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Sansone S, Ramos Y, Segal S, Asfaw TS, Morales DK. Uncovering Surface Penetration by Enterococci From Urinary Tract Infection Patients. Urogynecology (Phila) 2024; 30:320-329. [PMID: 38484249 DOI: 10.1097/spv.0000000000001476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The relationship between Enterococcus faecalis vaginal colonization and urinary tract infections (UTIs) remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the surface invasion capability of E faecalis isolates from patients with and without UTIs as a potential readout of pathogenicity. STUDY DESIGN Participants were females from urogynecology clinics, comprising symptomatic UTI and asymptomatic non-UTI patients, categorized by the presence or absence of E faecalis-positive cultures identified via standard urine culture techniques. Vaginal and urine samples from patients were plated on enterococci selective medium, and E faecalis isolates detected in both cohorts were species specific identified using 16S rRNA sequencing. Clinical isolates were inoculated on semisolid media, and both external colonies and underneath colony prints formed by agar-penetrating enterococci were imaged. External growth and invasiveness were quantified by determining colony-forming units of the noninvading and agar-penetrating cells and compared with the E faecalis OG1RF. RESULTS We selected E faecalis isolates from urine and vaginal samples of 4 patients with and 4 patients without UTIs. Assays demonstrated that most isolates formed similarly sized external colonies with comparable colony-forming unit. Surface invasion differed across patients and isolation sites compared with OG1RF. The vaginal isolate from UTI patient 1, who had the most recurrences, exhibited significantly greater agar-invading capacity compared with OG1RF. CONCLUSIONS Our pilot study indicates that ex vivo invasion assays may unveil virulence traits in E faecalis from UTI patients. Enhanced enterococcal surface penetration could increase urogenital invasion risk. Further research is needed to correlate penetration with disease severity in a larger patient group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Sansone
- From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
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2
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Hwang SM, Awasthi D, Jeong J, Sandoval TA, Chae CS, Ramos Y, Tan C, Falco MM, McBain IT, Mishra B, Ivashkiv LB, Zamarin D, Cantillo E, Chapman-Davis E, Holcomb K, Morales DK, Rodriguez PC, Conejo-Garcia JR, Kaczocha M, Vähärautio A, Song M, Cubillos-Ruiz JR. Transgelin 2 guards T cell lipid metabolic programming and anti-tumor function. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-3683989. [PMID: 38168227 PMCID: PMC10760247 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3683989/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Mounting effective immunity against pathogens and tumors relies on the successful metabolic programming of T cells by extracellular fatty acids1-3. During this process, fatty-acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) imports lipids that fuel mitochondrial respiration and sustain the bioenergetic requirements of protective CD8+ T cells4,5. Importantly, however, the mechanisms governing this crucial immunometabolic axis remain unexplored. Here we report that the cytoskeletal organizer Transgelin 2 (TAGLN2) is necessary for optimal CD8+ T cell fatty acid uptake, mitochondrial respiration, and anti-cancer function. We found that TAGLN2 interacts with FABP5, enabling the surface localization of this lipid importer on activated CD8+ T cells. Analysis of ovarian cancer specimens revealed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses elicited by the tumor microenvironment repress TAGLN2 in infiltrating CD8+ T cells, enforcing their dysfunctional state. Restoring TAGLN2 expression in ER-stressed CD8+ T cells bolstered their lipid uptake, mitochondrial respiration, and cytotoxic capacity. Accordingly, chimeric antigen receptor T cells overexpressing TAGLN2 bypassed the detrimental effects of tumor-induced ER stress and demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy in mice with metastatic ovarian cancer. Our study unveils the role of cytoskeletal TAGLN2 in T cell lipid metabolism and highlights the potential to enhance cellular immunotherapy in solid malignancies by preserving the TAGLN2-FABP5 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Min Hwang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Deepika Awasthi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jieun Jeong
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tito A. Sandoval
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Chang-Suk Chae
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Yusibeska Ramos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Chen Tan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Matías Marin Falco
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ian T. McBain
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. New York, NY 10065. USA
| | - Bikash Mishra
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. New York, NY 10065. USA
- HSS Research Institute and David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lionel B. Ivashkiv
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. New York, NY 10065. USA
- HSS Research Institute and David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dmitriy Zamarin
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Evelyn Cantillo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eloise Chapman-Davis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kevin Holcomb
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Diana K. Morales
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Paulo C. Rodriguez
- Department of Immunology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute. Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jose R. Conejo-Garcia
- Department of Integrated Immunobiology, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Martin Kaczocha
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Stony Brook University Pain and Analgesia Research Center (SPARC), Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Anna Vähärautio
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Foundation for the Finnish Cancer Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Minkyung Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine. New York, NY 10065, USA
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. New York, NY 10065. USA
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3
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Awasthi D, Chopra S, Cho BA, Emmanuelli A, Sandoval TA, Hwang SM, Chae CS, Salvagno C, Tan C, Vasquez-Urbina L, Fernandez Rodriguez JJ, Santagostino SF, Iwawaki T, Romero-Sandoval EA, Crespo MS, Morales DK, Iliev ID, Hohl TM, Cubillos-Ruiz JR. Inflammatory ER stress responses dictate the immunopathogenic progression of systemic candidiasis. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e167359. [PMID: 37432737 PMCID: PMC10471176 DOI: 10.1172/jci167359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns can trigger the inositol-requiring enzyme 1 α (IRE1α) arm of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in innate immune cells. This process maintains ER homeostasis and also coordinates diverse immunomodulatory programs during bacterial and viral infections. However, the role of innate IRE1α signaling in response to fungal pathogens remains elusive. Here, we report that systemic infection with the human opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans induced proinflammatory IRE1α hyperactivation in myeloid cells that led to fatal kidney immunopathology. Mechanistically, simultaneous activation of the TLR/IL-1R adaptor protein MyD88 and the C-type lectin receptor dectin-1 by C. albicans induced NADPH oxidase-driven generation of ROS, which caused ER stress and IRE1α-dependent overexpression of key inflammatory mediators such as IL-1β, IL-6, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and TNF-α. Selective ablation of IRE1α in leukocytes, or treatment with an IRE1α pharmacological inhibitor, mitigated kidney inflammation and prolonged the survival of mice with systemic C. albicans infection. Therefore, controlling IRE1α hyperactivation may be useful for impeding the immunopathogenic progression of disseminated candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sahil Chopra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Byuri A. Cho
- Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexander Emmanuelli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Chen Tan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and
| | | | - Jose J. Fernandez Rodriguez
- Unit of Excellence, Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics, CSIC–Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Sara F. Santagostino
- Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The Rockefeller University, and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Takao Iwawaki
- Division of Cell Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - E. Alfonso Romero-Sandoval
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Mechanisms Laboratory, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mariano Sanchez Crespo
- Unit of Excellence, Institute of Biology and Molecular Genetics, CSIC–Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - Iliyan D. Iliev
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine and
- The Jill Roberts Institute for Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tobias M. Hohl
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Infectious Disease Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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4
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusibeska Ramos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Stephanie Sansone
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Diana K. Morales
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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5
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Montrose DC, Nishiguchi R, Basu S, Staab HA, Zhou XK, Wang H, Meng L, Johncilla M, Cubillos-Ruiz JR, Morales DK, Wells MT, Simpson KW, Zhang S, Dogan B, Jiao C, Fei Z, Oka A, Herzog JW, Sartor RB, Dannenberg AJ. Dietary Fructose Alters the Composition, Localization, and Metabolism of Gut Microbiota in Association With Worsening Colitis. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 11:525-550. [PMID: 32961355 PMCID: PMC7797369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases has increased over the last half century, suggesting a role for dietary factors. Fructose consumption has increased in recent years. Recently, a high fructose diet (HFrD) was shown to enhance dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The primary objectives of the current study were to elucidate the mechanism(s) underlying the pro-colitic effects of dietary fructose and to determine whether this effect occurs in both microbially driven and genetic models of colitis. METHODS Antibiotics and germ-free mice were used to determine the relevance of microbes for HFrD-induced worsening of colitis. Mucus thickness and quality were determined by histologic analyses. 16S rRNA profiling, in situ hybridization, metatranscriptomic analyses, and fecal metabolomics were used to determine microbial composition, spatial distribution, and metabolism. The significance of HFrD on pathogen and genetic-driven models of colitis was determined by using Citrobacter rodentium infection and Il10-/- mice, respectively. RESULTS Reducing or eliminating bacteria attenuated HFrD-mediated worsening of DSS-induced colitis. HFrD feeding enhanced access of gut luminal microbes to the colonic mucosa by reducing thickness and altering the quality of colonic mucus. Feeding a HFrD also altered gut microbial populations and metabolism including reduced protective commensal and bile salt hydrolase-expressing microbes and increased luminal conjugated bile acids. Administration of conjugated bile acids to mice worsened DSS-induced colitis. The HFrD also worsened colitis in Il10-/- mice and mice infected with C rodentium. CONCLUSIONS Excess dietary fructose consumption has a pro-colitic effect that can be explained by changes in the composition, distribution, and metabolic function of resident enteric microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Srijani Basu
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Hannah A. Staab
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Xi Kathy Zhou
- Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Hanhan Wang
- Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Lingsong Meng
- Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | | | - Diana K. Morales
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Martin T. Wells
- Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Shiying Zhang
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Belgin Dogan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Chen Jiao
- Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Zhangjun Fei
- Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Akihiko Oka
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jeremy W. Herzog
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - R. Balfour Sartor
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Andrew J. Dannenberg
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Andrew J. Dannenberg, MD, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 525 East 68th Street, Room E-803, New York, New York 10065. fax: (646) 962-0891.
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6
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Ramos Y, Morales DK. Exopolysaccharide-mediated surface penetration as new virulence trait in Enterococcus faecalis. Commun Integr Biol 2019; 12:144-147. [PMID: 31666914 PMCID: PMC6802913 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2019.1657373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal bacterium that normally inhabits the gastrointestinal tract of humans. This non-motile microorganism can also cause lethal infections in other organs by penetrating and breaching the intestinal barrier. However, the precise molecular mechanisms enabling E. faecalis movement and translocation across epithelial barriers remain incompletely characterized. We recently reported that E. faecalis utilizes the RpiA-GlnA-EpaX metabolic axis to generate β-1,6-linked poly-N-acetylglucosamine (polyGlcNAc)-containing exopolymers that are necessary for its optimal migration into semisolid surfaces and efficient translocation through human epithelial cell monolayers. These findings provide new evidence indicating that non-motile bacterial pathogens can exploit carbohydrate metabolism to penetrate surfaces. Hence, targeting this process might represent a new strategy to more effectively control systemic infections by E. faecalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusibeska Ramos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Diana K Morales
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Ramos Y, Rocha J, Hael AL, van Gestel J, Vlamakis H, Cywes-Bentley C, Cubillos-Ruiz JR, Pier GB, Gilmore MS, Kolter R, Morales DK. PolyGlcNAc-containing exopolymers enable surface penetration by non-motile Enterococcus faecalis. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007571. [PMID: 30742693 PMCID: PMC6386517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens have evolved strategies that enable them to invade tissues and spread within the host. Enterococcus faecalis is a leading cause of local and disseminated multidrug-resistant hospital infections, but the molecular mechanisms used by this non-motile bacterium to penetrate surfaces and translocate through tissues remain largely unexplored. Here we present experimental evidence indicating that E. faecalis generates exopolysaccharides containing β-1,6-linked poly-N-acetylglucosamine (polyGlcNAc) as a mechanism to successfully penetrate semisolid surfaces and translocate through human epithelial cell monolayers. Genetic screening and molecular analyses of mutant strains identified glnA, rpiA and epaX as genes critically required for optimal E. faecalis penetration and translocation. Mechanistically, GlnA and RpiA cooperated to generate uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) that was utilized by EpaX to synthesize polyGlcNAc-containing polymers. Notably, exogenous supplementation with polymeric N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) restored surface penetration by E. faecalis mutants devoid of EpaX. Our study uncovers an unexpected mechanism whereby the RpiA-GlnA-EpaX metabolic axis enables production of polyGlcNAc-containing polysaccharides that endow E. faecalis with the ability to penetrate surfaces. Hence, targeting carbohydrate metabolism or inhibiting biosynthesis of polyGlcNAc-containing exopolymers may represent a new strategy to more effectively confront enterococcal infections in the clinic. Enterococcus faecalis is a microbial inhabitant of the human gastrointestinal tract that can cause lethal infections. Typically classified as a non-motile bacterium, E. faecalis can readily migrate and translocate across epithelial barriers to invade distant organs. Nevertheless, the molecular pathways driving enterococcal invasive attributes remain poorly understood. In this study, we uncover that E. faecalis produces a polyGlcNAc-containing extracellular glycopolymer to efficiently migrate into semisolid surfaces and translocate through human epithelial cell monolayers. Our work provides evidence that non-motile bacterial pathogens can exploit endogenous carbohydrate metabolic pathways to penetrate surfaces. Thus, targeting glycopolymer biosynthetic programs might be useful to control infections by Gram-positive cocci in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusibeska Ramos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jorge Rocha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Ana L. Hael
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Jordi van Gestel
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Hera Vlamakis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Colette Cywes-Bentley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Juan R. Cubillos-Ruiz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Gerald B. Pier
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Michael S. Gilmore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Roberto Kolter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Diana K. Morales
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Lindsay AK, Morales DK, Liu Z, Grahl N, Zhang A, Willger SD, Myers LC, Hogan DA. Analysis of Candida albicans mutants defective in the Cdk8 module of mediator reveal links between metabolism and biofilm formation. PLoS Genet 2014; 10:e1004567. [PMID: 25275466 PMCID: PMC4183431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans biofilm formation is a key virulence trait that involves hyphal growth and adhesin expression. Pyocyanin (PYO), a phenazine secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, inhibits both C. albicans biofilm formation and development of wrinkled colonies. Using a genetic screen, we identified two mutants, ssn3Δ/Δ and ssn8Δ/Δ, which continued to wrinkle in the presence of PYO. Ssn8 is a cyclin-like protein and Ssn3 is similar to cyclin-dependent kinases; both proteins are part of the heterotetrameric Cdk8 module that forms a complex with the transcriptional co-regulator, Mediator. Ssn3 kinase activity was also required for PYO sensitivity as a kinase dead mutant maintained a wrinkled colony morphology in the presence of PYO. Furthermore, similar phenotypes were observed in mutants lacking the other two components of the Cdk8 module-Srb8 and Srb9. Through metabolomics analyses and biochemical assays, we showed that a compromised Cdk8 module led to increases in glucose consumption, glycolysis-related transcripts, oxidative metabolism and ATP levels even in the presence of PYO. In the mutant, inhibition of respiration to levels comparable to the PYO-treated wild type inhibited wrinkled colony development. Several lines of evidence suggest that PYO does not act through Cdk8. Lastly, the ssn3 mutant was a hyperbiofilm former, and maintained higher biofilm formation in the presence of PYO than the wild type. Together these data provide novel insights into the role of the Cdk8 module of Mediator in regulation of C. albicans physiology and the links between respiratory activity and both wrinkled colony and biofilm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allia K. Lindsay
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Diana K. Morales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Zhongle Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Nora Grahl
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Anda Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Sven D. Willger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Lawrence C. Myers
- Department of Biochemistry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Deborah A. Hogan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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9
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Merritt JH, Ha DG, Cowles KN, Lu W, Morales DK, Rabinowitz J, Gitai Z, O’Toole GA. Specific control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa surface-associated behaviors by two c-di-GMP diguanylate cyclases. mBio 2010; 1:e00183-10. [PMID: 20978535 PMCID: PMC2957078 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00183-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2010] [Accepted: 09/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The signaling nucleotide cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) regulates the transition between motile and sessile growth in a wide range of bacteria. Understanding how microbes control c-di-GMP metabolism to activate specific pathways is complicated by the apparent multifold redundancy of enzymes that synthesize and degrade this dinucleotide, and several models have been proposed to explain how bacteria coordinate the actions of these many enzymes. Here we report the identification of a diguanylate cyclase (DGC), RoeA, of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that promotes the production of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) and contributes to biofilm formation, that is, the transition from planktonic to surface-dwelling cells. Our studies reveal that RoeA and the previously described DGC SadC make distinct contributions to biofilm formation, controlling polysaccharide production and flagellar motility, respectively. Measurement of total cellular levels of c-di-GMP in ∆roeA and ∆sadC mutants in two different genetic backgrounds revealed no correlation between levels of c-di-GMP and the observed phenotypic output with regard to swarming motility and EPS production. Our data strongly argue against a model wherein changes in total levels of c-di-GMP can account for the specific surface-related phenotypes of P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith H. Merritt
- Dartmouth Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Dae-Gon Ha
- Dartmouth Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Kimberly N. Cowles
- Princeton University, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton, New Jersey, USA; and
| | - Wenyun Lu
- Princeton University, Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Diana K. Morales
- Dartmouth Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Joshua Rabinowitz
- Princeton University, Department of Molecular Biology and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Zemer Gitai
- Princeton University, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton, New Jersey, USA; and
| | - George A. O’Toole
- Dartmouth Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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Morales DK, Jacobs NJ, Rajamani S, Krishnamurthy M, Cubillos-Ruiz JR, Hogan DA. Antifungal mechanisms by which a novel Pseudomonas aeruginosa phenazine toxin kills Candida albicans in biofilms. Mol Microbiol 2010; 78:1379-92. [PMID: 21143312 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07414.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces several phenazines including the recently described 5-methyl-phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (5MPCA), which exhibits a novel antibiotic activity towards pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans. Here we characterize the unique antifungal mechanisms of 5MPCA using its analogue phenazine methosulphate (PMS). Like 5MPCA, PMS induced fungal red pigmentation and killing. Mass spectrometry analyses demonstrated that PMS can be covalently modified by amino acids, a process that yields red derivatives. Furthermore, soluble proteins from C. albicans grown with either PMS or P. aeruginosa were also red and demonstrated absorbance and fluorescence spectra similar to that of PMS covalently linked to either amino acids or proteins in vitro, suggesting that 5MPCA modification by protein amine groups occurs in vivo. The red-pigmented C. albicans soluble proteins were reduced by NADH and spontaneously oxidized by oxygen, a reaction that likely generates reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additional evidence indicated that ROS generation precedes 5MPCA-induced fungal death. Reducing conditions greatly enhanced PMS uptake by C. albicans and killing. Since 5MPCA was more toxic than other phenazines that are not modified, such as pyocyanin, we propose that the covalent binding of 5MPCA promotes its accumulation in target cells and contributes to its antifungal activity in mixed-species biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana K Morales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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Cugini C, Morales DK, Hogan DA. Candida albicans-produced farnesol stimulates Pseudomonas quinolone signal production in LasR-defective Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Microbiology (Reading) 2010; 156:3096-3107. [PMID: 20656785 PMCID: PMC3068698 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.037911-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Candida albicans has been previously shown to stimulate the production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phenazine toxins in dual-species colony biofilms. Here, we report that P. aeruginosa lasR mutants, which lack the master quorum sensing system regulator, regain the ability to produce quorum-sensing-regulated phenazines when cultured with C. albicans. Farnesol, a signalling molecule produced by C. albicans, was sufficient to stimulate phenazine production in LasR(-) laboratory strains and clinical isolates. P. aeruginosa ΔlasR mutants are defective in production of the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) due to their inability to properly induce pqsH, which encodes the enzyme necessary for the last step in PQS biosynthesis. We show that expression of pqsH in a ΔlasR strain was sufficient to restore PQS production, and that farnesol restored pqsH expression in ΔlasR mutants. The farnesol-mediated increase in pqsH required RhlR, a transcriptional regulator downstream of LasR, and farnesol led to higher levels of N-butyryl-homoserine lactone, the small molecule activator of RhlR. Farnesol promotes the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a variety of species. Because the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine suppressed farnesol-induced RhlR activity in LasR(-) strains, and hydrogen peroxide was sufficient to restore PQS production in las mutants, we propose that ROS are responsible for the activation of downstream portions of this quorum sensing pathway. LasR mutants frequently arise in the lungs of patients chronically infected with P. aeruginosa. The finding that C. albicans, farnesol or ROS stimulate virulence factor production in lasR strains provides new insight into the virulence potential of these strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Cugini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Diana K Morales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Deborah A Hogan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana K. Morales
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Deborah A. Hogan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Morales DK, Ocampo W, Zambrano MM. Efficient removal of hexavalent chromium by a tolerant Streptomyces sp. affected by the toxic effect of metal exposure. J Appl Microbiol 2008; 103:2704-12. [PMID: 18045449 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2007.03510.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To isolate and analyse chromium-resistant micro-organisms suitable for bioremediation. METHODS AND RESULTS Strain CG252, with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 500 microg ml(-1), was isolated from contaminated soils and identified as a Streptomyces sp. by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Assays carried out at various Cr(VI) concentrations indicated that chromium removal was more efficient at lower concentrations and that this activity resulted in accumulation of Cr(III). Atomic adsorption analysis indicated that the chromium removed was not associated with cell mass and activity assays showed that the capacity to reduce Cr(VI) was most probably due to a soluble cytosolic enzyme. Cells grown as biofilms showed enhanced removal of Cr(VI) with respect to planktonic cells, while analysis of growth and colony morphology indicated that Cr(VI) had a toxic effect on this strain. CONCLUSIONS Streptomyces sp. CG252 tolerated heavy metals and elevated levels of chromium, despite its negative effect on growth and development, and was efficient at removing Cr(VI) by promoting reduction to Cr(III). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Strain CG252's capacity to tolerate heavy metals and to reduce Cr(VI) to the less toxic Cr(III), especially when forming biofilms, makes it a promising candidate for detoxification of sites containing this heavy metal.
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Abstract
Farnesol is a sesquiterpene produced by many organisms, including the fungus Candida albicans. Here, we report that the addition of farnesol to cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic human bacterial pathogen, leads to decreased production of the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) and the PQS-controlled virulence factor, pyocyanin. Within 15 min of farnesol addition, decreased transcript levels of pqsA, the first gene in the PQS biosynthetic operon, were observed. Transcript levels of pqsR (mvfR), which encodes the transcription factor that positively regulates pqsA, were unaffected. An Escherichia coli strain producing PqsR and containing the pqsA promoter fused to lacZ similarly showed that farnesol inhibited PQS-stimulated transcription. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that, like PQS, farnesol stimulated PqsR binding to the pqsA promoter at a previously characterized LysR binding site, suggesting that farnesol promoted a non-productive interaction between PqsR and the pqsA promoter. Growth with C. albicans leads to decreased production of PQS and pyocyanin by P. aeruginosa, suggesting that the amount of farnesol produced by the fungus is sufficient to impact P. aeruginosa PQS signalling. Related isoprenoid compounds, but not other long-chain alcohols, also inhibited PQS production at micromolar concen-trations, suggesting that related compounds may participate in interspecies interactions with P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Cugini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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