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Isogai M, Kawamura K, Yagi T, Kayama S, Sugai M, Doi Y, Suzuki M. Evaluation of Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogenicity through holistic gene content analysis. Microb Genom 2024; 10. [PMID: 39298254 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes both community- and healthcare-associated infections. Although various virulence factors and highly pathogenic phenotypes have been reported, the pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae is still not fully understood. In this study, we utilized whole-genome sequencing data of 168 clinical K. pneumoniae strains to assess pathogenicity. This work was based on the concept that the genetic composition of individual genomes (referred to as holistic gene content) of the strains may contribute to their pathogenicity. Holistic gene content analysis revealed two distinct groups of K. pneumoniae strains ('major group' and 'minor group'). The minor group included strains with known highly pathogenic clones (ST23, ST375, ST65 and ST86). The minor group had higher rates of capsular genotype K1 and presence of nine specific virulence genes (rmpA, iucA, iutA, irp2, fyuA, ybtS, iroN, allS and clbA) compared to the major group. Pathogenicity was assessed using Galleria mellonella larvae. Infection experiments revealed lower survival rates of larvae infected with strains from the minor group, indicating higher virulence. In addition, the minor group had a higher string test positivity rate than the major group. Holistic gene content analysis predicted possession of virulence genes, string test positivity and pathogenicity as observed in the G. mellonella infection model. Moreover, the findings suggested the presence of as yet unrecognized genomic elements that are either involved in the acquisition of virulence genes or associated with pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miyu Isogai
- Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kumiko Kawamura
- Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yagi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shizuo Kayama
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Antimicrobial Resistance, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Motoyuki Sugai
- Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Antimicrobial Resistance, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yohei Doi
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
- Center for Innovative Antimicrobial Therapy, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Masahiro Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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Assoni L, Couto AJM, Vieira B, Milani B, Lima AS, Converso TR, Darrieux M. Animal models of Klebsiella pneumoniae mucosal infections. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1367422. [PMID: 38559342 PMCID: PMC10978692 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1367422] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae is among the most relevant pathogens worldwide, causing high morbidity and mortality, which is worsened by the increasing rates of antibiotic resistance. It is a constituent of the host microbiota of different mucosa, that can invade and cause infections in many different sites. The development of new treatments and prophylaxis against this pathogen rely on animal models to identify potential targets and evaluate the efficacy and possible side effects of therapeutic agents or vaccines. However, the validity of data generated is highly dependable on choosing models that can adequately reproduce the hallmarks of human diseases. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on animal models used to investigate K. pneumoniae infections, with a focus on mucosal sites. The advantages and limitations of each model are discussed and compared; the applications, extrapolations to human subjects and future modifications that can improve the current techniques are also presented. While mice are the most widely used species in K. pneumoniae animal studies, they present limitations such as the natural resistance to the pathogen and difficulties in reproducing the main steps of human mucosal infections. Other models, such as Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), Caenorhabditis elegans, Galleria mellonella and Danio rerio (zebrafish), contribute to understanding specific aspects of the infection process, such as bacterial lethality and colonization and innate immune system response, however, they but do not present the immunological complexity of mammals. In conclusion, the choice of the animal model of K. pneumoniae infection will depend mainly on the questions being addressed by the study, while a better understanding of the interplay between bacterial virulence factors and animal host responses will provide a deeper comprehension of the disease process and aid in the development of effective preventive/therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Michelle Darrieux
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular e Clínica, Universidade São Francisco, Bragança Paulista, Brazil
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Hamed SM, Mohamed HO, Ashour HM, Fahmy LI. Comparative genomic analysis of strong biofilm-forming Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates uncovers novel IS Ecp1-mediated chromosomal integration of a full plasmid-like sequence. Infect Dis (Lond) 2024; 56:91-109. [PMID: 37897710 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2023.2272624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The goal of the current study was to elucidate the genomic background of biofilm formation in Klebsiella pneumoniae. METHODS Clinical isolates were screened for biofilm formation using the crystal violet assay. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles were assessed by disk diffusion and broth microdilution tests. Biofilm formation was correlated to virulence and resistance genes screened by PCR. Draft genomes of three isolates that form strong biofilm were generated by Illumina sequencing. RESULTS Only the siderophore-coding gene iutA was significantly associated with more pronounced biofilm formation. ST1399-KL43-O1/O2v1 and ST11-KL15-O4 were assigned to the multidrug-resistant strain K21 and the extensively drug-resistant strain K237, respectively. ST1999-KL38-O12 was assigned to K57. Correlated with CRISPR/Cas distribution, more plasmid replicons and prophage sequences were identified in K21 and K237 compared to K57. The acquired AMR genes (blaOXA-48, rmtF, aac(6')-Ib and qnrB) and (blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M, aph(3')-VI, qnrS, and aac(6')-Ib-cr) were found in K237 and K21, respectively. The latter showed a novel ISEcp1-mediated chromosomal integration of replicon type IncM1 plasmid-like structure harboring blaCTX-M-14 and aph(3')-VI that uniquely interrupted rcsC. The plasmid-mediated heavy metal resistance genes merACDEPRT and arsABCDR were spotted in K21, which also exclusively carried the acquired virulence genes mrkABCDF and the hypervirulence-associated genes iucABCD-iutA, and rmpA/A2. Pangenome analysis revealed NTUH-K2044 accessory genes most frequently shared with K21. CONCLUSIONS While less virulent to Galleria mellonella than ST1999 (K57), the strong biofilm former, multidrug-resistant, NDM-producer K. pneumoniae K21 (ST1399-KL43-O1/O2v1) carries a novel chromosomally integrated plasmid-like structure and hypervirulence-associated genes and represents a serious threat to countries in the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira M Hamed
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza, Egypt
| | - Hend O Mohamed
- Department of Biological Control Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Hossam M Ashour
- Department of Integrative Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Lamiaa I Fahmy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza, Egypt
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Schmitz DA, Wechsler T, Mignot I, Kümmerli R. Predicting bacterial interaction outcomes from monoculture growth and supernatant assays. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae045. [PMID: 39081364 PMCID: PMC11287475 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
How to derive principles of community dynamics and stability is a central question in microbial ecology. Bottom-up experiments, in which a small number of bacterial species are mixed, have become popular to address it. However, experimental setups are typically limited because co-culture experiments are labor-intensive and species are difficult to distinguish. Here, we use a four-species bacterial community to show that information from monoculture growth and inhibitory effects induced by secreted compounds can be combined to predict the competitive rank order in the community. Specifically, integrative monoculture growth parameters allow building a preliminary competitive rank order, which is then adjusted using inhibitory effects from supernatant assays. While our procedure worked for two different media, we observed differences in species rank orders between media. We then parameterized computer simulations with our empirical data to show that higher order species interactions largely follow the dynamics predicted from pairwise interactions with one important exception. The impact of inhibitory compounds was reduced in higher order communities because their negative effects were spread across multiple target species. Altogether, we formulated three simple rules of how monoculture growth and supernatant assay data can be combined to establish a competitive species rank order in an experimental four-species community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Désirée A Schmitz
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Tobias Wechsler
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ingrid Mignot
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kümmerli
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Schmitz DA, Allen RC, Kümmerli R. Negative interactions and virulence differences drive the dynamics in multispecies bacterial infections. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231119. [PMID: 37491967 PMCID: PMC10369020 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial infections are often polymicrobial, leading to intricate pathogen-pathogen and pathogen-host interactions. There is increasing interest in studying the molecular basis of pathogen interactions and how such mechanisms impact host morbidity. However, much less is known about the ecological dynamics between pathogens and how they affect virulence and host survival. Here we address these open issues by co-infecting larvae of the insect model host Galleria mellonella with one, two, three or four bacterial species, all of which are opportunistic human pathogens. We found that host mortality was always determined by the most virulent species regardless of the number of species and pathogen combinations injected. In certain combinations, the more virulent pathogen simply outgrew the less virulent pathogen. In other combinations, we found evidence for negative interactions between pathogens inside the host, whereby the more virulent pathogen typically won a competition. Taken together, our findings reveal positive associations between a pathogen's growth inside the host, its competitiveness towards other pathogens and its virulence. Beyond being generalizable across species combinations, our findings predict that treatments against polymicrobial infections should first target the most virulent species to reduce host morbidity, a prediction we validated experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Désirée A. Schmitz
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard C. Allen
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Kümmerli
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Larval gut microbiome of Pelidnota luridipes (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): high bacterial diversity, different metabolic profiles on gut chambers and species with probiotic potential. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 38:210. [PMID: 36050590 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03387-1] [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: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Pelidnota luridipes Blanchard (1850) is a tropical beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, whose larvae live on wood without parental care. Microbiota of mid- and hindgut of larvae was evaluated by culture-dependent and independent methods, and the results show a diverse microbiota, with most species of bacteria and fungi shared between midgut and hindgut. We isolated 272 bacterial and 29 yeast isolates, identified in 57 and 7 species, respectively, while using metabarcoding, we accessed 1,481 and 267 OTUs of bacteria and fungi, respectively. The composition and abundance of bacteria and fungi differed between mid- and hindgut, with a tendency for higher richness and diversity of yeasts in the midgut, and bacteria on the hindgut. Some taxa are abundant in the intestine of P. luridipes larvae, such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria; as well as Saccharomycetales and Trichosporonales yeasts. Mid- and hindgut metabolic profiles differ (e.g. biosynthesis of amino acids, cofactors, and lipopolysaccharides) with higher functional diversity in the hindgut. Isolates have different functional traits such as secretion of hydrolytic enzymes and antibiosis against pathogens. Apiotrichum siamense L29A and Bacillus sp. BL17B protected larvae of the moth Galleria mellonella, against infection by the pathogens Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19111 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027. This is the first work with the larval microbiome of a Rutelini beetle, demonstrating its diversity and potential in prospecting microbial products as probiotics. The functional role of microbiota for the nutrition and adaptability of P. luridipes larvae needs to be evaluated in the future.
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Khan MT, Mahmud A, Hasan M, Azim KF, Begum MK, Rolin MH, Akter A, Mondal SI. Proteome Exploration of Legionella pneumophila To Identify Novel Therapeutics: a Hierarchical Subtractive Genomics and Reverse Vaccinology Approach. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0037322. [PMID: 35863001 PMCID: PMC9430848 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00373-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila is the causative agent of a severe type of pneumonia (lung infection) called Legionnaires' disease. It is emerging as an antibiotic-resistant strain day by day. Hence, identifying novel drug targets and vaccine candidates is essential to fight against this pathogen. Here, attempts were taken through a subtractive genomics approach on the complete proteome of L. pneumophila to address the challenges of multidrug resistance. A total of 2,930 proteins from L. pneumophila proteome were investigated through diverse subtractive proteomics approaches, e.g., identification of human nonhomologous and pathogen-specific essential proteins, druggability and "anti-target" analysis, subcellular localization prediction, human microbiome nonhomology screening, and protein-protein interaction studies to find out effective drug and vaccine targets. Only three fulfilled these criteria and were proposed as novel drug targets against L. pneumophila. Furthermore, outer membrane protein TolB was identified as a potential vaccine target with a better antigenicity score. Antigenicity and transmembrane topology screening, allergenicity and toxicity assessment, population coverage analysis, and a molecular docking approach were adopted to generate the most potent epitopes. The final vaccine was constructed by the combination of highly immunogenic epitopes, along with suitable adjuvant and linkers. The designed vaccine construct showed higher binding interaction with different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and human immune TLR-2 receptors with minimum deformability at the molecular level. The present study aids the development of novel therapeutics and vaccine candidates for efficient treatment and prevention of L. pneumophila infections. However, further wet-lab-based phenotypic and genomic investigations and in vivo trials are highly recommended to validate our prediction experimentally. IMPORTANCE Legionella pneumophila is a human pathogen distributed worldwide, causing Legionnaires' disease (LD), a severe form of pneumonia and respiratory tract infection. L. pneumophila is emerging as an antibiotic-resistant strain, and controlling LD is now difficult. Hence, developing novel drugs and vaccines against L. pneumophila is a major research priority. Here, the complete proteome of L. pneumophila was considered for subtractive genomics approaches to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Our subtractive proteomics approach identified three potential drug targets that are promising for future application. Furthermore, a possible vaccine candidate, "outer membrane protein TolB," was proposed using reverse vaccinology analysis. The constructed vaccine candidate showed higher binding interaction with MHC molecules and human immune TLR-2 receptors at the molecular level. Overall, the present study aids in developing novel therapeutics and vaccine candidates for efficient treatment of the infections caused by L. pneumophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Tahsin Khan
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Araf Mahmud
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Mahmudul Hasan
- Department of Pharmaceuticals and Industrial Biotechnology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Kazi Faizul Azim
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Musammat Kulsuma Begum
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Mohimenul Haque Rolin
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Arzuba Akter
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
| | - Shakhinur Islam Mondal
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
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Mariotti M, Lombardini G, Rizzo S, Scarafile D, Modesto M, Truzzi E, Benvenuti S, Elmi A, Bertocchi M, Fiorentini L, Gambi L, Scozzoli M, Mattarelli P. Potential Applications of Essential Oils for Environmental Sanitization and Antimicrobial Treatment of Intensive Livestock Infections. Microorganisms 2022; 10:822. [PMID: 35456873 PMCID: PMC9029798 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The extensive use of antibiotics has contributed to the current antibiotic resistance crisis. Livestock infections of Salmonella spp, Clostridium spp. and E. coli antimicrobial-resistant bacteria represent a public threat to human and animal health. To reduce the incidence of these zoonoses, essential oils (EOs) could be effective antibiotic alternatives. This study aims at identifying EOs safe for use, effective both in complementary therapy and in the environmental sanitization of intensive farming. Natural products were chemo-characterized by gas chromatography. Three S. Typhimurium, three C. perfringens and four E. coli strains isolated from poultry and swine farms were used to assess the antimicrobial properties of nine EOs and a modified GR-OLI (mGR-OLI). The toxicity of the most effective ones (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cz; Origanum vulgare, Ov) was also evaluated on porcine spermatozoa and Galleria mellonella larvae. Cz, Ov and mGR-OLI showed the strongest antimicrobial activity; their volatile components were also able to significantly inhibit the growth of tested strains. In vitro, Ov toxicity was slightly lower than Cz, while it showed no toxicity on G. mellonella larvae. In conclusion, the study confirms the importance of evaluating natural products to consolidate the idea of safe EO applications in reducing and preventing intensive livestock infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda Mariotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.L.); (S.R.)
| | - Giulia Lombardini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.L.); (S.R.)
| | - Silvia Rizzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.L.); (S.R.)
| | - Donatella Scarafile
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Università di Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (D.S.); (M.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Monica Modesto
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Università di Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (D.S.); (M.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Eleonora Truzzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (E.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Stefania Benvenuti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 103, 41125 Modena, Italy; (E.T.); (S.B.)
| | - Alberto Elmi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (A.E.); (M.B.)
| | - Martina Bertocchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell’Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (A.E.); (M.B.)
| | - Laura Fiorentini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER)—Sede Territoriale di Forlì, Via Don Eugenio Servadei 3E/3F, 47122 Forlì, Italy; (L.F.); (L.G.)
| | - Lorenzo Gambi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER)—Sede Territoriale di Forlì, Via Don Eugenio Servadei 3E/3F, 47122 Forlì, Italy; (L.F.); (L.G.)
| | - Maurizio Scozzoli
- Società Italiana per la Ricerca sugli Oli Essenziali (SIROE), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Paola Mattarelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Università di Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy; (D.S.); (M.M.); (P.M.)
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Bellavita R, Maione A, Merlino F, Siciliano A, Dardano P, De Stefano L, Galdiero S, Galdiero E, Grieco P, Falanga A. Antifungal and Antibiofilm Activity of Cyclic Temporin L Peptide Analogues against Albicans and Non-Albicans Candida Species. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020454. [PMID: 35214187 PMCID: PMC8877061 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporins are one of the largest families of antimicrobial peptides with both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. Herein, for a panel of cyclic temporin L isoform analogues, the antifungal and antibiofilm activities were determined against representative Candida strains, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. auris, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. The outcomes indicated a significant anti-candida activity against planktonic and biofilm growth for four peptides (3, 7, 15 and 16). The absence of toxicity up to high concentrations and survival after infection were assessed in vivo by using Galleria mellonella larvae, and the correlation between conformation and cytotoxicity was investigated by fluorescence assays and circular dichroism (CD). By combining fluorescence spectroscopy, CD, dynamic light scattering, confocal and atomic force microscopy, the mode of action of four analogues was hypothesized. The results pinpointed that peptide 3 emerged as a non-toxic compound showing a potent antibiofilm activity and represents a promising compound for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Angela Maione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Francesco Merlino
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Antonietta Siciliano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
| | - Principia Dardano
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (P.D.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Luca De Stefano
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (P.D.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Stefania Galdiero
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
| | - Emilia Galdiero
- Department of Biology, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.M.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (R.B.); (F.M.); (S.G.)
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
| | - Annarita Falanga
- Department of Agricultural Science, University of Naples ‘Federico II’, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.G.); (P.G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +39-081-679182 (E.G.); +39-081-678620 (P.G.); +39-081-2534503 (A.F.)
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Bugli F, Massaro F, Buonocore F, Saraceni PR, Borocci S, Ceccacci F, Bombelli C, Di Vito M, Marchitiello R, Mariotti M, Torelli R, Sanguinetti M, Porcelli F. Design and Characterization of Myristoylated and Non-Myristoylated Peptides Effective against Candida spp. Clinical Isolates. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:2164. [PMID: 35216297 PMCID: PMC8875392 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042164] [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: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing resistance of fungi to antibiotics is a severe challenge in public health, and newly effective drugs are required. Promising potential medications are lipopeptides, linear antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) conjugated to a lipid tail, usually at the N-terminus. In this paper, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of three short myristoylated and non-myristoylated peptides derived from a mutant of the AMP Chionodracine. We determined their interaction with anionic and zwitterionic membrane-mimicking vesicles and their structure during this interaction. We then investigated their cytotoxic and hemolytic activity against mammalian cells. Lipidated peptides showed a broad spectrum of activity against a relevant panel of pathogen fungi belonging to Candida spp., including the multidrug-resistant C. auris. The antifungal activity was also observed vs. biofilms of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. auris. Finally, a pilot efficacy study was conducted on the in vivo model consisting of Galleria mellonella larvae. Treatment with the most-promising myristoylated peptide was effective in counteracting the infection from C. auris and C. albicans and the death of the larvae. Therefore, this myristoylated peptide is a potential candidate to develop antifungal agents against human fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Bugli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.B.); (M.D.V.); (R.M.); (M.M.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Federica Massaro
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (F.M.); (F.B.); (P.R.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Francesco Buonocore
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (F.M.); (F.B.); (P.R.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Paolo Roberto Saraceni
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (F.M.); (F.B.); (P.R.S.); (S.B.)
| | - Stefano Borocci
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (F.M.); (F.B.); (P.R.S.); (S.B.)
- CNR—Institute for Biological Systems, Area Della Ricerca di Roma 1, SP35d 9, 00010 Montelibretti, Italy
| | - Francesca Ceccacci
- CNR—Institute For Biological Systems, Sede Secondaria di Roma-Meccanismi di Reazione, c/o Università La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Cecilia Bombelli
- CNR—Institute For Biological Systems, Sede Secondaria di Roma-Meccanismi di Reazione, c/o Università La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Maura Di Vito
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.B.); (M.D.V.); (R.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Rosalba Marchitiello
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.B.); (M.D.V.); (R.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Melinda Mariotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.B.); (M.D.V.); (R.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Riccardo Torelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Maurizio Sanguinetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (F.B.); (M.D.V.); (R.M.); (M.M.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Fernando Porcelli
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agrofood and Forest Systems, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (F.M.); (F.B.); (P.R.S.); (S.B.)
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11
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Kaskatepe B, Aslan Erdem S, Ozturk S, Safi Oz Z, Subasi E, Koyuncu M, Vlainić J, Kosalec I. Antifungal and Anti-Virulent Activity of Origanum majorana L. Essential Oil on Candida albicans and In Vivo Toxicity in the Galleria mellonella Larval Model. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27030663. [PMID: 35163928 PMCID: PMC8838586 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27030663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate and compare in detail both the antifungal activity in vitro (with planktonic and biofilm-forming cells) and the essential oil composition (EOs) of naturally growing (OMN) and cultivated (OMC) samples of Origanum majorana L. (marjoram). The essential oil composition was analyzed using GC-MS. The major constituent of both EOs was carvacrol: 75.3% and 84%, respectively. Both essential oils showed high antifungal activity against clinically relevant Candida spp. with IC50 and IC90 less than or equal to 0.5 µg mL−1 and inhibition of biofilm with a concentration of 3.5 µg mL−1 or less. Cultivated marjoram oil showed higher anti-biofilm activity against C. albicans. In addition, OMC showed greater inhibition of germ-tube formation (inhibition by 83% in Spider media), the major virulence factor of C. albicans at a concentration of 0.125 µg mL−1. Both EOs modulated cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), but OMN proved to be more active with a CSH% up to 58.41%. The efficacy of O. majorana EOs was also investigated using Galleria mellonella larvae as a model. It was observed that while the larvae of the control group infected with C. albicans (6.0 × 108 cells) and not receiving treatment died in the controls carried out after 24 h, all larvae in the infected treatment group survived at the end of the 96th hour. When the treatment group and the infected group were evaluated in terms of vital activities, it was found that the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The infection of larvae with C. albicans and the effects of O. majorana EOs on the hemocytes of the model organism and the blastospores of C. albicans were evaluated by light microscopy on slides stained with Giemsa. Cytological examination in the treatment group revealed that C. albicans blastospores were phagocytosed and morphological changes occurred in hemocytes. Our results indicated that the essential oil of both samples showed strong antifungal activities against planktonic and biofilm-forming C. albicans cells and also had an influence on putative virulence factors (germ-tube formation and its length and on CSH).
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Kaskatepe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey;
| | - Sinem Aslan Erdem
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Ankara 06560, Turkey;
| | - Sukran Ozturk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey;
| | - Zehra Safi Oz
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey;
| | - Eldan Subasi
- Microbiology Laboratory of Application and Research Hospital, Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak 67100, Turkey;
| | - Mehmet Koyuncu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyprus International University, Lefkosa 99258, Turkey;
| | | | - Ivan Kosalec
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Institute for Microbiology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +385-1639-4492
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12
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Prakoso D, Zhu X, Rajeev S. Galleria mellonella infection model to evaluate pathogenic and nonpathogenic Leptospira strains. Vet Microbiol 2022; 264:109295. [PMID: 34875420 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The Galleria mellonella larvae infection model is emerging as a valuable tool for studying various characteristics of infectious agents and host-pathogen interaction. This system has been widely recognized as a high throughput, ethical, and cost-effective invertebrate infection model to study the virulence and pathogenesis of various bacterial pathogens. In this study, we compared the effect of Leptospira infection in G. mellonella larvae infected with Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni (pathogenic) or Leptospira biflexa serovar Patoc (saprophytic) strains. We observed significant pathologic changes such as decreased activity, complete melanization, and lower survival rate in the G. mellonella larvae infected with a pathogenic strain L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni compared to those infected with a nonpathogenic strain L. biflexa serovar Patoc. Our study demonstrates the feasibility and the potential of using G. mellonella larvae as an alternative model to study virulence mechanisms and pathogenesis of Leptospira strains. Once optimized, the G. mellonella infection model can be a potential substitute for hamsters to explore various host and pathogen-related mechanistic events in Leptospira infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhani Prakoso
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, 37996, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Xiaojuan Zhu
- Office of Information Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Sreekumari Rajeev
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, 37996, Knoxville, TN, United States.
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Collins E, Martin C, Blomquist T, Phillips K, Cantlay S, Fisher N, Horzempa J. The utilization of Blaptica dubia cockroaches as an in vivo model to test antibiotic efficacy. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24004. [PMID: 34907348 PMCID: PMC8671488 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03486-3] [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: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are now well recognized as biologically relevant alternative hosts for dozens of mammalian pathogens and they are routinely used in microbial pathogenesis studies. Unfortunately, these models have yet to be incorporated into the drug development pipeline. The purpose of this work was to begin to evaluate the utility of orange spotted (Blaptica dubia) cockroaches in early antibiotic characterization. To determine whether these model hosts could exhibit mortality when infected with bacteria that are pathogenic to humans, we subjected B. dubia roaches to a range of infectious doses of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii to identify the medial lethal dose. These results showed that lethal disease did not develop following infection of high doses of S. aureus, and A. baumannii. However, cockroaches infected with E. coli and K. pneumoniae succumbed to infection (LD50s of 5.82 × 106 and 2.58 × 106 respectively) suggesting that this model may have limitations based on pathogen specificity. However, because these cockroaches were susceptible to infection from E. coli and K. pneumoniae, we used these bacterial strains for subsequent antibiotic characterization studies. These studies suggested that β-lactam antibiotic persistence and dose was associated with reduction of hemolymph bacterial burden. Moreover, our data indicated that the reduction of bacterial CFU was directly due to the drug activity. Altogether, this work suggests that the orange-spotted cockroach infection model provides an alternative in vivo setting from which antibiotic efficacy can be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot Collins
- Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA
| | - Caleb Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA
| | - Tyler Blomquist
- Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA
| | - Katherine Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA
| | - Stuart Cantlay
- Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA
| | | | - Joseph Horzempa
- Department of Biological Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
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14
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On the Offensive: the Role of Outer Membrane Vesicles in the Successful Dissemination of New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1). mBio 2021; 12:e0183621. [PMID: 34579567 PMCID: PMC8546644 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01836-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and worldwide dissemination of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria are a major public health threat. Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) represent the largest family of carbapenemases. Regrettably, these resistance determinants are spreading worldwide. Among them, the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1) is experiencing the fastest and largest geographical spread. NDM-1 β-lactamase is anchored to the bacterial outer membrane, while most MBLs are soluble, periplasmic enzymes. This unique cellular localization favors the selective secretion of active NDM-1 into outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Here, we advance the idea that NDM-containing vesicles serve as vehicles for the local dissemination of NDM-1. We show that OMVs with NDM-1 can protect a carbapenem-susceptible strain of Escherichia coli upon treatment with meropenem in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Survival curves of G. mellonella revealed that vesicle encapsulation enhances the action of NDM-1, prolonging and favoring bacterial protection against meropenem inside the larva hemolymph. We also demonstrate that E. coli cells expressing NDM-1 protect a susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain within the larvae in the presence of meropenem. By using E. coli variants engineered to secrete variable amounts of NDM-1, we demonstrate that the protective effect correlates with the amount of NDM-1 secreted into vesicles. We conclude that secretion of NDM-1 into OMVs contributes to the survival of otherwise susceptible nearby bacteria at infection sites. These results disclose that OMVs play a role in the establishment of bacterial communities, in addition to traditional horizontal gene transfer mechanisms.
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15
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Type VI Secretion System and Its Effectors PdpC, PdpD, and OpiA Contribute to Francisella Virulence in Galleria mellonella Larvae. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0057920. [PMID: 33875476 PMCID: PMC8208517 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00579-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Francisella tularensis causes the deadly zoonotic disease tularemia in humans and is able to infect a broad range of organisms including arthropods, which are thought to play a major role in Francisella transmission. However, while mammalian in vitro and in vivo infection models are widely used to investigate Francisella pathogenicity, a detailed characterization of the major Francisella virulence factor, a noncanonical type VI secretion system (T6SS), in an arthropod in vivo infection model is missing. Here, we use Galleria mellonella larvae to analyze the role of the Francisella T6SS and its corresponding effectors in F. tularensis subsp. novicida virulence. We report that G. mellonella larvae killing depends on the functional T6SS and infectious dose. In contrast to other mammalian in vivo infection models, even one of the T6SS effectors PdpC, PdpD, or OpiA is sufficient to kill G. mellonella larvae, while sheath recycling by ClpB is dispensable. We further demonstrate that treatment by polyethylene glycol (PEG) activates Francisella T6SS in liquid culture and that this is independent of the response regulator PmrA. PEG-activated IglC secretion is dependent on T6SS structural component PdpB but independent of putative effectors PdpC, PdpD, AnmK, OpiB1, OpiB2, and OpiB3. The results of larvae infection and secretion assay suggest that AnmK, a putative T6SS component with unknown function, interferes with OpiA-mediated toxicity but not with general T6SS activity. We establish that the easy-to-use G. mellonella larvae infection model provides new insights into the function of T6SS and pathogenesis of Francisella.
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16
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Maras B, Maggiore A, Mignogna G, D’Erme M, Angiolella L. Hyperexpression of CDRs and HWP1 genes negatively impacts on Candida albicans virulence. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252555. [PMID: 34061886 PMCID: PMC8168907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
C. albicans is a commensal organism present in the human microbiome of more than 60% of the healthy population. Transition from commensalism to invasive candidiasis may occur after a local or a general failure of host’s immune system. This transition to a more virulent phenotype may reside either on the capacity to form hyphae or on an acquired resistance to antifungal drugs. Indeed, overexpression of genes coding drug efflux pumps or adhesins, cell wall proteins facilitating the contact between the fungus and the host, usually marks the virulence profile of invasive Candida spp. In this paper, we compare virulence of two clinical isolates of C. albicans with that of laboratory-induced resistant strains by challenging G. mellonella larvae with these pathogens along with monitoring transcriptional profiles of drug efflux pumps genes CDR1, CDR2, MDR1 and the adhesin genes ALS1 and HWP1. Although both clinical isolates were found resistant to both fluconazole and micafungin they were found less virulent than laboratory-induced resistant strains. An unexpected behavior emerged for the former clinical isolate in which three genes, CDR1, CDR2 and HWP1, usually correlated with virulence, although hyperexpressed, conferred a less aggressive phenotype. On the contrary, in the other isolate, we observed a decreased expression of CDR1, CDR2 and HWP1as well as of MDR1 and ALS1 that may be consistent with the less aggressive performance observed in this strain. These altered gene expressions might directly influence Candida virulence or they might be an epiphenomenon of a vaster rearrangement occurred in these strains during the challenge with the host’s environment. An in-deepth comprehension of this scenario could be crucial for developing interventions able to counteract C. albicans invasiveness and lethality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Maras
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche ‘‘A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Universita`di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Maggiore
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche ‘‘A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Universita`di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Mignogna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche ‘‘A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Universita`di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria D’Erme
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche ‘‘A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Universita`di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Angiolella
- Dipartimento di Sanita`Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Universita`di Roma, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail:
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17
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New Quinone Antibiotics against Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10060614. [PMID: 34063846 PMCID: PMC8224091 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need for the development of new antibiotics. Here, we describe the inhibitory activity of new quinone compounds against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC® 43300), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (ATCC® 29213), and two clinical isolates from Chile (ISP-213 and ISP-214). We observed 99.9% reduction in viability within 2 h of exposure without the cultures exhibiting any post-antibiotic effect, which was twice the kinetics to that observed with vancomycin. These clinical isolates did not acquire resistance to these quinone derivatives during the course of our study. We found that these compounds protected larvae of the greater wax moth, sp. Galleria mellonella, from infection by these MRSA clinical strains as effectively as vancomycin. These quinone derivatives are potential drug candidates worth further development.
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18
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Abou El-Ela AS, Dessoky ES, Masry S, Arshad A, Munawar A, Qamer S, Abdelkhalek A, Behiry SI, Kordy A. Plasticity in life features, parasitism and super-parasitism behavior of Bracon hebetor, an important natural enemy of Galleria mellonella and other lepidopteran host species. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:3351-3361. [PMID: 34121872 PMCID: PMC8176007 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The wasp, Bracon hebetor Say, is an important potential biocontrol agent of a wide range of lepidopteran insect species. The current study was subjected to compare these ectoparasitoid fitness traits on different host species belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Moreover, we determine the population dynamic with different host densities, sex ratio patterns, super-parasitism, longevity, paralysis success, and reproductive potential under laboratory conditions. Our results revealed that oviposition increased with an increase in host density, while the adult emergence and egg hatching were decreased due to the super-parasitism on host larvae. A higher male and female-biased population were observed when virgin and mated females offered fresh hosts. Adults' longevity was recorded more in females than males when kept only with bee honey + royal jelly + host larvae. The mean duration of egg-adult development was recorded higher on Galleria mellonella and lowest on Busseola fusca. The parasitization rate, super-parasitism, and cumulative fecundity of mated and virgin female wasps with different host species were observed higher on specific host Galleria mellonella while it was lower on Phthorimaea operculella. Furthermore, the parasitoids having mating experience preferred fresh, while the parasitoids' lack of mating experiences preferred paralyzed host under olfactometer test. Besides, this research has produced novel facts on the biology of parasitic wasp, B. hebetor that may guide the advancement of sustainable biological control programs to control lepidopteran pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amr S. Abou El-Ela
- Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21531, Egypt
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 310000, China
| | - Eldessoky S. Dessoky
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saad Masry
- Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis Department, ALCRI, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El Arab City, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
- Research and Development Division, ADAFSA, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aqsa Arshad
- Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Asim Munawar
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 310000, China
| | - Samina Qamer
- Department of Zoology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ahmed Abdelkhalek
- Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis Department, ALCRI, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El Arab City, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
- Corresponding author at: Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis Department, ALCRI, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El Arab City, Alexandria 21934, Egypt.
| | - Said I. Behiry
- Agricultural Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21531, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Kordy
- Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21531, Egypt
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19
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Durieux MF, Melloul É, Jemel S, Roisin L, Dardé ML, Guillot J, Dannaoui É, Botterel F. Galleria mellonella as a screening tool to study virulence factors of Aspergillus fumigatus. Virulence 2021; 12:818-834. [PMID: 33682618 PMCID: PMC7946008 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1893945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The invertebrate Galleria mellonella has increasingly and widely been used in the last few years to study complex host–microbe interactions. Aspergillus fumigatus is one of the most pathogenic fungi causing life-threatening diseases in humans and animals. Galleria mellonella larvae has been proven as a reliable model for the analysis of pathogenesis and virulence factors, enable to screen a large number of A. fumigatus strains. This review describes the different uses of G. mellonella to study A. fumigatus and provides a comparison of the different protocols to trace fungal pathogenicity. The review also includes a summary of the diverse mutants tested in G. mellonella, and their respective contribution to A. fumigatus virulence. Previous investigations indicated that G. mellonella should be considered as an interesting tool even though a mammalian model may be required to complete and verify initial data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Fleur Durieux
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.,EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France
| | - Élise Melloul
- EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France
| | - Sana Jemel
- EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France
| | - Lolita Roisin
- EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France
| | - Marie-Laure Dardé
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie - Mycologie, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Jacques Guillot
- EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France.,École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Éric Dannaoui
- EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France.,Unité de Parasitologie-mycologie, Service de Microbiologie, Université Paris Descartes, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Botterel
- EA 7380 Dynamic, Université Paris Est Créteil, EnvA, USC ANSES, Créteil, France.,Unité de Mycologie, Département de Prévention, Diagnostic Et Traitement Des Infections, Groupe Hospitalier Henri Mondor - Albert Chenevier, APHP, France
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20
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Bruchmann S, Feltwell T, Parkhill J, Short FL. Identifying virulence determinants of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Galleria mellonella. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:6123718. [PMID: 33512418 PMCID: PMC7981267 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae are a major public health threat. Extensively drug-resistant and even pan-resistant strains have been reported. Understanding K. pneumoniae pathogenesis is hampered by the fact that murine models of infection offer limited resolution for non-hypervirulent strains which cause the majority of infections. The insect Galleria mellonella larva is a widely used alternative model organism for bacterial pathogens. We have performed genome-scale fitness profiling of a multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae ST258 strain during infection of G. mellonella, to determine if this model is suitable for large-scale virulence factor discovery in this pathogen. Our results demonstrated a dominant role for surface polysaccharides in infection, with contributions from siderophores, cell envelope proteins, purine biosynthesis genes and additional genes of unknown function. Comparison with a hypervirulent strain, ATCC 43816, revealed substantial overlap in important infection-related genes, as well as additional putative virulence factors specific to ST258, reflecting strain-dependent fitness effects. Our analysis also identified a role for the metalloregulatory protein NfeR (YqjI) in virulence. Overall, this study offers new insight into the infection fitness landscape of K. pneumoniae, and provides a framework for using the highly flexible and easily scalable G. mellonella infection model to dissect molecular virulence mechanisms of bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Bruchmann
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.,Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Theresa Feltwell
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK.,Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 3PU, UK
| | - Julian Parkhill
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Francesca L Short
- Pathogen Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK.,Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 3PU, UK.,Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
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21
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Wojda I, Staniec B, Sułek M, Kordaczuk J. The greater wax moth Galleria mellonella: biology and use in immune studies. Pathog Dis 2020; 78:ftaa057. [PMID: 32970818 PMCID: PMC7683414 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftaa057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The greater wax moth Galleria mellonella is an invertebrate that is increasingly being used in scientific research. Its ease of reproduction, numerous offspring, short development cycle, and finally, its known genome and immune-related transcriptome provide a convenient research model for investigation of insect immunity at biochemical and molecular levels. Galleria immunity, consisting of only innate mechanisms, shows adaptive plasticity, which has recently become the subject of intensive scientific research. This insect serves as a mini host in studies of the pathogenicity of microorganisms and in vivo tests of the effectiveness of single virulence factors as well as new antimicrobial compounds. Certainly, the Galleria mellonella species deserves our attention and appreciation for its contribution to the development of research on innate immune mechanisms. In this review article, we describe the biology of the greater wax moth, summarise the main advantages of using it as a model organism and present some of the main techniques facilitating work with this insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Wojda
- Maria Curie Sklodowska University, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Immunobiology, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Bernard Staniec
- Maria Curie Sklodowska University, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Zoology and Nature Protection, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Michał Sułek
- Maria Curie Sklodowska University, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Immunobiology, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
| | - Jakub Kordaczuk
- Maria Curie Sklodowska University, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Immunobiology, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
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22
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Woolley VC, Teakle GR, Prince G, de Moor CH, Chandler D. Cordycepin, a metabolite of Cordyceps militaris, reduces immune-related gene expression in insects. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 177:107480. [PMID: 33022282 PMCID: PMC7768946 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
High doses of cordycepin are lethal to G. mellonella. Cordycepin interacts with EPF to increase the rate of G. mellonella mortality. Cordycepin reduces immune-related gene expression in G. mellonella and S2r+ cells.
Hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) are natural regulators of insect populations in terrestrial environments. Their obligately-killing life-cycle means that there is likely to be strong selection pressure for traits that allow them to evade the effects of the host immune system. In this study, we quantified the effects of cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine), a secondary metabolite produced by Cordyceps militaris (Hypocreales, Cordycipitaceae), on insect susceptibility to EPF infection and on insect immune gene expression. Application of the immune stimulant curdlan (20 µg ml−1, linear beta-1,3-glucan, a constituent of fungal cell walls) to Drosophila melanogaster S2r+ cells resulted in a significant increase in the expression of the immune effector gene metchnikowin compared to a DMSO-only control, but there was no significant increase when curdlan was co-applied with 25 µg ml−1 cordycepin dissolved in DMSO. Injection of cordycepin into larvae of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) resulted in dose-dependent mortality (LC50 of cordycepin = 2.1 mg per insect 6 days after treatment). Incubating conidia of C. militaris and Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales, Cordycipitaceae; an EPF that does not synthesize cordycepin) with 3.0 mg ml−1 cordycepin had no effect on the numbers of conidia germinating in vitro. Co-injection of G. mellonella with a low concentration of cordycepin (3.0 mg ml−1) plus 10 or 100 conidia per insect of C. militaris or B. bassiana caused a significant decrease in insect median survival time compared to injection with the EPF on their own. Analysis of predicted vs. observed mortalities indicated a synergistic interaction between cordycepin and the EPF. The injection of C. militaris and B. bassiana into G. mellonella resulted in increased expression of the insect immune effector genes lysozyme, IMPI and gallerimycin at 72 h post injection, but this did not occur when the EPF were co-injected with 3.0 mg ml−1 cordycepin. In addition, we observed increased expression of IMPI and lysozyme at 48 h after injection with C. militaris, B. bassiana and sham injection (indicating a wounding response), but this was also prevented by application of cordycepin. These results suggest that cordycepin has potential to act as a suppressor of the immune response during fungal infection of insect hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C Woolley
- Warwick Crop Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK.
| | - Graham R Teakle
- Warwick Crop Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
| | - Gillian Prince
- Warwick Crop Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
| | - Cornelia H de Moor
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - David Chandler
- Warwick Crop Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
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23
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Zhao Y, Mei L, Si Y, Wu J, Shao J, Wang T, Yan G, Wang C, Wu D. Sodium New Houttuyfonate Affects Transcriptome and Virulence Factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Controlled by Quorum Sensing. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:572375. [PMID: 33123010 PMCID: PMC7566558 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.572375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As a major opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa can produce various virulence factors and form biofilms. These processes are controlled by the quorum sensing (QS) system. Sodium new houttuyfonate (SNH) is an adduct of houttuyfonate, the main component of the common Chinese medicine plant Houttuynia cordata, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. We evaluated the effect of SNH on P. aeruginosa biofilms, virulence factors, and transcription. Transcriptome analysis showed that the key rhlI and pqsA genes of the P. aeruginosa QS system were down-regulated after SNH treatment. SNH reduces proteases and pyocyanin production and inhibits biofilm formation by regulating the P. aeruginosa QS system. SNH also changes the expression of genes related to virulence factors and biofilms (lasA, lasB, lecA, phzM, pqsA, and pilG). These results suggested that the mechanism of SNH against P. aeruginosa by affecting the expression of biofilm and virulence factors controlled by quorum sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeye Zhao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Longfei Mei
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanqing Si
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Jiadi Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Shao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Tianming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Guiming Yan
- Division of Molecular and Cell Biophysics, Hefei National Science Center for Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Changzhong Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Daqiang Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Division of Molecular and Cell Biophysics, Hefei National Science Center for Physical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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24
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Wu J, Wu D, Zhao Y, Si Y, Mei L, Shao J, Wang T, Yan G, Wang C. Sodium New Houttuyfonate Inhibits Candida albicans Biofilm Formation by Inhibiting the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 Pathway Revealed by RNA-seq. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:2075. [PMID: 32983053 PMCID: PMC7477049 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.02075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we aim to investigate the antifungal effect and mechanism of action of sodium new houttuyfonate (SNH) against Candida albicans. Microdilution analysis results showed that SNH possesses potent inhibitory activity against C. albicans SC5314, with a MIC80 of 256 μg/mL. Furthermore, we found that SNH can effectively inhibit the initial adhesion of C. albicans. Inverted microscopy, crystal violet staining, scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy results showed that morphological changes during the transition from yeast to hypha and the biofilm formation of C. albicans are repressed by SNH treatment. We also found that SNH can effectively inhibit the biofilm formation of clinical C. albicans strains (Z103, Z3044, Z1402, and Z1407) and SNH in combination with fluconazole, berberine chloride, caspofungin and itraconazole antifungal agents can synergistically inhibit the biofilm formation of C. albicans. Eukaryotic transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR results showed that SNH treatment resulted in significantly down-regulated expression in several biofilm formation related genes in the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway (ALS1, ALA1, ALS3, EAP1, RAS1, EFG1, HWP1, and TEC1) and significantly up-regulated expression in yeast form-associated genes (YWP1 and RHD1). We also found that SNH can effectively reduce the production of key messenger cAMP in the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway. Furthermore, using Galleria mellonella as an in vivo model we found that SNH can effectively treat C. albicans infection in vivo. Our presented results suggest that SNH exhibits potential antibiofilm effects related to inhibiting the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway in the biofilm formation of C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiadi Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Daqiang Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Research Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Yeye Zhao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanqing Si
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Longfei Mei
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Shao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Research Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Tianming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Guiming Yan
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Hefei, China
| | - Changzhong Wang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Research Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Compound Formula in Anhui Province, Hefei, China
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25
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Fredericks LR, Lee MD, Roslund CR, Crabtree AM, Allen PB, Rowley PA. The design and implementation of restraint devices for the injection of pathogenic microorganisms into Galleria mellonella. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230767. [PMID: 32730254 PMCID: PMC7392296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The injection of laboratory animals with pathogenic microorganisms poses a significant safety risk because of the potential for injury by accidental needlestick. This is especially true for researchers using invertebrate models of disease due to the required precision and accuracy of the injection. The restraint of the greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) is often achieved by grasping a larva firmly between finger and thumb. Needle resistant gloves or forceps can be used to reduce the risk of a needlestick but can result in animal injury, a loss of throughput, and inconsistencies in experimental data. Restraint devices are commonly used for the manipulation of small mammals, and in this manuscript, we describe the construction of two devices that can be used to entrap and restrain G. mellonella larvae prior to injection with pathogenic microbes. These devices reduce the manual handling of larvae and provide an engineering control to protect against accidental needlestick injury while maintaining a high rate of injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance R. Fredericks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Mark D. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Cooper R. Roslund
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Angela M. Crabtree
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Peter B. Allen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Rowley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of the Efficacy of Bromoageliferin, an Alkaloid Isolated from the Sponge Agelas dilatata, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18060326. [PMID: 32585891 PMCID: PMC7345159 DOI: 10.3390/md18060326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The pyrrole-imidazoles, a group of alkaloids commonly found in marine sponges belonging to the genus Agelas, display a wide range of biological activities. Herein, we report the first chemical study of the secondary metabolites of the sponge A. dilatata from the coastal area of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico). In this study, we isolated eight known alkaloids from an organic extract of the sponge. We used NMR and MS analysis and comparison with existing databases to characterize the alkaloids: ageliferin (1), bromoageliferin (2), dibromoageliferin (3), sceptrin (4), nakamuric acid (5), 4-bromo-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (6), 4,5-dibromopyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (7) and 3,7-dimethylisoguanine (8). We also evaluated, for the first time, the activity of these alkaloids against the most problematic multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, i.e., the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii. Bromoageliferin (2) displayed significant activity against P. aeruginosa. Comparison of the antibacterial activity of ageliferins 1–3 (of similar structure) against P. aeruginosa revealed some relationship between structure and activity. Furthermore, in in vitro assays, 2 inhibited growth and biofilm production in clinical strains of P. aeruginosa. Moreover, 2 increased the survival time in an in vivo Galleria mellonella model of infection. The findings confirm bromoageliferin (2) as a potential lead for designing new antibacterial drugs.
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27
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Tagliaferri TL, Guimarães NR, Pereira MDPM, Vilela LFF, Horz HP, Dos Santos SG, Mendes TADO. Exploring the Potential of CRISPR-Cas9 Under Challenging Conditions: Facing High-Copy Plasmids and Counteracting Beta-Lactam Resistance in Clinical Strains of Enterobacteriaceae. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:578. [PMID: 32425894 PMCID: PMC7203346 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis urgently requires countermeasures for reducing the dissemination of plasmid-borne resistance genes. Of particular concern are opportunistic pathogens of Enterobacteriaceae. One innovative approach is the CRISPR-Cas9 system which has recently been used for plasmid curing in defined strains of Escherichia coli. Here we exploited this system further under challenging conditions: by targeting the blaTEM–1 AMR gene located on a high-copy plasmid (i.e., 100–300 copies/cell) and by directly tackling blaTEM–1-positive clinical isolates. Upon CRISPR-Cas9 insertion into a model strain of E. coli harboring blaTEM–1 on the plasmid pSB1A2, the plasmid number and, accordingly, the blaTEM–1 gene expression decreased but did not become extinct in a subpopulation of CRISPR-Cas9 treated bacteria. Sequence alterations in blaTEM–1 were observed, likely resulting in a dysfunction of the gene product. As a consequence, a full reversal to an antibiotic sensitive phenotype was achieved, despite plasmid maintenance. In a clinical isolate of E. coli, plasmid clearance and simultaneous re-sensitization to five beta-lactams was possible. Reusability of antibiotics could be confirmed by rescuing larvae of Galleria mellonella infected with CRISPR-Cas9-treated E. coli, as opposed to infection with the unmodified clinical isolate. The drug sensitivity levels could also be increased in a clinical isolate of Enterobacter hormaechei and to a lesser extent in Klebsiella variicola, both of which harbored additional resistance genes affecting beta-lactams. The data show that targeting drug resistance genes is encouraging even when facing high-copy plasmids. In clinical isolates, the simultaneous interference with multiple genes mediating overlapping drug resistance might be the clue for successful phenotype reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaysa Leite Tagliaferri
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Natália Rocha Guimarães
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Liza Figueiredo Felicori Vilela
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Hans-Peter Horz
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Simone Gonçalves Dos Santos
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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28
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Jitprasutwit S, Jitprasutwit N, Hemsley CM, Onlamoon N, Withatanung P, Muangsombut V, Vattanaviboon P, Stevens JM, Ong C, Stevens MP, Titball RW, Korbsrisate S. Identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei Genes Induced During Infection of Macrophages by Differential Fluorescence Induction. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:72. [PMID: 32153515 PMCID: PMC7047822 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, can survive and replicate in macrophages. Little is known about B. pseudomallei genes that are induced during macrophage infection. We constructed a B. pseudomallei K96243 promoter trap library with genomic DNA fragments fused to the 5' end of a plasmid-borne gene encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). Microarray analysis showed that the library spanned 88% of the B. pseudomallei genome. The recombinant plasmids were introduced into Burkholderia thailandensis E264, and promoter fusions active during in vitro culture were removed. J774A.1 murine macrophages were infected with the promoter trap library, and J774A.1 cells containing fluorescent bacteria carrying plasmids with active promoters were isolated using flow cytometric-based cell sorting. Candidate macrophage-induced B. pseudomallei genes were identified from the location of the insertions containing an active promoter activity. A proportion of the 138 genes identified in this way have been previously reported to be involved in metabolism and transport, virulence, or adaptation. Novel macrophage-induced B. pseudomallei genes were also identified. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR analysis of 13 selected genes confirmed gene induction during macrophage infection. Deletion mutants of two macrophage-induced genes from this study were attenuated in Galleria mellonella larvae, suggesting roles in virulence. B. pseudomallei genes activated during macrophage infection may contribute to intracellular life and pathogenesis and merit further investigation toward control strategies for melioidosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siroj Jitprasutwit
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Niramol Jitprasutwit
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Nattawat Onlamoon
- Siriraj Research Group in Immunobiology and Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Patoo Withatanung
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Veerachat Muangsombut
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Joanne M. Stevens
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Ong
- Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mark P. Stevens
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sunee Korbsrisate
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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29
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Gilpin DF, McGown KA, Gallagher K, Bengoechea J, Dumigan A, Einarsson G, Elborn JS, Tunney MM. Electronic cigarette vapour increases virulence and inflammatory potential of respiratory pathogens. Respir Res 2019; 20:267. [PMID: 31847850 PMCID: PMC6918581 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-019-1206-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bacteria have been extensively implicated in the development of smoking related diseases, such as COPD, by either direct infection or bacteria-mediated inflammation. In response to the health risks associated with tobacco exposure, the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) has increased. This study compared the effect of e-cig vapour (ECV) and cigarette smoke (CSE) on the virulence and inflammatory potential of key lung pathogens (Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). METHODS Biofilm formation, virulence in the Galleria mellonella infection model, antibiotic susceptibility and IL-8/TNF-α production in A549 cells, were compared between bacteria exposed to ECV, CSE and non-exposed bacteria. RESULTS Statistically significant increases in biofilm and cytokine secretion were observed following bacterial exposure to either ECV or CSE, compared to non-exposed bacteria; the effect of exposure to ECV on bacterial phenotype and virulence was comparable, and in some cases greater, than that observed following CSE exposure. Treatment of A549 cells with cell signaling pathway inhibitors prior to infection, did not suggest that alternative signaling pathways were being activated following exposure of bacteria to either ECV or CSE. CONCLUSIONS These findings therefore suggest that ECV and CSE can induce changes in phenotype and virulence of key lung pathogens, which may increase bacterial persistence and inflammatory potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre F Gilpin
- Halo Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK.
| | - Katie-Ann McGown
- Halo Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Kevin Gallagher
- Halo Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Jose Bengoechea
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Amy Dumigan
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Gisli Einarsson
- Halo Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - J Stuart Elborn
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Michael M Tunney
- Halo Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 7BL, UK
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30
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Kordes A, Grahl N, Koska M, Preusse M, Arce-Rodriguez A, Abraham WR, Kaever V, Häussler S. Establishment of an induced memory response in Pseudomonas aeruginosa during infection of a eukaryotic host. THE ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2018-2030. [PMID: 30952997 PMCID: PMC6775985 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0412-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In a given habitat, bacterial cells often experience recurrent exposures to the same environmental stimulus. The ability to memorize the past event and to adjust current behaviors can lead to efficient adaptation to the recurring stimulus. Here we demonstrate that the versatile bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa adopts a virulence phenotype after serial passage in the invertebrate model host Galleria mellonella. The virulence phenotype was not linked to the acquisition of genetic variations and was sustained for several generations, despite cultivation of the ex vivo virulence-adapted P. aeruginosa cells under rich medium conditions in vitro. Transcriptional reprogramming seemed to be induced by a host-specific food source, as reprogramming was also observed upon cultivation of P. aeruginosa in rich medium supplemented with polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acids. The establishment of induced memory responses adds a time dimension and seems to fill the gap between long-term evolutionary genotypic adaptation and short-term induced individual responses. Efforts to unravel the fundamental mechanisms that underlie the carry-over effect to induce such memory responses will continue to be of importance as hysteretic behavior can serve survival of bacterial populations in changing and challenging habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Kordes
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Nora Grahl
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Michal Koska
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Matthias Preusse
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
| | - Alejandro Arce-Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
| | - Wolf-Rainer Abraham
- Department of Chemical Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany
| | - Volkhard Kaever
- Research Core Unit Metabolomics and Institute of Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Susanne Häussler
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, 30625, Germany.
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, 38124, Germany.
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Kay S, Edwards J, Brown J, Dixon R. Galleria mellonella Infection Model Identifies Both High and Low Lethality of Clostridium perfringens Toxigenic Strains and Their Response to Antimicrobials. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1281. [PMID: 31333591 PMCID: PMC6616247 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Research progress into mechanisms of the anaerobe Clostridium perfringens and associated diseases has been frustrated by the lack of reliable infection models. Wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) have emerged as a viable alternative to other models of infection since they are economic, survive at 37°C and require no specialist equipment. This study aims to establish to what extent G. mellonella larvae can be used to study the virulence of C. perfringens strains and its suitability for studying novel treatment strategies by an improved time-lapse approach to data collection. Mortality and morbidity rates of larvae challenged with 105 CFU of C. perfringens isolates from various sources were observed over 72 h and dose response data obtained. Phenoloxidase enzyme activity was investigated as a marker for immune response and tissue burden assessed by histopathological techniques. Results demonstrate that C. perfringens is pathogenic toward G. mellonella although potency varies dramatically between C. perfringens isolates and the reference strain ATCC 13124 was shown to be avirulent. Infection with C. perfringens strains activated the melanisation pathway resulting in melanin deposition but no increase in enzyme activity was observed. Efficacy of antibiotic therapy (penicillin G, bacitracin, neomycin, and tetracycline) administered parenterally to some extent correlates with that of in vitro analysis. The findings suggest G. mellonella might be a useful in vivo model of infection and convenient as a pre-screening assay for virulence of C. perfringens strains or as a simple, cheap and rapid in vivo assay in the first stage development of novel therapeutics against anaerobes. HIGHLIGHTS -Potential novel in vivo model for the study of Clostridium perfringens infection.-Novel time-lapse approach to data collection.-First report of the pathogenicity of C. perfringens toward G. mellonella.-First report of the efficacy of antibiotic therapy in response to C. perfringens infection in G. mellonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sammy Kay
- School of Life Sciences, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom.,Arden Biotechnology, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Edwards
- School of Life Sciences, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom.,Arden Biotechnology, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ronald Dixon
- School of Life Sciences, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
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Cools F, Torfs E, Aizawa J, Vanhoutte B, Maes L, Caljon G, Delputte P, Cappoen D, Cos P. Optimization and Characterization of a Galleria mellonella Larval Infection Model for Virulence Studies and the Evaluation of Therapeutics Against Streptococcus pneumoniae. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:311. [PMID: 30846978 PMCID: PMC6394149 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia. Infection is linked to high morbidity and mortality rates and antibiotic resistance within this pathogen is on the rise. Therefore, there is a need for novel antimicrobial therapies. To lower the time and costs of the drug discovery process, alternative in vivo models should be considered. As such, Galleria mellonella larvae can be of great value. The larval immunity consisting of several types of haemocytes is remarkably similar to the human innate immune system. Furthermore, these larvae don’t require specific housing, are cheap and are easy to handle. In this study, the use of a G. mellonella infection model to study early pneumococcal infections and treatment is proposed. Firstly, the fitness of this model to study pneumococcal virulence factors is confirmed using streptococcal strains TIGR4, ATCC®49619, D39 and its capsule-deficient counterpart R6 at different inoculum sizes. The streptococcal polysaccharide capsule is considered the most important virulence factor without which streptococci are unable to sustain an in vivo infection. Kaplan–Meier survival curves showed indeed a higher larval survival after infection with streptococcal strain R6 compared to strain D39. Then, the infection was characterized by determining the number of haemocytes, production of oxygen free radicals and bacterial burden at several time points during the course of infection. Lastly, treatment of infected larvae with the standard antibiotics amoxicillin and moxifloxacin was evaluated. Treatment has proven to have a positive outcome on the course of infection, depending on the administered dosage. These data imply that G. mellonella larvae can be used to evaluate antimicrobial therapies against S. pneumoniae, apart from using the larval model to study streptococcal properties. The in-depth knowledge acquired regarding this model, makes it more suitable for use in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya Cools
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Eveline Torfs
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Juliana Aizawa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Bieke Vanhoutte
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Peter Delputte
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Davie Cappoen
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Paul Cos
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
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The Galleria mellonella Infection Model for Investigating the Molecular Mechanisms of Legionella Virulence. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1921:333-346. [PMID: 30694503 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9048-1_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Legionella species evolved virulence factors to exploit protozoa as replicative niches in the environment. Cell culture infection models demonstrated that many of these factors also enable the bacteria to thrive in human macrophages; however, these models do not recapitulate the complex interactions between macrophages, lung epithelial, and additional immune cells, which are crucial to control bacterial infections. Thus, suitable infection models are required to understand which bacterial factors are important to trigger disease. Guinea pigs and, most frequently, mice have been successfully used as mammalian model hosts; however, ethical and economic considerations impede their use in high-throughput screening studies of Legionella isolates or small molecule inhibitors.Here, we describe the larvae of the lepidopteran Galleria mellonella as insect model of Legionella pathogenesis. Larvae can be obtained from commercial suppliers in large numbers, maintained without the need of specialized equipment, and infected by injection. Although lacking the complexity of a mammalian immune system, the larvae mount humoral and cellular immune responses to infection. L. pneumophila strain 130b and other prototype isolates withstand these responses and use the Defective in organelle trafficking/Intracellular multiplication (Dot/Icm) type IV secretion system (T4SS ) to inject effectors enabling survival and replication in hemocytes, insect phagocytes, ultimately leading to the death of the larvae. Differences in virulence between L. pneumophila isolates or gene deletion mutants can be analyzed using indicators of larval health and immune induction, such as pigmentation, mobility, histopathology, and survival. Bacterial replication can be measured by plating hemolymph or by immunofluorescence microscopy of isolated circulating hemocytes from infected larvae. Combined, these straightforward experimental readouts make G. mellonella larvae a versatile model host to rapidly assess the virulence of different Legionella isolates and investigate the role of specific virulence factors in overcoming innate host defense mechanisms.
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Chromatographic Analyses, In Vitro Biological Activities, and Cytotoxicity of Cannabis sativa L. Essential Oil: A Multidisciplinary Study. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123266. [PMID: 30544765 PMCID: PMC6320915 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to renewed interest in the cultivation and production of Italian Cannabis sativa L., we proposed a multi-methodological approach to explore chemically and biologically both the essential oil and the aromatic water of this plant. We reported the chemical composition in terms of cannabinoid content, volatile component, phenolic and flavonoid pattern, and color characteristics. Then, we demonstrated the ethnopharmacological relevance of this plant cultivated in Italy as a source of antioxidant compounds toward a large panel of enzymes (pancreatic lipase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and cholinesterases) and selected clinically relevant, multidrug-sensible, and multidrug-resistant microbial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Helicobacter pylori, Candida, and Malassezia spp.), evaluating the cytotoxic effects against normal and malignant cell lines. Preliminary in vivo cytotoxicity was also performed on Galleria mellonella larvae. The results corroborate the use of this natural product as a rich source of important biologically active molecules with particular emphasis on the role exerted by naringenin, one of the most important secondary metabolites.
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35
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Li Y, Spiropoulos J, Cooley W, Khara JS, Gladstone CA, Asai M, Bossé JT, Robertson BD, Newton SM, Langford PR. Galleria mellonella - a novel infection model for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Virulence 2018; 9:1126-1137. [PMID: 30067135 PMCID: PMC6086298 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1491255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models have long been used in tuberculosis research to understand disease pathogenesis and to evaluate novel vaccine candidates and anti-mycobacterial drugs. However, all have limitations and there is no single animal model which mimics all the aspects of mycobacterial pathogenesis seen in humans. Importantly mice, the most commonly used model, do not normally form granulomas, the hallmark of tuberculosis infection. Thus there is an urgent need for the development of new alternative in vivo models. The insect larvae, Galleria mellonella has been increasingly used as a successful, simple, widely available and cost-effective model to study microbial infections. Here we report for the first time that G. mellonella can be used as an infection model for members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. We demonstrate a dose-response for G. mellonella survival infected with different inocula of bioluminescent Mycobacterium bovis BCG lux, and demonstrate suppression of mycobacterial luminesence over 14 days. Histopathology staining and transmission electron microscopy of infected G. mellonella phagocytic haemocytes show internalization and aggregation of M. bovis BCG lux in granuloma-like structures, and increasing accumulation of lipid bodies within M. bovis BCG lux over time, characteristic of latent tuberculosis infection. Our results demonstrate that G. mellonella can act as a surrogate host to study the pathogenesis of mycobacterial infection and shed light on host-mycobacteria interactions, including latent tuberculosis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwen Li
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - John Spiropoulos
- b Department of Pathology , Animal and Plant Health Agency , Addlestone , UK
| | - William Cooley
- b Department of Pathology , Animal and Plant Health Agency , Addlestone , UK
| | - Jasmeet Singh Khara
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK.,c Department of Pharmacy , National University of Singapore , Singapore
| | - Camilla A Gladstone
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Masanori Asai
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Janine T Bossé
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Brian D Robertson
- d MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Sandra M Newton
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Paul R Langford
- a Section of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Allergy, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK
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36
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Killiny N. Generous hosts: Why the larvae of greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella is a perfect infectious host model? Virulence 2018; 9:860-865. [PMID: 29726300 PMCID: PMC5955462 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1454172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nabil Killiny
- a Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Plant Pathology, IFAS , University of Florida , Lake Alfred , Florida , United States of America
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37
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Harman and norharman, metabolites of entomopathogenic fungus Conidiobolus coronatus (Entomopthorales), disorganize development of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera) and affect serotonin-regulating enzymes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204828. [PMID: 30281642 PMCID: PMC6169936 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungi such as Conidiobolus coronatus are important regulatory factors of insect populations. GC-MS analysis of fungal cell-free filtrates showed that C. coronatus synthesizes two β- carboline alkaloids: harman and norharman. Significantly higher levels of both alkaloids are produced by C. coronatus in minimal postincubation medium than in rich medium. The beta-carboline alkaloids may have an effect on the nervous system of insects and their behavior. Harman and norharman were applied to Galleria mellonella larvae (a parasite of honeybees) either topically or mixed with food. Larvae received alkaloids in three concentrations: 750, 1000 or 1250 ppm. The effect on the survival and further development of larvae was examined. Both harman and norharman delayed pupation and adult eclosion, and inhibit total monoamine oxidase activity. In addition, they increased the serotonin concentration and decreased the monoamine oxidase A level in the heads of the moths. It is likely that the alkaloids were metabolized by the insects, as their effect wore off 24 hours after topical application. This is the first study to show that C. coronatus produces alkaloids. Its aim was to identify the actions of β-carboline alkaloids on insect development and serotonin-regulating enzymes. Knowledge of the potential role of harman and norharman in the process of fungal infection might lead to the development of more effective and environmentally-friendly means of controlling insect pests.
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38
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Jorjão AL, Oliveira LD, Scorzoni L, Figueiredo-Godoi LMA, Cristina A Prata M, Jorge AOC, Junqueira JC. From moths to caterpillars: Ideal conditions for Galleria mellonella rearing for in vivo microbiological studies. Virulence 2018; 9:383-389. [PMID: 29130369 PMCID: PMC5955185 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2017.1397871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Galleria mellonella is a well-accepted insect model for the study of pathogen-host interactions and antimicrobial compounds. The main advantages of this model include the low cost of maintenance, the fast life cycle, the possibility of using a large number of caterpillars and the innate immune system, which is evolutionarily conserved relative to mammals. Because of these advantages, different research groups have been working to implement the rearing of G. mellonella in laboratory conditions. This protocol describes our experience in the rearing of G. mellonella caterpillars for experimental infection models and the influence of different artificial diets on developmental and physiological parameters. Here, we suggest a diet composition that benefits the life cycle of G. mellonella by accelerating the larval phase length and increasing the caterpillar weight. This diet also stimulated the immune system of G. mellonella by increasing the hemolymph volume and hemocyte concentration. In addition, our rearing protocol generated caterpillars that are more resistant to infection by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. A standard G. mellonella rearing protocol is fundamental to minimize external influences on the results, and this simple and easy protocol can support researchers starting to rear G. mellonella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline L Jorjão
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis , Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , São José dos Campos, São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Luciane D Oliveira
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis , Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , São José dos Campos, São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Liliana Scorzoni
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis , Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , São José dos Campos, São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Lívia Mara A Figueiredo-Godoi
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis , Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , São José dos Campos, São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Marcia Cristina A Prata
- b Empresa Brasileira de Agropecuária (Embrapa Gado de Leite) , Juiz de Fora , Minas Gerais , Brazil
| | - Antonio Olavo C Jorge
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis , Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , São José dos Campos, São Paulo , Brazil
| | - Juliana C Junqueira
- a Department of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis , Institute of Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP) , São José dos Campos, São Paulo , Brazil
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Standardization of G. mellonella Larvae to Provide Reliable and Reproducible Results in the Study of Fungal Pathogens. J Fungi (Basel) 2018; 4:jof4030108. [PMID: 30200639 PMCID: PMC6162639 DOI: 10.3390/jof4030108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, Galleria mellonella (wax moth) larvae have become widely used as a non-mammalian infection model. However, the full potential of this infection model has yet to be realised, limited by the variable quality of larvae used and the lack of standardised procedures. Here, we review larvae suitable for research, protocols for dosing larvae, and methods for scoring illness in larvae infected with fungal pathogens. The development of standardised protocols for carrying out our experimental work will allow high throughput screens to be developed, changing the way in which we evaluate panels of mutants and strains. It will also enable the in vivo screening of potential antimicrobials at an earlier stage in the research and development cycle.
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40
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Shi Q, Lan P, Huang D, Hua X, Jiang Y, Zhou J, Yu Y. Diversity of virulence level phenotype of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae from different sequence type lineage. BMC Microbiol 2018; 18:94. [PMID: 30157774 PMCID: PMC6116568 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-018-1236-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) is emerging around the Asian-Pacific region and it is the major cause of the community-acquired pyogenic liver abscesses. Multidrug-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDR-hvKP) isolates were reported in France, China and Taiwan. However, the international-ally agreed definition for hvKP and the virulence level of hvKP are not clear. RESULTS In this study, 56 hvKP isolates were collected from March 2008 to June 2012 and investigated by string test, capsule serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), virulence gene detection and serum resistance assay. Among the 56 K. pneumoniae isolates, 64.3% had the hypermucoviscosity phenotype, meanwhile, 64.3% were the K1 serotype and 19.6% were the K2 serotype. Within the K1 serotype, 94.4% were ST23, and within the K2 serotype, ST65, ST86 and ST375 accounted for the same percentage 27.3%. The serum resistance showed statistically normal distribution. According to the 50% lethal dose of Galleria. mellonella infection model, hvKP isolates were divided into high virulence level group and moderate virulence level group. The ability of each method evaluating the virulence level of hvKP was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSIONS K1 ST23 K. pneumoniae was the most prevalent clone of the hvKP. However, K1 ST23 K. pneumoniae was the dominant clone in the moderate virulence level group. MLST was a relatively reliable evaluation method to discriminate the virulence level of hvKP in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiucheng Shi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peng Lan
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Danyan Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoting Hua
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiancang Zhou
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yunsong Yu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology and Bioinformatics of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
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CapC, a Novel Autotransporter and Virulence Factor of Campylobacter jejuni. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.01032-18. [PMID: 29915112 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01032-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is recognized as an important causative agent of bacterial gastroenteritis in the developed world. Despite the identification of several factors contributing to infection, characterization of the virulence strategies employed by C. jejuni remains a significant challenge. Bacterial autotransporter proteins are a major class of secretory proteins in Gram-negative bacteria, and notably, many autotransporter proteins contribute to bacterial virulence. The aim of this study was to characterize the C. jejuni 81116 C8J_1278 gene (capC), predicted to encode an autotransporter protein, and examine the contribution of this factor to virulence of C. jejuni The predicted CapC protein has a number of features that are consistent with autotransporters, including the N-terminal signal sequence and the C-terminal β-barrel domain and was determined to localize to the outer membrane. Inactivation of the capC gene in C. jejuni 81116 and C. jejuni M1 resulted in reduced insecticidal activity in Galleria mellonella larvae. Furthermore, C. jejuni capC mutants displayed significantly reduced adherence to and invasion of nonpolarized, partially differentiated Caco-2 and T84 intestinal epithelial cells. Gentamicin treatment showed that the reduced invasion of the capC mutant is primarily caused by reduced adherence to intestinal epithelial cells, not by reduced invasion capability. C. jejuni capC mutants caused reduced interleukin 8 (IL-8) secretion from intestinal epithelial cells and elicited a significantly diminished immune reaction in Galleria larvae, indicating that CapC functions as an immunogen. In conclusion, CapC is a new virulence determinant of C. jejuni that contributes to the integral infection process of adhesion to human intestinal epithelial cells.IMPORTANCECampylobacter jejuni is a major causative agent of human gastroenteritis, making this zoonotic pathogen of significant importance to human and veterinary public health worldwide. The mechanisms by which C. jejuni interacts with intestinal epithelial cells and causes disease are still poorly understood due, in part, to the heterogeneity of C. jejuni infection biology. Given the importance of C. jejuni to public health, the need to characterize novel and existing virulence mechanisms is apparent. The significance of our research is in demonstrating the role of CapC, a novel virulence factor in C. jejuni that contributes to adhesion and invasion of the intestinal epithelium, thereby in part, addressing the dearth of knowledge concerning the factors involved in Campylobacter pathogenesis and the variation observed in the severity of human infection.
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Brunner K, John CM, Phillips NJ, Alber DG, Gemmell MR, Hansen R, Nielsen HL, Hold GL, Bajaj-Elliott M, Jarvis GA. Novel Campylobacter concisus lipooligosaccharide is a determinant of inflammatory potential and virulence. J Lipid Res 2018; 59:1893-1905. [PMID: 30049709 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m085860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenicity of Campylobacter concisus, increasingly found in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract, is unclear. Some studies indicate that its role in GI conditions has been underestimated, whereas others suggest that the organism has a commensal-like phenotype. For the enteropathogen C. jejuni, the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) is a main driver of virulence. We investigated the LOS structure of four C. concisus clinical isolates and correlated the inflammatory potential of each isolate with bacterial virulence. Mass spectrometric analyses of lipid A revealed a novel hexa-acylated diglucosamine moiety with two or three phosphoryl substituents. Molecular and fragment ion analysis indicated that the oligosaccharide portion of the LOS had only a single phosphate and lacked phosphoethanolamine and sialic acid substitution, which are hallmarks of the C. jejuni LOS. Consistent with our structural findings, C. concisus LOS and live bacteria induced less TNF-α secretion in human monocytes than did C. jejuni Furthermore, the C. concisus bacteria were less virulent than C. jejuni in a Galleria mellonella infection model. The correlation of the novel lipid A structure, decreased phosphorylation, and lack of sialylation along with reduced inflammatory potential and virulence support the significance of the LOS as a determinant in the relative pathogenicity of C. concisus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Brunner
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Constance M John
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Nancy J Phillips
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | - Dagmar G Alber
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew R Gemmell
- Center for Genome-Enabled Biology and Medicine, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Hansen
- Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Hans L Nielsen
- Department of Infectious Diseases Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Georgina L Hold
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mona Bajaj-Elliott
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme, University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gary A Jarvis
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA .,Department of Laboratory Medicine University of California, San Francisco, CA
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43
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Lim J, Coates CJ, Seoane PI, Garelnabi M, Taylor-Smith LM, Monteith P, Macleod CL, Escaron CJ, Brown GD, Hall RA, May RC. Characterizing the Mechanisms of Nonopsonic Uptake of Cryptococci by Macrophages. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2018; 200:3539-3546. [PMID: 29643192 PMCID: PMC5937213 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus enters the human host via inhalation into the lung and is able to reside in a niche environment that is serum- (opsonin) limiting. Little is known about the mechanism by which nonopsonic phagocytosis occurs via phagocytes in such situations. Using a combination of soluble inhibitors of phagocytic receptors and macrophages derived from knockout mice and human volunteers, we show that uptake of nonopsonized Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii via the mannose receptor is dependent on macrophage activation by cytokines. However, although uptake of C. neoformans is via both dectin-1 and dectin-2, C. gattii uptake occurs largely via dectin-1. Interestingly, dectin inhibitors also blocked phagocytosis of unopsonized Cryptococci in wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae and partially protected the larvae from infection by both fungi, supporting a key role for host phagocytes in augmenting early disease establishment. Finally, we demonstrated that internalization of nonopsonized Cryptococci is not accompanied by the nuclear translocation of NF-κB or its concomitant production of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α. Thus, nonopsonized Cryptococci are recognized by mammalian phagocytes in a manner that minimizes proinflammatory cytokine production and potentially facilitates fungal pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenson Lim
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, United Kingdom;
| | - Christopher J Coates
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Paula I Seoane
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Mariam Garelnabi
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Leanne M Taylor-Smith
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Pauline Monteith
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - Camille L Macleod
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
| | - Claire J Escaron
- Protein Reference Unit, South West London Pathology, St. George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom; and
| | - Gordon D Brown
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca A Hall
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Robin C May
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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44
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Won HI, Schulze TT, Clement EJ, Watson GF, Watson SM, Warner RC, Ramler EAM, Witte EJ, Schoenbeck MA, Rauter CM, Davis PH. De novo Assembly of the Burying Beetle Nicrophorus orbicollis (Coleoptera: Silphidae) Transcriptome Across Developmental Stages with Identification of Key Immune Transcripts. J Genomics 2018; 6:41-52. [PMID: 29707046 PMCID: PMC5916875 DOI: 10.7150/jgen.24228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.) are among the relatively few insects that provide parental care while not belonging to the eusocial insects such as ants or bees. This behavior incurs energy costs as evidenced by immune deficits and shorter life-spans in reproducing beetles. In the absence of an assembled transcriptome, relatively little is known concerning the molecular biology of these beetles. This work details the assembly and analysis of the Nicrophorus orbicollis transcriptome at multiple developmental stages. RNA-Seq reads were obtained by next-generation sequencing and the transcriptome was assembled using the Trinity assembler. Validation of the assembly was performed by functional characterization using Gene Ontology (GO), Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Differential expression analysis highlights developmental stage-specific expression patterns, and immunity-related transcripts are discussed. The data presented provides a valuable molecular resource to aid further investigation into immunocompetence throughout this organism's sexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Paul H. Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
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45
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Selim A, Yang E, Rousset E, Thiéry R, Sidi-Boumedine K. Characterization of Coxiella burnetii strains from ruminants in a Galleria mellonella host-based model. New Microbes New Infect 2018; 24:8-13. [PMID: 29922469 PMCID: PMC6004733 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2018.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is a small Gram-negative intracellular bacterium and is the causative agent of Q fever, which is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. Domesticated ruminants are the main reservoir of the disease, but the bacterium is able to infect a wide range of hosts, including humans, arthropods and invertebrates. Virulence studies of Coxiella strains usually require a suitable animal model. However, mammalian models are costly and are associated with many ethical constraints. An alternative infection model using Galleria mellonella has been used to study the virulence of several bacterial as well as fungal pathogens. Moreover, the G. mellonella larvae model has been used to identify virulence genes using phase II C. burnetii strain Nine Mile mutants. In our study we describe its use for the characterization of C. burnetii strains isolated from ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Selim
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France.,Animal Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Banha University, Banha, Egypt
| | - E Yang
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - E Rousset
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - R Thiéry
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - K Sidi-Boumedine
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France
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46
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Jønsson R, Struve C, Jenssen H, Krogfelt KA. The wax moth Galleria mellonella as a novel model system to study Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli pathogenesis. Virulence 2017; 8:1894-1899. [PMID: 27824518 PMCID: PMC5810504 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2016.1256537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rie Jønsson
- a Department of Science and Environment , Roskilde University , Roskilde , Denmark.,b Department of Microbiology and Infection Control , Statens Serum Institut , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Carsten Struve
- b Department of Microbiology and Infection Control , Statens Serum Institut , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Håvard Jenssen
- a Department of Science and Environment , Roskilde University , Roskilde , Denmark
| | - Karen A Krogfelt
- b Department of Microbiology and Infection Control , Statens Serum Institut , Copenhagen , Denmark
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47
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Ignasiak K, Maxwell A. Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) larvae as a model for antibiotic susceptibility testing and acute toxicity trials. BMC Res Notes 2017; 10:428. [PMID: 28851426 PMCID: PMC5576310 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-017-2757-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Infectivity trials and toxicity testing in rodents are important prerequisites to the use of compounds in man. However, trials in rats and mice are expensive and there are ethical considerations. Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) larvae are a potential alternative. We have assessed the use of these insects in infectivity trials and toxicity testing. Findings Using four bacterial species (two Gram-negative and two Gram-positive) we have assessed the efficacy of four antibiotics against infections in Galleria and compared the antibiotic susceptibility with that in humans. In general, we find a good correlation. Similarly, we have assessed 11 compounds (initially tested blind) for their toxicity in Galleria and compared this with toxicity trials in mice and rats. Again we found a good correlation between toxicity in Galleria and that in rodents. Conclusion We have found, in our hands, that G. mellonella larvae can be used in infectivity trials and toxicity testing, and that these assays represent an inexpensive and readily executable alternative to testing in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Ignasiak
- Department Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anthony Maxwell
- Department Biological Chemistry, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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48
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Kwadha CA, Ong'amo GO, Ndegwa PN, Raina SK, Fombong AT. The Biology and Control of the Greater Wax Moth, Galleria mellonella. INSECTS 2017; 8:E61. [PMID: 28598383 PMCID: PMC5492075 DOI: 10.3390/insects8020061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella Linnaeus, is a ubiquitous pest of the honeybee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, and Apis cerana Fabricius. The greater wax moth larvae burrow into the edge of unsealed cells with pollen, bee brood, and honey through to the midrib of honeybee comb. Burrowing larvae leave behind masses of webs which causes galleriasis and later absconding of colonies. The damage caused by G. mellonella larvae is severe in tropical and sub-tropical regions, and is believed to be one of the contributing factors to the decline in both feral and wild honeybee populations. Previously, the pest was considered a nuisance in honeybee colonies, therefore, most studies have focused on the pest as a model for in vivo studies of toxicology and pathogenicity. It is currently widespread, especially in Africa, and the potential of transmitting honeybee viruses has raised legitimate concern, thus, there is need for more studies to find sustainable integrated management strategies. However, our knowledge of this pest is limited. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the biology, distribution, economic damage, and management options. In addition, we provide prospects that need consideration for better understanding and management of the pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Kwadha
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - George O Ong'amo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Paul N Ndegwa
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Suresh K Raina
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Ayuka T Fombong
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
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49
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Dalton JP, Uy B, Swift S, Wiles S. A Novel Restraint Device for Injection of Galleria mellonella Larvae that Minimizes the Risk of Accidental Operator Needle Stick Injury. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:99. [PMID: 28401069 PMCID: PMC5368263 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Larvae of the insect Galleria mellonella are increasingly being used for studying pathogenic microbes and their virulence mechanisms, and as a rapid model for screening novel antimicrobial agents. The larvae (waxworms) are most frequently infected by injection of pathogenic organisms into the haemocoel through the insect's prolegs. The mostly widely used method for restraining the waxworms for injection is by grasping them between the operator's fingers, which puts the operator at risk of needle stick injury, an important consideration when working with highly pathogenic and/or drug-resistant microorganisms. While use of a stab proof glove can reduce this risk of injury, it does so at the loss of manual dexterity and speed, resulting in a more labor-intensive, and cumbersome assay. We describe a simple cost effective device (the so-called “Galleria Grabber”) for restraining waxworms for injection that keeps the operator's fingers clear of the needle thus reducing the risk of injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Dalton
- Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, University of AucklandAuckland, New Zealand; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of AucklandAuckland, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular BiodiscoveryAuckland, New Zealand
| | - Benedict Uy
- Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, University of AucklandAuckland, New Zealand; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of AucklandAuckland, New Zealand
| | - Simon Swift
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Siouxsie Wiles
- Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, University of AucklandAuckland, New Zealand; Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of AucklandAuckland, New Zealand; Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular BiodiscoveryAuckland, New Zealand
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50
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Antibiotic Capture by Bacterial Lipocalins Uncovers an Extracellular Mechanism of Intrinsic Antibiotic Resistance. mBio 2017; 8:mBio.00225-17. [PMID: 28292982 PMCID: PMC5350466 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00225-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential for microbes to overcome antibiotics of different classes before they reach bacterial cells is largely unexplored. Here we show that a soluble bacterial lipocalin produced by Burkholderia cenocepacia upon exposure to sublethal antibiotic concentrations increases resistance to diverse antibiotics in vitro and in vivo These phenotypes were recapitulated by heterologous expression in B. cenocepacia of lipocalin genes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Purified lipocalin bound different classes of bactericidal antibiotics and contributed to bacterial survival in vivo Experimental and X-ray crystal structure-guided computational studies revealed that lipocalins counteract antibiotic action by capturing antibiotics in the extracellular space. We also demonstrated that fat-soluble vitamins prevent antibiotic capture by binding bacterial lipocalin with higher affinity than antibiotics. Therefore, bacterial lipocalins contribute to antimicrobial resistance by capturing diverse antibiotics in the extracellular space at the site of infection, which can be counteracted by known vitamins.IMPORTANCE Current research on antibiotic action and resistance focuses on targeting essential functions within bacterial cells. We discovered a previously unrecognized mode of general bacterial antibiotic resistance operating in the extracellular space, which depends on bacterial protein molecules called lipocalins. These molecules are highly conserved in most bacteria and have the ability to capture different classes of antibiotics outside bacterial cells. We also discovered that liposoluble vitamins, such as vitamin E, overcome in vitro and in vivo antibiotic resistance mediated by bacterial lipocalins, providing an unexpected new alternative to combat resistance by using this vitamin or its derivatives as antibiotic adjuvants.
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