The adenylyl cyclase Rv2212 modifies the proteome and infectivity of Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Transcriptional portrait of M. bovis BCG during biofilm production shows genes differentially expressed during intercellular aggregation and substrate attachment

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. smegmatis form drug-tolerant biofilms through dedicated genetic programs. In support of a stepwise process regulating biofilm production in mycobacteria, it was shown elsewhere that lsr2 participates in intercellular aggregation, while groEL1 was required for biofilm maturation in M. smegmatis. Here, by means of RNA-Seq, we monitored the early steps of biofilm production in M. bovis BCG, to distinguish intercellular aggregation from attachment to a surface. Genes encoding for the transcriptional regulators dosR and BCG0114 (Rv0081) were significantly regulated and responded differently to intercellular aggregation and surface attachment. Moreover, a M. tuberculosis H37Rv deletion mutant in the Rv3134c-dosS-dosR regulon, formed less biofilm than wild type M. tuberculosis, a phenotype reverted upon reintroduction of this operon into the mutant. Combining RT-qPCR with microbiological assays (colony and surface pellicle morphologies, biofilm quantification, Ziehl–Neelsen staining, growth curve and replication of planktonic cells), we found that BCG0642c affected biofilm production and replication of planktonic BCG, whereas ethR affected only phenotypes linked to planktonic cells despite its downregulation at the intercellular aggregation step. Our results provide evidence for a stage-dependent expression of genes that contribute to biofilm production in slow-growing mycobacteria.

BCG constitutively expressing the adenylyl cyclase encoded by Rv2212 increases its immunogenicity and reduces replication of M. tuberculosis in lungs of BALB/c mice

Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains as a threat to public health around the world with 1.7 million cases of TB-associated deaths during 2016. Despite the use of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, control of the infection has not been successful. Because of this, several efforts have been made in order to develop new vaccines capable of boosting previous immunization or attempted for replacing current BCG. We previously showed that over expression of the M. tuberculosis adenylyl cyclase encoding gene Rv2212 in BCG bacilli (BCG-Rv2212), induced an attenuated phenotype when administered in BALB/c mice. Moreover, two-dimensional proteomic analysis showed that heat shock proteins such as GroEL2 and DnaK were overexpressed in this BCG-Rv2212. In this report, we show that immunization of mice with BCG-Rv2212 significantly increments IFN-γ⁺ CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes after PPD stimulation in comparison with BCG vaccinated mice. Mice vaccinated with BCG-Rv2212 significantly reduced the bacterial load in lungs after four-month post infection with M. tuberculosis H37Rv but was similar to BCG after 6 month-post-challenge. Survival experiment showed that both vaccines administered separately in mice induce similar levels of protection after 20-week post-challenge with M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Virulence experiments developed in nude mice, showed that BCG-Rv2212 and BCG bacilli were equally safe. Our results suggest that BCG-Rv2212 is capable of stimulating cellular immune response effectively and reduce bacterial burden in lungs of mice after challenge. Particularly, it seems to be more effective in controlling bacterial burden during the first steps of infection.

Overexpression of Adenylyl Cyclase Encoded by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2212 Gene Confers Improved Fitness, Accelerated Recovery from Dormancy and Enhanced Virulence in Mice

Earlier we demonstrated that the adenylyl cyclase (AC) encoded by the MSMEG_4279 gene plays a key role in the resuscitation and growth of dormant Mycobacterium smegmatis and that overexpression of this gene leads to an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration and prevents the transition of M. smegmatis from active growth to dormancy in an extended stationary phase accompanied by medium acidification. We surmised that the homologous Rv2212 gene of M. tuberculosis (Mtb), the main cAMP producer, plays similar physiological roles by supporting, under these conditions, the active state and reactivation of dormant bacteria. To test this hypothesis, we established Mtb strain overexpressing Rv2212 and compared its in vitro and in vivo growth characteristics with a control strain. In vitro, the AC-overexpressing pMindRv2212 strain demonstrated faster growth in a liquid medium, prolonged capacity to form CFUs and a significant delay or even prevention of transition toward dormancy. AC-overexpressing cells exhibited easier recovery from dormancy. In vivo, AC-overexpressing bacteria demonstrated significantly higher growth rates (virulence) in the lungs and spleens of infected mice compared to the control strain, and, unlike the latter, killed mice in the TB-resistant strain before month 8 of infection. Even in the absence of selecting hygromycin B, all pMindRv2212 CFUs retained the Rv2212 insert during in vivo growth, strongly suggesting that AC overexpression is beneficial for bacteria. Taken together, our results indicate that cAMP supports the maintenance of Mtb cells vitality under unfavorable conditions in vitro and their virulence in vivo.

Interaction of Erp Protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Rv2212 Enhances Intracellular Survival of Mycobacterium smegmatis

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis exported repetitive protein (RvErp) is a crucial virulence-associated factor as determined by its role in the survival and multiplication of mycobacteria in cultured macrophages and in vivo Although attempts have been made to understand the function of Erp protein, its exact role in Mycobacterium pathogenesis is still elusive. One way to determine this is by searching for novel interactions of RvErp. Using a yeast two-hybrid assay, an adenylyl cyclase (AC), Rv2212, was found to interact with RvErp. The interaction between RvErp and Rv2212 is direct and occurs at the endogenous level. The Erp protein of Mycobacterium smegmatis (MSMEG_6405, or MsErp) interacts neither with Rv2212 nor with Ms_4279, the M. smegmatis homologue of Rv2212. Deletion mutants of Rv2212 revealed its adenylyl cyclase domain to be responsible for the interaction. RvErp enhances Rv2212-mediated cyclic AMP (cAMP) production. Also, the biological significance of the interaction between RvErp and Rv2212 was demonstrated by the enhanced survival of M. smegmatis within THP-1 macrophages. Taken together, these studies address a novel mechanism by which Erp executes its function.

IMPORTANCE

RvErp is one of the important virulence factors of M. tuberculosis This study describes a novel function of RvErp protein of M. tuberculosis by identifying Rv2212 as its interacting protein. Rv2212 is an adenylyl cyclase (AC) and produces cAMP, one of the prime second messengers that regulate the intracellular survival of mycobacteria. Therefore, the significance of investigating novel interactions of RvErp is paramount in unraveling the mechanisms governing the intracellular survival of mycobacteria.