, the host-specific serovars harbor fewer spacers. Mapping of protospacer sources suggested a partial correlation of spacer content with habitat diversity of the serovars. Some serovars like serovar Enteritidis and Typhimurium that inhabit similar environment/infect similar hosts hardly shared their protospacer sources.

A Novel Amphibian Antimicrobial Peptide, Phylloseptin-PV1, Exhibits Effective Anti-staphylococcal Activity Without Inducing Either Hepatic or Renal Toxicity in Mice

In order to part address the problem of drug-resistant pathogens, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Herein, a novel phylloseptin peptide, named phylloseptin-PV1 (PPV1), is described from the defensive skin secretion of the Neotropical white-lined leaf frog, Phyllomedusa vaillantii. The peptide was synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and purified by RP-HPLC, prior to assessment of its biological activities. PPV1 not only demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity against planktonic ESKAPE microorganisms and the yeast, Candida albicans, but also inhibited and eradicated Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA biofilms. The antimicrobial mechanism was shown to include permeabilization of target cell membranes. The in vivo antimicrobial activity of the peptide was then evaluated using mice. PPV1 also exhibited antiproliferative activity against the cancer cell lines, H157, MCF-7, and U251MG, but had a lower potency against the normal cell line, HMEC-1. Although, the peptide possessed a moderate hemolytic action on mammalian red blood cells in vitro, it did not induce significant hepatic or renal toxicity in injected infected mice. These studies have thus found PPV1 to be a potent phylloseptin group AMP, which can effectively inhibit staphylococci, both in vitro and in vivo, without eliciting toxicity. These data thus provide support for further evaluation of PPV1 as a novel antimicrobial agent with therapeutic potential.

Super-resolution correlative light-electron microscopy using a click-chemistry approach for studying intracellular trafficking

Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) entails a group of multimodal imaging techniques that are combined to pinpoint to the location of fluorescently labeled molecules in the context of their ultrastructural cellular environment. Here we describe a detailed workflow for STORM-CLEM, in which STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM), an optical super-resolution technique, is correlated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This protocol has the advantage that both imaging modalities have resolution at the nanoscale, bringing higher synergies on the information obtained. The sample is prepared according to the Tokuyasu method followed by click-chemistry labeling and STORM imaging. Then, after heavy metal staining, electron microscopy imaging is performed followed by correlation of the two images. The case study presented here is on intracellular pathogens, but the protocol is versatile and could potentially be applied to many types of samples.

RIPK3-Dependent Recruitment of Low-Inflammatory Myeloid Cells Does Not Protect from Systemic Salmonella Infection

Macrophages employ multiple strategies to limit pathogen infection. For example, macrophages may undergo regulated cell death, including RIPK3-dependent necroptosis, as a means of combatting intracellular bacterial pathogens. However, bacteria have evolved mechanisms to evade or exploit immune responses. Salmonella is an intracellular pathogen that avoids and manipulates immune detection within macrophages. We examined the contribution of RIPK3 to Salmonella-induced macrophage death. Our findings indicate that noninvasive Salmonella does not naturally induce necroptosis, but it does so when caspases are inhibited. Moreover, RIPK3 induction (following caspase inhibition) does not impact host survival following Salmonella systemic infection. Finally, our data show that RIPK3 induction results in recruitment of low-inflammatory myeloid cells, which was unexpected, as necroptosis is typically described as highly inflammatory. Collectively, these data improve our understanding of pathogen-macrophage interactions, including outcomes of regulated cell death during infection in vivo, and reveal a potential new role for RIPK3 in resolving inflammation.

Regulated macrophage death has emerged as an important mechanism to defend against intracellular pathogens. However, the importance and consequences of macrophage death during bacterial infection are poorly resolved. This is especially true for the recently described RIPK3-dependent lytic cell death, termed necroptosis. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is an intracellular pathogen that precisely regulates virulence expression within macrophages to evade and manipulate immune responses, which is a key factor in its ability to cause severe systemic infections. We combined genetic and pharmacological approaches to examine the importance of RIPK3 for S. Typhimurium-induced macrophage death using conditions that recapitulate bacterial gene expression during systemic infection in vivo. Our findings indicate that noninvasive S. Typhimurium does not naturally induce macrophage necroptosis but does so in the presence of pan-caspase inhibition. Moreover, our data suggest that RIPK3 induction (following caspase inhibition) does not impact host survival following S. Typhimurium infection, which differs from previous findings based on inert lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injections. Finally, although necroptosis is typically characterized as highly inflammatory, our data suggest that RIPK3 skews the peritoneal myeloid population away from an inflammatory profile to that of a classically noninflammatory profile. Collectively, these data improve our understanding of S. Typhimurium-macrophage interactions, highlight the possibility that purified bacterial components may not accurately recapitulate the complexity of host-pathogen interactions, and reveal a potential and unexpected role for RIPK3 in resolving inflammation.

Salmonella secretion systems: Differential roles in pathogen-host interactions

The bacterial genus Salmonella includes a large group of food-borne pathogens that cause a variety of gastrointestinal or systemic diseases in hosts. Salmonella use several secretion devices to inject various effectors targeting eukaryotic hosts, or bacteria. In the past few years, considerable progress has been made towards understanding the structural features and molecular mechanisms of the secretion systems of Salmonella, particularly regarding their roles in host-pathogen interactions. In this review, we summarize the current advances about the main characteristics of the Salmonella secretion systems. Clarifying the roles of the secretion systems in the process of infecting various hosts will broaden our understanding of the importance of microbial interactions in maintaining human health and will provide information for developing novel therapeutic approaches.

The Differential Phosphorylation-Dependent Signaling and Glucose Immunometabolic Responses Induced during Infection by Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Heidelberg in Chicken Macrophage-like cells

Salmonella is a burden to the poultry, health, and food safety industries, resulting in illnesses, food contamination, and recalls. Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is one of the most prevalent serotypes isolated from poultry. Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica Heidelberg (S. Heidelberg), which is becoming as prevalent as S. Enteritidis, is one of the five most isolated serotypes. Although S. Enteritidis and S. Heidelberg are almost genetically identical, they both are capable of inducing different immune and metabolic responses in host cells to successfully establish an infection. Therefore, using the kinome peptide array, we demonstrated that S. Enteritidis and S. Heidelberg infections induced differential phosphorylation of peptides on Rho proteins, caspases, toll-like receptors, and other proteins involved in metabolic- and immune-related signaling of HD11 chicken macrophages. Metabolic flux assays measuring extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) demonstrated that S. Enteritidis at 30 min postinfection (p.i.) increased glucose metabolism, while S. Heidelberg at 30 min p.i. decreased glucose metabolism. S. Enteritidis is more invasive than S. Heidelberg. These results show different immunometabolic responses of HD11 macrophages to S. Enteritidis and S. Heidelberg infections.

Identification of A Putative T6SS Immunity Islet in Salmonella Typhi

Typhoid fever is a major global health problem and is the result of systemic infections caused by the human-adapted bacterial pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi). The pathology underlying S. Typhi infections significantly differ from infections caused by broad host range serovars of the same species, which are a common cause of gastroenteritis. Accordingly, identifying S. Typhi genetic factors that impart functionality absent from broad host range serovars offers insights into its unique biology. Here, we used an in-silico approach to explore the function of an uncharacterized 14-gene S. Typhi genomic islet. Our results indicated that this islet was specific to the S. enterica species, where it was encoded by the Typhi and Paratyphi A serovars, but was generally absent from non-typhoidal serovars. Evidence was gathered using comparative genomics and sequence analysis tools, and indicated that this islet was comprised of Type VI secretion system (T6SS) and contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) genes, the majority of which appeared to encode orphan immunity proteins that protected against the activities of effectors and toxins absent from the S. Typhi genome. We herein propose that this islet represents an immune system that protects S. Typhi against competing bacteria within the human gut.

Diversity, Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is a medicinal plant widely used for the treatment of various diseases. The secondary metabolites responsible for the pharmacological properties can be produced directly by the plant or by endophytic fungi. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity of endophytic fungi of different parts of S. terebinthifolius and to identify chemical compounds produced by endophytes and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. For this, fruits, stem bark and roots were dried, ground and placed in fungal growth medium. The selected endophytes were grown and subjected to extraction with ethyl acetate. DPPH, FRAP, β-carotene bleaching and antimicrobial assays were performed. The phylogenetic tree was elaborated, encompassing 15 different species. The fungal extracts showed hydroxybenzoic acids and 1-dodecanol as predominant compounds. All fungal extracts exhibited antioxidant activity. The fungal extracts exhibited bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial ATCC strains and against methicillin-resistant nosocomial bacteria. Among the 10 endophytic fungi evaluated, the extract of the fungus Ochrocladosporium elatum showed higher phenolic content and exhibited higher antioxidant and antibacterial activities in all tests. Together, the results increase the known diversity of S. terebinthifolius endophytic fungi, secondary metabolites produced and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Transcriptome of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum PccS1 infected in calla plants in vivo highlights a spatiotemporal expression pattern of genes related to virulence, adaptation, and host response

Bacterial pathogens from the genus Pectobacterium cause soft rot in various plants, and result in important economic losses worldwide. We understand much about how these pathogens digest their hosts and protect themselves against plant defences, as well as some regulatory networks in these processes. However, the spatiotemporal expression of genome-wide infection of Pectobacterium remains unclear, although researchers analysed this in some phytopathogens. In the present work, comparing the transcriptome profiles from cellular infection with growth in minimal and rich media, RNA-Seq analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes (log₂ -fold ratio ≥ 1.0) in the cells of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum PccS1 recovered at a series of time points after inoculation in the host in vivo covered approximately 50% of genes in the genome. Based on the dynamic expression changes in infection, the significantly differentially expressed genes (log₂ -fold ratio ≥ 2.0) were classified into five types, and the main expression pattern of the genes for carbohydrate metabolism underlying the processes of infection was identified. The results are helpful to our understanding of the inducement of host plant and environmental adaption of Pectobacterium. In addition, our results demonstrate that maceration caused by PccS1 is due to the depression of callose deposition in the plant for resistance by the pathogenesis-related genes and the superlytic ability of pectinolytic enzymes produced in PccS1, rather than the promotion of plant cell death elicited by the T3SS of bacteria as described in previous work.

Clofazimine Reduces the Survival of Salmonella enterica in Macrophages and Mice

Drug resistant pathogens are on the rise, and new treatments are needed for bacterial infections. Efforts toward antimicrobial discovery typically identify compounds that prevent bacterial growth in microbiological media. However, the microenvironments to which pathogens are exposed during infection differ from rich media and alter the biology of the pathogen. We and others have therefore developed screening platforms that identify compounds that disrupt pathogen growth within cultured mammalian cells. Our platform focuses on Gram-negative bacterial pathogens, which are of particular clinical concern. We screened a panel of 707 drugs to identify those with efficacy against Salmonella enterica Typhimurium growth within macrophages. One of the drugs identified, clofazimine (CFZ), is an antibiotic used to treat mycobacterial infections that is not recognized for potency against Gram-negative bacteria. We demonstrated that in macrophages CFZ enabled the killing of S. Typhimurium at single digit micromolar concentrations, and in mice, CFZ reduced tissue colonization. We confirmed that CFZ does not inhibit the growth of S. Typhimurium and E. coli in standard microbiological media. However, CFZ prevents bacterial replication under conditions consistent with the microenvironment of macrophage phagosomes, in which S. Typhimurium resides during infection: low pH, low magnesium and phosphate, and the presence of certain cationic antimicrobial peptides. These observations suggest that in macrophages and mice the efficacy of CFZ against S. Typhimurium is facilitated by multiple aspects of soluble innate immunity. Thus, systematic screens of existing drugs for infection-based potency are likely to identify unexpected opportunities for repurposing drugs to treat difficult pathogens.

Nucleoid Associated Proteins: The Small Organizers That Help to Cope With Stress

The bacterial chromosome must be efficiently compacted to fit inside the small and crowded cell while remaining accessible for the protein complexes involved in replication, transcription, and DNA repair. The dynamic organization of the nucleoid is a consequence of both intracellular factors (i.e., simultaneously occurring cell processes) and extracellular factors (e.g., environmental conditions, stress agents). Recent studies have revealed that the bacterial chromosome undergoes profound topological changes under stress. Among the many DNA-binding proteins that shape the bacterial chromosome structure in response to various signals, NAPs (nucleoid associated proteins) are the most abundant. These small, basic proteins bind DNA with low specificity and can influence chromosome organization under changing environmental conditions (i.e., by coating the chromosome in response to stress) or regulate the transcription of specific genes (e.g., those involved in virulence).