QseC Mediates Osmotic Stress Resistance and Biofilm Formation in Haemophilus parasuis

Histidine Kinase QseC in Glaesserella parasuis Enhances the Secretion of Proinflammatory Cytokines by Macrophages via the p38 and NF-κB Signaling Pathways

The qseC gene is a two-component system that encodes a histidine protein kinase and is highly conserved among different Glaesserella parasuis strains. In this study, we used qRT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to confirm that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a role in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 by stimulating RAW 264.7 macrophages with QseC. Furthermore, we revealed that blocking the p38 and NF-κB pathways that regulate signaling can significantly reduce the production of proinflammatory cytokines induced by QseC. In summary, our data suggest that QseC is a novel proinflammatory mediator that induces TLR4-dependent proinflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 macrophages through the p38 and NF-κB pathways.

Evaluation of immunoregulation and immunoprotective efficacy of Glaesserella parasuis histidine kinase QseC

QseC is a membrane sensor kinase that enables bacteria to perceive autoinducers -3, adrenaline, and norepinephrine to initiate downstream gene transcription. In this study, we found that the QseC protein of Glaesserella parasuis can serve as an effective antigen to activate the host's immune response. Therefore, we investigated the immunogenicity and host protective effect of this protein. ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence results showed that QseC protein can induce high titer levels of humoral immunity in mice and regularly generate specific serum antibodies. We used MTS reagents to detect lymphocyte proliferation levels and found that QseC protein can cause splenic lymphocyte proliferation with memory and specificity. Further immunological analysis of the spleen cell supernatant revealed significant upregulation of levels of IL-1β, IL-4 and IFN-γ in the QseC + adjuvant group. In the mouse challenge experiment, it was found that QseC + adjuvant can provide effective protection. The results of this study demonstrate that QseC protein provides effective protection in a mouse model and has the potential to serve as a candidate antigen for a novel subunit vaccine for further research.

Identification of the mutual gliding locus as a factor for gut colonization in non-native bee hosts using the ARTP mutagenesis

BACKGROUND

The gut microbiota and their hosts profoundly affect each other's physiology and evolution. Identifying host-selected traits is crucial to understanding the processes that govern the evolving interactions between animals and symbiotic microbes. Current experimental approaches mainly focus on the model bacteria, like hypermutating Escherichia coli or the evolutionary changes of wild stains by host transmissions. A method called atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) may overcome the bottleneck of low spontaneous mutation rates while maintaining mild conditions for the gut bacteria.

RESULTS

We established an experimental symbiotic system with gnotobiotic bee models to unravel the molecular mechanisms promoting host colonization. By in vivo serial passage, we tracked the genetic changes of ARTP-treated Snodgrassella strains from Bombus terrestris in the non-native honeybee host. We observed that passaged isolates showing genetic changes in the mutual gliding locus have a competitive advantage in the non-native host. Specifically, alleles in the orphan mglB, the GTPase activating protein, promoted colonization potentially by altering the type IV pili-dependent motility of the cells. Finally, competition assays confirmed that the mutations out-competed the ancestral strain in the non-native honeybee gut but not in the native host.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the ARTP mutagenesis to generate a mutation library of gut symbionts, we explored the potential genetic mechanisms for improved gut colonization in non-native hosts. Our findings demonstrate the implication of the cell mutual-gliding motility in host association and provide an experimental system for future study on host-microbe interactions. Video Abstract.

Glaesserella parasuis QseBC two-component system senses epinephrine and regulates capD expression

IMPORTANCE

The key bacterial pathogen Glaesserella parasuis, which can cause Glässer's disease, has caused significant financial losses to the swine industry worldwide. Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is an important virulence factor for bacteria, providing the ability to avoid recognition and killing by the host immune system. Exploring the alteration of CPS synthesis in G. parasuis in response to epinephrine stimulation can lay the groundwork for revealing the pathogenic mechanism of G. parasuis as well as providing ideas for Glässer's disease control.

Multiomics reveals the mechanism of B. longum in promoting the formation of mixed-species biofilms

It has been found previously that Bifidobacterium longum, Bacteroides ovatus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Lactobacillus gasseri can form a biofilm better when co-cultured in vitro and B. longum is the core biofilm-formation-promoting strain in this community. B. longum is part of the core microbiota in the gut and is widely recognized as a probiotic. Therefore, it is necessary to explore its role in mixed-species biofilms through transcriptomics and metabolomics. Metabolomics showed that the increase in amino acid and purine content could promote biofilm formation. In transcriptomic analysis, many genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and environmental tolerance of B. longum were up-regulated. Combined with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of B. longum in mixed-species biofilms were mainly correlated to "quorum sensing (QS)", "ABC transporters", "biosynthesis of amino acids", "microbial metabolism in different environments", "carbohydrate metabolism" and "two-component system". In addition, the rpl and rps gene families, which function in the metabolism of organic substances and the biosynthesis of amino acids, were the core DEGs according to the analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Finally, by combining metabolomics and quorum sensing mechanisms, it was found that the metabolism of autoinducer peptides (proliylglycine and glycylleucine), N-acyl homoserine lactone (N-(3-oxo hydroxy) homoserine lactone), and AI-2 can promote the formation of biofilms, both mono- and mixed-species biofilms composed of B. longum. Our research enabled us to understand the critical role of B. longum in mixed-species biofilms and the interactions between biofilm metabolism and gut health. In addition, the generated knowledge will be of great significance for us to develop biofilm products with beneficial functions in future.

The orchestra of human bacteriome by hormones

Human microbiome interact reciprocally with the host. Recent findings showed the capability of microorganisms to response towards host signaling molecules, such as hormones. Studies confirmed the complex response of bacteria in response to hormones exposure. These hormones impact many aspects on bacteria, such as the growth, metabolism, and virulence. The effects of each hormone seem to be species-specific. The most studied hormones are cathecolamines also known as stress hormones that consists of epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. These hormones affect the growth of bacteria either inhibit or enhance by acting like a siderophore. Epinephrine and norepinephrine have also been reported to activate QseBC, a quorum sensing in Gram-negative bacteria and eventually enhances the virulence of pathogens. Other hormones were also reported to play a role in shaping human microbiome composition and affect their behavior. Considering the complex response of bacteria on hormones, it highlights the necessity to take the impact of hormones on bacteria into account in studying human health in relation to human microbiome.

Analysis of the role of the QseBC two-component sensory system in epinephrine-induced motility and intracellular replication of Burkholderia pseudomallei

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that causes melioidosis, a severe invasive disease of humans. We previously reported that the stress-related catecholamine hormone epinephrine enhances motility of B. pseudomallei, transcription of flagellar genes and the production of flagellin. It has been reported that the QseBC two-component sensory system regulates motility and virulence-associated genes in other Gram-negative bacteria in response to stress-related catecholamines, albeit disparities between studies exist. We constructed and whole-genome sequenced a mutant of B. pseudomallei with a deletion spanning the predicted qseBC homologues (bpsl0806 and bpsl0807). The ΔqseBC mutant exhibited significantly reduced swimming and swarming motility and reduced transcription of fliC. It also exhibited a defect in biofilm formation and net intracellular survival in J774A.1 murine macrophage-like cells. While epinephrine enhanced bacterial motility and fliC transcription, no further reduction in these phenotypes was observed with the ΔqseBC mutant in the presence of epinephrine. Plasmid-mediated expression of qseBC suppressed bacterial growth, complicating attempts to trans-complement mutant phenotypes. Our data support a role for QseBC in motility, biofilm formation and net intracellular survival of B. pseudomallei, but indicate that it is not essential for epinephrine-induced motility per se.

Determination of Mutational Timing of Colistin-Resistance Genes through Klebsiella pneumoniae Evolution

The emergence and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), one of the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), is now an emerging cause of antibiotic-resistant nosocomial infections associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Colistin, or polymyxin E, is a last-resort peptide antibiotic used to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections including KP. Unfortunately, resistance to colistin is rising with increasing use in the clinical setting. Although clinical evidence links certain mutations to colistin resistance (COL-R) in KP, the origination and association of the mutations remain unclear. We hypothesize that the timing of COL-R mutations influences the development and progression of KP resistance to colistin. We performed planktonic and biofilm in vitro experimental evolutions of KP strain ATCC 43816 under increasing colistin concentrations to characterize the temporal regulation of critical COL-R mutations throughout COL-R progression. The resistance generation and mutation profiles of independently evolved bacterial populations with different lifestyles were compared. Genes with various functions theorize the timeline in which key mutations are generated and their roles in the progression of COL-R. Our results aim to advance the research and development of effective therapeutics to treat MDR bacterial infection as the dissemination of CRE continues to be a severe public health threat.

Dosing Regimen of Aditoprim and Sulfamethoxazole Combination for the Glaesserella parasuis Containing Resistance and Virulence Genes

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) causes Glasser’s disease in pigs and causes high mortality in piglets. The new drug Aditoprim (ADP) alone or combined with Sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) is one of the good choices for treating respiratory infections. The objective of this study was to recommend the optimal dosing regimen for the treatment of G. parasuis infection which contains resistance and virulence genes by ADP/SMZ compound through pharmacokinetics–pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) modeling. The whole genome of the virulent strain G. parasuis H78 was obtained and annotated by whole genome sequencing. The results show that G. parasuis H78 consists of a unilateral circular chromosome with prophages in the genome. The annotation results of G. parasuis H78 showed that the genome contained a large number of virulence-related genes and drug resistance-related genes. The in vitro PD study showed that the antibacterial effect of ADP/SMZ compound against G. parasuis was time-dependent, and AUC/MIC was selected as the PK-PD modeling parameter. The PK study showed that the content of ADP/SMZ compound in pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) was higher than plasma, and there were no significant differences in ADP and SMZ PK parameters between the healthy and infected group. The dose equation to calculate the optimal dosing regimen of ADP/SMZ compound administration for control of G. parasuis infection was 5/25 mg/kg b.w., intramuscular injection once a day for 3~5 consecutive days. The results of this study provide novel therapeutic options for the treatment of G. parasuis infection to decrease the prevalence and disease burden caused by G. parasuis.

Comprehensive analysis of transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveal new targets of Glaesserella parasuis glucose-specific enzyme IIBC (PtsG)

The ptsG (hpIIBC^Glc) gene, belonging to the glucose-specific phosphotransferase system, encodes the bacterial glucose-specific enzyme IIBC. In this study, the effects of a deletion of the ptsG gene were investigated by metabolome and transcriptome analyses. At the transcriptional level, we identified 970 differentially expressed genes between ΔptsG and sc1401 (Padj<0.05) and 2072 co-expressed genes. Among these genes, those involved in methane metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, phosphotransferase system (PTS), biotin metabolism, Two-component system and Terpenoid backbone biosynthesis showed significant changes in the ΔptsG mutant strain. Metabolome analysis revealed that a total of 310 metabolites were identified, including 20 different metabolites (p < 0.05). Among them, 15 metabolites were upregulated and 5 were downregulated in ΔptsG mutant strain. Statistical analysis revealed there were 115 individual metabolites having correlation, of which 89 were positive and 26 negative. These metabolites include amino acids, phosphates, amines, esters, nucleotides, benzoic acid and adenosine, among which amino acids and phosphate metabolites dominate. However, not all of these changes were attributable to changes in mRNA levels and must also be caused by post-transcriptional regulatory processes. The knowledge gained from this lays the foundation for further study on the role of ptsG in the pathogenic process of Glaesserella parasuis (G.parasuis).

Deletion of two-component system QseBC weakened virulence of Glaesserella parasuis in a murine acute infection model and adhesion to host cells

The widespread two-component system (TCS), QseBC, involves vital virulence regulators in Enterobacteriaceae and Pasteurellaceae. Here we studied the function of QseBC in Glaesserella parasuis. A ΔqseBC mutant was constructed using a Glaesserella parasuis serovar 11 clinical strain SC1401 by natural transformation. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate cellular adhesion, the levels of inflammation and apoptosis. The ability of ΔqseBC and ΔqseC mutant strains to adhere to PAM and MLE-12 cells was significantly reduced. Additionally, by focusing on the clinical signs, H&E, and IFA for inflammation and apoptosis, we found that the ΔqseBC mutant weakened virulence in the murine models. Together, these findings suggest that QseBC plays an important role in the virulence of Glaesserella parasuis.

Impact of intracellular response regulator QseB in quorum sensing regulatory network in a clinical isolate SC1401 of Glaesserella parasuis

Two component systems (TCS) mediate specific responses to different conditions and/or pressures. In the quorum sensing Glaesserella parasuis (QSE) BC TCS, qseB, as a response regulator, is closely related to the transcriptional regulation of multiple downstream genes. In this study, the effects of qseB gene deletion, which encodes the response regulator of population density sensing in G. parasuis, were studied through biological characteristics and metabolomic analysis. Based on previous research, we further explored the virulence of ΔqseB mutant strains through cell morphology, adhesion and invasion. The ΔqseB mutant and parent strains were sequenced by metabolome and combined with the previous transcriptome sequencing results for joint analysis. This study aims to clarify the regulatory effect of QseB on the virulence of G. parasuis and lay the foundation for revealing the pathogenic mechanism of G. parasuis. We detected 476 different metabolites, of which 30 metabolites (6.3%) had a significant difference in abundance between SC1401 and ΔqseB (p < 0.05). We conducted a comparative analysis of pathway enrichment on the transcriptome and metabolome, and found that the two omics participate in seven metabolic pathways together. The top 10 KEGG pathways with the largest number of genes and metabolites identified in this experiment are ABC transporters, Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, Cysteine and methionine metabolism, Purine metabolism, Pyrimidine metabolism, Metabolic pathways, and Nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Analysis of metabolome sequencing results showed that differential metabolites were also enriched in metabolic pathways, such as Purine metabolism, cGMP-PKG signaling pathway and cAMP signaling pathway, which were not found in transcriptome sequencing data. The internal coloration of the mutant strain ΔqseB was uneven, and the adhesion and invasion ability of PAM cell lines were significantly reduced. We speculate that QseB may affect the adhesion and invasion ability of Glaesserella parasuis by influencing substance transport and signal transduction.

Gene-trait matching analysis reveals putative genes involved in Bifidobacterium spp. biofilm formation

Biofilm formation by bacteria represents an adaptation strategy to the environment, and some special genes may lead to a strong biofilm phenotype. In this study, we attempted to find functional genes associated with bifidobacterial biofilm formation. Firstly, we evaluated the biofilm formation ability of bifidobacterial strains from six species, which showed that Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum had biofilm-forming and non-biofilm-forming strains, while all Bifidobacterium bifidum strains could form strong biofilms. Then 48 strains were selected for genome sequencing and comparative analysis. The gene-trait matching analysis revealed that B. bifidum biofilm formation phenotype may associate with their unique genes, involving in stress response, quorum sensing, two components, and peptide synthesis. B. pseudocatenulatum biofilm formation was positively correlated with the eps cluster (rfbX). While no genotype related to the biofilm phenotype was found in B. longum using this analysis, but all contain autoinducer-2 (AI-2) receptor genes. Moreover, luxS, rbsB, rfbX were selected for real-time qPCR analysis, suggesting that their expression are important to biofilm formation. These results indicated that strains carrying certain genes tend to form stronger biofilms than those formed by strains without these genes.

Characterisation of the E. coli and Salmonella qseC and qseE mutants reveals a metabolic rather than adrenergic receptor role

Catecholamine stress hormones (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine) are signals that have been shown to be used as environmental cues, which affect the growth and virulence of normal microbiota as well as pathogenic bacteria. It has been reported that Escherichia coli and Salmonella use the two-component system proteins QseC and QseE to recognise catecholamines and so act as bacterial adrenergic receptors. In this study, we mutated the E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium genes encoding QseC and QseE and found that this did not block stress hormone responsiveness in either species. Motility, biofilm formation, and analysis of virulence of the mutants using two infection models were similar to the wild-type strains. The main differences in phenotypes of the qseC and qseE mutants were responses to changes in temperature and growth in different media particularly with respect to salt, carbon, and nitrogen salt sources. In this physiological respect, it was also found that the phenotypes of the qseC and qseE mutants differed between E. coli and Salmonella. These findings collectively suggest that QseC and QseE are not essential for E. coli and Salmonella to respond to stress hormones and that the proteins may be playing a role in regulating metabolism.

Deleting qseC downregulates virulence and promotes cross-protection in Pasteurella multocida

QseC, a histidine sensor kinase of the QseBC two-component system, acts as a global regulator of bacterial stress resistance, biofilm formation, and virulence. The function of QseC in some bacteria is well understood, but not in Pasteurella multocida. We found that deleting qseC in P. multocida serotype A:L3 significantly down-regulated bacterial virulence. The mutant had significantly reduced capsule production but increased resistance to oxidative stress and osmotic pressure. Deleting qseC led to a significant increase in qseB expression. Transcriptome sequencing analysis showed that 1245 genes were regulated by qseC, primarily those genes involved in capsule and LPS biosynthesis and export, biofilm formation, and iron uptake/utilization, as well as several immuno-protection related genes including ompA, ptfA, plpB, vacJ, and sodA. In addition to presenting strong immune protection against P. multocida serotypes A:L1 and A:L3 infection, live ΔqseC also exhibited protection against P. multocida serotype B:L2 and serotype F:L3 infection in a mouse model. The results indicate that QseC regulates capsular production and virulence in P. multocida. Furthermore, the qseC mutant can be used as an attenuated vaccine against P. multocida strains of multiple serotypes.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals that deletion of CheY influences gene expressions of ABC transports and metabolism in Haemophilus parasuis

Haemophilus (Glaesserella) parasuis is a commensal bacterium that causes Glässer's disease (GD) in swine. As a global transcriptional factor, CheY regulates the expression of hundreds of genes in H. parasuis. In this study, we measured changes in gene expression at the whole transcriptome level using RNAseq. We identified 2058 co-expressed genes, and found 624 differentially expressed genes (q < 0.05) in ΔcheY and SC1401. Several important GO annotations and signaling pathways were identified. RNA-seq results were assembled according to the reference genome, compared with the annotated gene model, and 12 new transcriptional regions were found. Finally, q-PCR results validated the RNA-seq results with 8 randomly selected genes. The present study indicated that CheY is mainly involved in the regulation of ABC transport, oxidative phosphorylation, and β-Lactam resistance. We draw the regulatory network of CheY, which offers greater insight into the regulatory mechanism of CheY in H.parasuis.

Biofilm characteristics and transcriptomic analysis of Haemophilus parasuis

Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis) is a conditional pathogen with the ability to form biofilms which can lead to ineffective drug treatment and severe chronic infections resulting in significant economic losses to the pig industry. Currently, knowledge of biofilm formation by H. parasuis is not well developed. The objective of this study was to investigate the three-dimensional morphology of biofilms and perform transcriptomic analysis on H. parasuis cells in biofilm versus planktonic forms. The results showed that proteins and DNA accounted for a large proportion of the H. parasuis biofilm extracellular matrix. Here, we have traced the entire biofilm formation process of H. parasuis from beginning to end for the first time. These biofilms grew rapidly in the first 48 h and became stable at 60 h. According to GO and KEGG analysis, the differentially expressed genes (DEG) artM, artQ, ssrS, pflA and HutX were implicated as being involved in bacterial colonisation and adhesion; these are the most likely genes to affect biofilm formation. Most functional gene enrichments were of those involved in metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Thus, in the present pilot study, the composition and characteristics of these biofilms were explored, and the genes related to biofilm formation were screened for. This research lays the foundation for further studies on mechanisms regulating biofilm formation, in order to find new drug targets and develop new therapeutic drugs against H. parasuis.

The Impact of Norepinephrine on Mono-Species and Dual-Species Staphylococcal Biofilms

The effect of norepinephrine ("NE") on Gram-negative bacteria is well characterized; however, little is known about the impact of NE on cutaneous Gram-positive skin residents, especially staphylococci. In this study, the impact of NE on monospecies and dual-species biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis and S. aureus model strains was investigated for the first time. Biofilms were grown in two different models (on polytetrafluoroethylene ("PTFE") cubes and glass microfiber filters ("GMFFs")) and additionally kinetic measurements of bacterial growth was performed. We have shown that NE can affect the biofilm formation of both species with a strong dependence on aerobic or anaerobic culture conditions in different models. It was shown that S. epidermidis suppresses S. aureus growth in dual-species biofilms and that NE can accelerate this process, contributing to the competitive behavior of staphylococci.

Deletion of Polyamine Transport Protein PotD Exacerbates Virulence in Glaesserella (Haemophilus) parasuis in the Form of Non-biofilm-generated Bacteria in a Murine Acute Infection Model

Polyamines are small, polycationic molecules with a hydrocarbon backbone and multiple amino groups required for optimal cell growth. The potD gene, belonging to the ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transport system potABCD, encodes the bacterial substrate-binding subunit of the polyamine transport system, playing a pivotal role in bacterial metabolism and growth. The swine pathogen Glaesserella parasuis possesses an intact pot operon, and the studies presented here mainly examined the involvement of PotD in Glaesserella pathogenesis. A potD-deficient mutant was constructed using a virulent G. parasuis strain SC1401 by natural transformation; immuno-electron microscopy was used to identify the subcellular location of native PotD protein; an electron microscope was adopted to inspect biofilm and bacterial morphology; immunofluorescence technique was employed to study cellular adhesion, the levels of inflammation and apoptosis. The TSA++-pre-cultured mutant strain showed a significantly reduced adhesion capacity to PK-15 and MLE-12 cells. Likewise, we also found attenuation in virulence using murine models focusing on the clinical sign, H&E, and IFA for inflammation and apoptosis. However, when the mutant was grown in TSB++, virulence recovered to normal levels, along with a high level of radical oxygen species formation in the host. The expression of PotD could actively stimulate the production of ROS in Raw 264.7. Our data suggested that PotD from G. parasuis has a high binding potential to polyamine, and is essential for the full bacterial virulence within mouse models. However, the virulence of the potD mutant is highly dependent on its TSA++ culture conditions rather than on biofilm-formation.

QseC Inhibition as a Novel Antivirulence Strategy for the Prevention of Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND)-Causing Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus resulted in great economic losses in global shrimp aquaculture. There is an urgent need for development of novel strategies to combat AHPND-causing V. parahaemolyticus (Vp _AHPND), given that one of the greatest challenges currently is the widespread use of antibiotics and subsequent emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Here, we proposed a broad-spectrum antivirulence approach targeting a conserved histidine kinase, QseC, which has been demonstrated to activate virulence expression in several Gram-negative pathogens. Our results showed that QseC mediated the catecholamine stimulated effects on growth and flagellar motility of Vp _AHPND. Transcriptome analysis revealed that QseC was involved in the global regulation of the virulence of Vp _AHPND as the ΔqseC mutant exhibited a decreased expression of genes related to type IV pilin, flagellar motility, and biofilm formation, while an overexpression of type VI secretion system and cell wall biosynthesis. Subsequently, the bacterial catecholamine receptor antagonist LED209 not only neutralized the stimulatory effects of host catecholamines on the growth and motility of Vp _AHPND in vitro, but also attenuated the virulence of Vp _AHPND towards brine shrimp larvae and white shrimp in vivo. Additionally, LED209 presented no interference with pathogen growth, nor the toxicity to the experimental animals. These results suggest that QseC can be an attractive antivirulence therapy target, and LED209 is a promising candidate for development of broad-spectrum antivirulence agents. This is the first study that demonstrated the role of QseC in the global regulation of Vp _AHPND infection and demonstrated the antivirulence potential of LED209, which provides insight into the use of an antivirulence approach for targeting not only Vp _AHPND, but also a much larger collection of pathogenic bacteria.

Cell Communications among Microorganisms, Plants, and Animals: Origin, Evolution, and Interplays

Cellular communications play pivotal roles in multi-cellular species, but they do so also in uni-cellular species. Moreover, cells communicate with each other not only within the same individual, but also with cells in other individuals belonging to the same or other species. These communications occur between two unicellular species, two multicellular species, or between unicellular and multicellular species. The molecular mechanisms involved exhibit diversity and specificity, but they share common basic features, which allow common pathways of communication between different species, often phylogenetically very distant. These interactions are possible by the high degree of conservation of the basic molecular mechanisms of interaction of many ligand-receptor pairs in evolutionary remote species. These inter-species cellular communications played crucial roles during Evolution and must have been positively selected, particularly when collectively beneficial in hostile environments. It is likely that communications between cells did not arise after their emergence, but were part of the very nature of the first cells. Synchronization of populations of non-living protocells through chemical communications may have been a mandatory step towards their emergence as populations of living cells and explain the large commonality of cell communication mechanisms among microorganisms, plants, and animals.

Functional characterization of asnC family transcriptional regulator in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PGPR2 during root colonization

Transcriptional regulators in bacteria are the crucial players in mediating communication between environmental cues and DNA transcription through a complex network process. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PGPR2 is an efficient root colonizer and a biocontrol strain. Previously, we identified that the transcriptional regulator, asnC, negatively regulates the corn root colonization of P. aeruginosa PGPR2. In a transposon insertion sequencing (INSeq) screen, the asnC insertion mutant was positively selected during root colonization, meaning the disruption of asnC improves the fitness of the P. aeruginosa PGPR2 strain for the root colonization. In this study, we constructed isogenic mutant of asnC family transcriptional regulator encoded by PGPR2_17510 by allele exchange mutagenesis. The ΔasnC mutant was able to efficiently colonize corn roots with a twofold increase in population when compared to the wild-type strain. Similarly, the mutant strain outcompeted the wild-type strain in a competition assay, where the mutant strain represented 90% of the total population recovered from the root. We compared the whole transcriptome of the wild-type and the ΔasnC mutant of P. aeruginosa PGPR2 when exposed to the corn root exudates. The RNA-Seq revealed that a total of 360 genes were differentially expressed in the ΔasnC strain of P. aeruginosa PGPR2. Inactivation of asnC transcriptional regulator resulted in the up-regulation of several genetic factors implicated in metabolism, uptake of nutrients, motility, stress response, and signal transduction, which could play crucial roles in root colonization. This notion was further validated by phenotypic characterization and quantification of transcription pattern of selected genes associated with metabolism, motility, and carbon catabolite repression between wild type and mutant strain, which was in agreement with transcriptome data. Similarly, ΔasnC strain formed increased biofilm on abiotic surface validating our RNA-seq analysis, where transcript levels of several genes associated with biofilm formation were up-regulated in the mutant strain. We report that the inactivation of an asnC family transcriptional regulator encoded by PGPR2_17510 enhances the root colonization and biofilm-forming ability of P. aeruginosa PGPR2. Together, our results provide evidence for the molecular adaptations that enable ΔasnC mutant strain to colonize on the corn roots and to form a biofilm.

The effect of baicalin on microRNA expression profiles in porcine aortic vascular endothelial cells infected by Haemophilus parasuis

Glässer's disease, caused by Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis), is associated with vascular damage and vascular inflammation in pigs. Therefore, early assessment and treatment are essential to control the inflammatory disorder. MicroRNAs have been shown to be involved in the vascular pathology. Baicalin has important pharmacological functions, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. In this study, we investigated the changes of microRNAs in porcine aortic vascular endothelial cells (PAVECs) induced by H. parasuis and the effect of baicalin in this model by utilizing high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that 155 novel microRNAs and 76 differentially expressed microRNAs were identified in all samples. Subsequently, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the target genes of the differentially expressed microRNAs demonstrated that regulation of actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, and adherens junction were the most interesting pathways after PAVECs were infected with H. parasuis. In addition, when the PAVECs were pretreated with baicalin, mismatch repair, peroxisome, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA replication, and ABC transporters were the most predominant signaling pathways. STRING analysis showed that most of the target genes of the differentially expressed microRNAs were associated with each other. The expression levels of the differentially expressed microRNAs were negatively co-regulated with their target genes' mRNA following pretreatment with baicalin in the H. parasuis-induced PAVECs using co-expression networks analysis. This is the first report that microRNAs might have key roles in inflammatory damage of vascular tissue during H. parasuis infection. Baicalin regulated the microRNAs changes in the PAVECs following H. parasuis infection, which may represent useful novel targets to prevent or treat H. parasuis infection.

The effects of baicalin on piglets challenged with Glaesserella parasuis

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) causes porcine vascular inflammation and damage. Baicalin is reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions. However, whether baicalin protects piglets against G. parasuis challenge and the potential protective mechanism have not been investigated. Therefore, in this study, we comprehensively examined the protective efficacy of baicalin in piglets challenged with G. parasuis and the possible protective mechanism. Our results show that baicalin attenuated the release of the inflammation-related cytokines interleukin (IL) 1β, IL6, IL8, IL10, and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and reduced high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) production and cell apoptosis in piglets infected with G. parasuis. Baicalin also inhibited the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway and protected piglets against G. parasuis challenge. Taken together, our data suggest that baicalin could protect piglets from G. parasuis by reducing HMGB1 release, attenuating cell apoptosis, and inhibiting MAPK signalling activation, thereby alleviating the inflammatory response induced by the bacteria. Our results suggest that baicalin has utility as a novel therapeutic drug to control G. parasuis infection.

The Release of Norepinephrine in C57BL/6J Mice Treated with 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is Associated with Translocations in Enteric Escherichia coli via the QseC Histidine Kinase Receptor

Background

We aimed to investigate the effects of norepinephrine (NE) released from endogenous stores on bacterial translocation of Escherichia coli in mice by administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), which selectively destroys noradrenergic nerve terminals.

Material/Methods

E. coli strain BW25113 and its derivatives (BW25113ΔqseC and BW25113ΔqseC pQseC) were used in this study. The serum concentrations of endotoxin were analyzed. The strains BW25113, BW25113ΔqseC, and BW25113ΔqseC pQseC were detected respectively in tissue specimens harvested from mice treated with 6-OHDA.

Results

Mice treated with BW25113ΔqseC showed reduced levels of bacterial translocation following administration of 6-OHDA compared with mice treated with BW25113. The defect of E. coli QseC receptor caused the norepinephrine-QseC signal chain to be interrupted, and the invasiveness and penetrating power of the bacteria on the intestinal mucosa was weakened, eventually leading to a significant decrease in the incidence of bacterial translocation.

Conclusions

NE modulates the interaction of enteric bacterial pathogens with their hosts via QseC. The blockade of the QseC receptor-mediated effects may be useful to attenuate bacterial translocation.

The Glaesserella parasuis phosphoglucomutase is partially required for lipooligosaccharide synthesis

Lipooligosaccharides (LOSs) are virulence determinants of Glaesserella parasuis, a pathogen of the respiratory tract of pigs. We previously reported that disruption of the galU or galE gene in G. parasuis results in increased sensitivity to porcine serum, indicating that the galactose catabolism pathway is required for polysaccharide formation in G. parasuis. Here, we evaluated the role of the HAPS_0849 gene in LOS synthesis. The G. parasuis SC096 HAPS_0849 mutant produced a highly truncated LOS molecule, although a small fraction of intact LOS was still observed, and this mutant was found to be more sensitive to serum than the parental strain. HAPS_0849 was overexpressed and purified for biochemical assays, and this protein exhibited phosphoglucomutase (PGM) activity. Heterologous expression of a pgm gene from Escherichia coli in the HAPS_0849 mutant led to restoration of the wild-type LOS glycoform, further demonstrating the PGM function of HAPS_0849 in G. parasuis. The autoagglutination and biofilm formation ability of this strain were also investigated. Disruption of HAPS_0849 led to an increased tendency to autoagglutinate and form more biofilms, and these enhanced phenotypes were observed in the absence of glucose. In addition, LOSs from HAPS_0849, galU and lgtB mutants had similar truncated glycoforms, while LOSs from the galE and lex-1 mutants exhibited another type of defective LOS pattern. These findings imply that HAPS_0849 may function upstream of GalU in the generation of glucose 1-phosphate. In conclusion, our results preliminarily described the functions of HAPS_0849 in G. parasuis, and this gene was partially required for LOS synthesis.

Effect of cAMP Receptor Protein Gene on Growth Characteristics and Stress Resistance of Haemophilus parasuis Serovar 5

Haemophilus parasuis (HPS), a member of the family Pasteurellaceae, is a common bacteria in the upper respiratory tract of pigs but under certain circumstances can cause serious systemic disease (Glasser's disease) characterized by severe infection of the upper respiratory tract, fibrinous polyserositis, polyarthritis, and meningitis. cAMP receptor protein (CRP) is among the most important global regulators, playing a vital role in adapting to environmental changes during the process of bacterial infection. In order to investigate the function of the crp gene in the growth characteristics of H. parasuis serovar 5 (HPS5) and its ability to overcome adverse environmental stresses, a crp mutant strain (Δcrp) was constructed and verified. In this study, we found that the crp gene was involved in growth rate, biofilm formation, stress tolerance, serum resistance, and iron utilization. Compared with the wild type, both the growth rate of the crp mutant and its resistance to osmotic pressure decreased significantly. Similar phenomena were also found in biofilm formation and iron utilization. However, the resistance to heat shock and serum complement of the crp mutant were enhanced. This study aimed to reveal the function in growth characteristics and stress resistance of the crp gene in HPS5. Whether it relates to virulence requires additional in-depth research.

Comparative genomic and methylome analysis of non-virulent D74 and virulent Nagasaki Haemophilus parasuis isolates

Haemophilus parasuis is a respiratory pathogen of swine and the etiological agent of Glässer's disease. H. parasuis isolates can exhibit different virulence capabilities ranging from lethal systemic disease to subclinical carriage. To identify genomic differences between phenotypically distinct strains, we obtained the closed whole-genome sequence annotation and genome-wide methylation patterns for the highly virulent Nagasaki strain and for the non-virulent D74 strain. Evaluation of the virulence-associated genes contained within the genomes of D74 and Nagasaki led to the discovery of a large number of toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems within both genomes. Five predicted hemolysins were identified as unique to Nagasaki and seven putative contact-dependent growth inhibition toxin proteins were identified only in strain D74. Assessment of all potential vtaA genes revealed thirteen present in the Nagasaki genome and three in the D74 genome. Subsequent evaluation of the predicted protein structure revealed that none of the D74 VtaA proteins contain a collagen triple helix repeat domain. Additionally, the predicted protein sequence for two D74 VtaA proteins is substantially longer than any predicted Nagasaki VtaA proteins. Fifteen methylation sequence motifs were identified in D74 and fourteen methylation sequence motifs were identified in Nagasaki using SMRT sequencing analysis. Only one of the methylation sequence motifs was observed in both strains indicative of the diversity between D74 and Nagasaki. Subsequent analysis also revealed diversity in the restriction-modification systems harbored by D74 and Nagasaki. The collective information reported in this study will aid in the development of vaccines and intervention strategies to decrease the prevalence and disease burden caused by H. parasuis.