1
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Behlendorf C, Diwo M, Neumann-Schaal M, Fuchs M, Körner D, Jänsch L, Faber F, Blankenfeldt W. Formation of the pyruvoyl-dependent proline reductase Prd from Clostridioides difficile requires the maturation enzyme PrdH. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae249. [PMID: 38979079 PMCID: PMC11229817 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Stickland fermentation, the coupled oxidation and reduction of amino acid pairs, is a major pathway for obtaining energy in the nosocomial bacterium Clostridioides difficile. D-proline is the preferred substrate for the reductive path, making it not only a key component of the general metabolism but also impacting on the expression of the clostridial toxins TcdA and TcdB. D-proline reduction is catalyzed by the proline reductase Prd, which belongs to the pyruvoyl-dependent enzymes. These enzymes are translated as inactive proenzymes and require subsequent processing to install the covalently bound pyruvate. Whereas pyruvoyl formation by intramolecular serinolysis has been studied in unrelated enzymes, details about pyruvoyl generation by cysteinolysis as in Prd are lacking. Here, we show that Prd maturation requires a small dimeric protein that we have named PrdH. PrdH (CD630_32430) is co-encoded with the PrdA and PrdB subunits of Prd and also found in species producing similar reductases. By producing stable variants of PrdA and PrdB, we demonstrate that PrdH-mediated cleavage and pyruvoyl formation in the PrdA subunit requires PrdB, which can be harnessed to produce active recombinant Prd for subsequent analyses. We further created PrdA- and PrdH-mutants to get insight into the interaction of the components and into the processing reaction itself. Finally, we show that deletion of prdH renders C. difficile insensitive to proline concentrations in culture media, suggesting that this processing factor is essential for proline utilization. Due to the link between Stickland fermentation and pathogenesis, we suggest PrdH may be an attractive target for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Behlendorf
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maurice Diwo
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Manuela Fuchs
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg (JMU), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dominik Körner
- Cellular Proteomics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lothar Jänsch
- Cellular Proteomics, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Franziska Faber
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg (JMU), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wulf Blankenfeldt
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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2
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Furtado KL, Plott L, Markovetz M, Powers D, Wang H, Hill DB, Papin J, Allbritton NL, Tamayo R. Clostridioides difficile-mucus interactions encompass shifts in gene expression, metabolism, and biofilm formation. mSphere 2024; 9:e0008124. [PMID: 38837404 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00081-24] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In a healthy colon, the stratified mucus layer serves as a crucial innate immune barrier to protect the epithelium from microbes. Mucins are complex glycoproteins that serve as a nutrient source for resident microflora and can be exploited by pathogens. We aimed to understand how the intestinal pathogen, Clostridioides difficile, independently uses or manipulates mucus to its benefit, without contributions from members of the microbiota. Using a 2-D primary human intestinal epithelial cell model to generate physiologic mucus, we assessed C. difficile-mucus interactions through growth assays, RNA-Seq, biophysical characterization of mucus, and contextualized metabolic modeling. We found that host-derived mucus promotes C. difficile growth both in vitro and in an infection model. RNA-Seq revealed significant upregulation of genes related to central metabolism in response to mucus, including genes involved in sugar uptake, the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, and the glycine cleavage system. In addition, we identified differential expression of genes related to sensing and transcriptional control. Analysis of mutants with deletions in highly upregulated genes reflected the complexity of C. difficile-mucus interactions, with potential interplay between sensing and growth. Mucus also stimulated biofilm formation in vitro, which may in turn alter the viscoelastic properties of mucus. Context-specific metabolic modeling confirmed differential metabolism and the predicted importance of enzymes related to serine and glycine catabolism with mucus. Subsequent growth experiments supported these findings, indicating mucus is an important source of serine. Our results better define responses of C. difficile to human gastrointestinal mucus and highlight flexibility in metabolism that may influence pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile results in upward of 250,000 infections and 12,000 deaths annually in the United States. Community-acquired infections continue to rise, and recurrent disease is common, emphasizing a vital need to understand C. difficile pathogenesis. C. difficile undoubtedly interacts with colonic mucus, but the extent to which the pathogen can independently respond to and take advantage of this niche has not been explored extensively. Moreover, the metabolic complexity of C. difficile remains poorly understood but likely impacts its capacity to grow and persist in the host. Here, we demonstrate that C. difficile uses native colonic mucus for growth, indicating C. difficile possesses mechanisms to exploit the mucosal niche. Furthermore, mucus induces metabolic shifts and biofilm formation in C. difficile, which has potential ramifications for intestinal colonization. Overall, our work is crucial to better understand the dynamics of C. difficile-mucus interactions in the context of the human gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L Furtado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lucas Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew Markovetz
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Deborah Powers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David B Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jason Papin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Nancy L Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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3
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Sinha AK, Laursen MF, Brinck JE, Rybtke ML, Hjørne AP, Procházková N, Pedersen M, Roager HM, Licht TR. Dietary fibre directs microbial tryptophan metabolism via metabolic interactions in the gut microbiota. Nat Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41564-024-01737-3. [PMID: 38918470 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01737-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Tryptophan is catabolized by gut microorganisms resulting in a wide range of metabolites implicated in both beneficial and adverse host effects. How gut microbial tryptophan metabolism is directed towards indole, associated with chronic kidney disease, or towards protective indolelactic acid (ILA) and indolepropionic acid (IPA) is unclear. Here we used in vitro culturing and animal experiments to assess gut microbial competition for tryptophan and the resulting metabolites in a controlled three-species defined community and in complex undefined human faecal communities. The generation of specific tryptophan-derived metabolites was not predominantly determined by the abundance of tryptophan-metabolizing bacteria, but rather by substrate-dependent regulation of specific metabolic pathways. Indole-producing Escherichia coli and ILA- and IPA-producing Clostridium sporogenes competed for tryptophan within the three-species community in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, fibre-degrading Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron affected this competition by cross-feeding monosaccharides to E. coli. This inhibited indole production through catabolite repression, thus making more tryptophan available to C. sporogenes, resulting in increased ILA and IPA production. The fibre-dependent reduction in indole was confirmed using human faecal cultures and faecal-microbiota-transplanted gnotobiotic mice. Our findings explain why consumption of fermentable fibres suppresses indole production but promotes the generation of other tryptophan metabolites associated with health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anurag K Sinha
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Martin F Laursen
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Julius E Brinck
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Morten L Rybtke
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anna Pii Hjørne
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nicola Procházková
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mikael Pedersen
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Henrik M Roager
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tine R Licht
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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Hackmann TJ. The vast landscape of carbohydrate fermentation in prokaryotes. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2024; 48:fuae016. [PMID: 38821505 PMCID: PMC11187502 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Fermentation is a type of metabolism carried out by organisms in environments without oxygen. Despite being studied for over 185 years, the diversity and complexity of this metabolism are just now becoming clear. Our review starts with the definition of fermentation, which has evolved over the years and which we help further refine. We then examine the range of organisms that carry out fermentation and their traits. Over one-fourth of all prokaryotes are fermentative, use more than 40 substrates, and release more than 50 metabolic end products. These insights come from studies analyzing records of thousands of organisms. Next, our review examines the complexity of fermentation at the biochemical level. We map out pathways of glucose fermentation in unprecedented detail, covering over 120 biochemical reactions. We also review recent studies coupling genomics and enzymology to reveal new pathways and enzymes. Our review concludes with practical applications for agriculture, human health, and industry. All these areas depend on fermentation and could be improved through manipulating fermentative microbes and enzymes. We discuss potential approaches for manipulation, including genetic engineering, electrofermentation, probiotics, and enzyme inhibitors. We hope our review underscores the importance of fermentation research and stimulates the next 185 years of study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Hackmann
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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5
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Lee CD, Rizvi A, McBride SM. KipOTIA detoxifies 5-oxoproline and promotes the growth of Clostridioides difficile. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.01.592088. [PMID: 38746432 PMCID: PMC11092664 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.01.592088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is an anaerobic enteric pathogen that disseminates in the environment as a dormant spore. For C. difficile and other sporulating bacteria, the initiation of sporulation is a regulated process that prevents spore formation under favorable growth conditions. In Bacillus subtilis , one such mechanism for preventing sporulation is the Kinase Inhibitory Protein, KipI, which impedes activation of the main sporulation kinase. In addition, KipI functions as part of a complex that detoxifies the intermediate metabolite, 5-oxoproline (OP), a harmful by-product of glutamic acid. In this study, we investigate the orthologous Kip proteins in C. difficile to determine their roles in the regulation of sporulation and metabolism. Using deletion mutants in kipIA and the full kipOTIA operon, we show that unlike in B. subtilis, the Kip proteins have no significant impact on sporulation. However, we found that the kip operon encodes a functional oxoprolinase that facilitates detoxification of OP. Further, our data demonstrate that KipOTIA not only detoxifies OP, but also allows OP to be used as a nutrient source that supports the robust growth of C. difficile , thereby facilitating the conversion of a toxic byproduct of metabolism into an effective energy source.
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Sulaiman JE, Thompson J, Qian Y, Vivas EI, Diener C, Gibbons SM, Safdar N, Venturelli OS. Elucidating human gut microbiota interactions that robustly inhibit diverse Clostridioides difficile strains across different nutrient landscapes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.13.589383. [PMID: 38659900 PMCID: PMC11042340 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.13.589383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The human gut pathogen Clostridioides difficile displays extreme genetic variability and confronts a changeable nutrient landscape in the gut. We mapped gut microbiota inter-species interactions impacting the growth and toxin production of diverse C. difficile strains in different nutrient environments. Although negative interactions impacting C. difficile are prevalent in environments promoting resource competition, they are sparse in an environment containing C. difficile-preferred carbohydrates. C. difficile strains display differences in interactions with Clostridium scindens and the ability to compete for proline. C. difficile toxin production displays substantial community-context dependent variation and does not trend with growth-mediated inter-species interactions. C. difficile shows substantial differences in transcriptional profiles in the presence of the closely related species C. hiranonis or C. scindens. In co-culture with C. hiranonis, C. difficile exhibits massive alterations in metabolism and other cellular processes, consistent with their high metabolic overlap. Further, Clostridium hiranonis inhibits the growth and toxin production of diverse C. difficile strains across different nutrient environments and ameliorates the disease severity of a C. difficile challenge in a murine model. In sum, strain-level variability and nutrient environments are major variables shaping gut microbiota interactions with C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordy Evan Sulaiman
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jaron Thompson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yili Qian
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Eugenio I. Vivas
- Gnotobiotic Animal Core Facility, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Sean M. Gibbons
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nasia Safdar
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ophelia S. Venturelli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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7
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Masset Z, Gunaratnam S, Millette M, McFarland LV, Lacroix M. Environmental and Nutritional Parameters Modulating Genetic Expression for Virulence Factors of Clostridioides difficile. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:365. [PMID: 38667041 PMCID: PMC11047382 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) continue to be a persistent healthcare concern despite newer antibiotic treatments, enhanced infection control practices, and preventive strategies focused on restoring the protective intestinal microbial barrier. Recent strides in gene sequencing research have identified many genes regulating diverse virulence factors for CDIs. These genes may be over- or under-expressed when triggered by various environmental and nutritional factors. The aims of this paper are to review the important genes involved in C. difficile pathogenesis and to identify modifiable environmental, nutritional, and other factors that may trigger the expression of these genes and thus offer new strategies to prevent CDIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Masset
- INRS Armand-Frappier Health Biotechnology Research Centre, Research Laboratories in Sciences, 531 des Prairies Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (Z.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Sathursha Gunaratnam
- Bio-K+, a Kerry Company, Preclinical Research Division, 495 Armand-Frappier Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 4B3, Canada; (S.G.); (M.M.)
| | - Mathieu Millette
- Bio-K+, a Kerry Company, Preclinical Research Division, 495 Armand-Frappier Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 4B3, Canada; (S.G.); (M.M.)
| | - Lynne V. McFarland
- Public Health Reserves Corps, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
- McFarland Consulting, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Monique Lacroix
- INRS Armand-Frappier Health Biotechnology Research Centre, Research Laboratories in Sciences, 531 des Prairies Blvd, Laval, QC H7V 1B7, Canada; (Z.M.); (M.L.)
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Pensinger DA, Dobrila HA, Stevenson DM, Hryckowian ND, Amador-Noguez D, Hryckowian AJ. Exogenous butyrate inhibits butyrogenic metabolism and alters virulence phenotypes in Clostridioides difficile. mBio 2024; 15:e0253523. [PMID: 38289141 PMCID: PMC10936429 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02535-23] [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: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome engenders colonization resistance against the diarrheal pathogen Clostridioides difficile, but the molecular basis of this colonization resistance is incompletely understood. A prominent class of gut microbiome-produced metabolites important for colonization resistance against C. difficile is short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In particular, one SCFA (butyrate) decreases the fitness of C. difficile in vitro and is correlated with C. difficile-inhospitable gut environments, both in mice and in humans. Here, we demonstrate that butyrate-dependent growth inhibition in C. difficile occurs under conditions where C. difficile also produces butyrate as a metabolic end product. Furthermore, we show that exogenous butyrate is internalized into C. difficile cells and is incorporated into intracellular CoA pools where it is metabolized in a reverse (energetically unfavorable) direction to crotonyl-CoA and (S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and/or 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA. This internalization of butyrate and reverse metabolic flow of a butyrogenic pathway(s) in C. difficile coincides with alterations in toxin release and sporulation. Together, this work highlights butyrate as a marker of a C. difficile-inhospitable environment to which C. difficile responds by releasing its diarrheagenic toxins and producing environmentally resistant spores necessary for transmission between hosts. These findings provide foundational data for understanding the molecular and genetic basis of how C. difficile growth is inhibited by butyrate and how butyrate alters C. difficile virulence in the face of a highly competitive and dynamic gut environment.IMPORTANCEThe gut microbiome engenders colonization resistance against the diarrheal pathogen Clostridioides difficile, but the molecular basis of this colonization resistance is incompletely understood, which hinders the development of novel therapeutic interventions for C. difficile infection (CDI). We investigated how C. difficile responds to butyrate, an end-product of gut microbiome community metabolism which inhibits C. difficile growth. We show that exogenously produced butyrate is internalized into C. difficile, which inhibits C. difficile growth by interfering with its own butyrate production. This growth inhibition coincides with increased toxin release from C. difficile cells and the production of environmentally resistant spores necessary for transmission between hosts. Future work to disentangle the molecular mechanisms underlying these growth and virulence phenotypes will likely lead to new strategies to restrict C. difficile growth in the gut and minimize its pathogenesis during CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Pensinger
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Horia A. Dobrila
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - David M. Stevenson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nicole D. Hryckowian
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel Amador-Noguez
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Andrew J. Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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9
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McMillan AS, Zhang G, Dougherty MK, McGill SK, Gulati AS, Baker ES, Theriot CM. Metagenomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic shifts associated with fecal microbiota transplantation for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.07.579219. [PMID: 38370838 PMCID: PMC10871284 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.07.579219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Recurrent C. difficile infection (rCDI) is an urgent public health threat for which the last resort and lifesaving treatment is a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). However, the exact mechanisms which mediate a successful FMT are not well understood. Here we use longitudinal stool samples collected from patients undergoing FMT to evaluate changes in the microbiome, metabolome, and lipidome after successful FMTs. We show changes in the abundance of many lipids, specifically acylcarnitines and bile acids, in response to FMT. These changes correlate with Enterobacteriaceae, which encode carnitine metabolism genes, and Lachnospiraceae, which encode bile salt hydrolases and baiA genes. LC-IMS-MS revealed a shift from microbial conjugation of primary bile acids pre-FMT to secondary bile acids post-FMT. Here we define the structural and functional changes in successful FMTs. This information will help guide targeted Live Biotherapeutic Product development for the treatment of rCDI and other intestinal diseases.
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10
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Furtado KL, Plott L, Markovetz M, Powers D, Wang H, Hill DB, Papin J, Allbritton NL, Tamayo R. Clostridioides difficile-mucus interactions encompass shifts in gene expression, metabolism, and biofilm formation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.01.578425. [PMID: 38352512 PMCID: PMC10862863 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.578425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
In a healthy colon, the stratified mucus layer serves as a crucial innate immune barrier to protect the epithelium from microbes. Mucins are complex glycoproteins that serve as a nutrient source for resident microflora and can be exploited by pathogens. We aimed to understand how the intestinal pathogen, Clostridioides diffiicile, independently uses or manipulates mucus to its benefit, without contributions from members of the microbiota. Using a 2-D primary human intestinal epithelial cell model to generate physiologic mucus, we assessed C. difficile-mucus interactions through growth assays, RNA-Seq, biophysical characterization of mucus, and contextualized metabolic modeling. We found that host-derived mucus promotes C. difficile growth both in vitro and in an infection model. RNA-Seq revealed significant upregulation of genes related to central metabolism in response to mucus, including genes involved in sugar uptake, the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, and the glycine cleavage system. In addition, we identified differential expression of genes related to sensing and transcriptional control. Analysis of mutants with deletions in highly upregulated genes reflected the complexity of C. difficile-mucus interactions, with potential interplay between sensing and growth. Mucus also stimulated biofilm formation in vitro, which may in turn alter viscoelastic properties of mucus. Context-specific metabolic modeling confirmed differential metabolism and predicted importance of enzymes related to serine and glycine catabolism with mucus. Subsequent growth experiments supported these findings, indicating mucus is an important source of serine. Our results better define responses of C. difficile to human gastrointestinal mucus and highlight a flexibility in metabolism that may influence pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L. Furtado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lucas Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Markovetz
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Deborah Powers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David B. Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jason Papin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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11
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Jiang M, Khunjar W, Li A, Chandran K. Divergent microbial structure still results in convergent microbial function during arrested anaerobic digestion of food waste at different hydraulic retention times. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 393:130069. [PMID: 38000643 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130069] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
In this study, two arrested anaerobic digestion bioreactors, fed with food waste, operated under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) exhibited similar total volatile fatty acid (VFA) yields (p = 0.09). 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed distinct microbial structure (p = 0.02) at the two HRTs. However, between the two HRTs, there were no differences in potential (DNA) and extant (mRNA) functionality for the production of acetic (AA)-, propionic (PA)-, butyric (BA)- and valeric-acid (VA), as indicated by the metagenome and metatranscriptome data, respectively. The highest potential and extant functionality for PA production in the reactor microbiomes mirrored the highest abundance of PA in the reactor effluents. Meta-omics analysis of BA production indicated possible metabolite exchange across different community members. Notably, the basis for similar VFA production performance observed under the HRTs tested lies in the community-level redundancy in convergent acidification functions and pathways, rather than trends in community-level structure alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minxi Jiang
- Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Anjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Kartik Chandran
- Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
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12
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Britton TA, Wu C, Chen YW, Franklin D, Chen Y, Camacho MI, Luong TT, Das A, Ton-That H. The respiratory enzyme complex Rnf is vital for metabolic adaptation and virulence in Fusobacterium nucleatum. mBio 2024; 15:e0175123. [PMID: 38059640 PMCID: PMC10790702 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01751-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This paper illuminates the significant question of how the oral commensal Fusobacterium nucleatum adapts to the metabolically changing environments of several extra-oral sites such as placenta and colon to promote various diseases as an opportunistic pathogen. We demonstrate here that the highly conserved Rhodobacter nitrogen-fixation complex, commonly known as Rnf complex, is key to fusobacterial metabolic adaptation and virulence. Genetic disruption of this Rnf complex causes global defects in polymicrobial interaction, biofilm formation, cell growth and morphology, hydrogen sulfide production, and ATP synthesis. Targeted metabolomic profiling demonstrates that the loss of this respiratory enzyme significantly diminishes catabolism of numerous amino acids, which negatively impacts fusobacterial virulence as tested in a preterm birth model in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timmie A. Britton
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chenggang Wu
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Chen
- Division of Oral & Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Dana Franklin
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yimin Chen
- Division of Oral & Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Martha I. Camacho
- Division of Oral & Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Truc T. Luong
- Division of Oral & Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Asis Das
- Department of Medicine, Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hung Ton-That
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Division of Oral & Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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13
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Auria E, Deschamps J, Briandet R, Dupuy B. Extracellular succinate induces spatially organized biofilm formation in Clostridioides difficile. Biofilm 2023; 5:100125. [PMID: 37214349 PMCID: PMC10192414 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100125] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection associated to gut microbiome dysbiosis is the leading cause for nosocomial diarrhea. The ability of C. difficile to form biofilms has been progressively linked to its pathogenesis as well as its persistence in the gut. Although C. difficile has been reported to form biofilms in an increasing number of conditions, little is known about how these biofilms are formed in the gut and what factors may trigger their formation. Here we report that succinate, a metabolite abundantly produced by the dysbiotic gut microbiota, induces in vitro biofilm formation of C. difficile strains. We characterized the morphology and spatial composition of succinate-induced biofilms, and compared to non-induced or deoxycholate (DCA) induced biofilms. Biofilms induced by succinate are significantly thicker, structurally more complex, and poorer in proteins and exopolysaccharides (EPS). We then applied transcriptomics and genetics to characterize the early stages of succinate-induced biofilm formation and we showed that succinate-induced biofilm results from major metabolic shifts and cell-wall composition changes. Similar to DCA-induced biofilms, biofilms induced by succinate depend on the presence of a rapidly metabolized sugar. Finally, although succinate can be consumed by the bacteria, we found that the extracellular succinate is in fact responsible for the induction of biofilm formation through complex regulation involving global metabolic regulators and the osmotic stress response. Thus, our work suggests that as a gut signal, succinate may drive biofilm formation and help persistence of C. difficile in the gut, increasing the risk of relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emile Auria
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015, Paris, France
| | - Julien Deschamps
- Institut Micalis, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Romain Briandet
- Institut Micalis, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015, Paris, France
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14
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Elgart M, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yu B, Kim Y, Zee PC, Gellman MD, Boerwinkle E, Daviglus ML, Cai J, Redline S, Burk RD, Kaplan R, Sofer T. Anaerobic pathogens associated with OSA may contribute to pathophysiology via amino-acid depletion. EBioMedicine 2023; 98:104891. [PMID: 38006744 PMCID: PMC10709109 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104891] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human microbiome is linked to multiple metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder with several metabolic risk factors. We investigated the associations between the gut microbiome composition and function, and measures of OSA severity in participants from a prospective community-based cohort study: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). METHODS Bacterial-Wide Association Analysis (BWAS) of gut microbiome measured via metagenomics with OSA measures was performed adjusting for clinical, lifestyle and co-morbidities. This was followed by functional analysis of the OSA-enriched bacteria. We utilized additional metabolomic and transcriptomic associations to suggest possible mechanisms explaining the microbiome effects on OSA. FINDINGS Several uncommon anaerobic human pathogens were associated with OSA severity. These belong to the Lachnospira, Actinomyces, Kingella and Eubacterium genera. Functional analysis revealed enrichment in 49 processes including many anaerobic-related ones. Severe OSA was associated with the depletion of the amino acids glycine and glutamine in the blood, yet neither diet nor gene expression revealed any changes in the production or consumption of these amino acids. INTERPRETATION We show anaerobic bacterial communities to be a novel component of OSA pathophysiology. These are established in the oxygen-poor environments characteristic of OSA. We hypothesize that these bacteria deplete certain amino acids required for normal human homeostasis and muscle tone, contributing to OSA phenotypes. Future work should test this hypothesis as well as consider diagnostics via anaerobic bacteria detection and possible interventions via antibiotics and amino-acid supplementation. FUNDING Described in methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Elgart
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ying Zhang
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bing Yu
- Human Genetics Centre, The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Human Genome Sequencing Centre, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Youngmee Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Phyllis C Zee
- Department of Neurology and Sleep Medicine Centre, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Marc D Gellman
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Eric Boerwinkle
- Human Genetics Centre, The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Human Genome Sequencing Centre, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Martha L Daviglus
- Institute for Minority Health Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jianwen Cai
- Collaborative Studies Coordinating Centre, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Susan Redline
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert D Burk
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Kaplan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, Division of Public Health Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tamar Sofer
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; CardioVascular Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
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15
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Jo SH, Jeon HJ, Song WS, Lee JS, Kwon JE, Park JH, Kim YR, Kim MG, Baek JH, Kwon SY, Kim JS, Yang YH, Kim YG. Unveiling the inhibition mechanism of Clostridioides difficile by Bifidobacterium longum via multiomics approach. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1293149. [PMID: 38029200 PMCID: PMC10663266 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1293149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic-induced gut microbiota disruption constitutes a major risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Further, antibiotic therapy, which is the standard treatment option for CDI, exacerbates gut microbiota imbalance, thereby causing high recurrent CDI incidence. Consequently, probiotic-based CDI treatment has emerged as a long-term management and preventive option. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of probiotics for CDI remain uninvestigated, thereby creating a knowledge gap that needs to be addressed. To fill this gap, we used a multiomics approach to holistically investigate the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of probiotics for CDI at a molecular level. We first screened Bifidobacterium longum owing to its inhibitory effect on C. difficile growth, then observed the physiological changes associated with the inhibition of C. difficile growth and toxin production via a multiomics approach. Regarding the mechanism underlying C. difficile growth inhibition, we detected a decrease in intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis due to B. longum-produced lactate and a subsequent decrease in (deoxy)ribonucleoside triphosphate synthesis. Via the differential regulation of proteins involved in translation and protein quality control, we identified B. longum-induced proteinaceous stress. Finally, we found that B. longum suppressed the toxin production of C. difficile by replenishing proline consumed by it. Overall, the findings of the present study expand our understanding of the mechanisms by which probiotics inhibit C. difficile growth and contribute to the development of live biotherapeutic products based on molecular mechanisms for treating CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Hyun Jo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Jin Jeon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Suk Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Seung Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Eun Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hyeon Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye-Rim Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Gyu Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hyun Baek
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Young Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Seok Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yung-Hun Yang
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Gon Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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16
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Mitchell KE, Lee C, Socha MT, Kleinschmit DH, Firkins JL. Supplementing branched-chain volatile fatty acids in dual-flow cultures varying in dietary forage and corn oil concentrations. III: Protein metabolism and incorporation into bacterial protein. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:7566-7577. [PMID: 37641344 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-23193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Some cellulolytic bacteria cannot transport branched-chain AA (BCAA) and do not express complete synthesis pathways, thus depending on cross-feeding for branched-chain volatile fatty acid (BCVFA) precursors for membrane lipids or for reductive carboxylation to BCAA. Our objective was to assess BCVFA uptake for BCAA synthesis in continuous cultures administered high forage (HF) and low forage (LF) diets without or with corn oil (CO). We hypothesized that BCVFA would be used for BCAA synthesis more in the HF than in LF diets. To help overcome bacterial inhibition by polyunsaturated fatty acids in CO, BCVFA usage for bacterial BCAA synthesis was hypothesized to decrease when CO was added to HF diets. The study was an incomplete block design with 8 dual-flow fermenters used in 4 periods with 8 treatments (n = 4) arranged as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial. The factors were: HF or LF (67 or 33% forage, 33:67 alfalfa:orchardgrass pellets), without or with supplemental CO (3% of dry matter), and without or with 2.15 mmol/d (5 mg/d 13C) each of isovalerate, isobutyrate, and 2-methylbutyrate for one combined BCVFA treatment. The flow of bacterial BCAA increased by 10.7% by supplementing BCVFA and 9.14% with LF versus HF; similarly, dosing BCVFA versus without BCVFA increased BCAA by 1.98% in total bacterial AA, whereas LF increased BCAA by 1.92% versus HF. Additionally, BCVFA supplementation increased bacterial AA flow by 16.6% when supplemented in HF - CO and 12.4% in LF + CO diets, but not in the HF + CO (-1.5%) or LF - CO (+6.7%) diets (Diet × CO × BCVFA interaction). The recovery of 13C in bacterial AA flow was 31% lower with LF than with HF. Of the total 13C recovered in bacteria, 13.8, 17.3, and 30.2% were recovered in Val, Ile, and Leu, respectively; negligible 13C was recovered in other AA. When fermenters were dosed with BCVFA, nonbacterial and total effluent flows of AA, particularly of alanine and proline, suggest decreased peptidolysis. Increased ruminal outflow of bacterial AA, especially BCAA, but also nonbacterial AA could potentially support postabsorptive responses from BCVFA supplementation to dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C Lee
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691
| | - M T Socha
- Zinpro Corporation, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
| | | | - J L Firkins
- Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43035
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17
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Rizvi A, Vargas-Cuebas G, Edwards AN, DiCandia MA, Carter ZA, Lee CD, Monteiro MP, McBride SM. Glycine fermentation by C. difficile promotes virulence and spore formation, and is induced by host cathelicidin. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0031923. [PMID: 37754683 PMCID: PMC10580938 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00319-23] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrheal disease. C. difficile colonization, growth, and toxin production in the intestine is strongly associated with its ability to use amino acids to generate energy, but little is known about the impact of specific amino acids on C. difficile pathogenesis. The amino acid glycine is enriched in the dysbiotic gut and is suspected to contribute to C. difficile infection. We hypothesized that the use of glycine as an energy source contributes to colonization of the intestine and pathogenesis of C. difficile. To test this hypothesis, we deleted the glycine reductase (GR) genes grdAB, rendering C. difficile unable to ferment glycine, and investigated the impact on growth and pathogenesis. Our data show that the grd pathway promotes growth, toxin production, and sporulation. Glycine fermentation also had a significant impact on toxin production and pathogenesis of C. difficile in the hamster model of disease. Furthermore, we determined that the grd locus is regulated by host cathelicidin (LL-37) and the cathelicidin-responsive regulator, ClnR, indicating that the host peptide signals to control glycine catabolism. The induction of glycine fermentation by LL-37 demonstrates a direct link between the host immune response and the bacterial reactions of toxin production and spore formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Rizvi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Germán Vargas-Cuebas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Adrianne N. Edwards
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael A. DiCandia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zavier A. Carter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Cheyenne D. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Marcos P. Monteiro
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shonna M. McBride
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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18
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Pavao A, Zhang E, Monestier A, Peltier J, Dupuy B, Cheng L, Bry L. HRMAS 13C NMR and genome-scale metabolic modeling identify threonine as a preferred dual redox substrate for Clostridioides difficile. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.18.558167. [PMID: 37786668 PMCID: PMC10541586 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.18.558167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Stickland-fermenting Clostridia preferentially ferment amino acids to generate energy and anabolic substrates for growth. In gut ecosystems, these species prefer dual redox substrates, particularly mucin-abundant leucine. Here, we establish how theronine, a more prevalent, mucinabundant substrate, supports dual redox metabolism in the pathogen Clostridioides difficile. Realtime, High-Resolution Magic Angle Spinning NMR spectroscopy, with dynamic flux balance analyses, inferred dynamic recruitment of four distinct threonine fermentation pathways, including ones with intermediate accrual that supported changing cellular needs for energy, redox metabolism, nitrogen cycling, and growth. Model predictions with 13C isotopomer analyses of [U-13C]threonine metabolites inferred threonine's reduction to butyrate through the reductive leucine pathway, a finding confirmed by deletion of the hadA 2-hydroxyisocaproate CoA transferase. In vivo metabolomic and metatranscriptomic analyses illustrate how threonine metabolism in C. difficile and the protective commensal Paraclostridium bifermentans impacts pathogen colonization and growth, expanding the range of dual-redox substrates that modulate host risks for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Pavao
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Dept. Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ella Zhang
- Dept. Pathology, and A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Auriane Monestier
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Johann Peltier
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Leo Cheng
- Dept. Pathology, and A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lynn Bry
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Dept. Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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19
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Marshall A, McGrath JW, Mitchell M, Fanning S, McMullan G. One size does not fit all - Trehalose metabolism by Clostridioides difficile is variable across the five phylogenetic lineages. Microb Genom 2023; 9:001110. [PMID: 37768179 PMCID: PMC10569727 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile, the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea worldwide, is a genetically diverse species which can metabolise a number of nutrient sources upon colonising a dysbiotic gut environment. Trehalose, a disaccharide sugar consisting of two glucose molecules bonded by an α 1,1-glycosidic bond, has been hypothesised to be involved in the emergence of C. difficile hypervirulence due to its increased utilisation by the RT027 and RT078 strains. Here, growth in trehalose as the sole carbon source was shown to be non-uniform across representative C. difficile strains, even though the genes for its metabolism were induced. Growth in trehalose reduced the expression of genes associated with toxin production and sporulation in the C. difficile R20291 (RT027) and M120 (RT078) strains in vitro, suggesting an inhibitory effect on virulence factors. Interestingly, the R20291 TreR transcriptional regulatory protein appeared to possess an activator function as its DNA-binding ability was increased in the presence of its effector, trehalose-6-phosphate. Using RNA-sequencing analysis, we report the identification of a putative trehalose metabolism pathway which is induced during growth in trehalose: this has not been previously described within the C. difficile species. These data demonstrate the metabolic diversity exhibited by C. difficile which warrants further investigation to elucidate the molecular basis of trehalose metabolism within this important gut pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Marshall
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - John W. McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Molly Mitchell
- University College Dublin-Centre for Food Safety University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Séamus Fanning
- University College Dublin-Centre for Food Safety University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Geoff McMullan
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
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20
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Jenior ML, Leslie JL, Kolling GL, Archbald-Pannone L, Powers DA, Petri WA, Papin JA. Systems-ecology designed bacterial consortium protects from severe Clostridioides difficile infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.08.552483. [PMID: 37609255 PMCID: PMC10441344 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.08.552483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) is an emerging therapy that has had remarkable success in treatment and prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). FMT has recently been associated with adverse outcomes such as inadvertent transfer of antimicrobial resistance, necessitating development of more targeted bacteriotherapies. To address this challenge, we developed a novel systems biology pipeline to identify candidate probiotic strains that would be predicted to interrupt C. difficile pathogenesis. Utilizing metagenomic characterization of human FMT donor samples, we identified those metabolic pathways most associated with successful FMTs and reconstructed the metabolism of encoding species to simulate interactions with C. difficile . This analysis resulted in predictions of high levels of cross-feeding for amino acids in species most associated with FMT success. Guided by these in silico models, we assembled consortia of bacteria with increased amino acid cross-feeding which were then validated in vitro . We subsequently tested the consortia in a murine model of CDI, demonstrating total protection from severe CDI through decreased toxin levels, recovered gut microbiota, and increased intestinal eosinophils. These results support the novel framework that amino acid cross-feeding is likely a critical mechanism in the initial resolution of CDI by FMT. Importantly, we conclude that our predictive platform based on predicted and testable metabolic interactions between the microbiota and C. difficile led to a rationally designed biotherapeutic framework that may be extended to other enteric infections.
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21
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Chaukimath P, Frankel G, Visweswariah SS. The metabolic impact of bacterial infection in the gut. FEBS J 2023; 290:3928-3945. [PMID: 35731686 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial infections of the gut are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The interplay between the pathogen and the host is finely balanced, with the bacteria evolving to proliferate and establish infection. In contrast, the host mounts a response to first restrict and then eliminate the infection. The intestine is a rapidly proliferating tissue, and metabolism is tuned to cater to the demands of proliferation and differentiation along the crypt-villus axis (CVA) in the gut. As bacterial pathogens encounter the intestinal epithelium, they elicit changes in the host cell, and core metabolic pathways such as the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, lipid metabolism and glycolysis are affected. This review highlights the mechanisms utilized by diverse gut bacterial pathogens to subvert host metabolism and describes host responses to the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Chaukimath
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Gad Frankel
- Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection and Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Sandhya S Visweswariah
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
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Wetzel D, Rizvi A, Edwards AN, McBride SM. The predicted acetoin dehydrogenase pathway represses sporulation of Clostridioides difficile. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.28.551048. [PMID: 37546766 PMCID: PMC10402147 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.28.551048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a major gastrointestinal pathogen that is transmitted as a dormant spore. As an intestinal pathogen, C. difficile must contend with variable environmental conditions, including fluctuations in pH and nutrient availability. Nutrition and pH both influence growth and spore formation, but how pH and nutrition jointly influence sporulation are not known. In this study, we investigated the dual impact of pH and pH-dependent metabolism on C. difficile sporulation. Specifically, we examined the impacts of pH and the metabolite acetoin on C. difficile growth and sporulation. We found that expression of the predicted acetoin dehydrogenase operon, acoRABCL , was pH-dependent and regulated by acetoin. Regulation of the C. difficile aco locus is distinct from other characterized systems and appears to involve a co-transcribed DeoR-family regulator rather than the sigma 54 -dependent activator. In addition, an acoA null mutant produced significantly more spores and initiated sporulation earlier than the parent strain. However, unlike other Firmicutes, growth and culture density of C. difficile was not increased by acetoin availability or disruption of the aco pathway. Together, these results indicate that acetoin, pH, and the aco pathway play important roles in nutritional repression of sporulation in C. difficile , but acetoin metabolism does not support cell growth as a stationary phase energy source. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff , is an anaerobic bacterium that lives within the gut of many mammals and causes infectious diarrhea. C. difficile is able to survive outside of the gut and transmit to new hosts by forming dormant spores. It is known that the pH of the intestine and the nutrients available both affect the growth and sporulation of C. diffiicile, but the specific conditions that result in sporulation in the host are not clear. In this study, we investigated how pH and the metabolite acetoin affect the ability of C. difficile to grow, proliferate, and form spores. We found that a mutant lacking the predicted acetoin metabolism pathway form more spores, but their growth is not impacted. These results show that C. difficile uses acetoin differently than many other species and that acetoin has an important role as an environmental metabolite that influences spore formation.
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Boulangé CL, Pedersen HK, Martin FP, Siegwald L, Pallejà Caro A, Eklund AC, Jia W, Zhang H, Berger B, Sprenger N, Heine RG, Cinnamon Study Investigator Group. An Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula Supplemented with Two Human Milk Oligosaccharides Modifies the Fecal Microbiome and Metabolome in Infants with Cow's Milk Protein Allergy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11422. [PMID: 37511184 PMCID: PMC10379726 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is a prevalent food allergy among infants and young children. We conducted a randomized, multicenter intervention study involving 194 non-breastfed infants with CMPA until 12 months of age (clinical trial registration: NCT03085134). One exploratory objective was to assess the effects of a whey-based extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF) supplemented with 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) on the fecal microbiome and metabolome in this population. Thus, fecal samples were collected at baseline, 1 and 3 months from enrollment, as well as at 12 months of age. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) supplementation led to the enrichment of bifidobacteria in the gut microbiome and delayed the shift of the microbiome composition toward an adult-like pattern. We identified specific HMO-mediated changes in fecal amino acid degradation and bile acid conjugation, particularly in infants commencing the HMO-supplemented formula before the age of three months. Thus, HMO supplementation partially corrected the dysbiosis commonly observed in infants with CMPA. Further investigation is necessary to determine the clinical significance of these findings in terms of a reduced incidence of respiratory infections and other potential health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L Boulangé
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Francois-Pierre Martin
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Léa Siegwald
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Wei Jia
- University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Bernard Berger
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Norbert Sprenger
- Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Britton TA, Wu C, Chen YW, Franklin D, Chen Y, Camacho MI, Luong TT, Das A, Ton-That H. The respiratory enzyme complex Rnf is vital for metabolic adaptation and virulence in Fusobacterium nucleatum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.13.544113. [PMID: 37398403 PMCID: PMC10312631 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.13.544113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
A prominent oral commensal and opportunistic pathogen, Fusobacterium nucleatum can traverse to extra-oral sites such as placenta and colon, promoting adverse pregnancy outcomes and colorectal cancer, respectively. How this anaerobe sustains many metabolically changing environments enabling its virulence potential remains unclear. Informed by our genome-wide transposon mutagenesis, we report here that the highly conserved Rnf complex, encoded by the rnfCDGEAB gene cluster, is key to fusobacterial metabolic adaptation and virulence. Genetic disruption of the Rnf complex via non-polar, in-frame deletion of rnfC (Δ rnfC ) abrogates polymicrobial interaction (or coaggregation) associated with adhesin RadD and biofilm formation. The defect in coaggregation is not due to reduced cell surface of RadD, but rather an increased level of extracellular lysine, which binds RadD and inhibits coaggregation. Indeed, removal of extracellular lysine via washing Δ rnfC cells restores coaggregation, while addition of lysine inhibits this process. These phenotypes mirror that of a mutant (Δ kamAΔ ) that fails to metabolize extracellular lysine. Strikingly, the Δ rnfC mutant is defective in ATP production, cell growth, cell morphology, and expression of the enzyme MegL that produces hydrogen sulfide from cysteine. Targeted metabolic profiling demonstrated that catabolism of many amino acids, including histidine and lysine, is altered in Δ rnfC cells, thereby reducing production of ATP and metabolites including H2S and butyrate. Most importantly, we show that the Δ rnfC mutant is severely attenuated in a mouse model of preterm birth. The indispensable function of Rnf complex in fusobacterial pathogenesis via modulation of bacterial metabolism makes it an attractive target for developing therapeutic intervention.
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Pensinger DA, Dobrila HA, Stevenson DM, Davis NM, Amador-Noguez D, Hryckowian AJ. Exogenous butyrate inhibits butyrogenic metabolism and alters expression of virulence genes in Clostridioides difficile. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.06.548018. [PMID: 37461482 PMCID: PMC10350080 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.06.548018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiome engenders colonization resistance against the diarrheal pathogen Clostridioides difficile but the molecular basis of this colonization resistance is incompletely understood. A prominent class of gut microbiome-produced metabolites important for colonization resistance against C. difficile is short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In particular, one SCFA (butyrate) decreases the fitness of C. difficile in vitro and is correlated with C. difficile-inhospitable gut environments, both in mice and in humans. Here, we demonstrate that butyrate-dependent growth inhibition in C. difficile occurs under conditions where C. difficile also produces butyrate as a metabolic end product. Furthermore, we show that exogenous butyrate is internalized into C. difficile cells, is incorporated into intracellular CoA pools where it is metabolized in a reverse (energetically unfavorable) direction to crotonyl-CoA and (S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and/or 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA. This internalization of butyrate and reverse metabolic flow of butyrogenic pathway(s) in C. difficile coincides with alterations in toxin production and sporulation. Together, this work highlights butyrate as a signal of a C. difficile inhospitable environment to which C. difficile responds by producing its diarrheagenic toxins and producing environmentally-resistant spores necessary for transmission between hosts. These findings provide foundational data for understanding the molecular and genetic basis of how C. difficile growth is inhibited by butyrate and how butyrate serves as a signal to alter C. difficile virulence in the face of a highly competitive and dynamic gut environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Pensinger
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Horia A. Dobrila
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - David M. Stevenson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nicole M. Davis
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Andrew J. Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
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Pavao A, Girinathan B, Peltier J, Altamirano Silva P, Dupuy B, Muti IH, Malloy C, Cheng LL, Bry L. Elucidating dynamic anaerobe metabolism with HRMAS 13C NMR and genome-scale modeling. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:556-564. [PMID: 36894723 PMCID: PMC10154198 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01275-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic microbial metabolism drives critical functions within global ecosystems, host-microbiota interactions, and industrial applications, yet remains ill-defined. Here we advance a versatile approach to elaborate cellular metabolism in obligate anaerobes using the pathogen Clostridioides difficile, an amino acid and carbohydrate-fermenting Clostridia. High-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of C. difficile, grown with fermentable 13C substrates, informed dynamic flux balance analysis (dFBA) of the pathogen's genome-scale metabolism. Analyses identified dynamic recruitment of oxidative and supporting reductive pathways, with integration of high-flux amino acid and glycolytic metabolism at alanine's biosynthesis to support efficient energy generation, nitrogen handling and biomass generation. Model predictions informed an approach leveraging the sensitivity of 13C NMR spectroscopy to simultaneously track cellular carbon and nitrogen flow from [U-13C]glucose and [15N]leucine, confirming the formation of [13C,15N]alanine. Findings identify metabolic strategies used by C. difficile to support its rapid colonization and expansion in gut ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan Pavao
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brintha Girinathan
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Ginkgo Bioworks, The Innovation and Design Building, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johann Peltier
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Paris, France
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, University of Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Pamela Altamirano Silva
- Centre for Investigations in Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, UMR-CNRS 6047, Paris, France
| | - Isabella H Muti
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Craig Malloy
- Department of Radiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Leo L Cheng
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lynn Bry
- Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Koblitz J. Metabolism from the magic angle. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:538-539. [PMID: 37117920 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01317-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Koblitz
- Department of Bioinformatics and Databases, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany.
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28
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Eight Unexpected Selenoprotein Families in Organometallic Biochemistry in Clostridium difficile, in ABC Transport, and in Methylmercury Biosynthesis. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0025922. [PMID: 36598231 PMCID: PMC9879109 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00259-22] [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: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The bioinformatics of a nine-gene locus, designated selenocysteine-assisted organometallic (SAO), was investigated after identifying six new selenoprotein families and constructing hidden Markov models (HMMs) that find and annotate members of those families. Four are selenoproteins in most SAO loci, including Clostridium difficile. They include two ABC transporter subunits, namely, permease SaoP, with selenocysteine (U) at the channel-gating position, and substrate-binding subunit SaoB. Cytosolic selenoproteins include SaoL, homologous to MerB organomercurial lyases from mercury resistance loci, and SaoT, related to thioredoxins. SaoL, SaoB, and surface protein SaoC (an occasional selenoprotein) share an unusual CU dipeptide motif, which is something rare in selenoproteins but found in selenoprotein variants of mercury resistance transporter subunit MerT. A nonselenoprotein, SaoE, shares homology with Cu/Zn efflux and arsenical efflux pumps. The organization of the SAO system suggests substrate interaction with surface-exposed selenoproteins, followed by import, metabolism that may cleave a carbon-to-heavy metal bond, and finally metal efflux. A novel type of mercury resistance is possible, but SAO instead may support fermentative metabolism, with selenocysteine-mediated formation of organometallic intermediates, followed by import, degradation, and metal efflux. Phylogenetic profiling shows SOA loci consistently co-occur with Stickland fermentation markers but even more consistently with 8Fe-9S cofactor-type double-cubane proteins. Hypothesizing that the SAO system forms organometallic intermediates, we investigated the known methylmercury formation protein families HgcA and HgcB. Both families contained overlooked selenoproteins. Most HgcAs have a CU motif N terminal to their previously accepted start sites. Seeking additional rare and overlooked selenoproteins may help reveal more cryptic aspects of microbial biochemistry. IMPORTANCE This work adds 8 novel prokaryotic selenoproteins to the 80 or so families previously known. It describes the SAO (selenocysteine-assisted organometallic) locus, with the most selenoproteins of any known system. The rare CU motif recurs throughout, suggesting the formation and degradation of organometallic compounds. That suggestion triggered a reexamination of HgcA and HcgB, which are methylmercury formation proteins that can adversely impact food safety. Both are selenoproteins, once corrected, with HgcA again showing a CU motif. The SAO system is plausibly a mercury resistance locus for selenium-dependent anaerobes. But instead, it may exploit heavy metals as cofactors in organometallic intermediate-forming pathways that circumvent high activation energies and facilitate the breakdown of otherwise poorly accessible nutrients. SAO could provide an edge that helps Clostridium difficile, an important pathogen, establish disease.
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Bustin KA, Abbas A, Wang X, Abt MC, Zackular JP, Matthews ML. Characterizing metabolic drivers of Clostridioides difficile infection with activity-based hydrazine probes. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1074619. [PMID: 36778002 PMCID: PMC9908766 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1074619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Many enzymes require post-translational modifications or cofactor machinery for primary function. As these catalytically essential moieties are highly regulated, they act as dual sensors and chemical handles for context-dependent metabolic activity. Clostridioides difficile is a major nosocomial pathogen that infects the colon. Energy generating metabolism, particularly through amino acid Stickland fermentation, is central to colonization and persistence of this pathogen during infection. Here using activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), we revealed Stickland enzyme activity is a biomarker for C. difficile infection (CDI) and annotated two such cofactor-dependent Stickland reductases. We structurally characterized the cysteine-derived pyruvoyl cofactors of D-proline and glycine reductase in C. difficile cultures and showed through cofactor monitoring that their activity is regulated by their respective amino acid substrates. Proline reductase was consistently active in toxigenic C. difficile, confirming the enzyme to be a major metabolic driver of CDI. Further, activity-based hydrazine probes were shown to be active site-directed inhibitors of proline reductase. As such, this enzyme activity, via its druggable cofactor modality, is a promising therapeutic target that could allow for the repopulation of bacteria that compete with C. difficile for proline and therefore restore colonization resistance against C. difficile in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn A. Bustin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Arwa Abbas
- Division of Protective Immunity, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xie Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michael C. Abt
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Joseph P. Zackular
- Division of Protective Immunity, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Megan L. Matthews
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States,*Correspondence: Megan L. Matthews,
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Chen YY, Tun HM, Field CJ, Mandhane PJ, Moraes TJ, Simons E, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Scott JA, Kozyrskyj AL. Impact of Cesarean Delivery and Breastfeeding on Secretory Immunoglobulin A in the Infant Gut Is Mediated by Gut Microbiota and Metabolites. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13020148. [PMID: 36837767 PMCID: PMC9959734 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13020148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
How gut immunity in early life is shaped by birth in relation to delivery mode, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) and labor remains undetermined. We aimed to address this gap with a study of secretory Immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in the infant gut that also tested SIgA-stimulating pathways mediated by gut microbiota and metabolites. Among 1017 Canadian full-term infants, gut microbiota of fecal samples collected at 3 and 12 months were profiled using 16S rRNA sequencing; C. difficile was quantified by qPCR; fecal metabolites and SIgA levels were measured by NMR and SIgA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We assessed the putative causal relationships from birth events to gut microbiota and metabolites, and ultimately to SIgA, in statistical sequential mediation models, adjusted for maternal gravida status in 551 infants. As birth mode influences the ability to breastfeed, the statistical mediating role of breastfeeding status and milk metabolites was also evaluated. Relative to vaginal birth without maternal IAP, cesarean section (CS) after labor was associated with reduced infant gut SIgA levels at 3 months (6.27 vs. 4.85 mg/g feces, p < 0.05); this association was sequentially mediated through gut microbiota and metabolites of microbial or milk origin. Mediating gut microbiota included Enterobacteriaceae, C. difficile, and Streptococcus. The milk or microbial metabolites in CS-SIgA mediating pathways were galactose, fucose, GABA, choline, lactate, pyruvate and 1,2-propanediol. This cohort study documented the impact of birth on infant gut mucosal SIgA. It is the first to characterize gut microbe-metabolite mediated pathways for early-life SIgA maturation, pathways that require experimental verification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Yao Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Hein M. Tun
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
- The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Catherine J. Field
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Piushkumar J. Mandhane
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Theo J. Moraes
- Department of Pediatrics and Physiology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Elinor Simons
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, Canada
| | - Stuart E. Turvey
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 0B3, Canada
| | - Padmaja Subbarao
- Department of Pediatrics and Physiology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - James A. Scott
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
| | - Anita L. Kozyrskyj
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-780-248-5508
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Marshall A, McGrath JW, Graham R, McMullan G. Food for thought-The link between Clostridioides difficile metabolism and pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011034. [PMID: 36602960 PMCID: PMC9815643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is an opportunistic pathogen that leads to antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Antibiotic usage is the main risk factor leading to C. difficile infection (CDI), as a dysbiotic gut environment allows colonisation and eventual pathology manifested by toxin production. Although colonisation resistance is mediated by the action of secondary bile acids inhibiting vegetative outgrowth, nutrient competition also plays a role in preventing CDI as the gut microbiota compete for nutrient niches inhibiting C. difficile growth. C. difficile is able to metabolise carbon dioxide, the amino acids proline, hydroxyproline, and ornithine, the cell membrane constituent ethanolamine, and the carbohydrates trehalose, cellobiose, sorbitol, and mucin degradation products as carbon and energy sources through multiple pathways. Zinc sequestration by the host response mediates metabolic adaptation of C. difficile by perhaps signalling an inflamed gut allowing it to acquire abundant nutrients. Persistence within the gut environment is also mediated by the by-products of metabolism through the production of p-cresol, which inhibit gut commensal species growth promoting dysbiosis. This review aims to explore and describe the various metabolic pathways of C. difficile, which facilitate its survival and pathogenesis within the colonised host gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Marshall
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - John W. McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Graham
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff McMullan
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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32
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Koziol SA, Oba PM, Soto-Diaz K, Steelman AJ, Suchodolski JS, Eckhardt ERM, Swanson KS. Effects of a Lactobacillus fermentation product on the fecal characteristics, fecal microbial populations, immune function, and stress markers of adult dogs. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:skad160. [PMID: 37208000 PMCID: PMC10237232 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to measure the effects of a Lactobacillus fermentation product (LBFP) on fecal characteristics and microbiota, blood biomarkers, immune function, and serum oxidative stress markers of adult dogs. Thirty adult beagle dogs [23 M, 7 F; mean age = 8.47 ± 2.65 yr old; mean BW = 15.43 ± 4.17 kg] were used in a completely randomized design study. All dogs were fed a basal diet to maintain BW for 5 wk, followed by baseline blood and fecal sample collections. Dogs remained on the same diet, but then were randomly assigned to a placebo (dextrose) or LBFP supplement (Limosilactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus delbrueckii). Both treatments were dosed at 4 mg/kg BW via gelatin capsule for 5 wk (n = 15/treatment). Fecal and blood samples were collected at that time. Change from baseline data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS 9.4, with P < 0.05 being significant and P < 0.10 being trends. Most circulating metabolites and immunoglobulins (Ig) were unaltered by treatment, but LBFP-supplemented dogs had lower changes in serum corticosteroid isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05), alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.10), and IgM (P < 0.10) than controls. The change in fecal scores tended to be lower (P = 0.068) in LBFP-supplemented dogs than controls, signifying firmer feces in LBFP-supplemented dogs. Regarding the fecal microbiota, alpha diversity indicators tended to be higher (P = 0.087) in LBFP-supplemented dogs than controls. One fecal bacterial phylum (Actinobacteriota) was altered by treatments, with its relative abundance tending to have a greater (P < 0.10) increase in controls than LBFP-supplemented dogs. Fifteen bacterial genera were altered (P < 0.05 or P < 0.10) by treatments, including relative abundances of fecal Peptoclostridium, Sarcina, and Faecalitalea that had a greater (P < 0.05) increase in controls than LBFP-supplemented dogs. In contrast, relative abundances of fecal Faecalibaculum, Bifidobacterium, and uncultured Butyricicoccaceae had a greater (P ≤ 0.05) increase in LBFP-supplemented dogs than controls. After week 5, dogs underwent transport stress (45-min vehicle ride) to assess oxidative stress markers. The change in serum superoxide dismutase after transport had a greater (P < 0.0001) increase in LBFP-supplemented dogs than controls. Our data suggest that LBFP may provide benefits to dogs by stabilizing stool quality, beneficially shifting fecal microbiota, and protecting against oxidative damage when subjected to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Koziol
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Patricia M Oba
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Katiria Soto-Diaz
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Andrew J Steelman
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jan S Suchodolski
- Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | | | - Kelly S Swanson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Schwanbeck J, Oehmig I, Groß U, Bohne W. Clostridioides difficile minimal nutrient requirements for flagellar motility. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1172707. [PMID: 37065145 PMCID: PMC10098170 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1172707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As many gastro-intestinal pathogens, the majority of Clostridioides difficile strains express flagella together with a complete chemotaxis system. The resulting swimming motility is likely contributing to the colonization success of this important pathogen. In contrast to the well investigated general energy metabolism of C. difficile, little is known about the metabolic requirements for maintaining the ion motive force across the membrane, which in turn powers the flagellar motor. We studied here systematically the effect of various amino acids and carbohydrates on the swimming velocity of C. difficile using video microscopy in conjunction with a software based quantification of the swimming speed. Removal of individual amino acids from the medium identified proline and cysteine as the most important amino acids that power swimming motility. Glycine, which is as proline one of the few amino acids that are reduced in Stickland reactions, was not critical for swimming motility. This suggests that the ion motive force that powers the flagellar motor, is critically depending on proline reduction. A maximal and stable swimming motility was achieved with only four compounds, including the amino acids proline, cysteine and isoleucine together with a single, but interchangeable carbohydrate source such as glucose, succinate, mannose, ribose, pyruvate, trehalose, or ethanolamine. We expect that the identified "minimal motility medium" will be useful in future investigations on the flagellar motility and chemotactic behavior in C. difficile, particularly for the unambiguous identification of chemoattractants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Schwanbeck
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Ines Oehmig
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Uwe Groß
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Uwe Groß,
| | - Wolfgang Bohne
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Bohne,
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Aguirre AM, Adegbite AO, Sorg JA. Clostridioides difficile bile salt hydrolase activity has substrate specificity and affects biofilm formation. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:94. [PMID: 36450806 PMCID: PMC9712596 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00358-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Clostridioides difficile pathogen is responsible for nosocomial infections. Germination is an essential step for the establishment of C. difficile infection (CDI) because toxins that are secreted by vegetative cells are responsible for the symptoms of CDI. Germination can be stimulated by the combinatorial actions of certain amino acids and either conjugated or deconjugated cholic acid-derived bile salts. During synthesis in the liver, cholic acid- and chenodeoxycholic acid-class bile salts are conjugated with either taurine or glycine at the C24 carboxyl. During GI transit, these conjugated bile salts are deconjugated by microbes that express bile salt hydrolases (BSHs). Here, we surprisingly find that several C. difficile strains have BSH activity. We observed this activity in both C. difficile vegetative cells and in spores and that the observed BSH activity was specific to taurine-derived bile salts. Additionally, we find that this BSH activity can produce cholate for metabolic conversion to deoxycholate by C. scindens. The C. scindens-produced deoxycholate signals to C. difficile to initiate biofilm formation. Our results show that C. difficile BSH activity has the potential to influence the interactions between microbes, and this could extend to the GI setting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joseph A Sorg
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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Wu Z, Xu Q, Wang Q, Chen Y, Lv L, Zheng B, Yan R, Jiang H, Shen J, Wang S, Wang K, Xia J, Han S, Li L. The impact of dietary fibers on Clostridioides difficile infection in a mouse model. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1028267. [PMID: 36439215 PMCID: PMC9682084 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1028267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Diets rich in fiber may provide health benefits and regulate the gut microbiome, which affects the immune system. However, the role of dietary fiber in Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is controversial. Here, we investigated the use of fermentable fibers, such as inulin or pectin, to replace the insoluble fiber cellulose to explore how dietary fiber affects C. difficile-induced colitis in mice through intestinal microecology and metabolomics. Using C. difficile VPI 10463, we generated a mouse model of antibiotic-induced CDI. We evaluated disease outcomes and the microbial community among mice fed two fermentable fibers (inulin or pectin) versus the insoluble fiber cellulose. We analyzed and compared the gut microbiota, intestinal epithelium, cytokine levels, immune responses, and metabolites between the groups. Severe histological injury and elevated cytokine levels were observed in colon tissues after infection. Different diets showed different effects, and pectin administration protected intestinal epithelial permeability. Pectin also steadily increased the diversity of the microbiome and decreased the levels of C. difficile-induced markers of inflammation in serum and colonic tissues. The pectin group showed a higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae and a lower abundance of the conditionally pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae than the cellulose group with infection. The concentration of short-chain fatty acids in the cecal contents was also higher in the pectin group than in the cellulose group. Pectin exerted its effects through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway, which was confirmed by using the AhR agonist FICZ and the inhibitor CH2223191. Our results show that pectin alters the microbiome and metabolic function and triggers a protective immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengjie Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaomai Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiangqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunbo Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Longxian Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Beiwen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ren Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huiyong Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuting Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kaicen Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiafeng Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shengyi Han
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Lanjuan Li,
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Garcia-Garcia T, Douché T, Giai Gianetto Q, Poncet S, El Omrani N, Smits WK, Cuenot E, Matondo M, Martin-Verstraete I. In-Depth Characterization of the Clostridioides difficile Phosphoproteome to Identify Ser/Thr Kinase Substrates. Mol Cell Proteomics 2022; 21:100428. [PMID: 36252736 PMCID: PMC9674922 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2022.100428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of postantibiotic diarrhea in adults. During infection, the bacterium must rapidly adapt to the host environment by using survival strategies. Protein phosphorylation is a reversible post-translational modification employed ubiquitously for signal transduction and cellular regulation. Hanks-type serine/threonine kinases (STKs) and serine/threonine phosphatases have emerged as important players in bacterial cell signaling and pathogenicity. C. difficile encodes two STKs (PrkC and CD2148) and one phosphatase. We optimized a titanium dioxide phosphopeptide enrichment approach to determine the phosphoproteome of C. difficile. We identified and quantified 2500 proteins representing 63% of the theoretical proteome. To identify STK and serine/threonine phosphatase targets, we then performed comparative large-scale phosphoproteomics of the WT strain and isogenic ΔprkC, CD2148, Δstp, and prkC CD2148 mutants. We detected 635 proteins containing phosphorylated peptides. We showed that PrkC is phosphorylated on multiple sites in vivo and autophosphorylates in vitro. We were unable to detect a phosphorylation for CD2148 in vivo, whereas this kinase was phosphorylated in vitro only in the presence of PrkC. Forty-one phosphoproteins were identified as phosphorylated under the control of CD2148, whereas 114 proteins were phosphorylated under the control of PrkC including 27 phosphoproteins more phosphorylated in the ∆stp mutant. We also observed enrichment for phosphothreonine among the phosphopeptides more phosphorylated in the Δstp mutant. Both kinases targeted pathways required for metabolism, translation, and stress response, whereas cell division and peptidoglycan metabolism were more specifically controlled by PrkC-dependent phosphorylation in agreement with the phenotypes of the ΔprkC mutant. Using a combination of approaches, we confirmed that FtsK was phosphorylated in vivo under the control of PrkC and that Spo0A was a substrate of PrkC in vitro. This study provides a detailed mapping of kinase-substrate relationships in C. difficile, paving the way for the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Transito Garcia-Garcia
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Thibaut Douché
- Plateforme Protéomique, Unité de Technologie et Service Spectrométrie de Masse pour la biologie, CNRS USR 2000, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Quentin Giai Gianetto
- Plateforme Protéomique, Unité de Technologie et Service Spectrométrie de Masse pour la biologie, CNRS USR 2000, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France,Hub de bioinformatique et biostatistiques, Departement de Biologie computationelle, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Poncet
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Nesrine El Omrani
- Plateforme Protéomique, Unité de Technologie et Service Spectrométrie de Masse pour la biologie, CNRS USR 2000, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Elodie Cuenot
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Mariette Matondo
- Plateforme Protéomique, Unité de Technologie et Service Spectrométrie de Masse pour la biologie, CNRS USR 2000, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France,For correspondence: Isabelle Martin-Verstraete; Mariette Matondo
| | - Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, UMR CNRS 6047, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France,For correspondence: Isabelle Martin-Verstraete; Mariette Matondo
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Yakabe K, Higashi S, Akiyama M, Mori H, Murakami T, Toyoda A, Sugiyama Y, Kishino S, Okano K, Hirayama A, Gotoh A, Li S, Mori T, Katayama T, Ogawa J, Fukuda S, Hase K, Kim YG. Dietary-protein sources modulate host susceptibility to Clostridioides difficile infection through the gut microbiota. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111332. [PMID: 36103838 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile causes nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea on a global scale. Susceptibility to C. difficile infection (CDI) is influenced by the composition and metabolism of gut microbiota, which in turn are affected by diet. However, the mechanism underlying the interplay between diet and gut microbiota that modulates susceptibility to CDI remains unclear. Here, we show that a soy protein diet increases the mortality of antibiotic-treated, C. difficile-infected mice while also enhancing the intestinal levels of amino acids (aas) and relative abundance of Lactobacillus genus. Indeed, Ligilactobacillus murinus-mediated fermentation of soy protein results in the generation of aas, thereby promoting C. difficile growth, and the process involves the anchored cell wall proteinase PrtP. Thus, mutual interaction between dietary protein and the gut microbiota is a critical factor affecting host susceptibility to CDI, suggesting that dietary protein sources can be an important determinant in controlling the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyosuke Yakabe
- Research Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo 105-8512, Japan; Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo 105-8512, Japan
| | | | - Masahiro Akiyama
- Research Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo 105-8512, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Mori
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Takumi Murakami
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Atsushi Toyoda
- Advanced Genomics Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Yuta Sugiyama
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Kishino
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Kenji Okano
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, Osaka 564-8680, Japan; International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Hirayama
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Yamagata 997-0052, Japan
| | - Aina Gotoh
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Shunyi Li
- Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Takeshi Mori
- Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Takane Katayama
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Jun Ogawa
- Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Shinji Fukuda
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Yamagata 997-0052, Japan; Transborder Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan; Gut Environmental Design Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan; Laboratory for Regenerative Microbiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Koji Hase
- Division of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo 105-8512, Japan; The Institute of Fermentation Sciences (IFeS), Faculty of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Fukushima University, Kanayagawa, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan; International Research and Development Center for Mucosal Vaccines, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Yun-Gi Kim
- Research Center for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo 105-8512, Japan.
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Bhute SS, Mefferd CC, Phan JR, Ahmed M, Fox-King AE, Alarcia S, Villarama JV, Abel-Santos E, Hedlund BP. A High-Carbohydrate Diet Prolongs Dysbiosis and Clostridioides difficile Carriage and Increases Delayed Mortality in a Hamster Model of Infection. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0180421. [PMID: 35708337 PMCID: PMC9431659 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01804-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies using mouse models of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) have demonstrated a variety of relationships between dietary macronutrients on antibiotic-associated CDI; however, few of these effects have been examined in more susceptible hamster models of CDI. In this study, we investigated the effect of a high-carbohydrate diet previously shown to protect mice from CDI on the progression and resolution of CDI in a hamster disease model, with 10 animals per group. Hamsters fed the high-carbohydrate diet developed distinct diet-specific microbiomes during antibiotic treatment and CDI, with lower diversity, persistent C. difficile carriage, and delayed microbiome restoration. In contrast to CDI protection in mice, most hamsters fed a high-carbohydrate diet developed fulminant CDI including several cases of late-onset CDI, that were not observed in hamsters fed a standard lab diet. We speculate that prolonged high-carbohydrate diet-specific dysbiosis in these animals allowed C. difficile to persist in the gut of the animals where they could proliferate postvancomycin treatment, leading to delayed CDI onset. This study, along with similar studies in mouse models of CDI, suggests some high-carbohydrate diets may promote antibiotic-associated dysbiosis and long-term C. difficile carriage, which may later convert to symptomatic CDI. IMPORTANCE The effects of diet on CDI are not completely known. Here, we used a high-carbohydrate diet previously shown to protect mice against CDI to assess its effect on a hamster model of CDI and paradoxically found that it promoted dysbiosis, C. difficile carriage, and higher mortality. A common thread in both mouse and hamster experimental models was that the high-carbohydrate diet promoted dysbiosis and long-term carriage of C. difficile, which may have converted to fulminant CDI only in the highly susceptible hamster model system. If diets high in carbohydrates also promote dysbiosis and C. difficile carriage in humans, then these diets might paradoxically increase chances of CDI relapse despite their protective effects against primary CDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrikant S. Bhute
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Chrisabelle C. Mefferd
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Jacqueline R. Phan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Muneeba Ahmed
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro University, Nevada, Henderson, Nevada, USA
| | - Amelia E. Fox-King
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro University, Nevada, Henderson, Nevada, USA
| | - Stephanie Alarcia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Jacob V. Villarama
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Ernesto Abel-Santos
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
| | - Brian P. Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
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39
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d-Proline Reductase Underlies Proline-Dependent Growth of Clostridioides difficile. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0022922. [PMID: 35862761 PMCID: PMC9380539 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00229-22] [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: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a nosocomial pathogen that colonizes the gut and causes diarrhea, colitis, and severe inflammation. Recently, C. difficile has been shown to use toxin-mediated inflammation to promote host collagen degradation, which releases several amino acids into the environment. Amino acids act as electron donors and acceptors in Stickland metabolism, an anaerobic process involving redox reactions between pairs of amino acids. Proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline are the three main constituents of collagen and are assumed to act as electron acceptors, but their exact effects on the growth and physiology of C. difficile are still unclear. Using three standard culture media (supplemented brain heart infusion [BHIS], tryptone-yeast [TY], and C. difficile minimal medium [CDMM]) supplemented with proline, glycine, or hydroxyproline, we grew C. difficile strains R20291, JIR8094, and a panel of mutants unable to express the Stickland selenoenzymes d-proline reductase and glycine reductase. In the wild-type strains, growth yields in rich media (BHIS and TY) were higher with proline and hydroxyproline but not glycine; moreover, proline-stimulated growth yields required the activity of d-proline reductase, whereas hydroxyproline-stimulated growth yields were independent of its activity. While assumed to be a proline auxotroph, C. difficile could surprisingly grow in a defined medium (CDMM) without proline but only if d-proline reductase was absent. We believe the mere presence of this enzyme ultimately determines the organism's strict dependence on proline and likely defines the bioenergetic priorities for thriving in the host. Finally, we demonstrated that addition of proline and hydroxyproline to the culture medium could reduce toxin production but not in cells lacking selenoproteins. IMPORTANCE Stickland metabolism is a core facet of C. difficile physiology that likely plays a major role in host colonization. Here, we carefully delineate the effects of each amino acid on the growth of C. difficile with respect to the selenoenzymes d-proline reductase and glycine reductase. Moreover, we report that d-proline reductase forces C. difficile to strictly depend on proline for growth. Finally, we provide evidence that proline and hydroxyproline suppress toxin production and that selenoproteins are involved in this mechanism. Our findings highlight the significance of selenium-dependent Stickland reactions and may provide insight on what occurs during host infection, especially as it relates to the decision to colonize based on proline as a nutrient.
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Schnizlein MK, Young VB. Capturing the environment of the Clostridioides difficile infection cycle. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:508-520. [PMID: 35468953 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00610-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) infection is a substantial health and economic burden worldwide. Great strides have been made over the past several years in characterizing the physiology of C. difficile infection, particularly regarding how gut microorganisms and their host work together to provide colonization resistance. As mammalian hosts and their indigenous gut microbiota have co-evolved, they have formed a complex yet stable relationship that prevents invading microorganisms from establishing themselves. In this Review, we discuss the latest advances in our understanding of C. difficile physiology that have contributed to its success as a pathogen, including its versatile survival factors and ability to adapt to unique niches. Using discoveries regarding microorganism-host and microorganism-microorganism interactions that constitute colonization resistance, we place C. difficile within the fiercely competitive gut environment. A comprehensive understanding of these relationships is required to continue the development of precision medicine-based treatments for C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K Schnizlein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vincent B Young
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine/Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Reconsidering the in vivo functions of Clostridial Stickland amino acid fermentations. Anaerobe 2022; 76:102600. [PMID: 35709938 PMCID: PMC9831356 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2022.102600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Stickland amino acid fermentations occur primarily among species of Clostridia. An ancient form of metabolism, Stickland fermentations use amino acids as electron acceptors in the absence of stronger oxidizing agents and provide metabolic capabilities to support growth when other fermentable substrates, such as carbohydrates, are lacking. The reactions were originally described as paired fermentations of amino acid electron donors, such as the branched-chain amino acids, with recipients that include proline and glycine. We present a redox-focused view of Stickland metabolism following electron flow through metabolically diverse oxidative reactions and the defined-substrate reductase systems, including for proline and glycine, and the role of dual redox pathways for substrates such as leucine and ornithine. Genetic studies and Environment and Gene Regulatory Interaction Network (EGRIN) models for the pathogen Clostridioides difficile have improved our understanding of the regulation and metabolic recruitment of these systems, and their functions in modulating inter-species interactions within host-pathogen-commensal systems and uses in industrial and environmental applications.
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Abstract
The nosocomial pathogen Clostridioides difficile is a burden to the healthcare system. Gut microbiome disruption, most commonly by broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment, is well established to generate a state that is susceptible to CDI. A variety of metabolites produced by the host and/or gut microbiota have been shown to interact with C. difficile. Certain bile acids promote/inhibit germination while other cholesterol-derived compounds and amino acids used in the Stickland metabolic pathway affect growth and CDI colonization. Short chain fatty acids maintain intestinal barrier integrity and a myriad of other metabolic compounds are used as nutritional sources or used by C. difficile to inhibit or outcompete other bacteria in the gut. As the move toward non-antibiotic CDI treatment takes place, a deeper understanding of interactions between C. difficile and the host's gut microbiome and metabolites becomes more relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph A. Sorg
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA,CONTACT Joseph A. Sorg Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX77843, USA
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Santos MGDC, Trindade CNDR, Vommaro RC, Domingues RMCP, Ferreira EDO. Binding of the extracellular matrix laminin-1 to Clostridioides difficile strains. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e220035. [PMID: 35730804 PMCID: PMC9208321 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760220035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridioides difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea associated with antibiotic use. The disease’s symptoms are caused by enterotoxins, but other surface adhesion factors also play a role in the pathogenesis. These adhesins will bind to components of extracellular matrix. OBJECTIVE There is a lack of knowledge on MSCRAMM, this work set-out to determine the adhesive properties of several C. difficile ribotypes (027, 133, 135, 014, 012) towards laminin-1 (LMN-1). METHODS A binding experiment revealed that different ribotypes have distinct adhesion capabilities. To identify this adhesin, an affinity chromatography column containing LMN-1 was prepared and total protein extracts were analysed using mass spectrometry. FINDINGS Strains from ribotypes 012 and 027 had the best adhesion when incubated with glucose supplementations (0.2%, 0.5%, and 1%), while RT135 had a poor adherence. The criteria were not met by RT014 and RT133. In the absence of glucose, there was no adhesion for any ribotype, implying that glucose is required and plays a significant role in adhesion. MAIN CONCLUSIONS These findings show that in the presence of glucose, each C. difficile ribotype interacts differently with LMN-1, and the adhesin responsible for recognition could be SlpA protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayara Gil de Castro Santos
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Laboratório de Biologia de Anaeróbios, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Camilla Nunes Dos Reis Trindade
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Laboratório de Biologia de Anaeróbios, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Rossiane Cláudia Vommaro
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho e Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens, Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Eliane de Oliveira Ferreira
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Microbiologia Médica, Laboratório de Biologia de Anaeróbios, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Biwer P, Neumann-Schaal M, Henke P, Jahn D, Schulz S. Thiol Metabolism and Volatile Metabolome of Clostridioides difficile. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864587. [PMID: 35783419 PMCID: PMC9243749 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (previously Clostridium difficile) causes life-threatening gut infections. The central metabolism of the bacterium is strongly influencing toxin production and consequently the infection progress. In this context, the composition and potential origin of the volatile metabolome was investigated, showing a large number of sulfur-containing volatile metabolites. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)-based headspace analyses of growing C. difficile 630Δerm cultures identified 105 mainly sulfur-containing compounds responsible of the typical C. difficile odor. Major components were identified to be 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-propanethiol, 2-methyl-1-butanethiol, 4-methyl-1-pentanethiol, and as well as their disulfides. Structurally identified were 64 sulfur containing volatiles. In order to determine their biosynthetic origin, the concentrations of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine were varied in the growth medium. The changes observed in the volatile metabolome profile indicated that cysteine plays an essential role in the formation of the sulfur-containing volatiles. We propose that disulfides are derived from cysteine via formation of cystathionine analogs, which lead to corresponding thiols. These thiols may then be oxidized to disulfides. Moreover, methionine may contribute to the formation of short-chain disulfides through integration of methanethiol into the disulfide biosynthesis. In summary, the causative agents of the typical C. difficile odor were identified and first hypotheses for their biosynthesis were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Biwer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Department of Metabolomics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, BRICS, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Petra Henke
- Department of Metabolomics, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dieter Jahn
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, BRICS, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Schulz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Stefan Schulz,
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Wu Z, Xu Q, Gu S, Chen Y, Lv L, Zheng B, Wang Q, Wang K, Wang S, Xia J, Yang L, Bian X, Jiang X, Zheng L, Li L. Akkermansia muciniphila Ameliorates Clostridioides difficile Infection in Mice by Modulating the Intestinal Microbiome and Metabolites. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:841920. [PMID: 35663882 PMCID: PMC9159907 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.841920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a common cause of nosocomial infection. Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in the intestinal microbiota is a core cause of C. difficile infection (CDI). Akkermansia muciniphila plays an active role in maintaining gastrointestinal balance and might offer the protective effects on CDI as probiotics. Here, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of A. muciniphila on CDI. C57BL/6 mice (n = 29) were administered A. muciniphila Muc T (3 × 109 CFUs, 0.2 mL) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) by oral gavage for 2 weeks. Mice were pretreated with an antibiotic cocktail and subsequently challenged with the C. difficile strain VPI 10463. A. muciniphila treatment prevented weight loss in mice and reduced the histological injury of the colon. And it also alleviated inflammation and improved the barrier function of the intestine. The administration effects of A. muciniphila may be associated with an increase in short-chain fatty acid production and the maintenance of bile acids' steady-state. Our results provide evidence that administration of A. muciniphila to CDI mice, with an imbalance in the microbial community structure, lead to a decrease in abundance of members of the Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae. In short, A. muciniphila shows a potential anti-CDI role by modulating gut microbiota and the metabolome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengjie Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaomai Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Silan Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunbo Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Longxian Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Beiwen Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiangqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kaicen Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuting Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiafeng Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liya Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Bian
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xianwan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lisi Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Bacterial Research Platform, Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, China
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Clark AE, Adamson CC, Carothers KE, Roxas BAP, Viswanathan VK, Vedantam G. The Alternative Sigma Factor SigL Influences Clostridioides difficile Toxin Production, Sporulation, and Cell Surface Properties. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:871152. [PMID: 35633701 PMCID: PMC9130780 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.871152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The alternative sigma factor SigL (Sigma-54) facilitates bacterial adaptation to the extracellular environment by modulating the expression of defined gene subsets. A homolog of the gene encoding SigL is conserved in the diarrheagenic pathogen Clostridioides difficile. To explore the contribution of SigL to C. difficile biology, we generated sigL-disruption mutants (sigL::erm) in strains belonging to two phylogenetically distinct lineages-the human-relevant Ribotype 027 (strain BI-1) and the veterinary-relevant Ribotype 078 (strain CDC1). Comparative proteomics analyses of mutants and isogenic parental strains revealed lineage-specific SigL regulons. Concomitantly, loss of SigL resulted in pleiotropic and distinct phenotypic alterations in the two strains. Sporulation kinetics, biofilm formation, and cell surface-associated phenotypes were altered in CDC1 sigL::erm relative to the isogenic parent strain but remained unchanged in BI-1 sigL::erm. In contrast, secreted toxin levels were significantly elevated only in the BI-1 sigL::erm mutant relative to its isogenic parent. We also engineered SigL overexpressing strains and observed enhanced biofilm formation in the CDC1 background, and reduced spore titers as well as dampened sporulation kinetics in both strains. Thus, we contend that SigL is a key, pleiotropic regulator that dynamically influences C. difficile's virulence factor landscape, and thereby, its interactions with host tissues and co-resident microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E. Clark
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Chelsea C. Adamson
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | | | | | - V. K. Viswanathan
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- BIO5 Institute for Collaborative Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gayatri Vedantam
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- BIO5 Institute for Collaborative Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Abstract
The complex interactions between the gut microbiome and host or pathogen colonization resistance cannot be understood solely from community composition. Missing are causal relationships, such as metabolic interactions among species, to better understand what shapes the microbiome. Here, we focused on metabolic niches generated and occupied by the Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota (OMM) consortium, a synthetic community composed of 12 members that is increasingly used as a model for the mouse gut microbiome. Combining monocultures and spent medium experiments with untargeted metabolomics revealed broad metabolic diversity in the consortium, constituting a dense cross-feeding network with more than 100 pairwise interactions. Quantitative analysis of the cross-feeding network revealed distinct C and N food webs, highlighting the two Bacteroidetes members Bacteroides caecimuris and Muribaculum intestinale as primary suppliers of carbon and a more diverse group as nitrogen providers. Cross-fed metabolites were mainly carboxylic acids, amino acids, and the so far not reported nucleobases. In particular, the dicarboxylic acids malate and fumarate provided a strong physiological benefit to consumers, presumably used in anaerobic respiration. Isotopic tracer experiments validated the fate of a subset of cross-fed metabolites, such as the conversion of the most abundant cross-fed compound succinate to butyrate. Thus, we show that this consortium is tailored to produce the anti-inflammatory metabolite butyrate. Overall, we provide evidence for metabolic niches generated and occupied by OMM members that lays a metabolic foundation to facilitate an understanding of the more complex in vivo behavior of this consortium in the mouse gut. IMPORTANCE This article maps out the cross-feeding network among 10 members of a synthetic consortium that is increasingly used as the model mouse gut microbiota. Combining metabolomics with in vitro cultivations, two dense networks of carbon and nitrogen exchange are described. The vast majority of the ∼100 interactions are synergistic in nature, in several cases providing distinct physiological benefits to the recipient species. These networks lay the groundwork toward understanding gut community dynamics and host-gut microbe interactions.
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Hertel J, Fässler D, Heinken A, Weiß FU, Rühlemann M, Bang C, Franke A, Budde K, Henning AK, Petersmann A, Völker U, Völzke H, Thiele I, Grabe HJ, Lerch MM, Nauck M, Friedrich N, Frost F. NMR Metabolomics Reveal Urine Markers of Microbiome Diversity and Identify Benzoate Metabolism as a Mediator between High Microbial Alpha Diversity and Metabolic Health. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12040308. [PMID: 35448495 PMCID: PMC9025190 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12040308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial metabolites measured using NMR may serve as markers for physiological or pathological host–microbe interactions and possibly mediate the beneficial effects of microbiome diversity. Yet, comprehensive analyses of gut microbiome data and the urine NMR metabolome from large general population cohorts are missing. Here, we report the associations between gut microbiota abundances or metrics of alpha diversity, quantified from stool samples using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with targeted urine NMR metabolites measures from 951 participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). We detected significant genus–metabolite associations for hippurate, succinate, indoxyl sulfate, and formate. Moreover, while replicating the previously reported association between hippurate and measures of alpha diversity, we identified formate and 4-hydroxyphenylacetate as novel markers of gut microbiome alpha diversity. Next, we predicted the urinary concentrations of each metabolite using genus abundances via an elastic net regression methodology. We found profound associations of the microbiome-based hippurate prediction score with markers of liver injury, inflammation, and metabolic health. Moreover, the microbiome-based prediction score for hippurate completely mediated the clinical association pattern of microbial diversity, hinting at a role of benzoate metabolism underlying the positive associations between high alpha diversity and healthy states. In conclusion, large-scale NMR urine metabolomics delivered novel insights into metabolic host–microbiome interactions, identifying pathways of benzoate metabolism as relevant candidates mediating the beneficial health effects of high microbial alpha diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Hertel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (D.F.); (H.-J.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Daniel Fässler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (D.F.); (H.-J.G.)
| | - Almut Heinken
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, H91 CF50 Galway, Ireland; (A.H.); (I.T.)
| | - Frank U. Weiß
- Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (F.U.W.); (M.M.L.); (F.F.)
| | - Malte Rühlemann
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (M.R.); (C.B.); (A.F.)
| | - Corinna Bang
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (M.R.); (C.B.); (A.F.)
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (M.R.); (C.B.); (A.F.)
| | - Kathrin Budde
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (K.B.); (A.-K.H.); (A.P.); (M.N.); (N.F.)
| | - Ann-Kristin Henning
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (K.B.); (A.-K.H.); (A.P.); (M.N.); (N.F.)
| | - Astrid Petersmann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (K.B.); (A.-K.H.); (A.P.); (M.N.); (N.F.)
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Oldenburg, D-26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Department of Functional Genomics, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Henry Völzke
- Institute for Community Medicine, University of Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Ines Thiele
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, H91 CF50 Galway, Ireland; (A.H.); (I.T.)
- Discipline of Microbiology, National University of Galway, H91 CF50 Galway, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 CY82 Cork, Ireland
- Ryan Institute, National University of Galway, H91 CF50 Galway, Ireland
| | - Hans-Jörgen Grabe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (D.F.); (H.-J.G.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Partner Site Rostock/Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Markus M. Lerch
- Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (F.U.W.); (M.M.L.); (F.F.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, D-80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Nauck
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (K.B.); (A.-K.H.); (A.P.); (M.N.); (N.F.)
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nele Friedrich
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (K.B.); (A.-K.H.); (A.P.); (M.N.); (N.F.)
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Fabian Frost
- Department of Internal Medicine A, University Medicine Greifswald, D-17475 Greifswald, Germany; (F.U.W.); (M.M.L.); (F.F.)
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The Stickland Reaction Precursor trans-4-Hydroxy-l-Proline Differentially Impacts the Metabolism of Clostridioides difficile and Commensal Clostridia. mSphere 2022; 7:e0092621. [PMID: 35350846 PMCID: PMC9044972 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00926-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
An intact gut microbiota confers colonization resistance against Clostridioides difficile through a variety of mechanisms, likely including competition for nutrients. Recently, proline was identified as an important environmental amino acid that C. difficile uses to support growth and cause significant disease. A posttranslationally modified form, trans-4-hydroxyproline, is highly abundant in collagen, which is degraded by host proteases in response to C. difficile toxin activity. The ability to dehydrate trans-4-hydroxyproline via the HypD glycyl radical enzyme is widespread among gut microbiota, including C. difficile and members of the commensal Clostridia, suggesting that this amino acid is an important nutrient in the host environment. Therefore, we constructed a C. difficile ΔhypD mutant and found that it was modestly impaired in fitness in a mouse model of infection, and was associated with an altered microbiota when compared to mice challenged with the wild-type strain. Changes in the microbiota between the two groups were largely driven by members of the Lachnospiraceae family and the Clostridium genus. We found that C. difficile and type strains of three commensal Clostridia had significant alterations to their metabolic gene expression in the presence of trans-4-hydroxyproline in vitro. The proline reductase (prd) genes were elevated in C. difficile, consistent with the hypothesis that trans-4-hydroxyproline is used by C. difficile to supply proline for energy metabolism. Similar transcripts were also elevated in some commensal Clostridia tested, although each strain responded differently. This suggests that the uptake and utilization of other nutrients by the commensal Clostridia may be affected by trans-4-hydroxyproline metabolism, highlighting how a common nutrient may be a signal to each organism to adapt to a unique niche. Further elucidation of the differences between them in the presence of hydroxyproline and other key nutrients will be important in determining their role in nutrient competition against C. difficile. IMPORTANCE Proline is an essential environmental amino acid that C. difficile uses to support growth and cause significant disease. A posttranslationally modified form, hydroxyproline, is highly abundant in collagen, which is degraded by host proteases in response to C. difficile toxin activity. The ability to dehydrate hydroxyproline via the HypD glycyl radical enzyme is widespread among gut microbiota, including C. difficile and members of the commensal Clostridia, suggesting that this amino acid is an important nutrient in the host environment. We found that C. difficile and three commensal Clostridia strains had significant, but different, alterations to their metabolic gene expression in the presence of hydroxyproline in vitro. This suggests that the uptake and utilization of other nutrients by the commensal Clostridia may be affected by hydroxyproline metabolism, highlighting how a common nutrient may be a signal to each organism to adapt to a unique niche. Further elucidation of the differences between them in the presence of hydroxyproline and other key nutrients will be important to determining their role in nutrient competition against C. difficile.
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Imwattana K, Putsathit P, Collins DA, Leepattarakit T, Kiratisin P, Riley TV, Knight DR. Global evolutionary dynamics and resistome analysis of Clostridioides difficile ribotype 017. Microb Genom 2022; 8:000792. [PMID: 35316173 PMCID: PMC9176289 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile PCR ribotype (RT) 017 ranks among the most successful strains of C. difficile in the world. In the past three decades, it has caused outbreaks on four continents, more than other ‘epidemic’ strains, but our understanding of the genomic epidemiology underpinning the spread of C. difficile RT 017 is limited. Here, we performed high-resolution phylogenomic and Bayesian evolutionary analyses on an updated and more representative dataset of 282 non-clonal C. difficile RT 017 isolates collected worldwide between 1981 and 2019. These analyses place an estimated time of global dissemination between 1953 and 1983 and identified the acquisition of the ermB-positive transposon Tn6194 as a key factor behind global emergence. This coincided with the introduction of clindamycin, a key inciter of C. difficile infection, into clinical practice in the 1960s. Based on the genomic data alone, the origin of C. difficile RT 017 could not be determined; however, geographical data and records of population movement suggest that C. difficile RT 017 had been moving between Asia and Europe since the Middle Ages and was later transported to North America around 1860 (95 % confidence interval: 1622–1954). A focused epidemiological study of 45 clinical C. difficile RT 017 genomes from a cluster in a tertiary hospital in Thailand revealed that the population consisted of two groups of multidrug-resistant (MDR) C. difficile RT 017 and a group of early, non-MDR C. difficile RT 017. The significant genomic diversity within each MDR group suggests that although they were all isolated from hospitalized patients, there was probably a reservoir of C. difficile RT 017 in the community that contributed to the spread of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korakrit Imwattana
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Papanin Putsathit
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Australia
| | - Deirdre A. Collins
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Australia
| | | | | | - Thomas V. Riley
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Australia
- Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Australia
| | - Daniel R. Knight
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia
- Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Australia
- *Correspondence: Daniel R. Knight,
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