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Kumari P, Yadav S, Sarkar S, Satheeshkumar PK. Cleavage of cell junction proteins as a host invasion strategy in leptospirosis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:119. [PMID: 38204132 PMCID: PMC10781872 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12945-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Infection and invasion are the prerequisites for developing the disease symptoms in a host. While the probable mechanism of host invasion and pathogenesis is known in many pathogens, very little information is available on Leptospira invasion/pathogenesis. For causing systemic infection Leptospira must transmigrate across epithelial barriers, which is the most critical and challenging step. Extracellular and membrane-bound proteases play a crucial role in the invasion process. An extensive search for the proteins experimentally proven to be involved in the invasion process through cell junction cleavage in other pathogens has resulted in identifying 26 proteins. The similarity searches on the Leptospira genome for counterparts of these 26 pathogenesis-related proteins identified at least 12 probable coding sequences. The proteins were either extracellular or membrane-bound with a proteolytic domain to cleave the cell junction proteins. This review will emphasize our current understanding of the pathogenic aspects of host cell junction-pathogenic protein interactions involved in the invasion process. Further, potential candidate proteins with cell junction cleavage properties that may be exploited in the diagnostic/therapeutic aspects of leptospirosis will also be discussed. KEY POINTS: • The review focussed on the cell junction cleavage proteins in bacterial pathogenesis • Cell junction disruptors from Leptospira genome are identified using bioinformatics • The review provides insights into the therapeutic/diagnostic interventions possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Kumari
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Suhani Yadav
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Sresha Sarkar
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India
| | - Padikara K Satheeshkumar
- Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India.
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Huff HV, Wilson-Murphy M. Neuroinfectious Diseases in Children: Pathophysiology, Outcomes, and Global Challenges. Pediatr Neurol 2024; 151:53-64. [PMID: 38103523 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2023.09.020] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Pathogens with affinity for the central nervous system (CNS) in children are diverse in their mechanisms of infecting and attacking the brain. Infections can reach the CNS via hematogenous routes, transneurally thereby avoiding the blood-brain barrier, and across mucosal or skin surfaces. Once transmission occurs, pathogens can wreak havoc both by direct action on host cells and via an intricate interplay between the protective and pathologic actions of the host's immune system. Pathogen prevalence varies depending on region, and susceptibility differs based on epidemiologic factors such as age, immune status, and genetics. In addition, some infectious diseases are monophasic, whereas others may lie dormant for years, thereby causing a dynamic effect on outcomes. Outcomes in survivors are highly variable for each particular pathogen and depend on the vaccination and immune status of the patient as well as the speed by which the patient receives evidence-based treatments. Given pathogens cause communicable diseases that can cause morbidity and mortality on a population level when spread, the burden is often the greatest and the outcomes the worst in low-resource settings. Here we will focus on the most common infections with a propensity to affect a child's brain, the pathologic mechanisms by which they do so, and what is known about the developmental outcomes in children who are affected by these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanalise V Huff
- Department of Neurology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Borrow R, Findlow J. The important lessons lurking in the history of meningococcal epidemiology. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:445-462. [PMID: 38517733 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2024.2329618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), a rare but potentially fatal illness, is typically described as unpredictable and subject to sporadic outbreaks. AREAS COVERED Meningococcal epidemiology and vaccine use during the last ~ 200 years are examined within the context of meningococcal characterization and classification to guide future IMD prevention efforts. EXPERT OPINION Historical and contemporary data highlight the dynamic nature of meningococcal epidemiology, with continued emergence of hyperinvasive clones and affected regions. Recent shifts include global increases in serogroup W disease, meningococcal antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and meningococcal urethritis; additionally, unvaccinated populations have experienced disease resurgences following lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Despite these changes, a close analysis of meningococcal epidemiology indicates consistent dominance of serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y and elevated IMD rates among infants and young children, adolescents/young adults, and older adults. Demonstrably effective vaccines against all 5 major disease-causing serogroups are available, and their prophylactic use represents a powerful weapon against IMD, including AMR. The World Health Organization's goal of defeating meningitis by the year 2030 demands broad protection against IMD, which in turn indicates an urgent need to expand meningococcal vaccination programs across major disease-causing serogroups and age-related risk groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Borrow
- Meningococcal Reference Unit, UKHSA, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK
| | - Jamie Findlow
- Global Medical Affairs, Vaccines and Antivirals, Pfizer Ltd, Tadworth, UK
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Kulkarni A, Jozefiaková J, Bhide K, Mochnaćová E, Bhide M. Differential transcriptome response of blood brain barrier spheroids to neuroinvasive Neisseria and Borrelia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1326578. [PMID: 38179419 PMCID: PMC10766361 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1326578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The blood-brain barrier (BBB), a highly regulated interface between the blood and the brain, prevents blood-borne substances and pathogens from entering the CNS. Nevertheless, pathogens like Neisseria meningitidis and Borrelia bavariensis can breach the BBB and infect the brain parenchyma. The self-assembling BBB-spheroids can simulate the cross talk occurring between the cells of the barrier and neuroinvasive pathogens. Methods BBB spheroids were generated by co-culturing human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs), pericytes and astrocytes. The BBB attributes of spheroids were confirmed by mapping the localization of cells, observing permeability of angiopep2 and non-permeability of dextran. Fluorescent Neisseria, Borrelia or E. coli (non-neuroinvasive) were incubated with spheroids to observe the adherence, invasion and spheroid integrity. Transcriptome analysis with NGS was employed to investigate the response of BBB cells to infections. Results hBMECs were localized throughout the spheroids, whereas pericytes and astrocytes were concentrated around the core. Within 1 hr of exposure, Neisseria and Borrelia adhered to spheroids, and their microcolonization increased from 5 to 24 hrs. Integrity of spheroids was compromised by both Neisseria and Borrelia, but not by E. coli infection. Transcriptome analysis revealed a significant change in the expression of 781 genes (467 up and 314 down regulated) in spheroids infected with Neisseria, while Borrelia altered the expression of 621 genes (225 up and 396 down regulated). The differentially expressed genes could be clustered into various biological pathways like cell adhesion, extracellular matrix related, metallothionines, members of TGF beta, WNT signaling, and immune response. Among the differentially expressed genes, 455 (48%) genes were inversely expressed during Neisseria and Borrelia infection. Conclusion The self-assembling spheroids were used to perceive the BBB response to neuroinvasive pathogens - Neisseria and Borrelia. Compromised integrity of spheroids during Neisseria and Borrelia infection as opposed to its intactness and non-adherence of E. coli (non-neuroinvasive) denotes the pathogen dependent fate of BBB. Genes categorized into various biological functions indicated weakened barrier properties of BBB and heightened innate immune response. Inverse expression of 48% genes commonly identified during Neisseria and Borrelia infection exemplifies unique response of BBB to varying neuropathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amod Kulkarni
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
- Institute of Neuroimmunology of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jana Jozefiaková
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Bhide
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Evelína Mochnaćová
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Mangesh Bhide
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
- Institute of Neuroimmunology of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Chang Y, Chen JH, Chen WL, Chung JY. Klebsiella pneumoniae invasive syndrome with liver abscess and purulent meningitis presenting as acute hemiplegia: a case report. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:397. [PMID: 37308846 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08383-w] [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: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Klebsiella pneumoniae can infect a variety of sites, with the risk of infection being higher in the immunocompromised state such as diabetes mellitus. A distinct invasive syndrome has been detected mostly in Southeast Asia in the past two decades. A common destructive complication is pyogenic liver abscess that can be complicated by metastatic endophthalmitis as well as the involvement of the central nervous system, causing purulent meningitis or brain abscess. CASE PRESENTATION We report a rare case of an invasive liver abscess caused by K. pneumoniae, with metastatic infections of meninges. A 68-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus presented to our emergency department as sepsis. Sudden disturbed consciousness was noticed with presentation of acute hemiplegia and gaze preference mimicking a cerebrovascular accident. CONCLUSIONS The above case adds to the scarce literature on K. pneumoniae invasive syndrome with liver abscess and purulent meningitis. K. pneumoniae is a rare cause of meningitis and should raise suspicions about the disease in febrile individuals. In particular, Asian patients with diabetes presenting with sepsis and hemiplegia prompt a more thorough evaluation with aggressive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, 280, Sec. 4, Ren'ai Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiann-Hwa Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, 280, Sec. 4, Ren'ai Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Lung Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, 280, Sec. 4, Ren'ai Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Yuan Chung
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, 280, Sec. 4, Ren'ai Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106, Taipei, Taiwan.
- School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
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Haldar T, Joshi R, Saroj SD. Antibiotics modulates the virulence of N. meningitidis by regulating capsule synthesis. Microb Pathog 2023; 179:106117. [PMID: 37084824 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogens residing are frequently exposed to range of antimicrobials which affects virulence attributes. Neisseria meningitidis, is a host-restricted commensal of human upper respiratory tract which is subjected to a variety of stresses within the host, including antibiotic exposure. One of the most important virulence factors for pathogenesis is the meningococcal lipo-oligosaccharide capsule. Role of capsules in antimicrobial resistance and persistence is not yet established. In this study, different virulence factors of N. meningitidis were examined in presence of sub-MIC of four antibiotics: penicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol. We observed increased production of the capsule by N. meningitidis when grown in the presence of penicillin, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol at sub-inhibitory concentration. Capsular production increase concurrently with increased resistance to inducing antibiotic which also confers increased survival in human serum. Finally, we show that increased capsule production in response to antibiotic exposure is aided by siaC, ctrB, lipA gene expression. These findings show that capsule synthesis, a major pathogenicity determinant, is regulated in response to antibiotic stress. Our findings support a model in which gene expression changes caused by ineffective antibiotic treatment cause N. meningitidis transition between states of low and high virulence potential, contributing to pathogen's opportunistic nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiyasa Haldar
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Pune, 412115, India
| | - Riya Joshi
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Pune, 412115, India
| | - Sunil D Saroj
- Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Lavale, Pune, 412115, India.
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Sereikaitė E, Plepytė R, Petrutienė A, Stravinskienė D, Kučinskaitė-Kodzė I, Gėgžna V, Ivaškevičienė I, Žvirblienė A, Plečkaitytė M. Molecular characterization of invasive Neisseria meningitidis isolates collected in Lithuania (2009-2019) and estimation of serogroup B meningococcal vaccine 4CMenB and MenB-Fhbp coverage. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1136211. [PMID: 36875527 PMCID: PMC9975601 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1136211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis causes invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), which is associated with significant mortality and long-term consequences, especially among young children. The incidence of IMD in Lithuania was among the highest in European Union/European Economic Area countries during the past two decades; however, the characterization of meningococcal isolates by molecular typing methods has not yet been performed. In this study, we characterized invasive meningococcal isolates (n=294) recovered in Lithuania from 2009 to 2019 by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and typing of antigens FetA and PorA. The more recent (2017-2019) serogroup B isolates (n=60) were genotyped by analyzing vaccine-related antigens to evaluate their coverage by four-component (4CMenB) and two-component (MenB-Fhbp) vaccines using the genetic Meningococcal Antigen Typing System (gMATS) and Meningococcal Deduced Vaccine Antigen Reactivity (MenDeVAR) Index methods, respectively. The vast majority (90.5%) of isolates belonged to serogroup B. MLST revealed a predominance of clonal complex 32 (74.02%). Serogroup B strain P1.19,15: F4-28: ST-34 (cc32) accounted for 64.1% of IMD isolates. The overall level of strain coverage by the 4MenB vaccine was 94.8% (CI 85.9-98.2%). Most serogroup B isolates (87.9%) were covered by a single vaccine antigen, most commonly Fhbp peptide variant 1 (84.5% of isolates). The Fhbp peptides included in the MenB-Fhbp vaccine were not detected among the analyzed invasive isolates; however, the identified predominant variant 1 was considered cross-reactive. In total, 88.1% (CI 77.5-94.1) of isolates were predicted to be covered by the MenB-Fhbp vaccine. In conclusion, both serogroup B vaccines demonstrate potential to protect against IMD in Lithuania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilija Sereikaitė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Rūta Plepytė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Aurelija Petrutienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Bacteriology, National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Dovilė Stravinskienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Vilmantas Gėgžna
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Inga Ivaškevičienė
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Pediatric Center, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Aurelija Žvirblienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Milda Plečkaitytė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
- *Correspondence: Milda Plečkaitytė,
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Kado S, Kamiya K, Hosaka T, Kawamura T, Komatsu K, Kajii E, Takahashi H, Komine M, Ohtsuki M. Adult invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis classified as serogroup B and sequence type 15947. J Dermatol 2022; 50:e129-e130. [PMID: 36514904 DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.16664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Soichiro Kado
- Department of Dermatology, Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan.,Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Koji Kamiya
- Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Takashi Hosaka
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kawamura
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kenichi Komatsu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Eiji Kajii
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Takahashi
- Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Infectious Disease, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mayumi Komine
- Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Mamitaro Ohtsuki
- Department of Dermatology, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
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Joshi M, Purohit M, Shah DP, Patel D, Depani P, Moryani P, Krishnakumar A. Pathogenomic in silico approach identifies NSP-A and Fe-IIISBP as possible drug targets in Neisseria Meningitidis MC58 and development of pharmacophores as novel therapeutic candidates. Mol Divers 2022:10.1007/s11030-022-10480-y. [PMID: 35879631 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10480-y] [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: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Meningitis creates a life-threatening clinical crisis. Moreover, the administered antibiotics result into multi-drug resistance, thereby necessitating development of alternative therapeutic strategies. This study aimed at identifying novel-drug targets in Neisseria meningitidis and therapeutic molecules which can be exploited for the treatment of meningitis. Novel targets were identified by applying a pathogenomic approach involving protein data-set mining, subtractive channel analysis and subsequent qualitative analysis comprising of in silico pharmacokinetics, molecular docking and pharmacophore generation. Pathogenomic studies revealed Neisserial Surface Protein A (NSP-A) and Iron-III-Substrate Binding Protein (Fe-IIISBP) as potential targets. Two pharmacophore models comprising of 2-(biaryl) carbapenems, efavirenz, praziquantel and pyrimethamine for NSP-A and 2-(biaryl) carbapenems, trimipramine and pyrimethamine for Fe-IIISBP, showed successful docking, followed drug-likeness criteria and generated pharmacophore model with a score of 8.08 and 8.818, respectively, which had further been docked to the target stably. Thus, our study identifies NSP-A and Fe-IIISBP as novel targets in Neisseria meningitidis for which 2-(biaryl) carbapenems, efavirenz, praziquantel, trimipramine and pyrimethamine may be employed for effective treatment of meningitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhavi Joshi
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India
| | - Maitree Purohit
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India
| | - Dhriti P Shah
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India
| | - Devanshi Patel
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India
| | - Preksha Depani
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India
| | - Premkumar Moryani
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India
| | - Amee Krishnakumar
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382 481, India.
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Marullo S, Scott MGH, Enslen H, Coureuil M. Mechanical Activation of the β 2-Adrenergic Receptor by Meningococcus: A Historical and Future Perspective Analysis of How a Bacterial Probe Can Reveal Signalling Pathways in Endothelial Cells, and a Unique Mode of Receptor Activation Involving Its N-Terminal Glycan Chains. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:883568. [PMID: 35586623 PMCID: PMC9108228 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.883568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 12 years have passed since the seminal observation that meningococcus, a pathogen causing epidemic meningitis in humans, occasionally associated with infectious vasculitis and septic shock, can promote the translocation of β-arrestins to the cell surface beneath bacterial colonies. The cellular receptor used by the pathogen to induce signalling in host cells and allowing it to open endothelial cell junctions and reach meninges was unknown. The involvement of β-arrestins, which are scaffolding proteins regulating G protein coupled receptor signalling and function, incited us to specifically investigate this class of receptors. In this perspective article we will summarize the events leading to the discovery that the β2-adrenergic receptor is the receptor that initiates the signalling cascades induced by meningococcus in host cells. This receptor, however, cannot mediate cell infection on its own. It needs to be pre-associated with an "early" adhesion receptor, CD147, within a hetero-oligomeric complex, stabilized by the cytoskeletal protein α-actinin 4. It then required several years to understand how the pathogen actually activates the signalling receptor. Once bound to the N-terminal glycans of the β2-adrenergic receptor, meningococcus provides a mechanical stimulation that induces the biased activation of β-arrestin-mediated signalling pathways. This activating mechanical stimulus can be reproduced in the absence of any pathogen by applying equivalent forces on receptor glycans. Mechanical activation of the β2-adrenergic receptor might have a physiological role in signalling events promoted in the context of cell-to-cell interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Marullo
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Stefano Marullo,
| | - Mark G. H. Scott
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Enslen
- Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Coureuil
- Université de Paris, Institut-Necker-Enfants-Malades, INSERM U1151, CNRS UMR 8253, Paris, France
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11
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Facchetti A, Wheeler JX, Vipond C, Whiting G, Lavender H, Feavers IM, Maiden MCJ, Maharjan S. Factor H binding protein (fHbp)-mediated differential complement resistance of a serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis isolate from cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with invasive meningococcal disease. Access Microbiol 2021; 3:000255. [PMID: 34712903 PMCID: PMC8549389 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
During an outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) at the University of Southampton, UK, in 1997, two Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C isolates were retrieved from a student ('Case'), who died of IMD, and a close contact ('Carrier') who, after mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the deceased, did not contract the disease. Genomic comparison of the isolates demonstrated extensive nucleotide sequence identity, with differences identified in eight genes. Here, comparative proteomics was used to measure differential protein expression between the isolates and investigate whether the differences contributed to the clinical outcomes. A total of six proteins were differentially expressed: four proteins (methylcitrate synthase, PrpC; hypothetical integral membrane protein, Imp; fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, Fba; aldehyde dehydrogenase A, AldA) were upregulated in the Case isolate, while one protein (Type IV pilus-associated protein, PilC2) was downregulated. Peptides for factor H binding protein (fHbp), a major virulence factor and antigenic protein, were only detected in the Case, with a single base deletion (ΔT366) in the Carrier fHbp causing lack of its expression. Expression of fHbp resulted in an increased resistance of the Case isolate to complement-mediated killing in serum. Complementation of fHbp expression in the Carrier increased its serum resistance by approximately 8-fold. Moreover, a higher serum bactericidal antibody titre was seen for the Case isolate when using sera from mice immunized with Bexsero (GlaxoSmithKline), a vaccine containing fHbp as an antigenic component. This study highlights the role of fHbp in the differential complement resistance of the Case and the Carrier isolates. Expression of fHbp in the Case resulted in its increased survival in serum, possibly leading to active proliferation of the bacteria in blood and death of the student through IMD. Moreover, enhanced killing of the Case isolate by sera raised against an fHbp-containing vaccine, Bexsero, underlines the role and importance of fHbp in infection and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Facchetti
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Jun X Wheeler
- Division of Analytical Biological Sciences, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Caroline Vipond
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Gail Whiting
- Division of Analytical Biological Sciences, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Hayley Lavender
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Ian M Feavers
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK
| | - Martin C J Maiden
- Department of Zoology, Peter Medawar Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3SY, UK
| | - Sunil Maharjan
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Blanche Lane, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 3QG, UK
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12
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Gupta SK, Ponte-Sucre A, Bencurova E, Dandekar T. An Ebola, Neisseria and Trypanosoma human protein interaction census reveals a conserved human protein cluster targeted by various human pathogens. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:5292-5308. [PMID: 34745452 PMCID: PMC8531761 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Filovirus ebolavirus (ZE; Zaire ebolavirus, Bundibugyo ebolavirus), Neisseria meningitidis (NM), and Trypanosoma brucei (Tb) are serious infectious pathogens, spanning viruses, bacteria and protists and all may target the blood and central nervous system during their life cycle. NM and Tb are extracellular pathogens while ZE is obligatory intracellular, targetting immune privileged sites. By using interactomics and comparative evolutionary analysis we studied whether conserved human proteins are targeted by these pathogens. We examined 2797 unique pathogen-targeted human proteins. The information derived from orthology searches of experimentally validated protein-protein interactions (PPIs) resulted both in unique and shared PPIs for each pathogen. Comparing and analyzing conserved and pathogen-specific infection pathways for NM, TB and ZE, we identified human proteins predicted to be targeted in at least two of the compared host-pathogen networks. However, four proteins were common to all three host-pathogen interactomes: the elongation factor 1-alpha 1 (EEF1A1), the SWI/SNF complex subunit SMARCC2 (matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin subfamily C), the dolichyl-diphosphooligosaccharide--protein glycosyltransferase subunit 1 (RPN1), and the tubulin beta-5 chain (TUBB). These four human proteins all are also involved in cytoskeleton and its regulation and are often addressed by various human pathogens. Specifically, we found (i) 56 human pathogenic bacteria and viruses that target these four proteins, (ii) the well researched new pandemic pathogen SARS-CoV-2 targets two of these four human proteins and (iii) nine human pathogenic fungi (yet another evolutionary distant organism group) target three of the conserved proteins by 130 high confidence interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shishir K Gupta
- Functional Genomics & Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Am Hubland, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97078 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alicia Ponte-Sucre
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Medicina Experimental, Escuela Luis Razetti, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
- Medical Mission Institute, Hermann-Schell-Str. 7, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elena Bencurova
- Functional Genomics & Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Am Hubland, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Dandekar
- Functional Genomics & Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Am Hubland, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- EMBL Heidelberg, BioComputing Unit, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
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13
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Herold R, Sünwoldt G, Stump-Guthier C, Weiss C, Ishikawa H, Schroten H, Adam R, Schwerk C. Invasion of the choroid plexus epithelium by Neisseria meningitidis is differently mediated by Arp2/3 signaling and possibly by dynamin dependent on the presence of the capsule. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:6354783. [PMID: 34410374 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitis (Nm) is a human-specific bacterial pathogen that can cause sepsis and meningitis. To cause meningitis Nm must enter the central nervous system (CNS) across one of the barriers between the blood and the brain. We have previously shown that a capsule-depleted Serogroup B strain of Nm displays enhanced invasion into human choroid plexus (CP) epithelial papilloma (HIBCPP) cells, which represent an in vitro model of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). Still, the processes involved during CNS invasion by Nm, especially the role of host cell actin cytoskeleton remodeling, are not investigated in detail. Here, we demonstrate that invasion into CP epithelial cells by encapsulated and capsule-depleted Nm is mediated by distinct host cell pathways. Whereas a Serogroup B wild-type strain enters HIBCPP cells by a possibly dynamin-independent, but actin related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3)-dependent mechanism, invasion by a capsule-depleted mutant is reduced by the dynamin inhibitor dynasore and Arp2/3-independent. Both wild-type and mutant bacteria require Src kinase activity for entry into HIBCPP cells. Our data show that Nm can employ different mechanisms for invasion into the CP epithelium dependent on the presence of a capsule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Herold
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Gina Sünwoldt
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carolin Stump-Guthier
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christel Weiss
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Medical Statistics and Biomathematics, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hiroshi Ishikawa
- Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Regenerative Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Horst Schroten
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Adam
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Schwerk
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany
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14
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Kulkarni A, Mochnáčová E, Majerova P, Čurlík J, Bhide K, Mertinková P, Bhide M. Single Domain Antibodies Targeting Receptor Binding Pockets of NadA Restrain Adhesion of Neisseria meningitidis to Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:573281. [PMID: 33425985 PMCID: PMC7785856 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.573281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria adhesin A (NadA), one of the surface adhesins of Neisseria meningitides (NM), interacts with several cell types including human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) and play important role in the pathogenesis. Receptor binding pockets of NadA are localized on the globular head domain (A33 to K69) and the first coiled-coil domain (L121 to K158). Here, the phage display was used to develop a variable heavy chain domain (VHH) that can block receptor binding sites of recombinant NadA (rec-NadA). A phage library displaying VHH was panned against synthetic peptides (NadA-gdA33−K69 or NadA-ccL121−K158), gene encoding VHH was amplified from bound phages and re-cloned in the expression vector, and the soluble VHHs containing disulfide bonds were overexpressed in the SHuffle E. coli. From the repertoire of 96 clones, two VHHs (VHHF3–binding NadA-gdA33−K69 and VHHG9–binding NadA-ccL121−K158) were finally selected as they abrogated the interaction between rec-NadA and the cell receptor. Preincubation of NM with VHHF3 and VHHG9 significantly reduced the adhesion of NM on hBMECs in situ and hindered the traversal of NM across the in-vitro BBB model. The work presents a phage display pipeline with a single-round of panning to select receptor blocking VHHs. It also demonstrates the production of soluble and functional VHHs, which blocked the interaction between NadA and its receptor, decreased adhesion of NM on hBMECs, and reduced translocation of NM across BBB in-vitro. The selected NadA blocking VHHs could be promising molecules for therapeutic translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amod Kulkarni
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Evelína Mochnáčová
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Petra Majerova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ján Čurlík
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Bhide
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Patrícia Mertinková
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Mangesh Bhide
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Kosice, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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15
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Holmes JC, Green LR, Oldfield NJ, Turner DP, Bayliss CD. Rapid Transmission of a Hyper-Virulent Meningococcal Clone Due to High Effective Contact Numbers and Super Spreaders. Front Genet 2020; 11:579411. [PMID: 33365047 PMCID: PMC7750637 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.579411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid transmission, a critical contributory factor in outbreaks of invasive meningococcal disease, requires naïve populations of sufficient size and intermingling. We examined genomic variability and transmission dynamics in a student population subject to an 11-fold increase in carriage of a hypervirulent Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W ST-11 clone. Phylogenetic clusters, mutation and recombination rates were derived by bioinformatic analyses of whole-genome sequencing data. Transmission dynamics were determined by combining observed carriage rates, cluster sizes and distributions with simple SIS models. Between 9 and 15 genetically-distinct clusters were detected and associated with seven residential halls. Clusters had low mutation accumulation rates and infrequent recombination events. Modeling indicated that effective contacts decreased from 10 to 2 per day between the start and mid-point of the university term. Transmission rates fluctuated between 1 and 4% while the R(t) for carriage decreased from an initial rate of 47 to 1. Decreases in transmission values correlated with a rise in vaccine-induced immunity. Observed carriage dynamics could be mimicked by populations containing 20% of super spreaders with 2.3-fold higher effective contact rates. We conclude that spread of this hypervirulent ST-11 meningococcal clone depends on the levels of effective contacts and immunity rather than genomic variability. Additionally, we propose that super-spreaders enhance meningococcal transmission and that a 70% MenACWY immunization level is sufficient to retard, but not fully prevent, meningococcal spread in close-contact populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C. Holmes
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Luke R. Green
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J. Oldfield
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - David P.J. Turner
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher D. Bayliss
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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16
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Wiatr M, Figueiredo R, Stump-Guthier C, Winter P, Ishikawa H, Adams O, Schwerk C, Schroten H, Rudolph H, Tenenbaum T. Polar Infection of Echovirus-30 Causes Differential Barrier Affection and Gene Regulation at the Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6268. [PMID: 32872518 PMCID: PMC7503638 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Echovirus-30 (E-30) is responsible for the extensive global outbreaks of meningitis in children. To gain access to the central nervous system, E-30 first has to cross the epithelial blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. Several meningitis causing bacteria preferentially infect human choroid plexus papilloma (HIBCPP) cells in a polar fashion from the basolateral cell side. Here, we investigated the polar infection of HIBCPP cells with E-30. Both apical and basolateral infections caused a significant decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance of HIBCPP cells. However, to reach the same impact on the barrier properties, the multiplicity of infection of the apical side had to be higher than that of the basolateral infection. Furthermore, the number of infected cells at respective time-points after basolateral infection was significantly higher compared to apical infection. Cytotoxic effects of E-30 on HIBCPP cells during basolateral infection were observed following prolonged infection and appeared more drastically compared to the apical infection. Gene expression profiles determined by massive analysis of cDNA ends revealed distinct regulation of specific genes depending on the side of HIBCPP cells' infection. Altogether, our data highlights the polar effects of E-30 infection in a human in vitro model of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier leading to central nervous system inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Wiatr
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children’s Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; or (C.S.-G.); (C.S.); (H.S.); or
| | - Ricardo Figueiredo
- GenXpro GmbH, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (R.F.); (P.W.)
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Carolin Stump-Guthier
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children’s Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; or (C.S.-G.); (C.S.); (H.S.); or
| | - Peter Winter
- GenXpro GmbH, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (R.F.); (P.W.)
| | - Hiroshi Ishikawa
- Department of Clinical Regenerative Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0005, Japan;
| | - Ortwin Adams
- Institute for Virology, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
| | - Christian Schwerk
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children’s Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; or (C.S.-G.); (C.S.); (H.S.); or
| | - Horst Schroten
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children’s Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; or (C.S.-G.); (C.S.); (H.S.); or
| | - Henriette Rudolph
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children’s Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; or (C.S.-G.); (C.S.); (H.S.); or
| | - Tobias Tenenbaum
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University Children’s Hospital Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany; or (C.S.-G.); (C.S.); (H.S.); or
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17
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Calder A, Menkiti CJ, Çağdaş A, Lisboa Santos J, Streich R, Wong A, Avini AH, Bojang E, Yogamanoharan K, Sivanesan N, Ali B, Ashrafi M, Issa A, Kaur T, Latif A, Mohamed HAS, Maqsood A, Tamang L, Swager E, Stringer AJ, Snyder LAS. Virulence genes and previously unexplored gene clusters in four commensal Neisseria spp. isolated from the human throat expand the neisserial gene repertoire. Microb Genom 2020; 6. [PMID: 32845827 PMCID: PMC7643975 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Commensal non-pathogenic Neisseria spp. live within the human host alongside the pathogenic Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and due to natural competence, horizontal gene transfer within the genus is possible and has been observed. Four distinct Neisseria spp. isolates taken from the throats of two human volunteers have been assessed here using a combination of microbiological and bioinformatics techniques. Three of the isolates have been identified as Neisseria subflava biovar perflava and one as Neisseria cinerea. Specific gene clusters have been identified within these commensal isolate genome sequences that are believed to encode a Type VI Secretion System, a newly identified CRISPR system, a Type IV Secretion System unlike that in other Neisseria spp., a hemin transporter, and a haem acquisition and utilization system. This investigation is the first to investigate these systems in either the non-pathogenic or pathogenic Neisseria spp. In addition, the N. subflava biovar perflava possess previously unreported capsule loci and sequences have been identified in all four isolates that are similar to genes seen within the pathogens that are associated with virulence. These data from the four commensal isolates provide further evidence for a Neisseria spp. gene pool and highlight the presence of systems within the commensals with functions still to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Calder
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Chukwuma Jude Menkiti
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Aylin Çağdaş
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Jefferson Lisboa Santos
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Ricarda Streich
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Alice Wong
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Amir H Avini
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Ebrima Bojang
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Karththeepan Yogamanoharan
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Nivetha Sivanesan
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Besma Ali
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Mariam Ashrafi
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Abdirizak Issa
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Tajinder Kaur
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Aisha Latif
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Hani A Sheik Mohamed
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Atifa Maqsood
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Laxmi Tamang
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Emily Swager
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Alex J Stringer
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
| | - Lori A S Snyder
- School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy, and Chemistry, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE, UK
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18
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Delbaz A, Chen M, Jen FEC, Schulz BL, Gorse AD, Jennings MP, St John JA, Ekberg JAK. Neisseria meningitidis Induces Pathology-Associated Cellular and Molecular Changes in Trigeminal Schwann Cells. Infect Immun 2020; 88:e00955-19. [PMID: 31964742 PMCID: PMC7093114 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00955-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis, a common cause of sepsis and bacterial meningitis, infects the meninges and central nervous system (CNS), primarily via paracellular traversal across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. N. meningitidis is often present asymptomatically in the nasopharynx, and the nerves extending between the nasal cavity and the brain constitute an alternative route by which the meningococci may reach the CNS. To date, the cellular mechanisms involved in nerve infection are not fully understood. Peripheral nerve glial cells are phagocytic and are capable of eliminating microorganisms, but some pathogens may be able to overcome this protection mechanism and instead infect the glia, causing cell death or pathology. Here, we show that N. meningitidis readily infects trigeminal Schwann cells (the glial cells of the trigeminal nerve) in vitro in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell cultures. Infection of trigeminal Schwann cells may be one mechanism by which N. meningitidis is able to invade the CNS. Infection of the cells led to multinucleation and the appearance of atypical nuclei, with the presence of horseshoe nuclei and the budding of nuclei increasing over time. Using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS) proteomics followed by bioinformatics pathway analysis, we showed that N. meningitidis induced protein alterations in the glia that were associated with altered intercellular signaling, cell-cell interactions, and cellular movement. The analysis also suggested that the alterations in protein levels were consistent with changes occurring in cancer. Thus, infection of the trigeminal nerve by N. meningitidis may have ongoing adverse effects on the biology of Schwann cells, which may lead to pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Delbaz
- Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Mo Chen
- Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Freda E-C Jen
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alain-Dominique Gorse
- QFAB Bioinformatics, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - James A St John
- Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Jenny A K Ekberg
- Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
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19
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van Wolferen M, Shajahan A, Heinrich K, Brenzinger S, Black IM, Wagner A, Briegel A, Azadi P, Albers SV. Species-Specific Recognition of Sulfolobales Mediated by UV-Inducible Pili and S-Layer Glycosylation Patterns. mBio 2020; 11:e03014-19. [PMID: 32156822 PMCID: PMC7064770 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03014-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The UV-inducible pili system of Sulfolobales (Ups) mediates the formation of species-specific cellular aggregates. Within these aggregates, cells exchange DNA to repair DNA double-strand breaks via homologous recombination. Substitution of the Sulfolobus acidocaldarius pilin subunits UpsA and UpsB with their homologs from Sulfolobus tokodaii showed that these subunits facilitate species-specific aggregation. A region of low conservation within the UpsA homologs is primarily important for this specificity. Aggregation assays in the presence of different sugars showed the importance of N-glycosylation in the recognition process. In addition, the N-glycan decorating the S-layer of S. tokodaii is different from the one of S. acidocaldarius Therefore, each Sulfolobus species seems to have developed a unique UpsA binding pocket and unique N-glycan composition to ensure aggregation and, consequently, also DNA exchange with cells from only the same species, which is essential for DNA repair by homologous recombination.IMPORTANCE Type IV pili can be found on the cell surface of many archaea and bacteria where they play important roles in different processes. The UV-inducible pili system of Sulfolobales (Ups) pili from the crenarchaeal Sulfolobales species are essential in establishing species-specific mating partners, thereby assisting in genome stability. With this work, we show that different Sulfolobus species have specific regions in their Ups pili subunits, which allow them to interact only with cells from the same species. Additionally, different Sulfolobus species have unique surface-layer N-glycosylation patterns. We propose that the unique features of each species allow the recognition of specific mating partners. This knowledge for the first time gives insights into the molecular basis of archaeal self-recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marleen van Wolferen
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II-Microbiology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Asif Shajahan
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Kristina Heinrich
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II-Microbiology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Ian M Black
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Alexander Wagner
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II-Microbiology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ariane Briegel
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Sonja-Verena Albers
- Molecular Biology of Archaea, Institute of Biology II-Microbiology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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20
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Fine DH, Schreiner H, Velusamy SK. Aggregatibacter, A Low Abundance Pathobiont That Influences Biogeography, Microbial Dysbiosis, and Host Defense Capabilities in Periodontitis: The History of A Bug, And Localization of Disease. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9030179. [PMID: 32131551 PMCID: PMC7157720 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9030179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, the focus of this review, was initially proposed as a microbe directly related to a phenotypically distinct form of periodontitis called localized juvenile periodontitis. At the time, it seemed as if specific microbes were implicated as the cause of distinct forms of disease. Over the years, much has changed. The sense that specific microbes relate to distinct forms of disease has been challenged, as has the sense that distinct forms of periodontitis exist. This review consists of two components. The first part is presented as a detective story where we attempt to determine what role, if any, Aggregatibacter plays as a participant in disease. The second part describes landscape ecology in the context of how the host environment shapes the framework of local microbial dysbiosis. We then conjecture as to how the local host response may limit the damage caused by pathobionts. We propose that the host may overcome the constant barrage of a dysbiotic microbiota by confining it to a local tooth site. We conclude speculating that the host response can confine local damage by restricting bacteremic translocation of members of the oral microbiota to distant organs thus constraining morbidity and mortality of the host.
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Hodeib S, Herberg JA, Levin M, Sancho-Shimizu V. Human genetics of meningococcal infections. Hum Genet 2020; 139:961-980. [PMID: 32067109 PMCID: PMC7272491 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02128-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a leading cause of bacterial septicaemia and meningitis worldwide. Meningococcal disease is rare but can be life threatening with a tendency to affect children. Many studies have investigated the role of human genetics in predisposition to N. meningitidis infection. These have identified both rare single-gene mutations as well as more common polymorphisms associated with meningococcal disease susceptibility and severity. These findings provide clues to the pathogenesis of N. meningitidis, the basis of host susceptibility to infection and to the aetiology of severe disease. From the multiple discoveries of monogenic complement deficiencies to the associations of complement factor H and complement factor H-related three polymorphisms to meningococcal disease, the complement pathway is highlighted as being central to the genetic control of meningococcal disease. This review aims to summarise the current understanding of the host genetic basis of meningococcal disease with respect to the different stages of meningococcal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Hodeib
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Jethro A Herberg
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Vanessa Sancho-Shimizu
- Department of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK.
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London, W2 1PG, UK.
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Káňová E, Tkáčová Z, Bhide K, Kulkarni A, Jiménez-Munguía I, Mertinková P, Drážovská M, Tyagi P, Bhide M. Transcriptome analysis of human brain microvascular endothelial cells response to Neisseria meningitidis and its antigen MafA using RNA-seq. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18763. [PMID: 31822804 PMCID: PMC6904618 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55409-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Interaction of Neisseria meningitidis (NM) with human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMECs) initiates of multiple cellular processes, which allow bacterial translocation across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). NM is equipped with several antigens, which interacts with the host cell receptors. Recently we have shown that adhesin MafA (UniProtKB-X5EG71), relatively less studied protein, is one of those surface exposed antigens that adhere to hBMECs. The present study was designed to comprehensively map the undergoing biological processes in hBMECs challenged with NM or MafA using RNA sequencing. 708 and 726 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in hBMECs exposed to NM and MafA, respectively. Gene ontology analysis of the DEGs revealed that several biological processes, which may alter the permeability of BBB, were activated. Comparative analysis of DEGs revealed that MafA, alike NM, might provoke TLR-dependent pathway and augment cytokine response. Moreover, both MafA and NM were able to induce genes involved in cell surface modifications, endocytosis, extracellular matrix remodulation and anoikis/apoptosis. In conclusion, this study for the first time describes effect of NM on the global gene expression in hBMECs using high-throughput RNA-seq. It also presents ability of MafA to induce gene expression, which might aid NM in breaching the BBB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelína Káňová
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Tkáčová
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Bhide
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Amod Kulkarni
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Irene Jiménez-Munguía
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Patrícia Mertinková
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Monika Drážovská
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Punit Tyagi
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Mangesh Bhide
- Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenskeho 73, 04001, Kosice, Slovakia. .,Institute of Neuroimmunology of Slovak Academy of Sciences, 84510, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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23
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Pantano E, Marchi S, Biagini M, Di Fede M, Nardi Dei V, Rossi Paccani S, Pizza M, Cartocci E. NHBA is processed by kallikrein from human saliva. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0203234. [PMID: 31369555 PMCID: PMC6675046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA) is a surface-exposed lipoprotein of Neisseria meningitidis and a component of the Bexsero vaccine. NHBA is characterized by the presence of a highly conserved Arg-rich region involved in binding to heparin and heparan sulphate proteoglycans present on the surface of host epithelial cells, suggesting a possible role of NHBA during N. meningitidis colonization. NHBA has been shown to be cleaved by the meningococcal protease NalP and by human lactoferrin (hLF), a host protease presents in different body fluids (saliva, breast milk and serum). Cleavage occurs upstream or downstream the Arg-rich region. Since the human nasopharynx is the only known reservoir of infection, we further investigated the susceptibility of NHBA to human proteases present in the saliva to assess whether proteolytic cleavage could happen during the initial steps of colonization. Here we show that human saliva proteolytically cleaves NHBA, and identified human kallikrein 1 (hK1), a serine protease, as responsible for this cleavage. Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) have a distinct domain structure and exist as a family of 15 genes which are differentially expressed in many tissues and in the central nervous system. They are present in plasma, lymph, urine, saliva, pancreatic juices, and other body fluids where they catalyze the proteolysis of several human proteins. Here we report the characterization of NHBA cleavage by the tissue kallikrein, expressed in saliva and the identification of the cleavage site on NHBA both, as recombinant protein or as native protein, when expressed on live bacteria. Overall, these findings provide new insights on NHBA as target of host proteases, highlights thepotential role of NHBA in the Neisseria meningitidis nasopharyngeal colonization, and of kallikrein as a defensive agent against meningococcal infection.
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24
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Martins Gomes SF, Westermann AJ, Sauerwein T, Hertlein T, Förstner KU, Ohlsen K, Metzger M, Shusta EV, Kim BJ, Appelt-Menzel A, Schubert-Unkmeir A. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Endothelial Cells as a Cellular Model to Study Neisseria meningitidis Infection. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1181. [PMID: 31191497 PMCID: PMC6548865 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Meningococcal meningitis is a severe central nervous system infection that occurs when Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) penetrates brain endothelial cells (BECs) of the meningeal blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. As a human-specific pathogen, in vivo models are greatly limited and pose a significant challenge. In vitro cell models have been developed, however, most lack critical BEC phenotypes limiting their usefulness. Human BECs generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) retain BEC properties and offer the prospect of modeling the human-specific Nm interaction with BECs. Here, we exploit iPSC-BECs as a novel cellular model to study Nm host-pathogen interactions, and provide an overview of host responses to Nm infection. Using iPSC-BECs, we first confirmed that multiple Nm strains and mutants follow similar phenotypes to previously described models. The recruitment of the recently published pilus adhesin receptor CD147 underneath meningococcal microcolonies could be verified in iPSC-BECs. Nm was also observed to significantly increase the expression of pro-inflammatory and neutrophil-specific chemokines IL6, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL8, and CCL20, and the secretion of IFN-γ and RANTES. For the first time, we directly observe that Nm disrupts the three tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-5, which become frayed and/or discontinuous in BECs upon Nm challenge. In accordance with tight junction loss, a sharp loss in trans-endothelial electrical resistance, and an increase in sodium fluorescein permeability and in bacterial transmigration, was observed. Finally, we established RNA-Seq of sorted, infected iPSC-BECs, providing expression data of Nm-responsive host genes. Altogether, this model provides novel insights into Nm pathogenesis, including an impact of Nm on barrier properties and tight junction complexes, and suggests that the paracellular route may contribute to Nm traversal of BECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara F Martins Gomes
- Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander J Westermann
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Till Sauerwein
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,ZB MED, Information Centre for Life Sciences, Cologne, Germany.,TH Köln, University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tobias Hertlein
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Konrad U Förstner
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,ZB MED, Information Centre for Life Sciences, Cologne, Germany.,TH Köln, University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies, Cologne, Germany
| | - Knut Ohlsen
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marco Metzger
- Chair Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Eric V Shusta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Brandon J Kim
- Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Antje Appelt-Menzel
- Chair Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), Würzburg, Germany
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25
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Dutcher JR. Nanofibres induce remodelling of cell membranes. Nature 2018; 563:481-482. [PMID: 30459369 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-018-07261-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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26
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Terranova L, Principi N, Bianchini S, Di Pietro G, Umbrello G, Madini B, Esposito S. Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B carriage by adolescents and young adults living in Milan, Italy: Prevalence of strains potentially covered by the presently available meningococcal B vaccines. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2018; 14:1070-1074. [PMID: 29584565 PMCID: PMC5989914 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1450121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, two vaccines against meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) have been developed. They are prepared according to the reverse vaccinology approach and contain 4 (4CMenB) and 2 (MenB-FHbp) cross-reactive surface proteins. In Italy 4CMenB vaccine has been included in the official vaccination schedule only recently and recommended only for infants and toddlers, whereas MenB-FHbp is not licensed. In order to collect information about the present carriage of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) in Italian adolescents and to evaluate the potential protection offered by the presently available MenB vaccines, 2,560 otherwise healthy, high school students aged 14-21 years (907 males, 35.4%, median age 16.2 years) were enrolled in Milan, Italy. A swab to collect posterior pharynx secretions was collected from each subject and meningococcal identification, serogrouping, multilocus sequence typing analysis, sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis were performed. A total of 135 (5.3%) adolescents were meningococcal carriers. Strains belonging to serogroup B were the most common (n = 58; 2.3%), followed by MenY (n = 32; 1.2%), MenC (n = 7; 0.3%), MenW (n = 6; 0.3%) and MenX (n = 5; 0.2%). The remaining bacteria were not capsulated. The identified MenB strains belonged to eleven clonal complexes (CCs): ST-162 CC (n = 12; 20.7%), ST-865 CC (n = 12; 20.7%), ST-41/44/Lin.3 CC (n = 11; 19.0%), ST-35 CC (n = 6; 10.3%), ST-32/ET-5 CC (n = 4; 6.9%), ST-269 CC (n = 3; 5.2%), ST-213 CC (n = 2; 3.4%), ST-198 CC (n = 1; 1.7%), ST-461 CC (n = 1; 1.7%), ST-549 CC (n = 1; 1.7%), and ST-750 CC (n = 1; 1.7%). This study showed that MenB was the most commonly carried meningococcal serogroup found in adolescents living in Milan, Italy. The MenB vaccines presently licensed could have theoretically induced the production of antibodies effective against the greatest part of the identified MenB strains (100% in the case of 4CMenB and 95% in case of MenB-FHbp) Monitoring carriage remains essential to evaluate MenB circulation, but further studies are necessary to evaluate the effect on carriage and the final efficacy of both new MenB vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Terranova
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Nicola Principi
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Sonia Bianchini
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giada Di Pietro
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Umbrello
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Barbara Madini
- Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Susanna Esposito
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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27
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Abstract
Neisseria meningitidis is a harmless commensal bacterium finely adapted to humans. Unfortunately, under “privileged” conditions, it adopts a “devious” lifestyle leading to uncontrolled behavior characterized by the unleashing of molecular weapons causing potentially lethal disease such as sepsis and acute meningitis. Indeed, despite the lack of a classic repertoire of virulence genes in
N. meningitidis separating commensal from invasive strains, molecular epidemiology and functional genomics studies suggest that carriage and invasive strains belong to genetically distinct populations characterized by an exclusive pathogenic potential. In the last few years, “omics” technologies have helped scientists to unwrap the framework drawn by
N. meningitidis during different stages of colonization and disease. However, this scenario is still incomplete and would benefit from the implementation of physiological tissue models for the reproduction of mucosal and systemic interactions
in vitro. These emerging technologies supported by recent advances in the world of stem cell biology hold the promise for a further understanding of
N. meningitidis pathogenesis.
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28
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Implications of Neuroinvasive Bacterial Peptides on Rodents Behaviour and Neurotransmission. Pathogens 2017; 6:pathogens6030027. [PMID: 28671588 PMCID: PMC5617984 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinvasive microbes are capable of applying their influences on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) of the host followed by the involvement of central nervous system (CNS) by releasing extracellular metabolites that may cause alterations in the biochemical and neurophysiological environment. Consequently synaptic, neuroendocrine, peripheral immune, neuro-immune, and behavioural responses of the host facilitate the progression of infection. The present study was designed to extrapolate the effects of crude and purified extracellular peptides of neuropathogenic bacteria on behavioural responses and neurotransmission of Sprague Dawley (SD) models. Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and Neisseria meningitides (Nm) were isolated from the 92 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected from mentally compromised patients. Bacillus cereus (Bc) and Clostridium tetani (Ct) were also included in the study. All bacterial strains were identified by the standard biochemical procedures. Filter sterilized cell free cultural broths (SCFBs) were prepared of different culture media. Behavioural study and neurotransmitter analysis were performed by giving an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of each bacterial SCFB to four groups (Test; n = 7) of SD rats, whereas two groups each (Control; n = 7) received a nutrient broth (NB) control and sterile physiological saline control, respectively. Extracellular bioactive peptides of these bacteria were screened and purified. All experiments were repeated using purified bacterial peptides on SD rat cohorts. Our study indicated promising behavioural changes, including fever, swelling, and hind paw paralysis, in SD rat cohorts. Purified bacterial peptides of all bacteria used in the present study elicited marked changes in behaviour through the involvement of the autonomic nervous system. Furthermore, these peptides of meningitis bacteria were found to potently affect the dopaminergic neurotransmission in CNS.
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29
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Ruch TR, Engel JN. Targeting the Mucosal Barrier: How Pathogens Modulate the Cellular Polarity Network. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2017; 9:cshperspect.a027953. [PMID: 28193722 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a027953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The mucosal barrier is composed of polarized epithelial cells with distinct apical and basolateral surfaces separated by tight junctions and serves as both a physical and immunological barrier to incoming pathogens. Specialized polarity proteins are critical for establishment and maintenance of polarity. Many human pathogens have evolved virulence mechanisms that target the polarity network to enhance binding, create replication niches, move through the barrier by transcytosis, or bypass the barrier by disrupting cell-cell junctions. This review summarizes recent advances and compares and contrasts how three important human pathogens that colonize mucosal surfaces, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Helicobacter pylori, and Neisseria meningitidis, subvert the host cell polarization machinery during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis R Ruch
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
| | - Joanne N Engel
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
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30
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McLoughlin A, Rochfort KD, McDonnell CJ, Kerrigan SW, Cummins PM. Staphylococcus aureus-mediated blood-brain barrier injury: an in vitro human brain microvascular endothelial cell model. Cell Microbiol 2016; 19. [PMID: 27598716 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption constitutes a hallmark event during pathogen-mediated neurological disorders such as bacterial meningitis. As a prevalent opportunistic pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is of particular interest in this context, although our fundamental understanding of how SA disrupts the BBB is very limited. This paper employs in vitro infection models to address this. Human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMvECs) were infected with formaldehyde-fixed (multiplicity of infection [MOI] 0-250, 0-48 hr) and live (MOI 0-100, 0-3 hr) SA cultures. Both Fixed-SA and Live-SA could adhere to HBMvECs with equal efficacy and cause elevated paracellular permeability. In further studies employing Fixed-SA, infection of HBMvECs caused dose-dependent release of cytokines/chemokines (TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, IP-10, and thrombomodulin), reduced expression of interendothelial junction proteins (VE-Cadherin, claudin-5, and ZO-1), and activation of both canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways. Using N-acetylcysteine, we determined that these events were coupled to the SA-mediated induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within HBMvECs. Finally, treatment of HBMvECs with Fixed-ΔSpA (MOI 0-250, 48 hr), a gene deletion mutant of Staphylococcal protein A associated with bacterial infectivity, had relatively similar effects to Newman WT Fixed-SA. In conclusion, these findings provide insight into how SA infection may activate proinflammatory mechanisms within the brain microvascular endothelium to elicit BBB failure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Keith D Rochfort
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cormac J McDonnell
- Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephens Green, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Steven W Kerrigan
- Irish Centre for Vascular Biology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephens Green, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Philip M Cummins
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
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31
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Simonis A, Schubert-Unkmeir A. Interactions of meningococcal virulence factors with endothelial cells at the human blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and their role in pathogenicity. FEBS Lett 2016; 590:3854-3867. [PMID: 27498906 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The Gram-negative extracellular bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is one of the most common aetiological agents of bacterial meningitis affecting predominantly young children worldwide. This bacterium is normally a quiescent coloniser of the upper respiratory tract, but in some individuals it enters the blood stream and causes invasive diseases, such as septicaemia and meningitis. Interactions of N. meningitidis with human endothelial cells are crucially involved in pathogencitiy, and great efforts have been made to understand these molecular interactions. The aim of this review article is to provide an overview of the interactions of meningococcal virulence factors with host endothelial cells at the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Simonis
- Division of Hematology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Wuerzburg, Germany
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32
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Sharma N, Aduri NG, Iqbal A, Prabhala BK, Mirza O. Peptide Selectivity of the Proton-Coupled Oligopeptide Transporter from Neisseria meningitidis. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2016; 26:312-9. [DOI: 10.1159/000447129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide transport in living organisms is facilitated by either primary transport, hydrolysis of ATP, or secondary transport, cotransport of protons. In this study, we focused on investigating the ligand specificity of the <i>Neisseria meningitidis</i> proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter (NmPOT). It has been shown that the gene encoding this transporter is upregulated during infection. NmPOT conformed to the typical chain length preference as observed in prototypical transporters of this family. In contrast to prototypical transporters, it was unable to accommodate a positively charged peptide residue at the C-terminus position of the substrate peptide. Sequence analysis of the active site of NmPOT displayed a distinctive aromatic patch, which has not been observed in any other transporters from this family. This aromatic patch may be involved in providing NmPOT with its atypical preferences. This study provides important novel information towards understanding how these transporters recognize their substrates.
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33
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Qi W, Vaughan L, Katharios P, Schlapbach R, Seth-Smith HMB. Host-Associated Genomic Features of the Novel Uncultured Intracellular Pathogen Ca. Ichthyocystis Revealed by Direct Sequencing of Epitheliocysts. Genome Biol Evol 2016; 8:1672-89. [PMID: 27190004 PMCID: PMC4943182 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evw111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in single-cell and mini-metagenome sequencing have enabled important investigations into uncultured bacteria. In this study, we applied the mini-metagenome sequencing method to assemble genome drafts of the uncultured causative agents of epitheliocystis, an emerging infectious disease in the Mediterranean aquaculture species gilthead seabream. We sequenced multiple cyst samples and constructed 11 genome drafts from a novel beta-proteobacterial lineage, Candidatus Ichthyocystis. The draft genomes demonstrate features typical of pathogenic bacteria with an obligate intracellular lifestyle: a reduced genome of up to 2.6 Mb, reduced G + C content, and reduced metabolic capacity. Reconstruction of metabolic pathways reveals that Ca Ichthyocystis genomes lack all amino acid synthesis pathways, compelling them to scavenge from the fish host. All genomes encode type II, III, and IV secretion systems, a large repertoire of predicted effectors, and a type IV pilus. These are all considered to be virulence factors, required for adherence, invasion, and host manipulation. However, no evidence of lipopolysaccharide synthesis could be found. Beyond the core functions shared within the genus, alignments showed distinction into different species, characterized by alternative large gene families. These comprise up to a third of each genome, appear to have arisen through duplication and diversification, encode many effector proteins, and are seemingly critical for virulence. Thus, Ca Ichthyocystis represents a novel obligatory intracellular pathogenic beta-proteobacterial lineage. The methods used: mini-metagenome analysis and manual annotation, have generated important insights into the lifestyle and evolution of the novel, uncultured pathogens, elucidating many putative virulence factors including an unprecedented array of novel gene families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihong Qi
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lloyd Vaughan
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute for Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pantelis Katharios
- Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ralph Schlapbach
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Helena M B Seth-Smith
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute for Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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Neuroinvasion and Inflammation in Viral Central Nervous System Infections. Mediators Inflamm 2016; 2016:8562805. [PMID: 27313404 PMCID: PMC4897715 DOI: 10.1155/2016/8562805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotropic viruses can cause devastating central nervous system (CNS) infections, especially in young children and the elderly. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) have been described as relevant sites of entry for specific viruses as well as for leukocytes, which are recruited during the proinflammatory response in the course of CNS infection. In this review, we illustrate examples of established brain barrier models, in which the specific reaction patterns of different viral families can be analyzed. Furthermore, we highlight the pathogen specific array of cytokines and chemokines involved in immunological responses in viral CNS infections. We discuss in detail the link between specific cytokines and chemokines and leukocyte migration profiles. The thorough understanding of the complex and interrelated inflammatory mechanisms as well as identifying universal mediators promoting CNS inflammation is essential for the development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies.
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Armstrong D, Ashworth M, Dregan A, White P. The relationship between prior antimicrobial prescription and meningitis: a case-control study. Br J Gen Pract 2016; 66:e228-33. [PMID: 26965030 PMCID: PMC4809705 DOI: 10.3399/bjgp16x684313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research into the role of the human microbiome in maintaining health has identified the potentially harmful impact of antimicrobials. AIM The association with bacterial and viral meningitis following antimicrobial prescription during the previous year was investigated to determine whether antimicrobials have a deleterious effect on the nasopharyngeal microbiome. DESIGN AND SETTING A case-control study (1:4 cases to controls) was conducted examining the rate of previous antimicrobial exposure in cases of meningitis and in a matched control group. Data from a UK primary care clinical database were analysed using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 7346 cases of meningitis were identified, 3307 (45%) viral, 1812 (25%) bacterial, and 2227 (30%) unspecified. The risks of viral (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.24 to 2.68) or bacterial (AOR 1.98; 95% CI = 1.71 to 2.30) meningitis were both increased following antimicrobial prescription in the preceding year. Patients who received ≥4 antimicrobial prescriptions in the preceding year were at significantly increased risk of all types of meningitis (AOR 2.85; 95% CI = 2.44 to 3.34), bacterial meningitis (AOR 3.06; 95% CI = 2.26 to 4.15) and viral meningitis (AOR 3.23; 95% CI = 2.55 to 4.08) compared to their matched controls. CONCLUSION There was an increased risk of meningitis following antimicrobial prescription in the previous year. It is possible that this increase was due to an effect of antimicrobials on the microbiome or reflected an increased general susceptibility to infections in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Armstrong
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London
| | - Mark Ashworth
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London
| | - Alex Dregan
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London
| | - Patrick White
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London
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Wang S, Peng L, Gai Z, Zhang L, Jong A, Cao H, Huang SH. Pathogenic Triad in Bacterial Meningitis: Pathogen Invasion, NF-κB Activation, and Leukocyte Transmigration that Occur at the Blood-Brain Barrier. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:148. [PMID: 26925035 PMCID: PMC4760054 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial meningitis remains the leading cause of disabilities worldwide. This life-threatening disease has a high mortality rate despite the availability of antibiotics and improved critical care. The interactions between bacterial surface components and host defense systems that initiate bacterial meningitis have been studied in molecular and cellular detail over the past several decades. Bacterial meningitis commonly exhibits triad hallmark features (THFs): pathogen penetration, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation in coordination with type 1 interferon (IFN) signaling and leukocyte transmigration that occur at the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which consists mainly of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC). This review outlines the progression of these early inter-correlated events contributing to the central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and injury during the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis. A better understanding of these issues is not only imperative to elucidating the pathogenic mechanism of bacterial meningitis, but may also provide the in-depth insight into the development of novel therapeutic interventions against this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shifu Wang
- Department of Children's Medical Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinan, China; Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Liang Peng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongtao Gai
- Department of Children's Medical Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Lehai Zhang
- Department of Children's Medical Laboratory Diagnosis Center, Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University Jinan, China
| | - Ambrose Jong
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hong Cao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University Guangzhou, China
| | - Sheng-He Huang
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Matyska Liskova P, Fiser R, Macek P, Chmelik J, Sykora J, Bednarova L, Konopasek I, Bumba L. Probing the Ca(2+)-assisted π-π interaction during Ca(2+)-dependent protein folding. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:531-541. [PMID: 26489523 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm01796c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Protein folding is governed by a balance of non-covalent interactions, of which cation-π and π-π play important roles. Theoretical calculations revealed a strong cooperativity between cation-π involving alkali and alkaline earth metal ions and π-π interactions, but however, no experimental evidence was provided in this regard. Here, we characterized a Ca(2+)-binding self-processing module (SPM), which mediates a highly-specific Ca(2+)-dependent autocatalytic processing of iron-regulated protein FrpC secreted by the pathogenic Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. The SPM undergoes a Ca(2+)-induced transition from an intrinsically unstructured conformation to the compact protein fold that is ultimately stabilized by the π-π interaction between two unique tryptophan residues arranged in the T-shaped orientation. Moreover, the pair of tryptophans is located in a close vicinity of a calcium-binding site, suggesting the involvement of a Ca(2+)-assisted π-π interaction in the stabilization of the tertiary structure of the SPM. This makes the SPM an excellent model for the investigation of the Ca(2+)-assisted π-π interaction during Ca(2+)-induced protein folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Matyska Liskova
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Bacterial Pathogens, Institute of Microbiology of the ASCR, v.v.i., Videnska 1083, 14200 Prague, Czech Republic.
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Mahida N, Anthony L, Martin N, Gupta A, Andrewartha F. Human bite leading to fatal Neisseria meningitidis septicaemia and pericarditis. JMM Case Rep 2015. [DOI: 10.1099/jmmcr.0.000087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nikunj Mahida
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Nottingham University Hospitals, Queens Medical Centre, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Laura Anthony
- Department of Rheumatology and General Medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals, Queens Medical Centre, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Nicola Martin
- Department of Rheumatology and General Medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals, Queens Medical Centre, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Anindya Gupta
- Department of Rheumatology and General Medicine, Nottingham University Hospitals, Queens Medical Centre, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Fiona Andrewartha
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Nottingham University Hospitals, Queens Medical Centre, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
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Oosthuysen WF, Mueller T, Dittrich MT, Schubert-Unkmeir A. Neisseria meningitidiscauses cell cycle arrest of human brain microvascular endothelial cells at S phase via p21 and cyclin G2. Cell Microbiol 2015; 18:46-65. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tobias Mueller
- Department of Bioinformatics; University of Wuerzburg; Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Marcus T. Dittrich
- Department of Bioinformatics; University of Wuerzburg; Wuerzburg Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics; University of Wuerzburg; Germany
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Recognition of Neisseria meningitidis by the long pentraxin PTX3 and its role as an endogenous adjuvant. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120807. [PMID: 25786110 PMCID: PMC4364741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a non-redundant component of the humoral arm of innate immunity. The present study was designed to investigate the interaction of PTX3 with Neisseria meningitidis. PTX3 bound acapsular meningococcus, Neisseria-derived outer membrane vesicles (OMV) and 3 selected meningococcal antigens (GNA0667, GNA1030 and GNA2091). PTX3-recognized microbial moieties are conserved structures which fulfil essential microbial functions. Ptx3-deficient mice had a lower antibody response in vaccination protocols with OMV and co-administration of PTX3 increased the antibody response, particularly in Ptx3-deficient mice. Administration of PTX3 reduced the bacterial load in infant rats challenged with Neisseria meningitidis. These results suggest that PTX3 recognizes a set of conserved structures from Neisseria meningitidis and acts as an amplifier/endogenous adjuvant of responses to this bacterium.
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Asmat TM, Tenenbaum T, Jonsson AB, Schwerk C, Schroten H. Impact of calcium signaling during infection of Neisseria meningitidis to human brain microvascular endothelial cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114474. [PMID: 25464500 PMCID: PMC4252121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The pili and outer membrane proteins of Neisseria meningitidis (meningococci) facilitate bacterial adhesion and invasion into host cells. In this context expression of meningococcal PilC1 protein has been reported to play a crucial role. Intracellular calcium mobilization has been implicated as an important signaling event during internalization of several bacterial pathogens. Here we employed time lapse calcium-imaging and demonstrated that PilC1 of meningococci triggered a significant increase in cytoplasmic calcium in human brain microvascular endothelial cells, whereas PilC1-deficient meningococci could not initiate this signaling process. The increase in cytosolic calcium in response to PilC1-expressing meningococci was due to efflux of calcium from host intracellular stores as demonstrated by using 2-APB, which inhibits the release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, pre-treatment of host cells with U73122 (phospholipase C inhibitor) abolished the cytosolic calcium increase caused by PilC1-expressing meningococci demonstrating that active phospholipase C (PLC) is required to induce calcium transients in host cells. Furthermore, the role of cytosolic calcium on meningococcal adherence and internalization was documented by gentamicin protection assay and double immunofluorescence (DIF) staining. Results indicated that chelation of intracellular calcium by using BAPTA-AM significantly impaired PilC1-mediated meningococcal adherence to and invasion into host endothelial cells. However, buffering of extracellular calcium by BAPTA or EGTA demonstrated no significant effect on meningococcal adherence to and invasion into host cells. Taken together, these results indicate that meningococci induce calcium release from intracellular stores of host endothelial cells via PilC1 and cytoplasmic calcium concentrations play a critical role during PilC1 mediated meningococcal adherence to and subsequent invasion into host endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tauseef M. Asmat
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Tobias Tenenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ann-Beth Jonsson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christian Schwerk
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Horst Schroten
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, a putative receptor for the adhesion of Streptococcus pneumoniae to the vascular endothelium of the blood-brain barrier. Infect Immun 2014; 82:3555-66. [PMID: 24914219 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00046-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main causative agent of bacterial meningitis. S. pneumoniae is thought to invade the central nervous system via the bloodstream by crossing the vascular endothelium of the blood-brain barrier. The exact mechanism by which pneumococci cross endothelial cell barriers before meningitis develops is unknown. Here, we investigated the role of PECAM-1/CD31, one of the major endothelial cell adhesion molecules, in S. pneumoniae adhesion to vascular endothelium of the blood-brain barrier. Mice were intravenously infected with pneumococci and sacrificed at various time points to represent stages preceding meningitis. Immunofluorescent analysis of brain tissue of infected mice showed that pneumococci colocalized with PECAM-1. In human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) incubated with S. pneumoniae, we observed a clear colocalization between PECAM-1 and pneumococci. Blocking of PECAM-1 reduced the adhesion of S. pneumoniae to endothelial cells in vitro, implying that PECAM-1 is involved in pneumococcal adhesion to the cells. Furthermore, using endothelial cell protein lysates, we demonstrated that S. pneumoniae physically binds to PECAM-1. Moreover, both in vitro and in vivo PECAM-1 colocalizes with the S. pneumoniae adhesion receptor pIgR. Lastly, immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that PECAM-1 can physically interact with pIgR. In summary, we show for the first time that blood-borne S. pneumoniae colocalizes with PECAM-1 expressed by brain microvascular endothelium and that, in addition, they colocalize with pIgR. We hypothesize that this interaction plays a role in pneumococcal binding to the blood-brain barrier vasculature prior to invasion into the brain.
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Abstract
In the context of host-pathogen interaction, host cell receptors and signaling pathways are essential for both invading pathogens, which exploit them for their own profit, and the defending organism, which activates early mechanism of defense, known as innate immunity, to block the aggression. Because of their central role as scaffolding proteins downstream of activated receptors, β-arrestins are involved in multiple signaling pathways activated in host cells by pathogens. Some of these pathways participate in the innate immunity and the inflammatory response. Other β-arrestin-dependent pathways are actually hijacked by microbes and toxins to penetrate into host cells and spread in the organism.
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Abstract
Type IV pili (T4P) are multifunctional protein fibers produced on the surfaces of a wide variety of bacteria and archaea. The major subunit of T4P is the type IV pilin, and structurally related proteins are found as components of the type II secretion (T2S) system, where they are called pseudopilins; of DNA uptake/competence systems in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive species; and of flagella, pili, and sugar-binding systems in the archaea. This broad distribution of a single protein family implies both a common evolutionary origin and a highly adaptable functional plan. The type IV pilin is a remarkably versatile architectural module that has been adopted widely for a variety of functions, including motility, attachment to chemically diverse surfaces, electrical conductance, acquisition of DNA, and secretion of a broad range of structurally distinct protein substrates. In this review, we consider recent advances in this research area, from structural revelations to insights into diversity, posttranslational modifications, regulation, and function.
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Edwards VL, Wang LC, Dawson V, Stein DC, Song W. Neisseria gonorrhoeae breaches the apical junction of polarized epithelial cells for transmigration by activating EGFR. Cell Microbiol 2013; 15:1042-57. [PMID: 23279089 PMCID: PMC5584544 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 12/13/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae initiates infection at the apical surface of columnar endocervical epithelial cells in the female reproductive tract. These cells provide a physical barrier against pathogens by forming continuous apical junctional complexes between neighbouring cells. This study examines the interaction of gonococci (GC) with polarized epithelial cells. We show that viable GC preferentially localize at the apical side of the cell-cell junction in polarized endometrial and colonic epithelial cells, HEC-1-B and T84. In GC-infected cells, continuous apical junctional complexes are disrupted, and the junction-associated protein β-catenin is redistributed from the apical junction to the cytoplasm and to GC adherent sites; however, overall cellular levels remain unchanged. This redistribution of junctional proteins is associated with a decrease in the 'fence' function of the apical junction but not its 'gate' function. Disruption of the apical junction by removing calcium increases GC transmigration across the epithelial monolayer. GC inoculation induces the phosphorylation of both epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and β-catenin, while inhibition of EGFR kinase activity significantly reduces both GC-induced β-catenin redistribution and GC transmigration. Therefore, the gonococcus is capable of weakening the apical junction and polarity of epithelial cells by activating EGFR, which facilitates GC transmigration across the epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vonetta L. Edwards
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Liang-Chun Wang
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Valerie Dawson
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel C. Stein
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Wenxia Song
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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Burrows LL. Prime time for minor subunits of the type II secretion and type IV pilus systems. Mol Microbiol 2012; 86:765-9. [PMID: 22998166 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The type II secretion system (T2SS) exports folded proteins from the periplasms of Gram-negative bacteria. The type IV pilus system (T4PS) is a multifunctional machine used for adherence, motility and DNA transfer in bacteria and archaea. Partial sequence identity between the two systems suggests that they are related and might function via a similar mechanism, the dynamic assembly and disassembly of pseudopilus (T2SS) or pilus (T4PS) filaments. The major subunit in each system is thought to form the bulk of the (pseudo)pilus, while minor (low-abundance) subunits have proposed roles in assembly initiation, antagonism of disassembly, or modulation of (pseudo)pilus functional properties. In this issue, Cisneros et al. () extend their previous finding that pseudopilus assembly is primed by the minor pseudopilins, showing that the same proteins can initiate assembly of Escherichia coli T4P. Similarly, they show that the E. coli minor pilins prime the polymerization of T2S pseudopili, although unlike genuine pseudopili, the chimeric filaments did not support secretion. This work reinforces the notion of a common assembly mechanism for the T2S and T4P systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori L Burrows
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Diseases Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S4K1.
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