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Bashabsheh RH, AL-Fawares O, Natsheh I, Bdeir R, Al-Khreshieh RO, Bashabsheh HH. Staphylococcus aureus epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and application of nano-therapeutics as a promising approach to combat methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Pathog Glob Health 2024; 118:209-231. [PMID: 38006316 PMCID: PMC11221481 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2023.2285187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium and one of the most prevalent infectious disease-related causes of morbidity and mortality in adults. This pathogen can trigger a broad spectrum of diseases, from sepsis and pneumonia to severe skin infections that can be fatal. In this review, we will provide an overview of S. aureus and discuss the extensive literature on epidemiology, transmission, genetic diversity, evolution and antibiotic resistance strains, particularly methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). While many different virulence factors that S. aureus produces have been investigated as therapeutic targets, this review examines recent nanotechnology approaches, which employ materials with atomic or molecular dimensions and are being used to diagnose, treat, or eliminate the activity of S. aureus. Finally, having a deeper understanding and clearer grasp of the roles and contributions of S. aureus determinants, antibiotic resistance, and nanotechnology will aid us in developing anti-virulence strategies to combat the growing scarcity of effective antibiotics against S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghad H.F. Bashabsheh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Analysis, Faculty of Science, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-salt, Jordan
| | - O’la AL-Fawares
- Department of Medical Laboratory Analysis, Faculty of Science, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-salt, Jordan
| | - Iyad Natsheh
- Department of Allied Medical Sciences, Zarqa College, Al-Balqa Applied University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Roba Bdeir
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-salt, Jordan
| | - Rozan O. Al-Khreshieh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Analysis, Faculty of Science, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-salt, Jordan
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2
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Guan P, Fan S, Dong W, Wang X, Li Z, Song M, Suo B. Comparative genomic analysis and multilocus sequence typing of Staphylococcus aureus reveals candidate genes for low-temperature tolerance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:171331. [PMID: 38428609 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most frequently detected foodborne pathogens in cold chain foods. Worryingly, small colony variants (SCVs) can survive in cold environments for a long time and can revert to rapidly growing cells in suitable environments, causing serious food safety issues. This study investigated the underlying mechanism of SCV formation at low temperature (4 °C) via comparative genomics. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 105 strains of S. aureus was divided into 9 sequence types. The ST352 strains exhibited the greatest tolerance to low temperature, with a mean reduction in survival rate of 10.34 % (p < 0.05). Comparative genomics revealed a total of 1941 core genes in the three S. aureus strains, and BB-1 had 468 specific genes, which were enriched mainly in translation, DNA recombination, DNA repair, metabolic pathways, two-component systems, and quorum sensing. Molecular docking analysis revealed that the binding of the RsbW protein to the SigB protein of BB-1 decreased due to base mutations in rsbW, while the binding to the RsbV protein was enhanced. In addition, the results of real-time quantitative PCR showed that the RsbV-RsbW/SigB system of BB-1 may play a role in the low-temperature survival of S. aureus and the formation of SCVs. These results suggest that genes specific to BB-1 may contribute to the mechanism of adaptation to low temperature and the formation of SCVs. This study helps elucidate the causes of SCV formation by S. aureus at low temperature at the molecular level and provides a basis for exploring the safety control of cold chain food environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Guan
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shijia Fan
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenjing Dong
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Staple Grain Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, China; National R&D Center for Frozen Rice & Wheat Products Processing Technology, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Quick-Frozen Flour-Rice Food and Prepared Food, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhen Li
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Staple Grain Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, China; National R&D Center for Frozen Rice & Wheat Products Processing Technology, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Quick-Frozen Flour-Rice Food and Prepared Food, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Miao Song
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Staple Grain Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, China; National R&D Center for Frozen Rice & Wheat Products Processing Technology, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Quick-Frozen Flour-Rice Food and Prepared Food, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Biao Suo
- College of Food Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Staple Grain Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhengzhou, China; National R&D Center for Frozen Rice & Wheat Products Processing Technology, Henan Engineering Laboratory of Quick-Frozen Flour-Rice Food and Prepared Food, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.
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Alenazi NA, Aleanizy FS, Alqahtani FY, Aldossari AA, Alanazi MM, Alfaraj R. Anti-quorum sensing activity of poly-amidoamine dendrimer generation 5 dendrimer loaded kinase inhibitor peptide against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Saudi Pharm J 2024; 32:101932. [PMID: 38261946 PMCID: PMC10797154 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant concern in both healthcare and community settings, as it causes numerous infections worldwide with high morbidity and mortality rates. One promising strategy is to target the quorum sensing (QS) system of MRSA using a dendrimer loaded with kinase inhibitor peptide. The present investigation has formulated a poly-amidoamine dendrimer (PAMAM) G5 dendrimer that is loaded with Quorum Quencher (QQ) peptide, which functions as a histidine kinase inhibitor. The particle average size of the formulated G5-QQ3 complex was determined to be 276 nm, and polydispersity index values of 0.33. The MIC50 for the formulated nanoparticles was 18 μM as demonstrated by a growth assay. Furthermore, the G5-QQ3 complex was able to inhibit the hemolysis activity of the MRSA with a concentration of 10 μM, and for Staphylococcus aureus was 3 μM. The G5-QQ3 complex possesses the ability to inhibit, penetrate, and eradicate biofilm in MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, and different agr mutants with inhibition percentages ranging from 60 to 72%. Furthermore, live/dead viability assay confirmed the ability of the formulated nanoparticles to effectively kill all strains within the biofilm structure as evidenced by a confocal microscope, and the cytotoxicity of the G5-QQ3 complex was dose-dependent (p < 0.05). against RAW 264.7 cells. In general, the study confirmed that encapsulating QQ3 peptide within PAMAM G5 dendrimer results in a potent anti-virulence and anti-bacterial action and suggests a synergistic effect. The findings of this study have significant implications for the development of new treatments for MRSA infections, which are a major public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naifa A. Alenazi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fadilah S. Aleanizy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fulwah Y. Alqahtani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah A. Aldossari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed M. Alanazi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rihaf Alfaraj
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
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Lin H, Song L, Zhou S, Fan C, Zhang M, Huang R, Zhou R, Qiu J, Ma S, He J. A Hybrid Antimicrobial Peptide Targeting Staphylococcus aureus with a Dual Function of Inhibiting Quorum Sensing Signaling and an Antibacterial Effect. J Med Chem 2023; 66:17105-17117. [PMID: 38099725 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is now a major cause of bacterial infection. Antivirulence therapy does not stimulate evolution of a pathogen toward a resistant phenotype, providing a novel method to treat infectious diseases. Here, we used a cyclic peptide of CP7, an AIP-III variant that specifically inhibited the virulence and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in a nonbiocidal manner, to conjugate with a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide (AMP) via two N-termini to obtain a hybrid AMP called CP7-FP13-2. This peptide not only specifically inhibited the production of virulence of S. aureus at low micromolar concentrations but also killed S. aureus, including MRSA, by disrupting the integrity of the bacterial cell membrane. In addition, CP7-FP13-2 inhibited the formation of the S. aureus biofilm and showed good antimicrobial efficacy against the S. aureus-infected Kunming mice model. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy against the resistance and virulence of S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixing Lin
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
- Department of Urology, Tongren Municipal People's Hospital, 120 Taoyuan Avenue, Tongren, Guizhou 554300, P. R. China
| | - Li Song
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Shaofen Zhou
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Cuiqiong Fan
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Minna Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Tongren Municipal People's Hospital, 120 Taoyuan Avenue, Tongren, Guizhou 554300, P. R. China
| | - Ruifeng Huang
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Runhong Zhou
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Jingnan Qiu
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Shuaiqi Ma
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
| | - Jian He
- Group of peptides and natural products Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, 1838 Guangzhou Avenue North, Guangzhou 510515, P. R. China
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Tao Z, Ke K, Shi D, Zhu L. Development of a dual fluorescent reporter system to identify inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0097823. [PMID: 37889047 PMCID: PMC10686081 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00978-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a formidable pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections, and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has posed significant challenges in treating these infections. In this study, we have established a novel dual reporter system capable of concurrently monitoring the activities of two critical virulence regulators in S. aureus. By incorporating both reporters into a single screening platform, we provide a time- and cost-efficient approach for assessing the activity of compounds against two distinct targets in a single screening round. This innovative dual reporter system presents a promising strategy for the identification of molecules capable of modulating virulence gene expression in S. aureus, potentially expediting the development of antivirulence therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanhua Tao
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Natural Products and Combinatorial Biosynthesis Chemistry, Nanning, China
| | - Ke Ke
- Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China
| | | | - Libo Zhu
- Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China
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Pannullo AG, Zbylicki BR, Ellermeier CD. Identification of DraRS in Clostridioides difficile, a Two-Component Regulatory System That Responds to Lipid II-Interacting Antibiotics. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0016423. [PMID: 37439672 PMCID: PMC10601625 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00164-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that results in 220,000 infections, 12,000 deaths, and upwards of $1 billion in medical costs in the United States each year. C. difficile is highly resistant to a variety of antibiotics, but we have a poor understanding of how C. difficile senses and responds to antibiotic stress and how such sensory systems affect clinical outcomes. We have identified a spontaneous C. difficile mutant that displays increased daptomycin resistance. We performed whole-genome sequencing and found a nonsense mutation, S605*, in draS, which encodes a putative sensor histidine kinase of a two-component system (TCS). The draSS605* mutant has an ~4- to 8-fold increase in the daptomycin MIC compared to the wild type (WT). We found that the expression of constitutively active DraRD54E in the WT increases daptomycin resistance 8- to 16-fold and increases bacitracin resistance ~4-fold. We found that a selection of lipid II-inhibiting compounds leads to the increased activity of the luciferase-based reporter PdraR-slucopt, including vancomycin, bacitracin, ramoplanin, and daptomycin. Using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), we identified the DraRS regulon. Interestingly, we found that DraRS can induce the expression of the previously identified hex locus required for the synthesis of a novel glycolipid produced in C. difficile. Our data suggest that the induction of the hex locus by DraR explains some, but not all, of the DraR-induced daptomycin and bacitracin resistance. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and represents an urgent concern due to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and the rate of recurrent infections. C. difficile encodes ~50 annotated two-component systems (TCSs); however, only a few have been studied. The function of these unstudied TCSs is not known. Here, we show that the TCS DraRS plays a role in responding to a subset of lipid II-inhibiting antibiotics and mediates resistance to daptomycin and bacitracin in part by inducing the expression of the recently identified hex locus, which encodes enzymes required for the production of a novel glycolipid in C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony G. Pannullo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Brianne R. Zbylicki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Craig D. Ellermeier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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Francis D, Veeramanickathadathil Hari G, Koonthanmala Subash A, Bhairaddy A, Joy A. The biofilm proteome of Staphylococcus aureus and its implications for therapeutic interventions to biofilm-associated infections. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2023; 138:327-400. [PMID: 38220430 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major healthcare concern due to its ability to inflict life-threatening infections and evolve antibiotic resistance at an alarming pace. It is frequently associated with hospital-acquired infections, especially device-associated infections. Systemic infections due to S. aureus are difficult to treat and are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The situation is worsened by the ability of S. aureus to form social associations called biofilms. Biofilms embed a community of cells with the ability to communicate with each other and share resources within a polysaccharide or protein matrix. S. aureus establish biofilms on tissues and conditioned abiotic surfaces. Biofilms are hyper-tolerant to antibiotics and help evade host immune responses. Biofilms exacerbate the severity and recalcitrance of device-associated infections. The development of a biofilm involves various biomolecules, such as polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids, contributing to different structural and functional roles. Interconnected signaling pathways and regulatory molecules modulate the expression of these molecules. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular biology of biofilm development would help to devise effective anti-biofilm therapeutics. Although bactericidal agents, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophages and nano-conjugated anti-biofilm agents have been employed with varying levels of success, there is still a requirement for effective and clinically viable anti-biofilm therapeutics. Proteins that are expressed and utilized during biofilm formation, constituting the biofilm proteome, are a particularly attractive target for anti-biofilm strategies. The proteome can be explored to identify potential anti-biofilm drug targets and utilized for rational drug discovery. With the aim of uncovering the biofilm proteome, this chapter explores the mechanism of biofilm formation and its regulation. Furthermore, it explores the antibiofilm therapeutics targeted against the biofilm proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dileep Francis
- Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, India.
| | | | | | - Anusha Bhairaddy
- Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, India
| | - Atheene Joy
- Department of Life Sciences, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, India
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HexSDF Is Required for Synthesis of a Novel Glycolipid That Mediates Daptomycin and Bacitracin Resistance in C. difficile. mBio 2023; 14:e0339722. [PMID: 36786594 PMCID: PMC10128005 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03397-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen responsible for 250,000 hospital-associated infections, 12,000 hospital-associated deaths, and $1 billion in medical costs in the United States each year. There has been recent interest in using a daptomycin analog, surotomycin, to treat C. difficile infections. Daptomycin interacts with phosphatidylglycerol and lipid II to disrupt the membrane and halt peptidoglycan synthesis. C. difficile has an unusual lipid membrane composition, as it has no phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine, and ~50% of its membrane is composed of glycolipids, including the unique C. difficile lipid aminohexosyl-hexosyldiradylglycerol (HNHDRG). We identified a two-component system (TCS), HexRK, that is required for C. difficile resistance to daptomycin. Using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), we found that HexRK regulates expression of hexSDF, a three-gene operon of unknown function. Based on bioinformatic predictions, hexS encodes a monogalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase, hexD encodes a polysaccharide deacetylase, and hexF encodes an MprF-like flippase. Deletion of hexRK leads to a 4-fold decrease in daptomycin MIC, and that deletion of hexSDF leads to an 8- to 16-fold decrease in daptomycin MIC. The ΔhexSDF mutant is also 4-fold less resistant to bacitracin but no other cell wall-active antibiotics. Our data indicate that in the absence of HexSDF, the phospholipid membrane composition is altered. In wild-type (WT) C. difficile, the unique glycolipid HNHDRG makes up ~17% of the lipids in the membrane. However, in a ΔhexSDF mutant, HNHDRG is completely absent. While it is unclear how HNHDRG contributes to daptomycin resistance, the requirement for bacitracin resistance suggests it has a general role in cell membrane biogenesis. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and represents an urgent concern due to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and the rate of recurrent infections. Little is understood about C. difficile membrane lipids, but a unique glycolipid, HNHDRG, has been previously identified in C. difficile and, currently, has not been identified in other organisms. Here, we show that HexSDF and HexRK are required for synthesis of HNHDRG and that production of HNHDRG impacts resistance to daptomycin and bacitracin.
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Montagut EJ, Acosta G, Albericio F, Royo M, Godoy-Tena G, Lacoma A, Prat C, Salvador JP, Marco MP. Direct Quantitative Immunochemical Analysis of Autoinducer Peptide IV for Diagnosing and Stratifying Staphylococcus aureus Infections. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:645-656. [PMID: 35175740 PMCID: PMC8922274 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
An immunochemical strategy to detect and quantify AIP-IV, the quorum sensing (QS) signaling molecule produced by Staphylococcus aureus agr type IV, is reported here for the first time. Theoretical calculations and molecular modeling studies have assisted on the design and synthesis of a suitable peptide hapten (AIPIVS), allowing to obtain high avidity and specific antibodies toward this peptide despite its low molecular weight. The ELISA developed achieves an IC50 value of 2.80 ± 0.17 and an LOD of 0.19 ± 0.06 nM in complex media such as 1/2 Tryptic Soy Broth. Recognition of other S. aureus AIPs (I-III) is negligible (cross-reactivity below 0.001%), regardless of the structural similarities. A pilot study with a set of clinical isolates from patients with airways infection or colonization demonstrates the potential of this ELISA to perform biomedical investigations related to the role of QS in pathogenesis and the association between dysfunctional agr or the agr type with unfavorable clinical outcomes. The AIP-IV levels could be quantified in the low nanomolar range in less than 1 h after inoculating agr IV-genotyped isolates in the culture broth, while those genotyped as I-III did not show any immunoreactivity after a 48 h growth, pointing to the possibility to use this technology for phenotyping S. aureus. The research strategy here reported can be extended to the rest of the AIP types of S. aureus, allowing the development of powerful multiplexed chips or point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic devices to unequivocally identify its presence and its agr type on samples from infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique-J. Montagut
- Nanobiotechnology for Diagnostics (Nb4D), Department of Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08750 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid Spain
| | - Gerardo Acosta
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid Spain
- Multivalent Systems for Nanomedicine (MS4N), Department of Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08750 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Albericio
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid Spain
- Multivalent Systems for Nanomedicine (MS4N), Department of Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08750 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 4000 Durban, South Africa
| | - Miriam Royo
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid Spain
- Multivalent Systems for Nanomedicine (MS4N), Department of Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08750 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Godoy-Tena
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Institut d’Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Alicia Lacoma
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Institut d’Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Prat
- Servei de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Institut d’Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Juan-Pablo Salvador
- Nanobiotechnology for Diagnostics (Nb4D), Department of Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08750 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid Spain
| | - María-Pilar Marco
- Nanobiotechnology for Diagnostics (Nb4D), Department of Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), 08750 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 28029 Madrid Spain
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Raghuram V, Alexander AM, Loo HQ, Petit RA, Goldberg JB, Read TD. Species-Wide Phylogenomics of the Staphylococcus aureus Agr Operon Revealed Convergent Evolution of Frameshift Mutations. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0133421. [PMID: 35044202 PMCID: PMC8768832 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01334-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent nosocomial pathogen that causes several life-threatening diseases, such as pneumonia and bacteremia. S. aureus modulates the expression of its arsenal of virulence factors through sensing and integrating responses to environmental signals. The agr (accessory gene regulator) quorum sensing (QS) system is a major regulator of virulence phenotypes in S. aureus. There are four agr specificity groups each with a different autoinducer peptide sequence encoded by the agrD gene. Although agr is critical for the expression of many toxins, paradoxically, S. aureus strains often have nonfunctional agr activity due to loss-of-function mutations in the four-gene agr operon. To understand patterns in agr variability across S. aureus, we undertook a species-wide genomic investigation. We developed a software tool (AgrVATE; https://github.com/VishnuRaghuram94/AgrVATE) for typing and detecting frameshift mutations in the agr operon. In an analysis of over 40,000 S. aureus genomes, we showed a close association between agr type and S. aureus clonal complex. We also found a strong linkage between agrBDC alleles (encoding the peptidase, autoinducing peptide itself, and peptide sensor, respectively) but not agrA (encoding the response regulator). More than 5% of the genomes were found to have frameshift mutations in the agr operon. While 52% of these frameshifts occurred only once in the entire species, we observed cases where the recurring mutations evolved convergently across different clonal lineages with no evidence of long-term phylogenetic transmission, suggesting that strains with agr frameshifts were evolutionarily short-lived. Overall, genomic analysis of agr operon suggests evolution through multiple processes with functional consequences that are not fully understood. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a globally pervasive pathogen that produces a plethora of toxic molecules that can harm host immune cells. Production of these toxins is mainly controlled by an active agr quorum-sensing system, which senses and responds to bacterial cell density. However, there are many reports of S. aureus strains with genetic changes leading to impaired agr activity that are often found during chronic bloodstream infections and may be associated with increased disease severity. We developed an open-source software called AgrVATE to type agr systems and identify mutations. We used AgrVATE for a species-wide genomic survey of S. aureus, finding that more than 5% of strains in the public database had nonfunctional agr systems. We also provided new insights into the evolution of these genetic mutations in the agr system. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of a common but relatively understudied means of virulence regulation in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Raghuram
- Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ashley M. Alexander
- Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hui Qi Loo
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert A. Petit
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Joanna B. Goldberg
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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11
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Guo HN, Tong YC, Wang HL, Zhang J, Li ZX, Abbas Z, Yang TT, Liu MY, Chen PY, Hua ZC, Yan XN, Cheng Q, Ahmat M, Wang JY, Zhang LL, Wei XB, Liao XD, Zhang RJ. Novel Hybrid Peptide Cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-Thymopentin (TP5) and Its Derived Peptides with Effective Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, and Anti-Adhesion Activities. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11681. [PMID: 34769113 PMCID: PMC8583881 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing numbers of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens highlight the urgent need for new alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides have the potential to be promising alternatives to antibiotics because of their effective bactericidal activity and highly selective toxicity. The present study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-adhesion activities of different CTP peptides (CTP: the original hybrid peptide cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-thymopentin (TP5); CTP-NH2: C-terminal amidated derivative of cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-TP5; CTPQ: glutamine added at the C-terminus of cathelicidin 2 (1-13)-TP5) by determining the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), propidium iodide uptake, and analysis by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy). The results showed that CTPs had broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against different gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, with MICs against the tested strains varying from 2 to 64 μg/mL. CTPs at the MBC (2 × MIC 64 μg/mL) showed strong bactericidal effects on a standard methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain ATCC 43300 after co-incubation for 6 h through disruption of the bacterial membrane. In addition, CTPs at 2 × MIC also displayed effective inhibition activity of several S. aureus strains with a 40-90% decrease in biofilm formation by killing the bacteria embedded in the biofilms. CTPs had low cytotoxicity on the intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) and could significantly decrease the rate of adhesion of S. aureus ATCC 43300 on IPEC-J2 cells. The current study proved that CTPs have effective antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-adhesion activities. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of the possible antibacterial and antibiofilm mechanisms of CTPs, which might be an effective anti-MDR drug candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Nan Guo
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Yu-Cui Tong
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Hui-Li Wang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Jing Zhang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Zhong-Xuan Li
- College of Bioengineering, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong 643000, China;
| | - Zaheer Abbas
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Tian-Tian Yang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Meng-Yao Liu
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Pei-Yao Chen
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Zheng-Chang Hua
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Xiao-Na Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology, Qinhuangdao 066004, China;
| | - Qiang Cheng
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Marhaba Ahmat
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Jun-Yong Wang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
| | - Lu-Lu Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (L.-L.Z.); (X.-B.W.)
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xu-Biao Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; (L.-L.Z.); (X.-B.W.)
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiu-Dong Liao
- Mineral Nutrition Research Division, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Ri-Jun Zhang
- Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.-N.G.); (Y.-C.T.); (H.-L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.A.); (T.-T.Y.); (M.-Y.L.); (P.-Y.C.); (Z.-C.H.); (Q.C.); (M.A.); (J.-Y.W.)
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12
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Five major two components systems of Staphylococcus aureus for adaptation in diverse hostile environment. Microb Pathog 2021; 159:105119. [PMID: 34339796 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an eminent and opportunistic human pathogen that can colonize in the intestines, skin tissue and perineal regions of the host and cause severe infectious diseases. The presence of complex regulatory network and existence of virulent gene expression along with tuning metabolism enables the S. aureus to adopt the diversity of environments. Two component system (TCS) is a widely distributed mechanism in S. aureus that permit it for changing gene expression profile in response of environment stimuli. TCS usually consist of transmembrane histidine kinase (HK) and cytosolic response regulator. S. aureus contains totally 16 conserved pairs of two component systems, involving in different signaling mechanisms. There is a connection among these regulatory circuits and they can easily have effect on each other's expression. This review has discussed five major types of TCS in S. aureus and covers the recent knowledge of their virulence gene expression. We can get more understanding towards staphylococcal pathogenicity by getting insights about gene regulatory pathways via TCS, which can further provide implications in vaccine formation and new ways for drug design to combat serious infections caused by S. aureus in humans.
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13
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Bernabè G, Dal Pra M, Ronca V, Pauletto A, Marzaro G, Saluzzo F, Stefani A, Artusi I, De Filippis V, Ferlin MG, Brun P, Castagliuolo I. A Novel Aza-Derivative Inhibits agr Quorum Sensing Signaling and Synergizes Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus to Clindamycin. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:610859. [PMID: 33633702 PMCID: PMC7899991 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.610859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing antibiotic resistance and diminishing pharmaceutical industry investments have increased the need for molecules that can treat infections caused by dangerous pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Quorum Sensing (QS) is a signaling mechanism that regulates bacterial virulence in pathogens. A report demonstrating that the anti-inflammatory drug Diflunisal reduces MRSA virulence factors' expression prompted us to design, synthesize and test 16 aza-analogs as inhibitors of S. aureus virulence factors controlled by the accessory gene regulator (agr) QS system. At first, we evaluated by qRT-PCR the activity of compounds on rnaIII expression, a QS related gene. Azan-7 was the most active molecule tested and it did not show cytotoxic activity in human cell lines. Moreover, we demonstrated that it did not affect bacterial proliferation. Regulation of MRSA virulence genes by Azan-7 was investigated using qRT-PCR and RNAseq. Azan-7 significantly reduced hla, psmα, hysA, agrA, cap1A, and cap1C gene expression. In silico docking demonstrated that Azan-7 binds the response regulator AgrA. This data was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) reporting that Azan-7 binding to AgrA protein strongly reduced the AgrA-DNA complex formation at the P3 promoter region involved in the regulation of rnaIII transcription. Azan-7 inhibited MRSA-mediated haemolysis, reduced survival of the pathogen at low pH levels, and increased macrophage killing. In addition, Azan-7 enhanced MRSA susceptibility to clindamycin both in planktonic growth and biofilm. Azan-7 did not induce resistance over 10 days in culture. It was equally active against all the AgrA MRSA subtypes encountered among clinical isolates, but it was not active against Staphylococcus epidermidis, although the AgrA proteins show an approximate 80% homology. These results demonstrate that Azan-7 inhibits the expression of MRSA virulence factors by interfering in the QS and synergizes MRSA biofilm with clindamycin, indicating the compound as a promising candidate for the treatment of MRSA infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bernabè
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Matteo Dal Pra
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Vittoria Ronca
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Anthony Pauletto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marzaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Annalisa Stefani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Ilaria Artusi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Filippis
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Ferlin
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Paola Brun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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14
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Abstract
The ESKAPEE pathogens are the leading cause of health care-associated infections worldwide. Two-component systems (TCSs) can be used as effective targets against pathogenic bacteria since they are ubiquitous and manage various vital functions such as antibiotic resistance, virulence, biofilms, quorum sensing, and pH balance, among others. The two-component system (TCS) helps bacteria sense and respond to environmental stimuli through histidine kinases and response regulators. TCSs are the largest family of multistep signal transduction processes, and they are involved in many important cellular processes such as antibiotic resistance, pathogenicity, quorum sensing, osmotic stress, and biofilms. Here, we perform the first comprehensive study to highlight the role of TCSs as potential drug targets against ESKAPEE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp., and Escherichia coli) pathogens through annotation, mapping, pangenomic status, gene orientation, and sequence variation analysis. The distribution of the TCSs is group specific with regard to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, except for KdpDE. The TCSs among ESKAPEE pathogens form closed pangenomes, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore, their conserved nature due to closed pangenomes might make them good drug targets. Fitness score analysis suggests that any mutation in some TCSs such as BaeSR, ArcBA, EvgSA, and AtoSC, etc., might be lethal to the cell. Taken together, the results of this pangenomic assessment of TCSs reveal a range of strategies deployed by the ESKAPEE pathogens to manifest pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance. This study further suggests that the conserved features of TCSs might make them an attractive group of potential targets with which to address antibiotic resistance. IMPORTANCE The ESKAPEE pathogens are the leading cause of health care-associated infections worldwide. Two-component systems (TCSs) can be used as effective targets against pathogenic bacteria since they are ubiquitous and manage various vital functions such as antibiotic resistance, virulence, biofilms, quorum sensing, and pH balance, among others. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the pangenomic status of the TCSs among ESKAPEE pathogens. The annotation and pangenomic analysis of TCSs show that they are significantly distributed and conserved among the pathogens, as most of them form closed pangenomes. Furthermore, our analysis also reveals that the removal of the TCSs significantly affects the fitness of the cell. Hence, they may be used as promising drug targets against bacteria.
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15
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Shang L, Li J, Song C, Nina Z, Li Q, Chou S, Wang Z, Shan A. Hybrid Antimicrobial Peptide Targeting Staphylococcus aureus and Displaying Anti-infective Activity in a Murine Model. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1767. [PMID: 33042031 PMCID: PMC7516806 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) kill bacteria indiscriminately, increasing the possibility of an ecological imbalance in the microbiota. To solve this problem, new types of AMPs, which kill pathogenic bacteria without breaking the micro-ecological balance of the body, were proposed. Here, we successfully designed a targeting AMP, S2, which is a fusion peptide composed of a species-specific targeting domain and broad-spectrum AMP domain. In the current study, S2 showed specific killing activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and almost no resistance induced compared to penicillin. Mechanism studies indicated that S2 killed S. aureus by destroying the bacterial membrane. Meanwhile, S2 possessed excellent salt-tolerance properties and biocompatibility. Importantly, S2 exhibited perfect treatment efficacy against an S. aureus subcutaneous infection model and remained nontoxic. In conclusion, this study provides a promising strategy for designing specific AMPs against growing bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Shang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Chunsheng Song
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Zaytseva Nina
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Qiuke Li
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Shuli Chou
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Zhihua Wang
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Anshan Shan
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
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16
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Phenotypic characterization of trimeric autotransporter adhesin-defective bcaC mutant of Burkholderia cenocepacia: cross-talk towards the histidine kinase BCAM0218. Microbes Infect 2020; 22:457-466. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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17
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An active domain HF-18 derived from hagfish intestinal peptide effectively inhibited drug-resistant bacteria in vitro/vivo. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 172:113746. [PMID: 31812678 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.113746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is spreading faster than the development of new antibiotics into clinical practice. Currently, the design of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), potential new antibacterial agents with rare antimicrobial resistance, is the available strategy to enhance the antimicrobial activity and lower the toxicity of AMPs. In this study, a peptide derived from hagfish intestinal peptide was designed and termed as HF-18 (GFFKKAWRKVKKAFRRVL). After antimicrobial/bactericidal test in vitro, we found that HF-18 exhibited a potent antimicrobial activity with MIC of only 4 μg/ml against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Meanwhile, it eliminated the test bacteria within 1 h, suggesting its rapid bactericidal effect. Importantly, this peptide had no obvious hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. Furthermore, its notable antimicrobial effects in vivo was confirmed again in S. aureus induced mouse bacteremia and skin wound infection, reflecting as the decrease in bacterial counts in mouse lung or skin (up to 1.9 or 3.5 log CFU respectively), and including the inhibitory activity on inflammatory cytokines secretion. The possible mechanisms underlying HF-18 against drug-resistant S. aureus may attribute that HF-18 neutralized the negative charge in S. aureus surface and then disrupted the integrity of cell membranes to enhance the permeation of bacterial membrane, showing as the increased uptake of NPN and PI and the obvious morphology changes of S. aureus. In addition, this peptide bound to bacterial genomic DNA to suppress the expression of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (pvl) and nuclease (nuc) genes, which play major roles in S. aureus virulence. The properties of HF-18 suggest a path towards developing antibacterial agents that has stronger antibacterial activity and greater security for clinical treatment of infection induced by S. aureus, especially drug-resistant S. aureus.
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18
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de Souza Feitosa Lima IM, Zagmignan A, Santos DM, Maia HS, Dos Santos Silva L, da Silva Cutrim B, Vieira SL, Bezerra Filho CM, de Sousa EM, Napoleão TH, Krogfelt KA, Løbner-Olesen A, Paiva PMG, Nascimento da Silva LC. Schinus terebinthifolia leaf lectin (SteLL) has anti-infective action and modulates the response of Staphylococcus aureus-infected macrophages. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18159. [PMID: 31796807 PMCID: PMC6890730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54616-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is recognized as an important pathogen causing a wide spectrum of diseases. Here we examined the antimicrobial effects of the lectin isolated from leaves of Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (SteLL) against S. aureus using in vitro assays and an infection model based on Galleria mellonella larvae. The actions of SteLL on mice macrophages and S. aureus-infected macrophages were also evaluated. SteLL at 16 µg/mL (8 × MIC) increased cell mass and DNA content of S. aureus in relation to untreated bacteria, suggesting that SteLL impairs cell division. Unlike ciprofloxacin, SteLL did not induce the expression of recA, crucial for DNA repair through SOS response. The antimicrobial action of SteLL was partially inhibited by 50 mM N-acetylglucosamine. SteLL reduced staphyloxathin production and increased ciprofloxacin activity towards S. aureus. This lectin also improved the survival of G. mellonella larvae infected with S. aureus. Furthermore, SteLL induced the release of cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, and TNF-α), nitric oxide and superoxide anion by macrophagens. The lectin improved the bactericidal action of macrophages towards S. aureus; while the expression of IL-17A and IFN-γ was downregulated in infected macrophages. These evidences suggest SteLL as important lead molecule in the development of anti-infective agents against S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adrielle Zagmignan
- Programas de Pós-Graduação, Universidade Ceuma, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karen Angeliki Krogfelt
- Department of Viral and Microbial Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anders Løbner-Olesen
- Department of Biology, Section for Functional Genomics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Busche T, Hillion M, Van Loi V, Berg D, Walther B, Semmler T, Strommenger B, Witte W, Cuny C, Mellmann A, Holmes MA, Kalinowski J, Adrian L, Bernhardt J, Antelmann H. Comparative Secretome Analyses of Human and Zoonotic Staphylococcus aureus Isolates CC8, CC22, and CC398. Mol Cell Proteomics 2018; 17:2412-2433. [PMID: 30201737 PMCID: PMC6283302 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.001036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the community, hospitals and in livestock is mediated by highly diverse virulence factors that include secreted toxins, superantigens, enzymes and surface-associated adhesins allowing host adaptation and colonization. Here, we combined proteogenomics, secretome and phenotype analyses to compare the secreted virulence factors in selected S. aureus isolates of the dominant human- and livestock-associated genetic lineages CC8, CC22, and CC398. The proteogenomic comparison revealed 2181 core genes and 1306 accessory genes in 18 S. aureus isolates reflecting the high genome diversity. Using secretome analysis, we identified 869 secreted proteins with 538 commons in eight isolates of CC8, CC22, and CC398. These include 64 predicted extracellular and 37 cell surface proteins that account for 82.4% of total secretome abundance. Among the top 10 most abundantly secreted virulence factors are the major autolysins (Atl, IsaA, Sle1, SAUPAN006375000), lipases and lipoteichoic acid hydrolases (Lip, Geh, LtaS), cytolytic toxins (Hla, Hlb, PSMβ1) and proteases (SspB). The CC398 isolates showed lower secretion of cell wall proteins, but higher secretion of α- and β-hemolysins (Hla, Hlb) which correlated with an increased Agr activity and strong hemolysis. CC398 strains were further characterized by lower biofilm formation and staphyloxanthin levels because of decreased SigB activity. Overall, comparative secretome analyses revealed CC8- or CC22-specific enterotoxin and Spl protease secretion as well as Agr- and SigB-controlled differences in exotoxin and surface protein secretion between human-specific and zoonotic lineages of S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Busche
- Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany; Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, D-33594 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Mélanie Hillion
- Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Vu Van Loi
- Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - David Berg
- Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Birgit Walther
- Robert Koch Institute, Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy, D-13353 Berlin, Germany; Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Centre for Infection Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14153 Berlin, Germany
| | - Torsten Semmler
- Robert Koch Institute, Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy, D-13353 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Witte
- Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch, D-38855 Wernigerode, Germany
| | - Christiane Cuny
- Robert Koch Institute, Wernigerode Branch, D-38855 Wernigerode, Germany
| | - Alexander Mellmann
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Mark A Holmes
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, D-33594 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Lorenz Adrian
- Department Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany; Chair of Geobiotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, D-13355 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg Bernhardt
- Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany; Institute for Microbiology, University of Greifswald, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Haike Antelmann
- Institute for Biology-Microbiology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
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