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Meraj S, Salcedo-Porras N, Lowenberger C, Gries G. Activation of immune pathways in common bed bugs, Cimex lectularius, in response to bacterial immune challenges - a transcriptomics analysis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1384193. [PMID: 38694504 PMCID: PMC11061471 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384193] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is an urban pest of global health significance, severely affecting the physical and mental health of humans. In contrast to most other blood-feeding arthropods, bed bugs are not major vectors of pathogens, but the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon are largely unexplored. Here, we present the first transcriptomics study of bed bugs in response to immune challenges. To study transcriptional variations in bed bugs following ingestion of bacteria, we extracted and processed mRNA from body tissues of adult male bed bugs after ingestion of sterile blood or blood containing the Gram-positive (Gr+) bacterium Bacillus subtilis or the Gram-negative (Gr-) bacterium Escherichia coli. We analyzed mRNA from the bed bugs' midgut (the primary tissue involved in blood ingestion) and from the rest of their bodies (RoB; body minus head and midgut tissues). We show that the midgut exhibits a stronger immune response to ingestion of bacteria than the RoB, as indicated by the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Both the Toll and Imd signaling pathways, associated with immune responses, were highly activated by the ingestion of bacteria. Bacterial infection in bed bugs further provides evidence for metabolic reconfiguration and resource allocation in the bed bugs' midgut and RoB to promote production of AMPs. Our data suggest that infection with particular pathogens in bed bugs may be associated with altered metabolic pathways within the midgut and RoB that favors immune responses. We further show that multiple established cellular immune responses are preserved and are activated by the presence of specific pathogens. Our study provides a greater understanding of nuances in the immune responses of bed bugs towards pathogens that ultimately might contribute to novel bed bug control tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanam Meraj
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Pandurangi R, Karwa A, Sagaram US, Henzler-Wildman K, Shah D. Medicago Sativa Defensin1 as a tumor sensitizer for improving chemotherapy: translation from anti-fungal agent to a potential anti-cancer agent. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1141755. [PMID: 37305575 PMCID: PMC10251204 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1141755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant defensins including Medicago Sativa defensin 1 (MsDef1) are cysteine-rich antifungal peptides which are known for potent broad-spectrum antifungal activity against bacterial or fungal pathogens of plants. The antimicrobial activities of these cationic defensins are attributed to their capacity to bind to cell membranes to create potentially structural defects tin the cell membranes to interact with intracellular target (s) and mediates cytotoxic effects. Our earlier work identified Glucosylceramide (GlcCer) of fungus F. graminearum as a potential target for biological activity. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) cancer cells overexpress GlcCer on the surface of plasma membrane. Hence, MsDef1 may have a potential to bind to GlcCer of MDR cancer cells to induce cell death. We have characterized the three-dimensional structure of MsDef1 and the solution dynamics using of 15N-labeled MsDef1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy which showed that GlcCer binds MsDef1 at two specific sites on the peptide molecule. The ability of MsDef1 to permeate MDR cancer cells was demonstrated by measuring the release of apoptotic ceramide in drug resistant MCF-7R cells. It was also shown that MsDef1 activated dual cell death pathways ceramide and Apoptosis Stimulating Kinase ASK1 by disintegrating GlcCer and oxidizing tumor specific biomarker thioredoxin (Trx) respectively. As a result, MsDef1 sensitizes MDR cancer cells to evoke a better response from Doxorubicin, a front-line chemotherapy for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment. The combination of MsDef1 and Doxorubicin induced 5 to10-fold greater apoptosis in vitro MDR cells MDA-MB-231R compared to either MsDef1 or Doxorubicin alone. Confocal microscopy revealed that MsDef1 facilitates a) influx of Doxorubicin in MDR cancer cells, b) preferential uptake by MDR cells but not by normal fibroblasts and breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A). These results suggest that MsDef1 targets MDR cancer cells and may find utility as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Hence, the extension of antifungal properties of MsDef1 to cancer my result in addressing the MDR problems in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghu Pandurangi
- Sci-Engi-Medco Solutions Inc (SEMCO), St Charles, MO, United States
| | - Amol Karwa
- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Hazelwood, MO, United States
| | - Uma Shankar Sagaram
- DeLuca Biochemistry Laboratories, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Dilip Shah
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, United States
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Characterization of New Defensin Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Expression in Bed Bugs in Response to Bacterial Ingestion and Injection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911505. [PMID: 36232802 PMCID: PMC9570333 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Common bed bugs, Cimex lectularius, can carry, but do not transmit, pathogens to the vertebrate hosts on which they feed. Some components of the innate immune system of bed bugs, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), eliminate the pathogens. Here, we determined the molecular characteristics, structural properties, and phylogenetic relatedness of two new defensins (CL-defensin1 (XP_024085718.1), CL-defensin2 (XP_014240919.1)), and two new defensin isoforms (CL-defensin3a (XP_014240918.1), CL-defensin3b (XP_024083729.1)). The complete amino acid sequences of CL-defensin1, CL-defensin2, CL-defensin3a, and CL-defensin3b are strongly conserved, with only minor differences in their signal and pro-peptide regions. We used a combination of comparative transcriptomics and real-time quantitative PCR to evaluate the expression of these defensins in the midguts and the rest of the body of insects that had been injected with bacteria or had ingested blood containing the Gram-positive (Gr+) bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the Gram-negative (Gr–) bacterium Escherichia coli. We demonstrate, for the first time, sex-specific and immunization mode-specific upregulation of bed bug defensins in response to injection or ingestion of Gr+ or Gr– bacteria. Understanding the components, such as these defensins, of the bed bugs’ innate immune systems in response to pathogens may help unravel why bed bugs do not transmit pathogens to vertebrates.
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Perez-Rodriguez A, Eraso E, Quindós G, Mateo E. Antimicrobial Peptides with Anti-Candida Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169264. [PMID: 36012523 PMCID: PMC9409312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoses are accountable for millions of infections yearly worldwide. Invasive candidiasis is the most usual, presenting a high morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans remains the prevalent etiologic agent, but the incidence of other species such as Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida auris keeps increasing. These pathogens frequently show a reduced susceptibility to commonly used antifungal drugs, including polyenes, triazoles and echinocandins, and the incidence of emerging multi-drug-resistant strains of these species continues to increase. Therefore, the need to search for new molecules that target these pathogenic species in a different manner is now more urgent than ever. Nature is an almost endless source of interesting new molecules that could meet this need. Among these molecules, antimicrobial peptides, present in different sources in nature, possess some advantages over conventional antifungal agents, even with their own drawbacks, and are considered as a promising pharmacological option against a wide range of microbial infections. In this review, we describe 20 antimicrobial peptides from different origins that possess an activity against Candida.
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Struyfs C, Breukers J, Spasic D, Lammertyn J, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. Multiplex Analysis to Unravel the Mode of Antifungal Activity of the Plant Defensin HsAFP1 in Single Yeast Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031515. [PMID: 35163438 PMCID: PMC8836000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Single cell analyses have gained increasing interest over bulk approaches because of considerable cell-to-cell variability within isogenic populations. Herein, flow cytometry remains golden standard due to its high-throughput efficiency and versatility, although it does not allow to investigate the interdependency of cellular events over time. Starting from our microfluidic platform that enables to trap and retain individual cells on a fixed location over time, here, we focused on unraveling kinetic responses of single Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells upon treatment with the antifungal plant defensin HsAFP1. We monitored the time between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane permeabilization (MP) in single yeast cells for different HsAFP1 doses using two fluorescent dyes with non-overlapping spectra. Within a time frame of 2 min, only <0.3% cells displayed time between the induction of ROS and MP. Reducing the time frame to 30 s did not result in increased numbers of cells with time between these events, pointing to ROS and MP induction as highly dynamic and correlated processes. In conclusion, using an in-house developed continuous microfluidic platform, we investigated the mode of action of HsAFP1 at single cell level, thereby uncovering the close interdependency between ROS induction and MP in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (C.S.); (B.P.A.C.)
| | - Jolien Breukers
- Biosensors Group, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.B.); (D.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Dragana Spasic
- Biosensors Group, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.B.); (D.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- Biosensors Group, Department of Biosystems (BIOSYST), KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.B.); (D.S.); (J.L.)
| | - Bruno P. A. Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (C.S.); (B.P.A.C.)
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (C.S.); (B.P.A.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-16-32-96-88
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Wang R, Fu L, He L, Han J, Zhao M, Yu Z, Yang Q, He M, Gu C, Xiao W. Landscape of keratinocytes transcriptome alterations in response to Trichophyton mentagrophytes infection. Microb Pathog 2022; 164:105426. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Geng T, Lu F, Zhu F, Wang S. Lineage-specific gene evolution of innate immunity in Bombyx mori to adapt to challenge by pathogens, especially entomopathogenic fungi. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 123:104171. [PMID: 34118279 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bombyx mori is a model species of Lepidoptera, in which 21 gene families and 220 genes have been identified as involved in immunity. However, only 45 B. mori - Drosophila melanogaster - Anopheles gambiae - Apis mellifera - Tribolium castaneum 1:1:1:1:1 orthologous genes were identified. B. mori has unique immune factors not found in D. melanogaster - A. gambiae - A. mellifera - T. castaneum. Pattern recognition receptors, signal transducers and effector genes for antifungal immune responses in B. mori have evolved through expansion and modification of existing genes. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the antifungal immune responses of B. mori and focuses on the lineage-specific gene evolution used by Lepidoptera to adapt to the challenge by pathogens, especially entomopathogenic fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Geng
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China; Sericulture Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
| | - Fuping Lu
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China; Sericulture Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
| | - Feng Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277160, China.
| | - Shuchang Wang
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China; Sericulture Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
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Almutairi M, Almutairi B, Almutairi M, Parine NR, Alrefaei A, Alanazi M, Semlali A. Human beta-defensin-1 rs2738047 polymorphism is associated with shisha smoking risk among Saudi population. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:42916-42933. [PMID: 33826097 PMCID: PMC8025738 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13660-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Human β-defensin (HBD), a member of the antimicrobial peptides, is essential for respiratory epithelial cells' microbial defense, and is affected by cigarette smoking (CS). Its expression is upregulated by stimulation from microbes or inflammation. Genetic polymorphisms in the HBD-1 gene have been implicated in the development of various smoking-related diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Thus, we sought to analyze possible associations between HBD-1 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in HBD-1 gene and CS in ethnic Saudi Arabian subjects. Variants rs1047031 (C/T), rs1799946 (C/T), rs2738047 (C/T), and rs11362 (C/T) were investigated by genotyping 575 blood specimens from males and females, smokers/non-smokers: 288/287. The CT and CT+TT genotypes of rs1799946 presented an ~5-fold increased correlation with CS among the female smokers, compared with the female controls (OR = 5.473, P = 0.02003; and OR = 5.211, P = 0.02028, respectively), an observation similar to rs11362 SNP in female smokers, but with protective effects in TT genotype, compared with the CC reference allele (OR = 0.143, P = 0.04368). In shisha smokers, the heterozygous CT and the CT/TT genotype of rs2738047 polymorphism showed the same results with ~3-fold increased correlation with CS (OR = 2.788; P = 0.03448), compared with the cigarette smokers category. No significant association was shown in genotypic distributions and allelic frequencies of rs1047031. Further investigations, including large study samples, are required to investigate the effects of shisha on human beta-defensin expression and protein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhlid Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Bader Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Almutairi
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Narasimha Reddy Parine
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulwahed Alrefaei
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Alanazi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdelhabib Semlali
- Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale, Département de stomatologie, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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Holch A, Bauer R, Olari LR, Rodriguez AA, Ständker L, Preising N, Karacan M, Wiese S, Walther P, Ruiz-Blanco YB, Sanchez-Garcia E, Schumann C, Münch J, Spellerberg B. Respiratory ß-2-Microglobulin exerts pH dependent antimicrobial activity. Virulence 2021; 11:1402-1414. [PMID: 33092477 PMCID: PMC7588194 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1831367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The respiratory tract is a major entry site for microbial pathogens. To combat bacterial infections, the immune system has various defense mechanisms at its disposal, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). To search for novel AMPs from the respiratory tract, a peptide library from human broncho-alveolar-lavage (BAL) fluid was screened for antimicrobial activity by radial diffusion assays allowing the efficient detection of antibacterial activity within a small sample size. After repeated testing-cycles and subsequent purification, we identified ß-2-microglobulin (B2M) in antibacterially active fractions. B2M belongs to the MHC-1 receptor complex present at the surface of nucleated cells. It is known to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli and to facilitate phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus. Using commercially available B2M we confirmed a dose-dependent inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and L. monocytogenes. To characterize AMP activity within the B2M sequence, peptide fragments of the molecule were tested for antimicrobial activity. Activity could be localized to the C-terminal part of B2M. Investigating pH dependency of the antimicrobial activity of B2M demonstrated an increased activity at pH values of 5.5 and below, a hallmark of infection and inflammation. Sytox green uptake into bacterial cells following the exposure to B2M was determined and revealed a pH-dependent loss of bacterial membrane integrity. TEM analysis showed areas of disrupted bacterial membranes in L. monocytogenes incubated with B2M and high amounts of lysed bacterial cells. In conclusion, B2M as part of a ubiquitous cell surface complex may represent a potent antimicrobial agent by interfering with bacterial membrane integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Holch
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital , Ulm, Germany
| | - Richard Bauer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital , Ulm, Germany
| | - Lia-Raluca Olari
- Institute of Molecular Virology, University Hospital , Ulm, Germany
| | - Armando A Rodriguez
- Core Facility Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center , Ulm, Germany.,Core Unit Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany
| | - Ludger Ständker
- Core Facility Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center , Ulm, Germany
| | - Nico Preising
- Core Facility Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center , Ulm, Germany
| | - Merve Karacan
- Core Facility Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center , Ulm, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wiese
- Core Unit Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Ulm University , Ulm, Germany
| | - Paul Walther
- Central Facility for Electron Microscopy, Ulm University Medical Center , Ulm, Germany
| | - Yasser B Ruiz-Blanco
- Computational Biochemistry, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen , Essen, Germany
| | - Elsa Sanchez-Garcia
- Computational Biochemistry, Center of Medical Biotechnology, University of Duisburg-Essen , Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Schumann
- Pneumology, Thoracic Oncology, Sleep and Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, Clinics Kempten-Allgäu, Kempten and Immenstadt , Germany
| | - Jan Münch
- Institute of Molecular Virology, University Hospital , Ulm, Germany.,Core Facility Functional Peptidomics, Ulm University Medical Center , Ulm, Germany
| | - Barbara Spellerberg
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital , Ulm, Germany
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Ramos LFC, Rangel JHDO, Andrade GC, Lixa C, de Castilho LVA, Nogueira FCS, Pinheiro AS, Gomes FM, AnoBom CD, Almeida RV, de Oliveira DMP. Identification and recombinant expression of an antimicrobial peptide (cecropin B-like) from soybean pest Anticarsia gemmatalis. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2021; 27:e20200127. [PMID: 33796137 PMCID: PMC7970720 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2020-0127] [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: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Insects can be found in numerous diverse environments, being exposed to pathogenic organisms like fungi and bacteria. Once these pathogens cross insect physical barriers, the innate immune system operates through cellular and humoral responses. Antimicrobial peptides are small molecules produced by immune signaling cascades that develop an important and generalist role in insect defenses against a variety of microorganisms. In the present work, a cecropin B-like peptide (AgCecropB) sequence was identified in the velvetbean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis and cloned in a bacterial plasmid vector for further heterologous expression and antimicrobial tests. METHODS AgCecropB sequence (without the signal peptide) was cloned in the plasmid vector pET-M30-MBP and expressed in the Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) expression host. Expression was induced with IPTG and a recombinant peptide was purified using two affinity chromatography steps with Histrap column. The purified peptide was submitted to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and structural analyses. Antimicrobial tests were performed using gram-positive (Bacillus thuringiensis) and gram-negative (Burkholderia kururiensis and E. coli) bacteria. RESULTS AgCecropB was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) at 28°C with IPTG 0.5 mM. The recombinant peptide was purified and enriched after purification steps. HRMS confirmed AgCrecropB molecular mass (4.6 kDa) and circular dichroism assay showed α-helix structure in the presence of SDS. AgCrecropB inhibited almost 50% of gram-positive B. thuringiensis bacteria growth. CONCLUSIONS The first cecropin B-like peptide was described in A. gemmatalis and a recombinant peptide was expressed using a bacterial platform. Data confirmed tertiary structure as predicted for the cecropin peptide family. AgCecropB was capable to inhibit B. thuringiensis growth in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Felipe Costa Ramos
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Henrique de Oliveira Rangel
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Caldas Andrade
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carolina Lixa
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Livia Vieira Araujo de Castilho
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute of Graduate Studies and Research (COPPE), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fábio César Sousa Nogueira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Anderson S Pinheiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fabio Mendonça Gomes
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Dinis AnoBom
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Volcan Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Danielle Maria Perpétua de Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Center of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Fernández A, Colombo ML, Curto LM, Gómez GE, Delfino JM, Guzmán F, Bakás L, Malbrán I, Vairo-Cavalli SE. Peptides Derived From the α-Core and γ-Core Regions of a Putative Silybum marianum Flower Defensin Show Antifungal Activity Against Fusarium graminearum. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:632008. [PMID: 33679660 PMCID: PMC7925638 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.632008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusarium graminearum is the etiological agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB), a disease that produces a significant decrease in wheat crop yield and it is further aggravated by the presence of mycotoxins in the affected grains that may cause health problems to humans and animals. Plant defensins and defensin-like proteins are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs); they are small basic, cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) ubiquitously expressed in the plant kingdom and mostly involved in host defence. They present a highly variable sequence but a conserved structure. The γ-core located in the C-terminal region of plant defensins has a conserved β-hairpin structure and is a well-known determinant of the antimicrobial activity among disulphide-containing AMPs. Another conserved motif of plant defensins is the α-core located in the N-terminal region, not conserved among the disulphide-containing AMPs, it has not been yet extensively studied. In this report, we have cloned the putative antimicrobial protein DefSm2, expressed in flowers of the wild plant Silybum marianum. The cDNA encodes a protein with two fused basic domains of an N-terminal defensin domain (DefSm2-D) and a C-terminal Arg-rich and Lys-rich domain. To further characterize the DefSm2-D domain, we built a 3D template-based model that will serve to support the design of novel antifungal peptides. We have designed four potential antifungal peptides: two from the DefSm2-D α-core region (SmAPα1-21 and SmAPα10-21) and two from the γ-core region (SmAPγ27-44 and SmAPγ29-35). We have chemically synthesized and purified the peptides and further characterized them by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. SmAPα1-21, SmAPα10-21, and SmAPγ27-44 inhibited the growth of the phytopathogen F. graminearum at low micromolar concentrations. Conidia exposure to the fungicidal concentration of the peptides caused membrane permeabilization to the fluorescent probe propidium iodide (PI), suggesting that this is one of the main contributing factors in fungal cell killing. Furthermore, conidia treated for 0.5h showed cytoplasmic disorganization as observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Remarkably, the peptides derived from the α-core induced morphological changes on the conidia cell wall, which is a promising target since its distinctive biochemical and structural organization is absent in plant and mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Fernández
- CIPROVE-Centro Asociado CIC, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Laura Colombo
- CIPROVE-Centro Asociado CIC, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia M Curto
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela E Gómez
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - José M Delfino
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (IQUIFIB), Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fanny Guzmán
- Núcleo de Biotecnología Curauma (NBC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Laura Bakás
- CIPROVE-Centro Asociado CIC, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ismael Malbrán
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología (CIDEFI-UNLP-CIC), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Sandra E Vairo-Cavalli
- CIPROVE-Centro Asociado CIC, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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12
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Emamifar S, Abolmaali S, Mohsen Sohrabi S, Mohammadi M, Shahmohammadi M. Molecular characterization and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of a plant defensin peptide derived from a gene of oat (Avena sativa L.). PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2021; 181:112586. [PMID: 33232862 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2020.112586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Plant defensins are a group of small disulfide-rich cationic peptides that exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities. In the present study, an antibacterial plant defensin peptide was successfully identified and characterized from the transcriptome of the oat (Avena sativa L.), and called AsDef1. The complete nucleotide sequence of AsDef1 was determined (321 bp) and found to contain an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a peptide of 77 aa with a putative 22 aa signal peptide sequence that addresses the mature defensin to the apoplast. Further in silico analyses revealed that the structure of the identified defensin (AsDef1) consists of the Knot1 functional domain with eight conserved cysteine residues and four disulfide bonds. The highest expression of AsDef1 was observed in the developing seeds of the A. sativa plant. AsDef1 also showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values ranged from 0.15625 μM to 0.625 μM. In this study, we identified and characterized an antibacterial defensin from A. sativa for the first time. The findings of the present study offer insights that can be used in producing pathogen-resistant transgenic plants and in developing potential antibacterial agents in the future using AsDef1 from A. sativa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Emamifar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
| | - Shamsozoha Abolmaali
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
| | - Seyyed Mohsen Sohrabi
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Mohammadi
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
| | - Maasume Shahmohammadi
- Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center and Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
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13
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Guo F, Shan Z, Yu J, Xu G, Zhang Z. The Cysteine-Rich Repeat Protein TaCRR1 Participates in Defense against Both Rhizoctonia cerealis and Bipolaris sorokiniana in Wheat. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165698. [PMID: 32784820 PMCID: PMC7461100 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The domain of unknown function 26 (DUF26), harboring a conserved cysteine-rich motif (C-X8-C-X2-C), is unique to land plants. Several cysteine-rich repeat proteins (CRRs), belonging to DUF26-containing proteins, have been implicated in the defense against fungal pathogens in ginkgo, cotton, and maize. However, little is known about the functional roles of CRRs in the important staple crop wheat (Triticum aestivum). In this study, we identified a wheat CRR-encoding gene TaCRR1 through transcriptomic analysis, and dissected the defense role of TaCRR1 against the soil-borne fungi Rhizoctonia cerealis and Bipolaris sorokiniana, causal pathogens of destructive wheat diseases. TaCRR1 transcription was up-regulated in wheat towards B. Sorokiniana or R. cerealis infection. The deduced TaCRR1 protein contained a signal peptide and two DUF26 domains. Heterologously-expressed TaCRR1 protein markedly inhibited the mycelia growth of B. sorokiniana and R. cerealis. Furthermore, the silencing of TaCRR1 both impaired host resistance to B. sorokiniana and R. cerealis and repressed the expression of several pathogenesis-related genes in wheat. These results suggest that the TaCRR1 positively participated in wheat defense against both B. sorokiniana and R. cerealis through its antifungal activity and modulating expression of pathogenesis-related genes. Thus, TaCRR1 is a candidate gene for improving wheat resistance to B. sorokiniana and R. cerealis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feilong Guo
- The Laboratory of Forestry Genetics, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China;
- The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Zilong Shan
- ShiJiaZhuang Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050041, China;
| | - Jinfeng Yu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China;
| | - Gangbiao Xu
- The Laboratory of Forestry Genetics, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China;
- Correspondence: (G.X.); (Z.Z.); Tel.: +86-0731-85623096 (G.X.); +86-10-82108781 (Z.Z.)
| | - Zengyan Zhang
- The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence: (G.X.); (Z.Z.); Tel.: +86-0731-85623096 (G.X.); +86-10-82108781 (Z.Z.)
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14
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Medina RG, Paxton RJ, Hernández-Sotomayor SMT, Pech-Jiménez C, Medina-Medina LA, Quezada-Euán JJG. Heat stress during development affects immunocompetence in workers, queens and drones of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Therm Biol 2020; 89:102541. [PMID: 32364969 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Though social insects generally seem to have a reduced individual immunoresponse compared to solitary species, the impact of heat stress on that response has not been studied. In the honey bee, the effect of heat stress on reproductives (queens and males/drones) may also vary compared to workers, but this is currently unknown. Here, we quantified the activity of an enzyme linked to the immune response in insects and known to be affected by heat stress in solitary species: phenoloxidase (PO), in workers, queens and drones of Africanized honey bees (AHBs) experimentally subjected to elevated temperatures during the pupal stage. Additionally, we evaluated this marker in individuals experimentally infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Differences in PO activity were found between sexes and castes, with PO activity generally higher in workers and lower in reproductives. Such differences are associated with the likelihood of exposure to infection and the role of different individuals in the colony. Contrary to our expectation, heat stress did not cause an increase in PO activity equally in all classes of individual. Heat stress during the pupal stage significantly decreased the PO activity of AHB queens, but not that of workers or drones, which more frequently engage in extranidal activity. Experimental infection with Metarhizium anisopliae reduced PO activity in queens and workers, but increased it in drones. Notably, heat stressed workers lived significantly shorter after infection despite exhibiting greater PO activity than queens or drones. We suggest that this discrepancy may be related to trade-offs among immune response cascades in honey bees such as between heat shock proteins and defensin peptides used in microbial defence. Our results provide evidence for complex relationships among humoral immune responses in AHBs and suggest that heat stress could result in a reduced life expectancy of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén G Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico; Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Campo Experimental Edzna, Campeche, Mexico.
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - S M Teresa Hernández-Sotomayor
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Cristina Pech-Jiménez
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Luis A Medina-Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - José Javier G Quezada-Euán
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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15
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Gao M, Chang R, Wang D, Li Y, Sun L, Lustig SR, Webster TJ. Short Communication: Fructose-Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Self-Assembled Nano-Peptide Amphiphiles for Treating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Int J Nanomedicine 2020; 15:513-519. [PMID: 32099353 PMCID: PMC6996292 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s200505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, numerous bacteria have become resistant to conventional antibiotics. Fortunately, an increasing body of research indicates that through the addition of specific metabolites (like sugars), the antibacterial activity of certain drugs can be enhanced. A new type of self-assembled nano-peptide amphiphile (SANPA) was designed in this study to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and to reduce the use of antibiotics. Methods Here, SANPAs were self-assembled into nanorod structures with a diameter of ca. 10.5 nm at concentrations greater than the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 44.67 μM. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were treated with SANPAs with fructose supplementation. Results After a 30-min fructose pre-incubation, SANPAs reduced bacteria growth relative to non-fructose treatments at all concentrations. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that the presence of fructose seemed to slightly ameliorate the cytotoxic effect of the treatment on model human fetal osteoblasts (or bone-forming cells) and human dermal fibroblasts. Conclusion We demonstrated here that SANPAs-like nanomaterials have a promising potential to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially when added to fructose, potentially limiting their associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Gao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Run Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Danquan Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Linlin Sun
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Steven R Lustig
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Thomas J Webster
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Wenzhou Institute of Biomaterials and Engineering, Wenzhou, People's Republic of China
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16
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Aumer T, Voisin SN, Knobloch T, Landon C, Bulet P. Impact of an Antifungal Insect Defensin on the Proteome of the Phytopathogenic Fungus Botrytis cinerea. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:1131-1146. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Aumer
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Sébastien N. Voisin
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archamps Technopole, 74166 Saint Julien en Genevois, France
| | - Thomas Knobloch
- Bayer SAS, Bayer CropScience, Centre de Recherche de la Dargoire, 69263 Lyon, France
| | - Céline Landon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38700 La Tronche, France
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archamps Technopole, 74166 Saint Julien en Genevois, France
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17
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Characterization, expression profiling, and functional analysis of a Populus trichocarpa defensin gene and its potential as an anti-Agrobacterium rooting medium additive. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15359. [PMID: 31653915 PMCID: PMC6814764 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51762-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The diverse antimicrobial properties of defensins have attracted wide scientific interest in recent years. Also, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), including cecropins, histatins, defensins, and cathelicidins, have recently become an antimicrobial research hotspot for their broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities. In addition, defensins play important roles in plant growth, development, and physiological metabolism, and demonstrate tissue specificity and regulation in response to pathogen attack or abiotic stress. In this study, we performed molecular cloning, characterization, expression profiling, and functional analysis of a defensin from Populus trichocarpa. The PtDef protein was highly expressed in the prokaryotic Escherichia coli system as a fusion protein (TrxA–PtDef). The purified protein exhibited strong antibacterial and antifungal functions. We then applied PtDef to rooting culture medium as an alternative exogenous additive to cefotaxime. PtDef expression levels increased significantly following both biotic and abiotic treatment. The degree of leaf damage observed in wild-type (WT) and transgenic poplars indicates that transgenic poplars that overexpress the PtDef gene gain enhanced disease resistance to Septotis populiperda. To further study the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signal transduction pathways, SA- and JA-related and pathogenesis-related genes were analyzed using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction; there were significant differences in these pathways between transgenic and WT poplars. The defensin from Populus trichocarpa showed significant activity of anti-bacteria and anti-fungi. According to the results of qRT-PCR and physiological relevant indicators, the applied PtDef to rooting culture medium was chosen as an alternative exogenous additive to cefotaxime. Overexpressing the PtDef gene in poplar improve the disease resistance to Septotis populiperda.
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18
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Oshiro KGN, Rodrigues G, Monges BED, Cardoso MH, Franco OL. Bioactive Peptides Against Fungal Biofilms. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2169. [PMID: 31681179 PMCID: PMC6797862 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by invasive fungal biofilms have been widely associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly due to the advent of antibiotic resistance. Moreover, fungal biofilms impose an additional challenge, leading to multidrug resistance. This fact, along with the contamination of medical devices and the limited number of effective antifungal agents available on the market, demonstrates the importance of finding novel drug candidates targeting pathogenic fungal cells and biofilms. In this context, an alternative strategy is the use of antifungal peptides (AFPs) against fungal biofilms. AFPs are considered a group of bioactive molecules with broad-spectrum activities and multiple mechanisms of action that have been widely used as template molecules for drug design strategies aiming at greater specificity and biological efficacy. Among the AFP classes most studied in the context of fungal biofilms, defensins, cathelicidins and histatins have been described. AFPs can also act by preventing the formation of fungal biofilms and eradicating preformed biofilms through mechanisms associated with cell wall perturbation, inhibition of planktonic fungal cells’ adhesion onto surfaces, gene regulation and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, considering the critical scenario imposed by fungal biofilms and associated infections and the application of AFPs as a possible treatment, this review will focus on the most effective AFPs described to date, with a core focus on antibiofilm peptides, as well as their efficacy in vivo, application on surfaces and proposed mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen G N Oshiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Gisele Rodrigues
- Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Bruna Estéfani D Monges
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Marlon Henrique Cardoso
- S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Octávio Luiz Franco
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.,S-Inova Biotech, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Brazil.,Centro de Análises Proteômicas e Bioquímicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Genômicas e Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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19
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Hou X, Feng C, Li S, Luo Q, Shen G, Wu H, Li M, Liu X, Chen A, Ye M, Zhang Z. Mechanism of antimicrobial peptide NP-6 from Sichuan pepper seeds against E. coli and effects of different environmental factors on its activity. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:6593-6604. [PMID: 31286166 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09981-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A novel antimicrobial peptide named NP-6 was identified in our previous work. Here, the mechanisms of the peptide against Escherichia coli (E. coli) were further investigated, as well as the peptide's resistance to temperature, pH, salinity, and enzymes. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microcopy (CLSM), and flow cytometric (FCM) analysis, combined with measurement of released K+, were performed to evaluate the effect of NP-6 E. coli cell membrane. The influence of NP-6 on bacterial DNA/RNA and enzyme was also investigated. The leakage of K+ demonstrated that NP-6 could increase the permeability of E. coli cell membrane. The ATP leakage, FCM, and CLSM assays suggested that NP-6 caused the disintegration of bacterial cell membrane. The TEM observation indicated that NP-6 could cause the formation of empty cells and debris. Besides, the DNA-binding assay indicated that NP-6 could bind with bacterial genomic DNA in a way that ethidium bromide (EB) did, and suppress the migration of DNA/RNA in gel retardation. Additionally, NP-6 could also affect the activity of β-galactosidase. Finally, the effect of different surroundings such as heating, pH, ions, and protease on the antimicrobial activity of NP-6 against E. coli was also investigated. Results showed that the peptide was heat stable in the range of 60~100 °C and performed well at pH 6.0~8.0. However, the antimicrobial activity of NP-6 decreased significantly in the presence of Mg2+/Ca2+, and after incubation with trypsin/proteinase K. The results will provide a theoretical support in the further application of NP-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Hou
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Chaoyang Feng
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Qingying Luo
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Guanghui Shen
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Hejun Wu
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Meiliang Li
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Xingyan Liu
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Anjun Chen
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China
| | - Meng Ye
- College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhiqing Zhang
- College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, Sichuan, China.
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20
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Huang Y, Li B, Yin J, Yang Q, Sheng O, Deng G, Li C, Hu C, Dong T, Dou T, Gao H, Bi F, Yi G. CgGCS, Encoding a Glucosylceramide Synthase, Is Required for Growth, Conidiation and Pathogenicity in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1016. [PMID: 31164871 PMCID: PMC6536669 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Fungal glucosylceramide plays important role in cell division, hyphal formation and growth, spore germination and the modulation of virulence and has recently been considered as target for small molecule inhibitors. In this study, we characterized CgGCS, a protein encoding a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Disruption of CgGCS resulted in a severe reduction of mycelial growth and defects in conidiogenesis. Sphingolipid profile analysis revealed large decreases in glucosylceramide production in the mutant strains. Pathogenicity assays indicated that the ability of the ΔCgGCS mutants to invade both tomato and mango hosts was almost lost. In addition, the expression levels of many genes, especially those related to metabolism, were shown to be affected by the mutation of CgGCS via transcriptome analysis. Overall, our results demonstrate that C. gloeosporioides glucosylceramide is an important regulatory factor in fungal growth, conidiation, and pathogenesis in hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimei Huang
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.,College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Li
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.,College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Yin
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiaosong Yang
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ou Sheng
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guiming Deng
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunhua Hu
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Dong
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tongxin Dou
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huijun Gao
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangcheng Bi
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ganjun Yi
- Institute of Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of South Subtropical Fruit Biology and Genetic Resource Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Tree Research, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
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21
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Sathoff AE, Velivelli S, Shah DM, Samac DA. Plant Defensin Peptides have Antifungal and Antibacterial Activity Against Human and Plant Pathogens. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2019; 109:402-408. [PMID: 30252607 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-09-18-0331-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Plant defensins are small, cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides. These peptides have previously been shown to primarily inhibit the growth of fungal plant pathogens. Plant defensins have a γ-core motif, defined as GXCX3-9C, which is required for their antifungal activity. To evaluate plant defensins as a potential control for a problematic agricultural disease (alfalfa crown rot), short, chemically synthesized peptides containing γ-core motif sequences were screened for activity against numerous crown rot pathogens. These peptides showed both antifungal and, surprisingly, antibacterial activity. Core motif peptides from Medicago truncatula defensins (MtDef4 and MtDef5) displayed high activity against both plant and human bacterial pathogens in vitro. Full-length defensins had higher antimicrobial activity compared with the peptides containing their predictive γ-core motifs. These results show the future promise for controlling a wide array of economically important fungal and bacterial plant pathogens through the transgenic expression of a plant defensin. They also suggest that plant defensins may be an untapped reservoir for development of therapeutic compounds for combating human and animal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E Sathoff
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
| | - Siva Velivelli
- 2 Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132; and
| | - Dilip M Shah
- 2 Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132; and
| | - Deborah A Samac
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
- 3 United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Plant Science Research Unit, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55108
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22
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Mir Drikvand R, Sohrabi SM, Samiei K. Molecular cloning and characterization of six defensin genes from lentil plant ( Lens culinaris L.). 3 Biotech 2019; 9:104. [PMID: 30800615 PMCID: PMC6387662 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-019-1617-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Six full-length gene and cDNA sequences of defensin were identified from Lens culinaris L. plant. The identified genes and cDNAs were different in length and their coding sequences contained Knot1 functional domain. Phylogenetic analysis classified the identified defensins into two subfamilies. All defensin genes contained only one intron and had extracellular signal peptides. Secondary structures of identified defensins were completely composed of alpha helix and beta strand. Presence of conserved Cys amino acids and disulfide bridges, interaction with defense and signaling proteins and antimicrobial activity were other common features of these peptides. The identified defensins displayed differential expression pattern in the various tissues. The highest expression level of defensins was observed in seed, pod, and root tissues. Defensin 4 was significantly expressed in all examined tissues, whereas the other defensins were only expressed in some tissues. Also, in the fungal and wounding treatments, lentil defensins showed different expression pattern. Defensin 1 was up-regulated in both fungal and wounding treatments. Defensin 4 showed decreased expression level in both fungal and wounding treatments. Defensins 2 and 6 were up-regulated in wounding and fungal treatments, respectively. In this study, for the first time, six defensin genes were isolated and characterized from lentil. Our results highlighted the role of defensins in lentil plant that can be used for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Mir Drikvand
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Seyyed Mohsen Sohrabi
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Kamran Samiei
- Department of Agriculture, Kangavar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kangavar, Iran
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23
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Shnaider Y, Mitra D, Miller G, Baniel A, Doniger T, Kuhalskaya A, Scossa F, Fernie AR, Brotman Y, Perl-Treves R. Cucumber ovaries inhibited by dominant fruit express a dynamic developmental program, distinct from either senescence-determined or fruit-setting ovaries. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 96:651-669. [PMID: 30058228 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Cucurbits represent an attractive model to explore the dynamics of fruit set, whose regulation is not fully understood, despite its importance for yield determination. A fertilized ovary must integrate signals from distant plant parts and 'decide' whether to set fruit, or remain inhibited and later senesce. Here, we set out to characterize first-fruit inhibition (FFI), that is, the inhibitory effect of the first fruit on subsequent development of younger ovaries during pollination-induced and parthenocarpic fruit set. After the first fertilized ovaries set fruit, younger fertilized ovaries remained in a temporary state of inhibition. Such ovaries preserved their size and green color, and if the older fruit were removed within a 1-week reversibility window, they set fruit. The FFI effect was documented in both fertilized and parthenocarpic ovaries. We compared the gene expression profiles of pollinated ovaries (committed to set fruit) with respect to those affected by FFI, and to non-pollinated ovaries (undergoing senescence). The three fates of the ovaries were characterized by wide changes in gene expression, with several specific transcripts being up- or down-regulated in response to pollination, and to the presence of inhibitory fruit. Metabolic profiling was undertaken and integrated with the transcriptomic data in order to characterize early physiological changes that occur in post-anthesis ovaries in parthenocarpic and non-parthenocarpic genotypes. The combined results are discussed with respect to current models of fruit set and specifically with regard to FFI. Moreover, these metabolome and transcriptome data provide a valuable resource for studying ovary development and fruit set.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yula Shnaider
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Deblina Mitra
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Golan Miller
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Avital Baniel
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | - Tirza Doniger
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
| | | | - Federico Scossa
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, 14476, Germany
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, CREA-OFA, Rome, 00134, Italy
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, 14476, Germany
| | - Yariv Brotman
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Rafael Perl-Treves
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel
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24
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Farkas A, Pap B, Kondorosi É, Maróti G. Antimicrobial Activity of NCR Plant Peptides Strongly Depends on the Test Assays. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2600. [PMID: 30425705 PMCID: PMC6218624 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The symbiosis specific NCR247 and NCR335 cationic plant peptides of Medicago truncatula have been shown to exert antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microbes. However, their antimicrobial efficiency is clearly limited by divalent cations. Here, the antibacterial and antifungal activities of NCR247 and NCR335 peptides were compared to those of the well-characterized peptide antibiotics polymyxin B and the aminoglycoside streptomycin on three model microbes, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as representatives of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as eukaryotic fungi. The aim of the study was to assess how the killing efficiency of these peptides depends on various, widely used antimicrobial susceptibility assays. Validated resazurin microdilution assay was used to determine minimal growth inhibitory concentrations in three general test media (MHB, MHBII and low-salt medium LSM). Bactericidal/fungicidal activities were determined by the commonly used drop plate assay. The natural plant peptides showed distinct characteristics, NCR247 had a generally high sensitivity for Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the medium, while NCR335 proved to be a robust and strong antimicrobial agent with comparable efficiency values to polymyxin B. Activity data were confirmed visually, both NCR247 and NCR335 treatments at minimal bactericidal concentrations induced complete disruption of the membranes and provoked cell lysis on all tested microorganisms as observed by scanning electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Farkas
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Bernadett Pap
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Éva Kondorosi
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gergely Maróti
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary
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25
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Finkina EI, Ovchinnikova TV. Plant Defensins: Structure, Functions, Biosynthesis, and the Role in the Immune Response. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162018030056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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26
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Cavalieri D, Di Paola M, Rizzetto L, Tocci N, De Filippo C, Lionetti P, Ardizzoni A, Colombari B, Paulone S, Gut IG, Berná L, Gut M, Blanc J, Kapushesky M, Pericolini E, Blasi E, Peppoloni S. Genomic and Phenotypic Variation in Morphogenetic Networks of Two Candida albicans Isolates Subtends Their Different Pathogenic Potential. Front Immunol 2018; 8:1997. [PMID: 29403478 PMCID: PMC5780349 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The transition from commensalism to pathogenicity of Candida albicans reflects both the host inability to mount specific immune responses and the microorganism’s dimorphic switch efficiency. In this study, we used whole genome sequencing and microarray analysis to investigate the genomic determinants of the phenotypic changes observed in two C. albicans clinical isolates (YL1 and YQ2). In vitro experiments employing epithelial, microglial, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were thus used to evaluate C. albicans isolates interaction with first line host defenses, measuring adhesion, susceptibility to phagocytosis, and induction of secretory responses. Moreover, a murine model of peritoneal infection was used to compare the in vivo pathogenic potential of the two isolates. Genome sequence and gene expression analysis of C. albicans YL1 and YQ2 showed significant changes in cellular pathways involved in environmental stress response, adhesion, filamentous growth, invasiveness, and dimorphic transition. This was in accordance with the observed marked phenotypic differences in biofilm production, dimorphic switch efficiency, cell adhesion, invasion, and survival to phagocyte-mediated host defenses. The mutations in key regulators of the hyphal growth pathway in the more virulent strain corresponded to an overall greater number of budding yeast cells released. Compared to YQ2, YL1 consistently showed enhanced pathogenic potential, since in vitro, it was less susceptible to ingestion by phagocytic cells and more efficient in invading epithelial cells, while in vivo YL1 was more effective than YQ2 in recruiting inflammatory cells, eliciting IL-1β response and eluding phagocytic cells. Overall, these results indicate an unexpected isolate-specific variation in pathways important for host invasion and colonization, showing how the genetic background of C. albicans may greatly affect its behavior both in vitro and in vivo. Based on this approach, we propose that the co-occurrence of changes in sequence and expression in genes and pathways driving dimorphic transition and pathogenicity reflects a selective balance between traits favoring dissemination of the pathogen and traits involved in host defense evasion. This study highlights the importance of investigating strain-level, rather than species level, differences, when determining fungal–host interactions and defining commensal or pathogen behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duccio Cavalieri
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Monica Di Paola
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Psicologia, Area del Farmaco e Salute del Bambino, Università di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Lisa Rizzetto
- Centro Ricerca e Innovazione, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Noemi Tocci
- Centro Ricerca e Innovazione, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Carlotta De Filippo
- Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Lionetti
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Psicologia, Area del Farmaco e Salute del Bambino, Università di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Andrea Ardizzoni
- Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Bruna Colombari
- Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Simona Paulone
- Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Ivo G Gut
- Centro Nacional de Anàlisi Genòmica, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luisa Berná
- Unidad de Biologia Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marta Gut
- Centro Nacional de Anàlisi Genòmica, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julie Blanc
- Centro Nacional de Anàlisi Genòmica, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Misha Kapushesky
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Pericolini
- Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Blasi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Samuele Peppoloni
- Dipartimento di Medicina Diagnostica, Clinica e di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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27
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Islam KT, Shah DM, El-Mounadi K. Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29364205 DOI: 10.3791/55995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Small cysteine-rich defensins are one of the largest groups of host defense peptides present in all plants. Many plant defensins exhibit potent in vitro antifungal activity against a broad-spectrum of fungal pathogens and therefore have the potential to be used as antifungal agents in transgenic crops. In order to harness the full potential of plant defensins for diseases control, it is crucial to elucidate their mechanisms of action (MOA). With the advent of advanced microscopy techniques, live-cell imaging has become a powerful tool for understanding the dynamics of the antifungal MOA of plant defensins. Here, a confocal microscopy based live-cell imaging method is described using two fluorescently labeled plant defensins (MtDef4 and MtDef5) in combination with vital fluorescent dyes. This technique enables real-time visualization and analysis of the dynamic events of MtDef4 and MtDef5 internalization into fungal cells. Importantly, this assay generates a wealth of information including internalization kinetics, mode of entry and subcellular localization of these peptides. Along with other cell biological tools, these methods have provided critical insights into the dynamics and complexity of the MOA of these peptides. These tools can also be used to compare the MOA of these peptides against different fungi.
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28
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A novel bi-domain plant defensin MtDef5 with potent broad-spectrum antifungal activity binds to multiple phospholipids and forms oligomers. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16157. [PMID: 29170445 PMCID: PMC5700942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16508-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Defensins are cysteine-rich cationic antimicrobial peptides contributing to the innate immunity in plants. A unique gene encoding a highly cationic bi-domain defensin MtDef5 has been identified in a model legume Medicago truncatula. MtDef5 consists of two defensin domains of 50 amino acids each linked by a 7-amino acid peptide. It exhibits broad-spectrum antifungal activity against filamentous fungi at submicromolar concentrations. It rapidly permeabilizes the plasma membrane of the ascomycete fungi Fusarium graminearum and Neurospora crassa and induces accumulation of reactive oxygen species. It is internalized by these fungi, but uses spatially distinct modes of entry into these fungi. It co-localizes with cellular membranes, travels to nucleus and becomes dispersed in other subcellular locations. It binds to several membrane-resident phospholipids with preference for phosphatidylinositol monophosphates and forms oligomers. Mutations of the cationic amino acids present in the two γ-core motifs of this defensin that eliminate oligomerization also knockout its ability to induce membrane permeabilization and fungal growth arrest. MtDef5 is the first bi-domain plant defensin that exhibits potent broad-spectrum antifungal activity, recruits multiple membrane phospholipids and forms oligomers in their presence. These findings raise the possibility that MtDef5 might be useful as a novel antifungal agent in transgenic crops.
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29
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Hemadi AS, Huang R, Zhou Y, Zou J. Salivary proteins and microbiota as biomarkers for early childhood caries risk assessment. Int J Oral Sci 2017; 9:e1. [PMID: 29125139 PMCID: PMC5775330 DOI: 10.1038/ijos.2017.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a term used to describe dental caries in children aged 6 years or younger. Oral streptococci, such as Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sorbrinus, are considered to be the main etiological agents of tooth decay in children. Other bacteria, such as Prevotella spp. and Lactobacillus spp., and fungus, that is, Candida albicans, are related to the development and progression of ECC. Biomolecules in saliva, mainly proteins, affect the survival of oral microorganisms by multiple innate defensive mechanisms, thus modulating the oral microflora. Therefore, the protein composition of saliva can be a sensitive indicator for dental health. Resistance or susceptibility to caries may be significantly correlated with alterations in salivary protein components. Some oral microorganisms and saliva proteins may serve as useful biomarkers in predicting the risk and prognosis of caries. Current research has generated abundant information that contributes to a better understanding of the roles of microorganisms and salivary proteins in ECC occurrence and prevention. This review summarizes the microorganisms that cause caries and tooth-protective salivary proteins with their potential as functional biomarkers for ECC risk assessment. The identification of biomarkers for children at high risk of ECC is not only critical for early diagnosis but also important for preventing and treating the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah S Hemadi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruijie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Pediatric Dentistry, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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30
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Hernández-Chávez MJ, Pérez-García LA, Niño-Vega GA, Mora-Montes HM. Fungal Strategies to Evade the Host Immune Recognition. J Fungi (Basel) 2017; 3:jof3040051. [PMID: 29371567 PMCID: PMC5753153 DOI: 10.3390/jof3040051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The recognition of fungal cells by the host immune system is key during the establishment of a protective anti-fungal response. Even though the immune system has evolved a vast number of processes to control these organisms, they have developed strategies to fight back, avoiding the proper recognition by immune components and thus interfering with the host protective mechanisms. Therefore, the strategies to evade the immune system are as important as the virulence factors and attributes that damage the host tissues and cells. Here, we performed a thorough revision of the main fungal tactics to escape from the host immunosurveillance processes. These include the composition and organization of the cell wall, the fungal capsule, the formation of titan cells, biofilms, and asteroid bodies; the ability to undergo dimorphism; and the escape from nutritional immunity, extracellular traps, phagocytosis, and the action of humoral immune effectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco J Hernández-Chávez
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P., Guanajuato Gto. 36050, México.
| | - Luis A Pérez-García
- Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Zona Huasteca, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Romualdo del Campo 501, Fracc. Rafael Curiel, C.P., Cd. Valle SLP. 79060, México.
| | - Gustavo A Niño-Vega
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P., Guanajuato Gto. 36050, México.
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, col. Noria Alta, C.P., Guanajuato Gto. 36050, México.
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31
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Menzel LP, Chowdhury HM, Masso-Silva JA, Ruddick W, Falkovsky K, Vorona R, Malsbary A, Cherabuddi K, Ryan LK, DiFranco KM, Brice DC, Costanzo MJ, Weaver D, Freeman KB, Scott RW, Diamond G. Potent in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of a small molecule host defense peptide mimic through a membrane-active mechanism. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4353. [PMID: 28659617 PMCID: PMC5489528 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04462-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lethal systemic fungal infections of Candida species are increasingly common, especially in immune compromised patients. By in vitro screening of small molecule mimics of naturally occurring host defense peptides (HDP), we have identified several active antifungal molecules, which also exhibited potent activity in two mouse models of oral candidiasis. Here we show that one such compound, C4, exhibits a mechanism of action that is similar to the parent HDP upon which it was designed. Specifically, its initial interaction with the anionic microbial membrane is electrostatic, as its fungicidal activity is inhibited by cations. We observed rapid membrane permeabilization to propidium iodide and ATP efflux in response to C4. Unlike the antifungal peptide histatin 5, it did not require energy-dependent transport across the membrane. Rapid membrane disruption was observed by both fluorescence and electron microscopy. The compound was highly active in vitro against numerous fluconazole-resistant clinical isolates of C. albicans and non-albicans species, and it exhibited potent, dose-dependent activity in a mouse model of invasive candidiasis, reducing kidney burden by three logs after 24 hours, and preventing mortality for up to 17 days. Together the results support the development of this class of antifungal drug to treat invasive candidiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo P Menzel
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - Jorge Adrian Masso-Silva
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
| | - William Ruddick
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Klaudia Falkovsky
- Department of Oral Biology, New Jersey Dental School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
| | - Rafael Vorona
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Andrew Malsbary
- Department of Oral Biology, New Jersey Dental School, Rutgers, Newark, NJ, 07101, USA
| | - Kartikeya Cherabuddi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Lisa K Ryan
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Kristina M DiFranco
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - David C Brice
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | | | - Damian Weaver
- Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, Doylestown, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Gill Diamond
- Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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32
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Guillén-Chable F, Arenas-Sosa I, Islas-Flores I, Corzo G, Martinez-Liu C, Estrada G. Antibacterial activity and phospholipid recognition of the recombinant defensin J1-1 from Capsicum genus. Protein Expr Purif 2017. [PMID: 28624494 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2017.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The gene of the four disulfide-bridged defensin J1-1 from Capsicum was cloned into the expression vector pQE30 containing a 6His-tag as fusion protein. This construct was transfected into Origami strain of Escherichia coli and expressed after induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). The level of expression was 4 mg/L of culture medium, and the His-tagged recombinant defensin (HisXarJ1-1) was expressed exclusively into inclusion bodies. After solubilization, HisXarJ1-1 was purified by affinity and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The reverse-phase HPLC profile of the HisXarJ1-1 product obtained from the affinity chromatography step showed single main peptide fraction of molecular masses of 7050.6 Da and after treatment with DTT a single fraction of 7, 042.6 Da corresponding to the reduced peptide was observed. An in vitro folding step of the HisXarJ1-1 generated a distinct profile of oxidized forms of the peptide this oxidized peptide was capable of binding phosphatidic acid in vitro. Possible dimer and oligomer of HisXarJ1-1 were visible in gel electrophoresis and immunodetected with anti-His antibodies. Pure recombinant defensin HisXarJ1-1 exhibited antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Guillén-Chable
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas. Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97205, México
| | - Iván Arenas-Sosa
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM. Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 61500, México
| | - Ignacio Islas-Flores
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas. Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97205, México
| | - Gerardo Corzo
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM. Apartado Postal 510-3, Cuernavaca, Morelos, 61500, México
| | - Cynthia Martinez-Liu
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas. Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97205, México
| | - Georgina Estrada
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas. Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C., Calle 43 No. 130, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida, Yucatán 97205, México.
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Santussi WM, Bordon KCF, Rodrigues Alves APN, Cologna CT, Said S, Arantes EC. Antifungal Activity against Filamentous Fungi of Ts1, a Multifunctional Toxin from Tityus serrulatus Scorpion Venom. Front Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28634472 PMCID: PMC5459920 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous and multipotent components of the innate immune defense arsenal used by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The search for new AMPs has increased in recent years, due to the growing development of microbial resistance to therapeutical drugs. In this work, we evaluate the effects of Tityus serrulatus venom (Tsv), its fractions and its major toxin Ts1, a beta-neurotoxin, on fungi growth. The fractions were obtained by ion-exchange chromatography of Tsv. The growth inhibition of 11 pathogenic and non-pathogenic filamentous fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, A. nidulans, A. niger, A. terreus, Neurospora crassa, Penicillium corylophilum, P. ochrochloron, P. verrucosum, P. viridicatum, P. waksmanii, and Talaromyces flavus) was evaluated by quantitative microplate reader assay. Tsv (100 and 500 μg/well, which correspond to 1 and 5 mg/mL, respectively, of total soluble protein) was active in inhibiting growth of A. nidulans, A. terreus, P. corylophilum, and P. verrucosum, especially in the higher concentration used and at the first 30 h. After this period, fungi might have used Tsv components as alternative sources of nutrients, and therefore, increased their growth tax. Only fractions IX, X, XI, XIIA, XIIB (3 and 7.5 μg/well, which correspond to 30 and 75 μg/mL, respectively, of total soluble protein) and Ts1 (1.5, 3, and 6 μg/well, which correspond to 2.18, 4.36, and 8.72 μM, respectively) showed antifungal activity. Ts1 showed to be a non-morphogenic toxin with dose-dependent activity against A. nidulans, inhibiting 100% of fungal growth from 3 μg/well (4.36 μM). The inhibitory effect of Ts1 against A. nidulans growth was accompanied by fungistatic effects and was not amended by 1 mM CaCl2 or tetrodotoxin (46.98 and 93.96 μM). The structural differences between Ts1 and drosomycin, a potent cysteine-rich antifungal peptide, are discussed here. Our results highlight the antifungal potential of the first cysteine-containing scorpion toxin. Since Ts1 is a multifunctional toxin, we suggest that it could be used as a template in the design of engineered scorpion AMPs and in the search for new mechanisms of action of antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Welligton M Santussi
- Laboratory of Animal Toxins, Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Karla C F Bordon
- Laboratory of Animal Toxins, Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ana P N Rodrigues Alves
- Laboratory of Animal Toxins, Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Camila T Cologna
- Laboratory of Animal Toxins, Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Suraia Said
- Laboratory of Industrial Enzymology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Eliane C Arantes
- Laboratory of Animal Toxins, Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São PauloRibeirão Preto, Brazil
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Józefiak A, Engberg R. Insect proteins as a potential source of antimicrobial peptides in livestock production. A review. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL AND FEED SCIENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.22358/jafs/69998/2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Purification and characterization of peptides from Capsicum annuum fruits which are α-amylase inhibitors and exhibit high antimicrobial activity against fungi of agronomic importance. Protein Expr Purif 2017; 132:97-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Møller TSB, Hay J, Saxton MJ, Bunting K, Petersen EI, Kjærulff S, Finnis CJA. Human β-defensin-2 production from S. cerevisiae using the repressible MET17 promoter. Microb Cell Fact 2017; 16:11. [PMID: 28100236 PMCID: PMC5241953 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-017-0627-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a proven host for the commercial production of recombinant biopharmaceutical proteins. For the manufacture of heterologous proteins with activities deleterious to the host it can be desirable to minimise production during the growth phase and induce production late in the exponential phase. Protein expression by regulated promoter systems offers the possibility of improving productivity in this way by separating the recombinant protein production phase from the yeast growth phase. Commonly used inducible promoters do not always offer convenient solutions for industrial scale biopharmaceutical production with engineered yeast systems. Results Here we show improved secretion of the antimicrobial protein, human β-defensin-2, (hBD2), using the S. cerevisiae MET17 promoter by repressing expression during the growth phase. In shake flask culture, a higher final concentration of human β-defensin-2 was obtained using the repressible MET17 promoter system than when using the strong constitutive promoter from proteinase B (PRB1) in a yeast strain developed for high-level commercial production of recombinant proteins. Furthermore, this was achieved in under half the time using the MET17 promoter compared to the PRB1 promoter. Cell density, plasmid copy-number, transcript level and protein concentration in the culture supernatant were used to study the effects of different initial methionine concentrations in the culture media for the production of human β-defensin-2 secreted from S. cerevisiae. Conclusions The repressible S. cerevisiae MET17 promoter was more efficient than a strong constitutive promoter for the production of human β-defensin-2 from S. cerevisiae in small-scale culture and offers advantages for the commercial production of this and other heterologous proteins which are deleterious to the host organism. Furthermore, the MET17 promoter activity can be modulated by methionine alone, which has a safety profile applicable to biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea S B Møller
- Novozymes Biopharma UK Limited, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FD, UK.,Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, Aalborg University, Skjernvej 4A, Aalborg East, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Joanna Hay
- Novozymes Biopharma UK Limited, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FD, UK
| | - Malcolm J Saxton
- Novozymes Biopharma UK Limited, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FD, UK
| | - Karen Bunting
- Novozymes Biopharma UK Limited, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FD, UK
| | - Evamaria I Petersen
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, Aalborg University, Skjernvej 4A, Aalborg East, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Søren Kjærulff
- Novozymes Biopharma UK Limited, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FD, UK
| | - Christopher J A Finnis
- Novozymes Biopharma UK Limited, Castle Court, 59 Castle Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 1FD, UK.
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Abstract
Plant defensins are small, diverse, cysteine-rich peptides, belonging to a group of pathogenesis-related defense mechanism proteins, which can provide a barrier against a broad range of pathogens. In this study, 51 defensin-like (DEFL) genes in Gramineae, including brachypodium, rice, maize and sorghum were identified based on bioinformatics methods. Using the synteny analysis method, we found that 21 DEFL genes formed 30 pairs of duplicated blocks that have undergone large-scale duplication events, mostly occurring between species. In particular, some chromosomal regions are highly conserved in the four grasses. Using mean Ks values, we estimated the approximate time of divergence for each pair of duplicated regions and found that these regions generally diverged more than 40 million years ago (Mya). Selection pressure analysis showed that the DEFL gene family is subjected to purifying selection. However, sliding window analysis detected partial reg ions of duplicated genes under positive selection. The evolutionary patterns within DEFL gene families among grasses can be used to explore the subsequent functional divergence of duplicated genes and to further analyse the antimicrobial effects of defensins during plant development.
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Lv M, Mohamed AA, Zhang L, Zhang P, Zhang L. A Family of CSαβ Defensins and Defensin-Like Peptides from the Migratory Locust, Locusta migratoria, and Their Expression Dynamics during Mycosis and Nosemosis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161585. [PMID: 27556587 PMCID: PMC4996505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect defensins are effector components of the innate defense system. During infection, these peptides may play a role in the control of pathogens by providing protective antimicrobial barriers between epithelial cells and the hemocoel. The cDNAs encoding four defensins of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, designated LmDEF 1, 3–5, were identified for the first time by transcriptome-targeted analysis. Three of the members of this CSαβ defensin family, LmDEF 1, 3, and 5, were detected in locust tissues. The pro regions of their sequences have little-shared identities with other insect defensins, though the predicted mature peptides align well with other insect defensins. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a completely novel position of both LmDEF 1 and 3, compared to defensins from hymenopterans. The expression patterns of the genes encoding LmDEFs in the fat body and salivary glands were studied in response to immune-challenge by the microsporidian pathogen Nosema locustae and the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae after feeding or topical application, respectively. Focusing on Nosema-induced immunity, qRT-PCR was employed to quantify the transcript levels of LmDEFs. A higher transcript abundance of LmDEF5 was distributed more or less uniformly throughout the fat body along time. A very low baseline transcription of both LmDEFs 1 and 3 in naïve insects was indicated, and that transcription increases with time or is latent in the fat body or salivary glands of infected nymphs. In the salivary glands, expression of LmDEF3 was 20-40-times higher than in the fat body post-microbial infection. A very low expression of LmDEF3 could be detected in the fat body, but eventually increased with time up to a maximum at day 15. Delayed induction of transcription of these peptides in the fat body and salivary glands 5–15 days post-activation and the differential expression patterns suggest that the fat body/salivary glands of this species are active in the immune response against pathogens. The ability of N. locustae to induce salivary glands as well as fat body expression of defensins raises the possibility that these AMPs might play a key role in the development and/or tolerance of parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Lv
- Department of Entomology, Key Lab for Biological Control of the Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Amr Ahmed Mohamed
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Key Lab for Biological Control of the Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Key Lab for Biological Control of the Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Key Lab for Biological Control of the Ministry of Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China
- * E-mail:
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de Medeiros LN, Domitrovic T, de Andrade PC, Faria J, Bergter EB, Weissmüller G, Kurtenbach E. Psd1 binding affinity toward fungal membrane components as assessed by SPR: The role of glucosylceramide in fungal recognition and entry. Biopolymers 2016; 102:456-64. [PMID: 25283273 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Psd1 is a plant defensin that has antifungal activity against several pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungi. Previous analysis of Psd1 chemical shift perturbations by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy demonstrated that this defensin interacts with phospholipids and the sphingolipid glucosylceramide isolated from Fusarium solani (GlcCer(Fusarium solani)). In this study, these interactions were evaluated by real-time surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. The data obtained demonstrated that Psd1 could bind more strongly to small unilamellar vesicles (SUV)-containing GlcCer(Fusarium solani) than to SUV that was composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) alone or was enriched with GlcCer that had been isolated from soybeans. An increase in the SPR response after cholesterol or ergosterol incorporation in PC-SUV was detected; however, SUV composed of PC:Erg (7:3; molar:molar) became unstable in the presence of Psd1, suggesting membrane destabilization. We also observed a lack of Psd1 internalization in Candida albicans strains that were deficient in the glucosyl ceramide synthase gene. Together, these data indicate that GlcCer is essential for Psd1 anchoring in the fungal plasma membrane as well as internalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Neves de Medeiros
- Programa de Biologia Molecular e Estrutural, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brasil; Instituto Nacional para Pesquisa Translacional em Saúde e Ambiente na Região Amazônica, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico/MCT, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brasil
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Kong Q, Liang Z, Xiong J, Li H, Ren X. Overexpression of the Bivalent Antibacterial Peptide Genes inPichia pastorisDelays Sour Rot in Citrus Fruit and InducesGeotrichum citri-aurantiiCell Apoptosis. FOOD BIOTECHNOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/08905436.2016.1165695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Te Winkel JD, Gray DA, Seistrup KH, Hamoen LW, Strahl H. Analysis of Antimicrobial-Triggered Membrane Depolarization Using Voltage Sensitive Dyes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 4:29. [PMID: 27148531 PMCID: PMC4829611 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2016.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cytoplasmic membrane is a major inhibitory target for antimicrobial compounds. Commonly, although not exclusively, these compounds unfold their antimicrobial activity by disrupting the essential barrier function of the cell membrane. As a consequence, membrane permeability assays are central for mode of action studies analysing membrane-targeting antimicrobial compounds. The most frequently used in vivo methods detect changes in membrane permeability by following internalization of normally membrane impermeable and relatively large fluorescent dyes. Unfortunately, these assays are not sensitive to changes in membrane ion permeability which are sufficient to inhibit and kill bacteria by membrane depolarization. In this manuscript, we provide experimental advice how membrane potential, and its changes triggered by membrane-targeting antimicrobials can be accurately assessed in vivo. Optimized protocols are provided for both qualitative and quantitative kinetic measurements of membrane potential. At last, single cell analyses using voltage-sensitive dyes in combination with fluorescence microscopy are introduced and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Derk Te Winkel
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Declan A Gray
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Kenneth H Seistrup
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Leendert W Hamoen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Henrik Strahl
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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El-Mounadi K, Islam KT, Hernández-Ortiz P, Read ND, Shah DM. Antifungal mechanisms of a plant defensin MtDef4 are not conserved between the ascomycete fungi Neurospora crassa and Fusarium graminearum. Mol Microbiol 2016; 100:542-59. [PMID: 26801962 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Defensins play an important role in plant defense against fungal pathogens. The plant defensin, MtDef4, inhibits growth of the ascomycete fungi, Neurospora crassa and Fusarium graminearum, at micromolar concentrations. We have reported that MtDef4 is transported into the cytoplasm of these fungi and exerts its antifungal activity on intracellular targets. Here, we have investigated whether the antifungal mechanisms of MtDef4 are conserved in these fungi. We show that N. crassa and F. graminearum respond differently to MtDef4 challenge. Membrane permeabilization is required for the antifungal activity of MtDef4 against F. graminearum but not against N. crassa. We find that MtDef4 is targeted to different subcellular compartments in each fungus. Internalization of MtDef4 in N. crassa is energy-dependent and involves endocytosis. By contrast, MtDef4 appears to translocate into F. graminearum autonomously using a partially energy-dependent pathway. MtDef4 has been shown to bind to the phospholipid phosphatidic acid (PA). We provide evidence that the plasma membrane localized phospholipase D, involved in the biosynthesis of PA, is needed for entry of this defensin in N. crassa, but not in F. graminearum. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a defensin which inhibits the growth of two ascomycete fungi via different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kazi T Islam
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, 63132, USA
| | - Patricia Hernández-Ortiz
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Institution of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9NT, UK
| | - Nick D Read
- Manchester Fungal Infection Group, Institution of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9NT, UK
| | - Dilip M Shah
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, 63132, USA
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Li S, Zhong X, Kan X, Gu L, Sun H, Zhang G, Liu X. De novo transcriptome analysis of Thitarodes jiachaensis before and after infection by the caterpillar fungus, Ophiocordyceps sinensis. Gene 2016; 580:96-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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iDPF-PseRAAAC: A Web-Server for Identifying the Defensin Peptide Family and Subfamily Using Pseudo Reduced Amino Acid Alphabet Composition. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145541. [PMID: 26713618 PMCID: PMC4694767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Defensins as one of the most abundant classes of antimicrobial peptides are an essential part of the innate immunity that has evolved in most living organisms from lower organisms to humans. To identify specific defensins as interesting antifungal leads, in this study, we constructed a more rigorous benchmark dataset and the iDPF-PseRAAAC server was developed to predict the defensin family and subfamily. Using reduced dipeptide compositions were used, the overall accuracy of proposed method increased to 95.10% for the defensin family, and 98.39% for the vertebrate subfamily, which is higher than the accuracy from other methods. The jackknife test shows that more than 4% improvement was obtained comparing with the previous method. A free online server was further established for the convenience of most experimental scientists at http://wlxy.imu.edu.cn/college/biostation/fuwu/iDPF-PseRAAAC/index.asp. A friendly guide is provided to describe how to use the web server. We anticipate that iDPF-PseRAAAC may become a useful high-throughput tool for both basic research and drug design.
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Huang YP, Wang TY, Wang W, Sun HZ. Association between Genetic Polymorphisms in DEFB1 and Susceptibility to Digestive Diseases. Med Sci Monit 2015; 21:2240-50. [PMID: 26232989 PMCID: PMC4527116 DOI: 10.12659/msm.893453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant expression of defensins is implicated in the pathogenesis of digestive diseases. However, the contribution of specific defensins and the influence of their genetic polymorphisms on the progression of digestive diseases remain controversial. In the present meta-analysis, we investigated the association between DEFB1 SNPs and the susceptibility to digestive diseases. Material/Methods Case-control studies that reported the correlation between DEFB1 SNPs and the susceptibility to digestive diseases were identified through electronic databases searches, and high-quality studies that satisfied our inclusion criteria were selected for this meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were performed utilizing STATA software version 12.0. Results The present meta-analysis revealed that patients with digestive diseases exhibited higher frequencies of the DEFB1 genetic variants rs11362G>A, rs1800972C>G, and rs1799946G>A compared to healthy controls under the allele model. Subgroup analysis based on country showed that the rs1800972C>G variant under allele model and rs1799946G>A are associated with the susceptibility to digestive diseases in Hungarian and Italian populations, respectively. Subgroup analysis based on disease type showed that: (1) rs11362G>A variant was strongly associated with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and chronic gastritis, (2) frequency of rs1800972C>G variant was higher in SAP subgroup, and (3) frequency of rs1799946G>A variant was positively associated with the susceptibility to Crohn’s disease (CD) under the allele model and with SAP. Conclusions Our meta-analysis provides evidence that DEFB1 genetic polymorphisms rs11362G>A, rs1800972C>G and rs1799946G>A are important contributing factors to the development of digestive diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Peng Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China (mainland)
| | - Tian-Yi Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China (mainland)
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China (mainland)
| | - Hong-Zhi Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China (mainland)
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Maróti G, Downie JA, Kondorosi É. Plant cysteine-rich peptides that inhibit pathogen growth and control rhizobial differentiation in legume nodules. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 26:57-63. [PMID: 26116977 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2015.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Plants must co-exist with both pathogenic and beneficial microbes. Antimicrobial peptides with broad antimicrobial activities represent one of the first lines of defense against pathogens. Many plant cysteine-rich peptides with potential antimicrobial properties have been predicted. Amongst them, defensins and defensin-like peptides are the most abundant and plants can express several hundreds of them. In some rhizobial-legume symbioses special defensin-like peptides, the nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides have evolved in those legumes whose symbiotic partner terminally differentiates. In Medicago truncatula, >700 NCRs exist and collectively act as plant effectors inducing irreversible differentiation of rhizobia to nitrogen-fixing bacteroids. Cationic NCR peptides have a broad range of potent antimicrobial activities but do not kill the endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Maróti
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - J Allan Downie
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Éva Kondorosi
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Temesvári krt. 62., Szeged 6726, Hungary.
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He Y, Cao X, Li K, Hu Y, Chen YR, Blissard G, Kanost MR, Jiang H. A genome-wide analysis of antimicrobial effector genes and their transcription patterns in Manduca sexta. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 62:23-37. [PMID: 25662101 PMCID: PMC4476920 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial proteins/peptides (AMPs) are effectors of innate immune systems against pathogen infection in multicellular organisms. Over half of the AMPs reported so far come from insects, and these effectors act in concert to suppress or kill bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In this work, we have identified 86 AMP genes in the Manduca sexta genome, most of which seem likely to be functional. They encode 15 cecropins, 6 moricins, 6 defensins, 3 gallerimycins, 4 X-tox splicing variants, 14 diapausins, 15 whey acidic protein homologs, 11 attacins, 1 gloverin, 4 lebocins, 6 lysozyme-related proteins, and 4 transferrins. Some of these genes (e.g. attacins, cecropins) constitute large clusters, likely arising after rounds of gene duplication. We compared the amino acid sequences of M. sexta AMPs with their homologs in other insects to reveal conserved structural features and phylogenetic relationships. Expression data showed that many of them are synthesized in fat body and midgut during the larval-pupal molt. Certain genes contain one or more predicted κB binding sites and other regulatory elements in their promoter regions, which may account for the dramatic mRNA level increases in fat body and hemocytes after an immune challenge. Consistent with these strong mRNA increases, many AMPs become highly abundant in the larval plasma at 24 h after the challenge, as demonstrated in our previous peptidomic study. Taken together, these data suggest the existence of a large repertoire of AMPs in M. sexta, whose expression is up-regulated via immune signaling pathways to fight off invading pathogens in a coordinated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Xiaolong Cao
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; Institute of Biological Sciences, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 310029, China
| | - Yingxia Hu
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Yun-ru Chen
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Gary Blissard
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michael R Kanost
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Haobo Jiang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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48
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Hitting the sweet spot-glycans as targets of fungal defense effector proteins. Molecules 2015; 20:8144-67. [PMID: 25955890 PMCID: PMC6272156 DOI: 10.3390/molecules20058144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms which rely solely on innate defense systems must combat a large number of antagonists with a comparably low number of defense effector molecules. As one solution of this problem, these organisms have evolved effector molecules targeting epitopes that are conserved between different antagonists of a specific taxon or, if possible, even of different taxa. In order to restrict the activity of the defense effector molecules to physiologically relevant taxa, these target epitopes should, on the other hand, be taxon-specific and easily accessible. Glycans fulfill all these requirements and are therefore a preferred target of defense effector molecules, in particular defense proteins. Here, we review this defense strategy using the example of the defense system of multicellular (filamentous) fungi against microbial competitors and animal predators.
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49
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Phoenix DA, Harris F, Mura M, Dennison SR. The increasing role of phosphatidylethanolamine as a lipid receptor in the action of host defence peptides. Prog Lipid Res 2015; 59:26-37. [PMID: 25936689 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Host defence peptides (HDPs) are antimicrobial agents produced by organisms across the prokaryotic and eukaryotic kingdoms. Many prokaryotes produce HDPs, which utilise lipid and protein receptors in the membranes of bacterial competitors to facilitate their antibacterial action and thereby survive in their niche environment. As a major example, it is well established that cinnamycin and duramycins from Streptomyces have a high affinity for phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and exhibit activity against other Gram-positive organisms, such as Bacillus. In contrast, although eukaryotic HDPs utilise membrane interactive mechanisms to facilitate their antimicrobial activity, the prevailing view has long been that these mechanisms do not involve membrane receptors. However, this view has been recently challenged by reports that a number of eukaryotic HDPs such as plant cyclotides also use PE as a receptor to promote their antimicrobial activities. Here, we review current understanding of the mechanisms that underpin the use of PE as a receptor in the antimicrobial and other biological actions of HDPs and describe medical and biotechnical uses of these peptides, which range from tumour imaging and detection to inclusion in topical microbicidal gels to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Phoenix
- School of Applied Science, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK.
| | - Frederick Harris
- School of Applied Science, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK; School of Forensic and Investigative Science, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
| | - Manuela Mura
- School of Mathematics and Physics, College of Science, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UK
| | - Sarah R Dennison
- School of Applied Science, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK; School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
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50
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López-Abarrategui C, McBeth C, Mandal SM, Sun ZJ, Heffron G, Alba-Menéndez A, Migliolo L, Reyes-Acosta O, García-Villarino M, Nolasco DO, Falcão R, Cherobim MD, Dias SC, Brandt W, Wessjohann L, Starnbach M, Franco OL, Otero-González AJ. Cm-p5: an antifungal hydrophilic peptide derived from the coastal mollusk Cenchritis muricatus (Gastropoda: Littorinidae). FASEB J 2015; 29:3315-25. [PMID: 25921828 DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-269860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides form part of the first line of defense against pathogens for many organisms. Current treatments for fungal infections are limited by drug toxicity and pathogen resistance. Cm-p5 (SRSELIVHQRLF), a peptide derived from the marine mollusk Cenchritis muricatus peptide Cm-p1, has a significantly increased fungistatic activity against pathogenic Candida albicans (minimal inhibitory concentration, 10 µg/ml; EC50, 1.146 µg/ml) while exhibiting low toxic effects against a cultured mammalian cell line. Cm-p5 as characterized by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance revealed an α-helical structure in membrane-mimetic conditions and a tendency to random coil folding in aqueous solutions. Additional studies modeling Cm-p5 binding to a phosphatidylserine bilayer in silico and isothermal titration calorimetry using lipid monophases demonstrated that Cm-p5 has a high affinity for the phospholipids of fungal membranes (phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine), only moderate interactions with a mammalian membrane phospholipid, low interaction with ergosterol, and no interaction with chitin. Adhesion of Cm-p5 to living C. albicans cells was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy with FITC-labeled peptide. In a systemic candidiasis model in mice, intraperitoneal administration of Cm-p5 was unable to control the fungal kidney burden, although its low amphiphaticity could be modified to generate new derivatives with improved fungicidal activity and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos López-Abarrategui
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, Havana University, Branch of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí," and Laboratory of Peptide Analysis and Synthesis, Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
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