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Kalitnik A, Szefczyk M, Wojciechowska AW, Wojciechowski JW, Gąsior-Głogowska M, Olesiak-Bańska J, Kotulska M. Cytotoxic Staphylococcus aureus PSMα3 inhibits the aggregation of human insulin in vitro. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:15587-15599. [PMID: 38757742 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00669k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) are extracellular short amphipathic peptides secreted by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). They play an essential role in the bacterial lifecycle, biofilm formation, and stabilisation. From the PSM family, PSMα3 has been of special interest recently due to its cytotoxicity and highly stable α-helical conformation, which also remains in its amyloid fibrils. In particular, PSMα3 fibrils were shown to be composed of self-associating "sheets" of α-helices oriented perpendicular to the fibril axis, mimicking the architecture of canonical cross-β fibrils. Therefore, they were called cross-α-fibrils. PSMα3 was synthesised and verified for identity with wild-type sequences (S. aureus). Then, using several experimental techniques, we evaluated its propensity for in vitro aggregation. According to our findings, synthetic PSMα3 (which lacks the N-terminal formyl groups found in bacteria) does not form amyloid fibrils and maintains α-helical conformation in a soluble monomeric form for several days of incubation. We also evaluated the influence of PSMα3 on human insulin fibrillation in vitro, using a variety of experimental approaches in combination with computational molecular studies. First, it was shown that PSMα3 drastically inhibits the fibrillation of human insulin. The anti-fibrillation effect of PSMα3 was concentration-dependent and required a concentration ratio of PSMα3: insulin equal to or above 1 : 100. Molecular modelling revealed that PSMα3 most likely inhibits the production of insulin primary nuclei by competing for residues involved in its dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Kalitnik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Monika Szefczyk
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Alicja W Wojciechowska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Jakub W Wojciechowski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Marlena Gąsior-Głogowska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Joanna Olesiak-Bańska
- Institute of Advanced Materials, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kotulska
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Fundamental Problems of Technology, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland.
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2
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Bonnecaze L, Jumel K, Vial A, Khemtemourian L, Feuillie C, Molinari M, Lecomte S, Mathelié-Guinlet M. N-Formylation modifies membrane damage associated with PSMα3 interfacial fibrillation. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2024. [PMID: 38689531 DOI: 10.1039/d4nh00088a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The virulence of Staphylococcus aureus, a multi-drug resistant pathogen, notably depends on the expression of the phenol soluble modulins α3 (PSMα3) peptides, able to self-assemble into amyloid-like cross-α fibrils. Despite remarkable advances evidencing the crucial, yet insufficient, role of fibrils in PSMα3 cytotoxic activities towards host cells, the relationship between its molecular structures, assembly propensities, and modes of action remains an open intriguing problem. In this study, combining atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and infrared spectroscopy, we first demonstrated in vitro that the charge provided by the N-terminal capping of PSMα3 alters its interactions with model membranes of controlled lipid composition without compromising its fibrillation kinetics or morphology. N-formylation eventually dictates PSMα3-membrane binding via electrostatic interactions with the lipid head groups. Furthermore, PSMα3 insertion within the lipid bilayer is favoured by hydrophobic interactions with the lipid acyl chains only in the fluid phase of membranes and not in the gel-like ordered domains. Strikingly, our real-time AFM imaging emphasizes how intermediate protofibrillar entities, formed along PSMα3 self-assembly and promoted at the membrane interface, likely disrupt membrane integrity via peptide accumulation and subsequent membrane thinning in a peptide concentration and lipid-dependent manner. Overall, our multiscale and multimodal approach sheds new light on the key roles of N-formylation and intermediate self-assembling entities, rather than mature fibrils, in dictating deleterious interactions of PSMα3 with membrane lipids, likely underscoring its ultimate cellular toxicity in vivo, and in turn S. aureus pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bonnecaze
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Katlyn Jumel
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Anthony Vial
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | | | - Cécile Feuillie
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Michael Molinari
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, F-33600 Pessac, France.
| | - Sophie Lecomte
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, CBMN, UMR 5248, F-33600 Pessac, France.
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3
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Wang X, Lee JC. Staphylococcus aureus membrane vesicles: an evolving story. Trends Microbiol 2024:S0966-842X(24)00088-X. [PMID: 38677977 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an important bacterial pathogen that causes a wide variety of human diseases in community and hospital settings. S. aureus employs a diverse array of virulence factors, both surface-associated and secreted, to promote colonization, infection, and immune evasion. Over the past decade, a growing body of research has shown that S. aureus generates extracellular membrane vesicles (MVs) that package a variety of bacterial components, many of which are virulence factors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of S. aureus MVs and highlight their biogenesis, cargo, and potential role in the pathogenesis of staphylococcal infections. Lastly, we present some emerging questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaogang Wang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Jean C Lee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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4
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Mirza Agha M, Tavili E, Dabirmanesh B. Functional amyloids. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 206:389-434. [PMID: 38811086 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
While amyloid has traditionally been viewed as a harmful formation, emerging evidence suggests that amyloids may also play a functional role in cell biology, contributing to normal physiological processes that have been conserved throughout evolution. Functional amyloids have been discovered in several creatures, spanning from bacteria to mammals. These amyloids serve a multitude of purposes, including but not limited to, forming biofilms, melanin synthesis, storage, information transfer, and memory. The functional role of amyloids has been consistently validated by the discovery of more functional amyloids, indicating a conceptual convergence. The biology of amyloids is well-represented by non-pathogenic amyloids, given the numerous ones already identified and the ongoing rate of new discoveries. In this chapter, functional amyloids in microorganisms, animals, and plants are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Mirza Agha
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elaheh Tavili
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Dabirmanesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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5
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Kristoffersen K, Hansen KH, Andreasen M. Differential Effects of Lipid Bilayers on αPSM Peptide Functional Amyloid Formation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:102. [PMID: 38203273 PMCID: PMC10779341 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) are key virulence factors of S. aureus, and they comprise the structural scaffold of biofilm as they self-assemble into functional amyloids. They have been shown to interact with cell membranes as they display toxicity towards human cells through cell lysis, with αPSM3 being the most cytotoxic. In addition to causing cell lysis in mammalian cells, PSMs have also been shown to interact with bacterial cell membranes through antimicrobial effects. Here, we present a study on the effects of lipid bilayers on the aggregation mechanism of αPSM using chemical kinetics to study the effects of lipid vesicles on the aggregation kinetics and using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate the corresponding secondary structure of the aggregates. We found that the effects of lipid bilayers on αPSM aggregation were not homogeneous between lipid type and αPSM peptides, although none of the lipids caused changes in the dominating aggregation mechanism. In the case of αPSM3, all types of lipids slowed down aggregation to a varying degree, with 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) having the most pronounced effect. For αPSM1, lipids had opposite effects, where DOPC decelerated aggregation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) accelerated the aggregation, while 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DOPG) had no effect. For αPSM4, both DOPG and LPS accelerated the aggregation, but only at high concentration, while DOPC showed no effect. None of the lipids was capable of inducing aggregation of αPSM2. Our data reveal a complex interaction pattern between PSMs peptides and lipid bilayers that causes changes in the aggregation kinetics by affecting different kinetic parameters along with only subtle changes in morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maria Andreasen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Willhelm Meyer’s Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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Tammara V, Das A. The Molecular Mechanism of PSMα3 Aggregation: A New View. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:8317-8330. [PMID: 37734054 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c03806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of a novel cross-α fibrillar structure, unlike the commonly observed sequence-independent cross-β one, of a 22-residue bacterial virulent amphipathic α-helical peptide of the phenol soluble modulin (PSM) family, PSMα3, with many deleterious effects on human life, has infused uncertainty to the paradigm of the intrinsically polymorphic, multivariate, multiphasic, and cross-sequence-cross-disease entangled protein aggregation landscape and hence on the identity of the therapeutic target. We, here, deconvolute the factors contributing to the genesis and hence the transition of lower to higher order aggregates of PSMα3 in its natural state and three noncanonical designed variants using conventional and enhanced sampling approach-based atomistic simulations. PSMα3 shows structural polymorphism with nominal α-helicity, substantial β-propensity, and dominant random-coil features, irrespective of the extent of aggregation. Moreover, the individual features of the overall amphipathicity operate alternatively depending on the extent and organization of aggregation; the dominance gradually moves from charged to hydrophobic residues with the progressive generation of higher order aggregates (dimer to oligomer to fibril) and with increasing orderedness of the self-assembled construct (oligomer vs dimer/fibril). Similarly, the contribution of interchain salt bridges decreases with increasing order of aggregation (dimer to oligomer to fibril). However, the intrachain salt bridges consistently display their role in all phases of aggregation. Such phase-independent features also include equivalent roles of electrostatic and van der Waals forces on intrachain interactions, sole contribution of van der Waals forces on interchain cross-talk, and negligible peptide-water relationship. Finally, we propose a conjugate peptide-based aggregation suppressor having a single-point proline mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishnavi Tammara
- Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411008, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Atanu Das
- Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411008, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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7
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Peng B, Xu S, Liang Y, Dong X, Sun Y. Effect of Bacterial Amyloid Protein Phenol-Soluble Modulin Alpha 3 on the Aggregation of Amyloid Beta Protein Associated with Alzheimer's Disease. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:459. [PMID: 37887589 PMCID: PMC10604207 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8060459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the proposal of the brainstem axis theory, increasing research attention has been paid to the interactions between bacterial amyloids produced by intestinal flora and the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and it has been considered as the possible cause of AD. Therefore, phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) α3, the most virulent protein secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, has attracted much attention. In this work, the effect of PSMα3 with a unique cross-α fibril architecture on the aggregation of pathogenic Aβ40 of AD was studied by extensive biophysical characterizations. The results proposed that the PSMα3 monomer inhibited the aggregation of Aβ40 in a concentration-dependent manner and changed the aggregation pathway to form granular aggregates. However, PSMα3 oligomers promoted the generation of the β-sheet structure, thus shortening the lag phase of Aβ40 aggregation. Moreover, the higher the cross-α content of PSMα3, the stronger the effect of the promotion, indicating that the cross-α structure of PSMα3 plays a crucial role in the aggregation of Aβ40. Further molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have shown that the Met1-Gly20 region in the PSMα3 monomer can be combined with the Asp1-Ala2 and His13-Val36 regions in the Aβ40 monomer by hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, which prevents the conformational conversion of Aβ40 from the α-helix to β-sheet structure. By contrast, PSMα3 oligomers mainly combined with the central hydrophobic core (CHC) and the C-terminal region of the Aβ40 monomer by weak H-bonding and hydrophobic interactions, which could not inhibit the transition to the β-sheet structure in the aggregation pathway. Thus, the research has unraveled molecular interactions between Aβ40 and PSMα3 of different structures and provided a deeper understanding of the complex interactions between bacterial amyloids and AD-related pathogenic Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China; (B.P.); (S.X.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering and Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China; (B.P.); (S.X.); (Y.L.)
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8
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Wittekind MA, Briaud P, Smith JL, Tennant JR, Carroll RK. The Small Protein ScrA Influences Staphylococcus aureus Virulence-Related Processes via the SaeRS System. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0525522. [PMID: 37154710 PMCID: PMC10269730 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05255-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive commensal and opportunistic pathogen able to cause diseases ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome. The ability to cause such an array of diseases is due to the complex S. aureus regulatory network controlling an assortment of virulence factors, including adhesins, hemolysins, proteases, and lipases. This regulatory network is controlled by both protein and RNA elements. We previously identified a novel regulatory protein called ScrA, which, when overexpressed, leads to the increased activity and expression of the SaeRS regulon. In this study, we further explore the role of ScrA and examine the consequences to the bacterial cell of scrA gene disruption. These results demonstrate that scrA is required for several virulence-related processes, and in many cases, the phenotypes of the scrA mutant are inverse to those observed in cells overexpressing ScrA. Interestingly, while the majority of ScrA-mediated phenotypes appear to rely on the SaeRS system, our results also indicate that ScrA may also act independently of SaeRS when regulating hemolytic activity. Finally, using a murine model of infection, we demonstrate that scrA is required for virulence, potentially in an organ-specific manner. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is the cause of several potentially life-threatening infections. An assortment of toxins and virulence factors allows such a wide range of infections. However, an assortment of toxins or virulence factors requires complex regulation to control expression under all of the different conditions encountered by the bacterium. Understanding the intricate web of regulatory systems allows the development of novel approaches to combat S. aureus infections. Here, we have shown that the small protein ScrA, which was previously identified by our laboratory, influences several virulence-related functions through the SaeRS global regulatory system. These findings add ScrA to the growing list of virulence regulators in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul Briaud
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Jayanna L. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Julia R. Tennant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
| | - Ronan K. Carroll
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA
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Meisl G, Xu CK, Taylor JD, Michaels TCT, Levin A, Otzen D, Klenerman D, Matthews S, Linse S, Andreasen M, Knowles TPJ. Uncovering the universality of self-replication in protein aggregation and its link to disease. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn6831. [PMID: 35960802 PMCID: PMC9374340 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn6831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Fibrillar protein aggregates are a hallmark of a range of human disorders, from prion diseases to dementias, but are also encountered in several functional contexts. Yet, the fundamental links between protein assembly mechanisms and their functional or pathological roles have remained elusive. Here, we analyze the aggregation kinetics of a large set of proteins that self-assemble by a nucleated-growth mechanism, from those associated with disease, over those whose aggregates fulfill functional roles in biology, to those that aggregate only under artificial conditions. We find that, essentially, all such systems, regardless of their biological role, are capable of self-replication. However, for aggregates that have evolved to fulfill a structural role, the rate of self-replication is too low to be significant on the biologically relevant time scale. By contrast, all disease-related proteins are able to self-replicate quickly compared to the time scale of the associated disease. Our findings establish the ubiquity of self-replication and point to its potential importance across aggregation-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Catherine K. Xu
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Jonathan D. Taylor
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Thomas C. T. Michaels
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Aviad Levin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Daniel Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
| | - David Klenerman
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- U.K. Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Steve Matthews
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Sara Linse
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (M.A.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Maria Andreasen
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Allé 3, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (M.A.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (M.A.); (T.P.J.K.)
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Xuan Q, Zhou J, Jiang F, Zhang W, Wei A, Zhang W, Zhang Q, Shen H, Li H, Chen C, Wang P. Sappanwood-derived polyphenolic antidote of amyloidal toxins achieved detoxification via inhibition/reversion of amyloidal fibrillation. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 214:446-458. [PMID: 35752334 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The formidable virulence of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have thrown great challenges to biomedicine, which mainly derives from their autocrine phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) toxins, especially the most toxic member termed phenol-soluble modulins α3 (PSMα3). PSMα3 cytotoxicity is attributed to its amyloidal fibrillation and subsequent formation of cross-α sheet fibrils. Inspired by the multiple biological activity of Sappanwood, herein, we adopted brazilin, a natural polyphenolic compound originated from Caesalpinia sappan, as a potential antidote of PSMα3 toxins, and attempted to prove that the regulation of PSMα3 fibrillation was an effective alexipharmic way for MRSA infections. In vitro results revealed that brazilin suppressed PSMα3 fibrillation and disassembled preformed amyloidal fibrils in a dose-dependent manner, in which molar ratio (brazilin: PSMα3) of efficient inhibition and disassembly were both 1:1. These desired regulations dominated by brazilin benefited from its bonding to core fibrils-forming residues of PSMα3 monomers urged by hydrogen bonding and pi-pi stacking, and such binding modes facilitated brazilin-mediated inhibition or disruption of interactions between neighboring PSMα3 monomers. In this context, these inhibited and disassembled PSMα3 assemblies could not easily insert into cell membrane and subsequent penetration, and thus alleviating the membrane disruption, cytoplasmic leakage, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in normal cells. As such, brazilin dramatically decreased the cytotoxicity borne by toxic PSMα3 fibrils. In addition, in vivo experiments affirmed that brazilin relieved the toxicity of PSMα3 toxins and thus promoted the skin wound healing of mice. This study provides a new antidote of PSMα3 toxins, and also confirms the feasibility of the assembly-regulation strategy in development of antidotes against supramolecular fibrillation-dependent toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qize Xuan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - JinFeng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Anqi Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wenxue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Hao Shen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, China
| | - Hui Li
- Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Chao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology Center, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing Technology, School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Institute for Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
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11
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Akbey Ü, Andreasen M. Functional amyloids from bacterial biofilms - structural properties and interaction partners. Chem Sci 2022; 13:6457-6477. [PMID: 35756505 PMCID: PMC9172111 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00645f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation and amyloid formation have historically been linked with various diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, but recently functional amyloids have gained a great deal of interest in not causing a disease and having a distinct function in vivo. Functional bacterial amyloids form the structural scaffold in bacterial biofilms and provide a survival strategy for the bacteria along with antibiotic resistance. The formation of functional amyloids happens extracellularly which differs from most disease related amyloids. Studies of functional amyloids have revealed several distinctions compared to disease related amyloids including primary structures designed to optimize amyloid formation while still retaining a controlled assembly of the individual subunits into classical cross-β-sheet structures, along with a unique cross-α-sheet amyloid fold. Studies have revealed that functional amyloids interact with components found in the extracellular matrix space such as lipids from membranes and polymers from the biofilm. Intriguingly, a level of complexity is added as functional amyloids also interact with several disease related amyloids and a causative link has even been established between functional amyloids and neurodegenerative diseases. It is hence becoming increasingly clear that functional amyloids are not inert protein structures found in bacterial biofilms but interact with many different components including human proteins related to pathology. Gaining a clear understanding of the factors governing the interactions will lead to improved strategies to combat biofilm associated infections and the correlated antibiotic resistance. In the current review we summarize the current state of the art knowledge on this exciting and fast growing research field of biofilm forming bacterial functional amyloids, their structural features and interaction partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ümit Akbey
- Department of Structural Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Maria Andreasen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University Wilhelm Meyers Allé 3 8000 Aarhus Denmark
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12
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Making Sense of Quorum Sensing at the Intestinal Mucosal Interface. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111734. [PMID: 35681429 PMCID: PMC9179481 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome can produce metabolic products that exert diverse activities, including effects on the host. Short chain fatty acids and amino acid derivatives have been the focus of many studies, but given the high microbial density in the gastrointestinal tract, other bacterial products such as those released as part of quorum sensing are likely to play an important role for health and disease. In this review, we provide of an overview on quorum sensing (QS) in the gastrointestinal tract and summarise what is known regarding the role of QS molecules such as auto-inducing peptides (AIP) and acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL) from commensal, probiotic, and pathogenic bacteria in intestinal health and disease. QS regulates the expression of numerous genes including biofilm formation, bacteriocin and toxin secretion, and metabolism. QS has also been shown to play an important role in the bacteria–host interaction. We conclude that the mechanisms of action of QS at the intestinal neuro–immune interface need to be further investigated.
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13
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Thymol Reduces agr-Mediated Virulence Factor Phenol-Soluble Modulin Production in Staphylococcus aureus. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:8221622. [PMID: 35586806 PMCID: PMC9110180 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8221622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major human bacterial pathogen that carries a large number of virulence factors. Many virulence factors of S. aureus are regulated by the accessory gene regulator (agr) quorum-sensing system. Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) are one of the agr-mediated virulence determinants known to play a significant role in S. aureus pathogenesis. In the present study, the efficacy of thymol to inhibit PSM production including δ-toxin in S. aureus was explored. We employed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to quantify the PSMsα1-PSMα4, PSMβ1 and PSMβ2, and δ-toxin production from culture supernatants. We found that thymol at 0.5 MIC (128 μg/mL) significantly reduced the PSMα and δ-toxin production in S. aureus WKZ-1, WKZ-2, LAC USA300, and ATCC29213. Downregulation in transcription by quantitative real-time (qRT) PCR analysis of response regulator agrA and receptor histidine kinase agrC upon 0.5 MIC thymol treatment affirmed the results of LC-MS quantification of PSMs. In silico molecular docking analysis demonstrated the binding affinity of thymol with receptors AgrA and AgrC. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed no ultrastructural alterations (cell wall and membrane) in thymol-treated WKZ-1 and WKZ-2 S. aureus strains. Here, we demonstrated that thymol reduces various PSM production in S. aureus clinical isolates and reference strains with mass spectrometry.
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14
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Phenol-soluble modulins PSMα3 and PSMβ2 form nanotubes that are cross-α amyloids. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121586119. [PMID: 35533283 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121586119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) are peptide-based virulence factors that play significant roles in the pathogenesis of staphylococcal strains in community-associated and hospital-associated infections. In addition to cytotoxicity, PSMs display the propensity to self-assemble into fibrillar species, which may be mediated through the formation of amphipathic conformations. Here, we analyze the self-assembly behavior of two PSMs, PSMα3 and PSMβ2, which are derived from peptides expressed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a significant human pathogen. In both cases, we observed the formation of a mixture of self-assembled species including twisted filaments, helical ribbons, and nanotubes, which can reversibly interconvert in vitro. Cryo–electron microscopy structural analysis of three PSM nanotubes, two derived from PSMα3 and one from PSMβ2, revealed that the assemblies displayed remarkably similar structures based on lateral association of cross-α amyloid protofilaments. The amphipathic helical conformations of PSMα3 and PSMβ2 enforced a bilayer arrangement within the protofilaments that defined the structures of the respective PSMα3 and PSMβ2 nanotubes. We demonstrate that, similar to amyloids based on cross-β protofilaments, cross-α amyloids derived from these PSMs display polymorphism, not only in terms of the global morphology (e.g., twisted filament, helical ribbon, and nanotube) but also with respect to the number of protofilaments within a given peptide assembly. These results suggest that the folding landscape of PSM derivatives may be more complex than originally anticipated and that the assemblies are able to sample a wide range of supramolecular structural space.
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15
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Grando K, Nicastro LK, Tursi SA, De Anda J, Lee EY, Wong GCL, Tükel Ç. Phenol-Soluble Modulins From Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms Form Complexes With DNA to Drive Autoimmunity. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:884065. [PMID: 35646719 PMCID: PMC9131096 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.884065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial amyloid curli, produced by Enterobacteriales including Salmonella species and Escherichia coli, is implicated in the pathogenesis of several complex autoimmune diseases. Curli binds to extracellular DNA, and these complexes drive autoimmunity via production of anti-double-stranded DNA autoantibodies. Here, we investigated immune activation by phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs), the amyloid proteins expressed by Staphylococcus species. We confirmed the amyloid nature of PSMs expressed by S. aureus using a novel specific amyloid stain, (E,E)-1-fluoro-2,5-bis(3-hydroxycarbonyl-4-hydroxy) styrylbenzene (FSB). Direct interaction of one of the S. aureus PSMs, PSMα3, with oligonucleotides promotes fibrillization of PSM amyloids and complex formation with bacterial DNA. Finally, utilizing a mouse model with an implanted mesh-associated S. aureus biofilm, we demonstrated that exposure to S. aureus biofilms for six weeks caused anti-double-stranded DNA autoantibody production in a PSM-dependent manner. Taken together, these results highlight how the presence of PSM-DNA complexes in S. aureus biofilms can induce autoimmune responses, and suggest an explanation for how bacterial infections trigger autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Grando
- Center for Microbiology and Immunology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lauren K. Nicastro
- Center for Microbiology and Immunology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sarah A. Tursi
- Center for Microbiology and Immunology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jaime De Anda
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California Nano Systems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ernest Y. Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California Nano Systems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Gerard C. L. Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California Nano Systems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Çağla Tükel
- Center for Microbiology and Immunology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Çağla Tükel,
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16
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Laabei M, Peacock SJ, Blane B, Baines SL, Howden BP, Stinear TP, Massey RC. Significant variability exists in the cytotoxicity of global methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lineages. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2021; 167. [PMID: 34928202 PMCID: PMC8744995 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen where the emergence of antibiotic resistant lineages, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is a major health concern. While some MRSA lineages are restricted to the healthcare setting, the epidemiology of MRSA is changing globally, with the rise of specific lineages causing disease in healthy people in the community. In the past two decades, community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) has emerged as a clinically important and virulent pathogen associated with serious skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI). These infections are primarily cytotoxin driven, leading to the suggestion that hypervirulent lineages/multi-locus sequence types (STs) exist. To examine this, we compared the cytotoxicity of 475 MRSA isolates representing five major MRSA STs (ST22, ST93, ST8, ST239 and ST36) by employing a monocyte-macrophage THP-1 cell line as a surrogate for measuring gross cytotoxicity. We demonstrate that while certain MRSA STs contain highly toxic isolates, there is such variability within lineages to suggest that this aspect of virulence should not be inferred from the genotype of any given isolate. Furthermore, by interrogating the accessory gene regulator (Agr) sequences in this collection we identified several Agr mutations that were associated with reduced cytotoxicity. Interestingly, the majority of isolates that were attenuated in cytotoxin production contained no mutations in the agr locus, indicating a role of other undefined genes in S. aureus toxin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maisem Laabei
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
- *Correspondence: Maisem Laabei,
| | - Sharon J. Peacock
- Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Box 157, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Beth Blane
- Department of Medicine, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Box 157, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Sarah L. Baines
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Benjamin P. Howden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Timothy P. Stinear
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ruth C. Massey
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK
- *Correspondence: Ruth C. Massey,
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17
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Polaske TJ, Gahan CG, Nyffeler KE, Lynn DM, Blackwell HE. Identification of small molecules that strongly inhibit bacterial quorum sensing using a high-throughput lipid vesicle lysis assay. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 29:605-614.e4. [PMID: 34932995 PMCID: PMC9035047 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Strategies to both monitor and block bacterial quorum sensing (QS), and thus associated infections, are of significant interest. We developed a straightforward assay to monitor biosurfactants and lytic agents produced by bacteria under the control of QS. The method is based on the lysis of synthetic lipid vesicles containing the environmentally sensitive fluorescent dye calcein. This assay allows for the in situ screening of compounds capable of altering biosurfactant production by bacteria, and thereby the identification of molecules that could potentially modulate QS pathways, and avoids the constraints of many of the cell-based assays in use today. Application of this assay in a high-throughput format revealed five molecules capable of blocking vesicle lysis by S. aureus. Two of these compounds were found to almost completely inhibit agr-based QS in S. aureus and represent the most potent small-molecule-derived QS inhibitors reported in this formidable pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Polaske
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Curran G Gahan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Kayleigh E Nyffeler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706, USA; Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1550 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - David M Lynn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Helen E Blackwell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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18
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Damour A, Robin B, Deroche L, Broutin L, Bellin N, Verdon J, Lina G, Leclère FM, Garcia M, Cremniter J, Lévêque N, Bodet C. Phenol-soluble modulins α are major virulence factors of Staphylococcus aureus secretome promoting inflammatory response in human epidermis. Virulence 2021; 12:2474-2492. [PMID: 34516337 PMCID: PMC8451463 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1975909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a skin commensal microorganism commonly colonizing healthy humans. Nevertheless, S. aureus can also be responsible for cutaneous infections and contribute to flare-up of inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), which is characterized by dysbiosis of the skin microbiota with S. aureus as the predominant species. However, the role of major virulence factors of this pathogen such as phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) toxins in epidermal inflammation remains poorly understood. Stimulation of primary human keratinocytes with sublytic concentrations of synthetic and purified PSM α3 resulted in upregulation of a large panel of pro-inflammatory chemokine and cytokine gene expression, including CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL5, CXCL8, CCL20, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-36γ and TNF-α, while inducing the release of CXCL8, CCL20, TNF-α and IL-6. In addition, using S. aureus culture supernatant from mutants deleted from genes encoding either α-type PSMs or all PSM production, PSMs were shown to be the main factors of S. aureus secretome responsible for pro-inflammatory mediator induction in human keratinocytes. On the other hand, α-type PSM-containing supernatant triggered an intense induction of pro-inflammatory mediator expression and secretion during both topical and basal layer stimulation of an ex vivo model of human skin explants, a physiologically relevant model of pluristratified epidermis. Taken together, the results of this study show that PSMs and more specifically α-type PSMs are major virulence factors of S. aureus inducing a potent inflammatory response during infection of the human epidermis and could thereby contribute to AD flare-up through exacerbation of skin inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Damour
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Brandon Robin
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Luc Deroche
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Lauranne Broutin
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire De Bactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Nicolas Bellin
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Julien Verdon
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Gérard Lina
- CIRI Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Inserm U1111, Université Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Institut des Agent Infectieux, Hôpital de La Croix Rousse, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Franck Marie Leclère
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Département de Chirurgie Plastique, Reconstructive et Esthétique, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Magali Garcia
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire de Virologie et Mycobactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Julie Cremniter
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire De Bactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Nicolas Lévêque
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire de Virologie et Mycobactériologie, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Charles Bodet
- Laboratoire Inflammation Tissus Epithéliaux et Cytokines EA 4331, Université De Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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19
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Dey J, Mahapatra SR, Singh P, Patro S, Kushwaha GS, Misra N, Suar M. B and T cell epitope-based peptides predicted from clumping factor protein of Staphylococcus aureus as vaccine targets. Microb Pathog 2021; 160:105171. [PMID: 34481860 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2021.105171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus infection is emerging as a global threat because of the highly debilitating nature of the associated disease's unprecedented magnitude of its spread and growing global resistance to antimicrobial medicines. Recently WHO has categorized these bacteria under the high global priority pathogen list and is one of the six nosocomial pathogens termed as ESKAPE pathogens which have emerged as a serious threat to public health worldwide. The development of a specific vaccine can stimulate an optimal antibody response, thus providing immunity against it. Therefore, in the present study efforts have been made to identify potential vaccine candidates from the Clumping factor surface proteins (ClfA and ClfB) of S. aureus. Employing the immunoinformatics approach, fourteen antigenic peptides including T-cell, B-cell epitopes were identified which were non-toxic, non-allergenic, high antigenicity, strong binding efficiency with commonly occurring MHC alleles. Consequently, a multi-epitope vaccine chimera was designed by connecting these epitopes with suitable linkers an adjuvant to enhance immunogenicity. Further, homology modeling and molecular docking were performed to construct the three-dimensional structure of the vaccine and study the interaction between the modeled structure and immune receptor (TLR-2) present on lymphocyte cells. Consequently, molecular dynamics simulation for 100 ns period confirmed the stability of the interaction and reliability of the structure for further analysis. Finally, codon optimization and in silico cloning were employed to ensure the successful expression of the vaccine candidate. As the targeted protein is highly antigenic and conserved, hence the designed novel vaccine construct holds potential against emerging multi-drug-resistant organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotirmayee Dey
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Soumya Ranjan Mahapatra
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Pratima Singh
- Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, KIIT Deemed to Be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Swadheena Patro
- Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, KIIT Deemed to Be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Gajraj Singh Kushwaha
- KIIT-Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India; Transcription Regulation group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Namrata Misra
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India; KIIT-Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
| | - Mrutyunjay Suar
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India; KIIT-Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
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20
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Najarzadeh Z, Nielsen J, Farzadfard A, Sereikaite V, Strømgaard K, Meyer RL, Otzen DE. Human Fibrinogen Inhibits Amyloid Assembly of Most Phenol-Soluble Modulins from Staphylococcus aureus. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:21960-21970. [PMID: 34497891 PMCID: PMC8412925 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c02333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Functional amyloids are highly organized protein/peptide structures that inter alia promote biofilm formation in different bacteria. One such example is provided by a family of 20-45 residue-long peptides called phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) from Staphylococcus aureus. External components such as eukaryotic host proteins, which alter self-assembly of bacterial amyloids, can affect the biofilm matrix. Here, we studied the effect of the highly prevalent human plasma protein fibrinogen (Fg) on fibrillation of PSMs. Fg inhibits or suppresses fibrillation of most PSMs tested (PSMα1, PSMβ1, and PSMβ2) except for PSMα3, whose already rapid aggregation is accelerated even further by Fg but leads to amorphous β-rich aggregates rather than fibrils. Fg also induces PSMβ2 to form amorphous aggregates and diverts PSMα1 into off-pathway oligomers which consist of both Fg and PSMα1 and cannot seed fibrillation. Peptide arrays showed that Fg bound to the N-terminus of PSMα1, while it bound to the entire length of PSMα3 (except the C terminus) and to the C-termini of PSMβ1 and PSMβ2. The latter peptides are all positively charged, while Fg is negatively charged at physiological pH. The positive charges complement Fg's net negative charge of -7.6 at pH 7.4. Fg's ability to inhibit PSM fibrillation reveals a potential host-defense mechanism to prevent bacterial biofilm growth and infections in the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Najarzadeh
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Janni Nielsen
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Azad Farzadfard
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Vita Sereikaite
- Department
of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University
of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Kristian Strømgaard
- Department
of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University
of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Rikke Louise Meyer
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Daniel Erik Otzen
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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21
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Zaman M, Andreasen M. Modulating Kinetics of the Amyloid-Like Aggregation of S. aureus Phenol-Soluble Modulins by Changes in pH. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010117. [PMID: 33430169 PMCID: PMC7825627 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is recognized as one of the most frequent causes of biofilm-associated infections. The recently identified phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) peptides act as the key molecular effectors of staphylococcal biofilm maturation and promote the formation of an aggregated fibril structure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various pH values on the formation of functional amyloids of individual PSM peptides. Here, we combined a range of biophysical, chemical kinetics and microscopic techniques to address the structure and aggregation mechanism of individual PSMs under different conditions. We established that there is a pH-induced switch in PSM aggregation kinetics. Different lag times and growth of fibrils were observed, which indicates that there was no clear correlation between the rates of fibril elongation among different PSMs. This finding confirms that pH can modulate the aggregation properties of these peptides and suggest a deeper understanding of the formation of aggregates, which represents an important basis for strategies to interfere and might help in reducing the risk of biofilm-related infections.
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22
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Zaman M, Andreasen M. Cross-talk between individual phenol-soluble modulins in Staphylococcus aureus biofilm enables rapid and efficient amyloid formation. eLife 2020; 9:59776. [PMID: 33259287 PMCID: PMC7732344 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The infective ability of the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, recognized as the most frequent cause of biofilm-associated infections, is associated with biofilm-mediated resistance to host immune response. Phenol-soluble modulins (PSM) comprise the structural scaffold of S. aureus biofilms through self-assembly into functional amyloids, but the role of individual PSMs during biofilm formation remains poorly understood and the molecular pathways of PSM self-assembly are yet to be identified. Here we demonstrate high degree of cooperation between individual PSMs during functional amyloid formation. PSMα3 initiates the aggregation, forming unstable aggregates capable of seeding other PSMs resulting in stable amyloid structures. Using chemical kinetics we dissect the molecular mechanism of aggregation of individual PSMs showing that PSMα1, PSMα3 and PSMβ1 display secondary nucleation whereas PSMβ2 aggregates through primary nucleation and elongation. Our findings suggest that various PSMs have evolved to ensure fast and efficient biofilm formation through cooperation between individual peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masihuz Zaman
- Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Maria Andreasen
- Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus, Denmark
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23
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Emerging Roles of Functional Bacterial Amyloids in Gene Regulation, Toxicity, and Immunomodulation. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2020; 85:85/1/e00062-20. [PMID: 33239434 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00062-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria often reside in multicellular communities, called biofilms, held together by an extracellular matrix. In many bacteria, the major proteinaceous component of the biofilm are amyloid fibers. Amyloids are highly stable and structured protein aggregates which were known mostly to be associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. In recent years, microbial amyloids were identified also in other species and shown to play major roles in microbial physiology and virulence. For example, amyloid fibers assemble on the bacterial cell surface as a part of the extracellular matrix and are extremely important to the scaffolding and structural integrity of biofilms, which contribute to microbial resilience and resistance. Furthermore, microbial amyloids play fundamental nonscaffold roles that contribute to the development of biofilms underlying numerous persistent infections. Here, we review several nonscaffold roles of bacterial amyloid proteins, including bridging cells during collective migration, acting as regulators of cell fate, as toxins against other bacteria or against host immune cells, and as modulators of the hosts' immune system. These overall points on the complexity of the amyloid fold in encoding numerous activities, which offer approaches for the development of a novel repertoire of antivirulence therapeutics.
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24
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Uhlig F, Grundy L, Garcia-Caraballo S, Brierley SM, Foster SJ, Grundy D. Identification of a Quorum Sensing-Dependent Communication Pathway Mediating Bacteria-Gut-Brain Cross Talk. iScience 2020; 23:101695. [PMID: 33163947 PMCID: PMC7607502 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recently established contributions of the intestinal microbiome to human health and disease, our understanding of bacteria-host communication pathways with regard to the gut-brain axis remains limited. Here we provide evidence that intestinal neurons are able to "sense" bacteria independently of the host immune system. Using supernatants from cultures of the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) we demonstrate the release of mediators with neuromodulatory properties at high population density. These mediators induced a biphasic response in extrinsic sensory afferent nerves, increased membrane permeability in cultured sensory neurons, and altered intestinal motility and secretion. Genetic manipulation of S. aureus revealed two key quorum sensing-regulated classes of pore forming toxins that mediate excitation and inhibition of extrinsic sensory nerves, respectively. As such, bacterial mediators have the potential to directly modulate gut-brain communication to influence intestinal symptoms and reflex function in vivo, contributing to homeostatic, behavioral, and sensory consequences of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Uhlig
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Luke Grundy
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sonia Garcia-Caraballo
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Stuart M. Brierley
- Visceral Pain Research Group, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
- Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Simon J. Foster
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Florey Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David Grundy
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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25
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Baldry M, Bojer MS, Najarzadeh Z, Vestergaard M, Meyer RL, Otzen DE, Ingmer H. Phenol-Soluble Modulins Modulate Persister Cell Formation in Staphylococcus aureus. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:573253. [PMID: 33240231 PMCID: PMC7680730 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.573253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that can cause chronic and recurrent infections and is recalcitrant to antibiotic chemotherapy. This trait is partly attributed to its ability to form persister cells, which are subpopulations of cells that are tolerant to lethal concentrations of antibiotics. Recently, we showed that the phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) expressed by S. aureus reduce persister cell formation. PSMs are a versatile group of toxins that, in addition to toxicity, form amyloid-like fibrils thought to support biofilm structures. Here, we examined individual or combined synthetic PSMα peptides and their equivalent amyloid-like fibrils on ciprofloxacin-selected S. aureus persister cells. We found that PSMα2 and the mixture of all four alpha peptides consistently were able to reduce persister frequency in all growth phases, and this activity was specifically linked to the presence of the soluble peptide as no effect was seen with fibrillated peptides. Persister reduction was particularly striking in a mutant that, due to mutations in the Krebs cycle, has enhanced ability to form persisters with PSMα4 and the combination of peptides being most effective. In biofilms, only the combination of peptides displayed persister reducing activity. Collectively, we report the individual contributions of PSMα peptides to persister cell reduction and that the combination of peptides generally was most effective. Strikingly, the fibrillated peptides lost activity and thus, if formed in bacterial cultures, they will be inactive against persister cells. Further studies will be needed to address the biological role of phenol-soluble modulins in reducing persister cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Baldry
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Martin S Bojer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Zahra Najarzadeh
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Martin Vestergaard
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Rikke Louise Meyer
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Daniel Erik Otzen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hanne Ingmer
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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26
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Thet NT, Mercer-Chalmers J, Greenwood RJ, Young AER, Coy K, Booth S, Sack A, Jenkins ATA. SPaCE Swab: Point-of-Care Sensor for Simple and Rapid Detection of Acute Wound Infection. ACS Sens 2020; 5:2652-2657. [PMID: 32786390 PMCID: PMC7460538 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c01265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Wound
infection is commonly observed after surgery and trauma but
is difficult to diagnose and poorly defined in terms of objective
clinical parameters. The assumption that bacteria in a wound correlate
with infection is false; all wounds contain microorganisms, but not
all wounds are clinically infected. This makes it difficult for clinicians
to determine true wound infection, especially in wounds with pathogenic
biofilms. If an infection is not properly treated, pathogenic virulence
factors, such as rhamnolipids from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, can modulate the host immune response and cause tissue breakdown.
Life-threatening sepsis can result if the organisms penetrate deep
into host tissue. This communication describes the sensor development
for five important clinical microbial pathogens commonly found in
wounds: Staphylococcus aureus, P. aeruginosa, Candida albicans/auris, and Enterococcus faecalis (the SPaCE pathogens). The sensor contains liposomes encapsulating
a self-quenched fluorescent dye. Toxins, expressed by SPaCE infecting pathogens in early-stage infected wounds, break down the
liposomes, triggering dye release, thus changing the sensor color
from yellow to green, an indication of infection. Five clinical species
of bacteria and fungi, up to 20 strains each (totaling 83), were grown
as early-stage biofilms in ex vivo porcine burn wounds. The biofilms
were then swabbed, and the swab placed in the liposome suspension.
The population density of selected pathogens in a porcine wound biofilm
was quantified and correlated with colorimetric response. Over 88%
of swabs switched the sensor on (107–108 CFU/swab). A pilot clinical study demonstrated a good correlation
between sensor switch-on and early-stage wound infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naing Tun Thet
- Chemistry Department, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Amber E. R. Young
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8AE, United Kingdom
- Children’s Burn Research Centre, University Hospital Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Coy
- Children’s Burn Research Centre, University Hospital Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Booth
- Queen Victoria Hospital, Holtye Rd, East Grinstead RH19 3DZ, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Sack
- Southmead Hospital, Southmead Rd, Bristol BS10 5NB, North
Bristol, United Kingdom
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27
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Jones DD, Caesar LK, Pelzer CV, Crandall WJ, Jenul C, Todd DA, Horswill AR, Cech NB. Targeted and untargeted analysis of secondary metabolites to monitor growth and quorum sensing inhibition for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). J Microbiol Methods 2020; 176:106000. [PMID: 32649968 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2020.106000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistant infections are an increasing problem world-wide, responsible for an estimated 700,000 annual mortalities. The use of antibiotics to treat such infections has resulted in the development of resistant bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). One potential alternative strategy for treating drug resistant bacterial infections is to inhibit the production of toxins, thereby making the bacteria less harmful to the host, a so called "anti-virulence" approach. In MRSA, the agr quorum sensing system is one of the major regulators of toxin production, and quorum sensing inhibitors that target this system are a promising anti-virulence strategy. With this study, we developed a method that enables the activity of quorum sensing inhibitors to be measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). This method is an improvement over existing methods because it can be employed to distinguish antimicrobial activity from quorum sensing inhibition activity based on the UPLC-MS data. This is possible by simultaneously tracking production of metabolites regulated by the agr quorum sensing system (AIP-I and formylated δ-toxin) and a metabolite that appears not to be agr regulated under the conditions of this study (aureusimine B). The newly developed method provides more nuanced indication of how metabolite production changes over time and in response to quorum sensing or growth inhibition than is possible with commonly employed spectroscopic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derick D Jones
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Lindsay K Caesar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Chantal V Pelzer
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - William J Crandall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Christian Jenul
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Daniel A Todd
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Alexander R Horswill
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nadja B Cech
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA.
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28
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Tayeb-Fligelman E, Salinas N, Tabachnikov O, Landau M. Staphylococcus aureus PSMα3 Cross-α Fibril Polymorphism and Determinants of Cytotoxicity. Structure 2020; 28:301-313.e6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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29
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Sundqvist M, Christenson K, Gabl M, Holdfeldt A, Jennbacken K, Møller TC, Dahlgren C, Forsman H. Staphylococcus aureus–Derived PSMα Peptides Activate Neutrophil FPR2 but Lack the Ability to Mediate β-Arrestin Recruitment and Chemotaxis. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 203:3349-3360. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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30
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Zeng P, Xu C, Cheng Q, Liu J, Gao W, Yang X, Wong K, Chen S, Chan K. Phenol‐Soluble‐Modulin‐Inspired Amphipathic Peptides Have Bactericidal Activity against Multidrug‐Resistant Bacteria. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:1547-1559. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201900364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Chen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Qipeng Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Wei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Xuemei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Kwok‐Yin Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Sheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Food Biological Safety Control, Food Safety and Technology Research CentreThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute Shenzhen China
| | - Kin‐Fai Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery and Department of Applied Biology and Chemical TechnologyThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom Kowloon Hong Kong SAR China
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31
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Cheung GYC, Fisher EL, McCausland JW, Choi J, Collins JWM, Dickey SW, Otto M. Antimicrobial Peptide Resistance Mechanism Contributes to Staphylococcus aureus Infection. J Infect Dis 2019; 217:1153-1159. [PMID: 29351622 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiy024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) constitute an important part of innate host defense. Possibly limiting the therapeutic potential of AMPs is the fact that bacteria have developed AMP resistance mechanisms during their co-evolution with humans. However, there is no direct evidence that AMP resistance per se is important during an infection. Here we show that the Staphylococcus aureus Pmt ABC transporter defends the bacteria from killing by important human AMPs and elimination by human neutrophils. By showing that Pmt contributes to virulence during skin infection in an AMP-dependent manner, we provide evidence that AMP resistance plays a key role in bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Y C Cheung
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
| | - Emilie L Fisher
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
| | - Joshua W McCausland
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
| | - Justin Choi
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
| | - John W M Collins
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
| | - Seth W Dickey
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
| | - Michael Otto
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryl
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32
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Yao Z, Cary BP, Bingman CA, Wang C, Kreitler DF, Satyshur KA, Forest KT, Gellman SH. Use of a Stereochemical Strategy To Probe the Mechanism of Phenol-Soluble Modulin α3 Toxicity. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:7660-7664. [PMID: 31045358 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b00349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Phenol-soluble modulin α3 (PSMα3) is a cytotoxic peptide secreted by virulent strains of Staphylococcus aureus. We used a stereochemical strategy to examine the mechanism of PSMα3-mediated toxicity. One hypothesis is that PSMα3 toxicity requires fibril formation; an alternative is that toxicity is caused by soluble forms of PSMα3, possibly oligomeric. We find that the unnatural enantiomer (D residues) displays cytotoxicity comparable to that of L-PSMα3. Racemic PSMα3 is similarly toxic to enantiopure PSMα3 (L or D) under some conditions, but the toxicity is lost under conditions that cause racemic PSMα3 to aggregate. A crystal structure of racemic PSMα3-NH2 displays an α-helical secondary structure and a packing pattern that is reminiscent of the cross-α arrangement recently discovered in crystals of L-PSMα3. Our data suggest that the cytotoxicity of PSMα3 does not depend on stereospecific engagement of a target protein or other chiral macromolecule, an observation that supports a mechanism based on membrane disruption. In addition, our data support the hypothesis that toxicity is exerted by a soluble form rather than an insoluble fibrillar form.
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33
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Kobayashi M, Kitano T, Nishiyama S, Sanjo H, Onozaki K, Taki S, Itoh S, Hida S. Staphylococcal superantigen-like 12 activates murine bone marrow derived mast cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 511:350-355. [PMID: 30795864 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.02.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Staphylococcal superantigen-like (SSL) protein is a family of exotoxins that consists of 14 SSLs, and the roles of several SSLs in immune evasion of the cocci have been revealed. However little is known whether they act as immune activators and are involved in inflammatory disorders such as atopic dermatitis. In this study we examined whether SSLs activate mast cells, the key player of local inflammation. SSL12 evoked the release of a granule enzyme β-hexosaminidase from bone marrow derived mast cells (BMMCs) in the absence of IgE. The release of the granule enzyme caused by SSL12 was not accompanied with the leakage of a cytosolic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), unlike staphylococcal δ-toxin that was reported to induce both the release of β-hexosaminidase and the leakage of LDH from the cells, suggesting that SSL12 evokes the degranulation of mast cells without cell membrane damage. Furthermore SSL12 induced IL-6 and IL-13 in both mRNA and protein levels indicating that SSL12 induces de novo synthesis of the cytokines. Evans blue extravasation was elevated by the intradermal injection of SSL12, suggesting that SSL12 is also able to evoke local inflammation in vivo. These findings indicate the novel mast cell activating activity of SSLs, and SSL12 is likely an important factor in both initiation phase and effector phase of allergic and immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Kobayashi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Health Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe-Dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Takuma Kitano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Health Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe-Dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Saishi Nishiyama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Health Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe-Dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Hideki Sanjo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, School of Medicine Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Kikuo Onozaki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Health Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe-Dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Taki
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, School of Medicine Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Saotomo Itoh
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Health Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe-Dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan.
| | - Shigeaki Hida
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Health Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 3-1 Tanabe-Dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
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34
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Perez K, Patel R. Survival of Staphylococcus epidermidis in Fibroblasts and Osteoblasts. Infect Immun 2018; 86:e00237-18. [PMID: 30061380 PMCID: PMC6204734 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00237-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a leading cause of infections associated with indwelling medical devices, including prosthetic joint infection. While biofilm formation is assumed to be the main mechanism underlying the chronic infections S. epidermidis causes, we hypothesized that S. epidermidis also evades immune killing, contributing to its pathogenesis. Here, we show that prosthetic joint-associated S. epidermidis isolates can persist intracellularly within human fibroblasts and inside human and mouse osteoblasts. We also show that the intracellularly persisting bacteria reside primarily within acidic phagolysosomes and that over the course of infection, small-colony variants are selected for. Moreover, upon eukaryotic cell death, these bacteria, which can outlive their host, can escape into the extracellular environment, providing them an opportunity to form biofilms on implant surfaces at delayed time points in implant-associated infection. In summary, the acidic phagolysosomes of fibroblasts and osteoblasts serve as reservoirs for chronic or delayed S. epidermidis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Perez
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Robin Patel
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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35
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Van Gerven N, Van der Verren SE, Reiter DM, Remaut H. The Role of Functional Amyloids in Bacterial Virulence. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:3657-3684. [PMID: 30009771 PMCID: PMC6173799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are best known as a product of human and animal protein misfolding disorders, where amyloid formation is associated with cytotoxicity and disease. It is now evident that for some proteins, the amyloid state constitutes the native structure and serves a functional role. These functional amyloids are proving widespread in bacteria and fungi, fulfilling diverse functions as structural components in biofilms or spore coats, as toxins and surface-active fibers, as epigenetic material, peptide reservoirs or adhesins mediating binding to and internalization into host cells. In this review, we will focus on the role of functional amyloids in bacterial pathogenesis. The role of functional amyloids as virulence factor is diverse but mostly indirect. Nevertheless, functional amyloid pathways deserve consideration for the acute and long-term effects of the infectious disease process and may form valid antimicrobial targets. Functional amyloids are widespread in bacteria, pathogenic and non-pathogenic. Bacterial biofilms most commonly function as structural support in the extracellular matrix of biofilms or spore coats, and in cell–cell and cell-surface adherence. The amyloid state can be the sole structured and functional state, or can be facultative, as a secondary state to folded monomeric subunits. Bacterial amyloids can enhance virulence by increasing persistence, cell adherence and invasion, intracellular survival, and pathogen spread by increased environmental survival. Bacterial amyloids may indirectly inflict disease by triggering inflammation, contact phase activation and possibly induce or aggravate human pathological aggregation disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nani Van Gerven
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Structural and Molecular Microbiology, Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sander E Van der Verren
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Structural and Molecular Microbiology, Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dirk M Reiter
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Structural and Molecular Microbiology, Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Han Remaut
- Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Structural and Molecular Microbiology, Structural Biology Research Center, VIB, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
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36
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Amyloid by Design: Intrinsic Regulation of Microbial Amyloid Assembly. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:3631-3641. [PMID: 30017921 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The term amyloid has historically been used to describe fibrillar aggregates formed as the result of protein misfolding and that are associated with a range of diseases broadly termed amyloidoses. The discovery of "functional amyloids" expanded the amyloid umbrella to encompass aggregates structurally similar to disease-associated amyloids but that engage in a variety of biologically useful tasks without incurring toxicity. The mechanisms by which functional amyloid systems ensure nontoxic assembly has provided insights into potential therapeutic strategies for treating amyloidoses. Some of the most-studied functional amyloids are ones produced by bacteria. Curli amyloids are extracellular fibers made by enteric bacteria that function to encase and protect bacterial communities during biofilm formation. Here we review recent studies highlighting microbial functional amyloid assembly systems that are tailored to enable the assembly of non-toxic amyloid aggregates.
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37
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Wolfmeier H, Mansour SC, Liu LT, Pletzer D, Draeger A, Babiychuk EB, Hancock REW. Liposomal Therapy Attenuates Dermonecrosis Induced by Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Targeting α-Type Phenol-Soluble Modulins and α-Hemolysin. EBioMedicine 2018; 33:211-217. [PMID: 29936135 PMCID: PMC6085503 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), typified by the pulse-field type USA300, is an emerging endemic pathogen that is spreading rapidly among healthy people. CA-MRSA causes skin and soft tissue infections, life-threatening necrotizing pneumonia and sepsis, and is remarkably resistant to many antibiotics. Here we show that engineered liposomes composed of naturally occurring sphingomyelin were able to sequester cytolytic toxins secreted by USA300 and prevent necrosis of human erythrocytes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and bronchial epithelial cells. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed the capture by liposomes of phenol-soluble modulins, α-hemolysin and other toxins. Sphingomyelin liposomes prevented hemolysis induced by pure phenol-soluble modulin-α3, one of the main cytolytic components in the USA300 secretome. In contrast, sphingomyelin liposomes harboring a high cholesterol content (66 mol/%) were unable to protect human cells from phenol-soluble modulin-α3-induced lysis, however these liposomes efficiently sequestered the potent staphylococcal toxin α-hemolysin. In a murine cutaneous abscess model, a single dose of either type of liposomes was sufficient to significantly decrease tissue dermonecrosis. Our results provide further insights into the promising potential of tailored liposomal therapy in the battle against infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Wolfmeier
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, V6T1Z4 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah C Mansour
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, V6T1Z4 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Leo T Liu
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, V6T1Z4 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Daniel Pletzer
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, V6T1Z4 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Annette Draeger
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eduard B Babiychuk
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert E W Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2259 Lower Mall Research Station, V6T1Z4 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Zheng Y, He L, Asiamah TK, Otto M. Colonization of medical devices by staphylococci. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:3141-3153. [PMID: 29633455 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of medical devices in modern medicine is constantly increasing. Despite the multiple precautionary strategies that are being employed in hospitals, which include increased hygiene and sterilization measures, bacterial infections on these devices still happen frequently. Staphylococci are among the major causes of medical device infection. This is mostly due to the strong capacity of those bacteria to form device-associated biofilms, which provide resistance to chemical and physical treatments as well as attacks by the host's immune system. Biofilm development is a multistep process with specific factors participating in each step. It is tightly regulated to provide a balance between biofilm expansion and detachment. Detachment from a biofilm on a medical device can lead to severe systemic infection, such as bacteremia and sepsis. While our understanding of staphylococcal biofilm formation has increased significantly and staphylococcal biofilm formation on medical devices is among the best understood biofilm-associated infections, the extensive effort put in preclinical studies with the goal to find novel therapies against staphylococcal device-associated infections has not yet resulted in efficient, applicable therapeutic options for that difficult-to-treat type of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zheng
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lei He
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Titus K Asiamah
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael Otto
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Malishev R, Tayeb-Fligelman E, David S, Meijler MM, Landau M, Jelinek R. Reciprocal Interactions between Membrane Bilayers and S. aureus PSMα3 Cross-α Amyloid Fibrils Account for Species-Specific Cytotoxicity. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:1431-1441. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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40
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Non-classical Protein Excretion Is Boosted by PSMα-Induced Cell Leakage. Cell Rep 2018; 20:1278-1286. [PMID: 28793253 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Release of cytoplasmic proteins into the supernatant occurs both in bacteria and eukaryotes. Because the underlying mechanism remains unclear, the excretion of cytoplasmic proteins (ECP) has been referred to as "non-classical protein secretion." We show that none of the known specific protein transport systems of Gram-positive bacteria are involved in ECP. However, the expression of the cationic and amphipathic α-type phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs), particularly of PSMα2, significantly increase ECP, while PSMβ peptides or δ-toxin have no effect on ECP. Because psm expression is strictly controlled by the accessory gene regulator (agr), ECP is also reduced in agr-negative mutants. PSMα peptides damage the cytoplasmic membrane, as indicated by the release of not only CPs but also lipids, nucleic acids, and ATP. Thus, our results show that in Staphylococcus aureus, PSMα peptides non-specifically boost the translocation of CPs by their membrane-damaging activity.
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Thet NT, Wallace L, Wibaux A, Boote N, Jenkins ATA. Development of a mixed-species biofilm model and its virulence implications in device related infections. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2018. [PMID: 29520965 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.34103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly accepted that to understand and model the bacterial colonization and infection of abiotic surfaces requires the use of a biofilm model. There are many bacterial colonizations by at least two primary species, however this is difficult to model in vitro. This study reports the development of a simple mixed-species biofilm model using strains of two clinically significant bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown on nanoporous polycarbonate membranes on nutrient agar support. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the complex biofilm characteristics of two bacteria blending in extensive extracellular matrices. Using a prototype wound dressing which detects cytolytic virulence factors, the virulence secretion of 30 single and 40 mixed-species biofilms was tested. P. aeruginosa was seen to out-compete S. aureus, resulting in a biofilm with P. aeruginosa dominating. In situ growth of mixed-species biofilm under prototype dressings showed a real-time correlation between the viable biofilm population and their associated virulence factors, as seen by dressing fluorescent assay. This paper aims to provide a protocol for scientists working in the field of device related infection to create mixed-species biofilms and demonstrate that such biofilms are persistently more virulent in real infections. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 107B: 129-137, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naing T Thet
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, Bath, UK
| | - Laura Wallace
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, Bath, UK
| | - Anne Wibaux
- Scapa Healthcare, Hilldrop Lane, Ramsbury, Marlborough, SN8 2RB, UK
| | - Nick Boote
- Scapa Healthcare, Hilldrop Lane, Ramsbury, Marlborough, SN8 2RB, UK
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42
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Tayeb-Fligelman E, Tabachnikov O, Moshe A, Goldshmidt-Tran O, Sawaya MR, Coquelle N, Colletier JP, Landau M. The cytotoxic Staphylococcus aureus PSMα3 reveals a cross-α amyloid-like fibril. Science 2017; 355:831-833. [PMID: 28232575 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Amyloids are ordered protein aggregates, found in all kingdoms of life, and are involved in aggregation diseases as well as in physiological activities. In microbes, functional amyloids are often key virulence determinants, yet the structural basis for their activity remains elusive. We determined the fibril structure and function of the highly toxic, 22-residue phenol-soluble modulin α3 (PSMα3) peptide secreted by Staphylococcus aureus PSMα3 formed elongated fibrils that shared the morphological and tinctorial characteristics of canonical cross-β eukaryotic amyloids. However, the crystal structure of full-length PSMα3, solved de novo at 1.45 angstrom resolution, revealed a distinctive "cross-α" amyloid-like architecture, in which amphipathic α helices stacked perpendicular to the fibril axis into tight self-associating sheets. The cross-α fibrillation of PSMα3 facilitated cytotoxicity, suggesting that this assembly mode underlies function in S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einav Tayeb-Fligelman
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Orly Tabachnikov
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Asher Moshe
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Orit Goldshmidt-Tran
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Michael R Sawaya
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Nicolas Coquelle
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble Alpes-CEA-CNRS UMR 5075, Grenoble 38044, France
| | - Jacques-Philippe Colletier
- Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS), Université Grenoble Alpes-CEA-CNRS UMR 5075, Grenoble 38044, France
| | - Meytal Landau
- Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel.
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43
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Pollitt EJG, Diggle SP. Defining motility in the Staphylococci. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:2943-2958. [PMID: 28378043 PMCID: PMC5501909 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2507-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The ability of bacteria to move is critical for their survival in diverse environments and multiple ways have evolved to achieve this. Two forms of motility have recently been described for Staphylococcus aureus, an organism previously considered to be non-motile. One form is called spreading, which is a type of sliding motility and the second form involves comet formation, which has many observable characteristics associated with gliding motility. Darting motility has also been observed in Staphylococcus epidermidis. This review describes how motility is defined and how we distinguish between passive and active motility. We discuss the characteristics of the various forms of Staphylococci motility, the molecular mechanisms involved and the potential future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J G Pollitt
- Department of Biomedical Science, Western Bank, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Stephen P Diggle
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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44
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Björnsdottir H, Dahlstrand Rudin A, Klose FP, Elmwall J, Welin A, Stylianou M, Christenson K, Urban CF, Forsman H, Dahlgren C, Karlsson A, Bylund J. Phenol-Soluble Modulin α Peptide Toxins from Aggressive Staphylococcus aureus Induce Rapid Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps through a Reactive Oxygen Species-Independent Pathway. Front Immunol 2017; 8:257. [PMID: 28337204 PMCID: PMC5343011 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutrophils have the ability to capture and kill microbes extracellularly through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). These are DNA and protein structures that neutrophils release extracellularly and are believed to function as a defense mechanism against microbes. The classic NET formation process, triggered by, e.g., bacteria, fungi, or by direct stimulation of protein kinase C through phorbol myristate acetate, is an active process that takes several hours and relies on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are further modified by myeloperoxidase (MPO). We show here that NET-like structures can also be formed by neutrophils after interaction with phenol-soluble modulin α (PSMα) that are cytotoxic membrane-disturbing peptides, secreted from community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). The PSMα-induced NETs contained the typical protein markers and were able to capture microbes. The PSMα-induced NET structures were disintegrated upon prolonged exposure to DNase-positive S. aureus but not on exposure to DNase-negative Candida albicans. Opposed to classic NETosis, PSMα-triggered NET formation occurred very rapidly, independently of ROS or MPO, and was also manifest at 4°C. These data indicate that rapid NETs release may result from cytotoxic membrane disturbance by PSMα peptides, a process that may be of importance for CA-MRSA virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halla Björnsdottir
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Agnes Dahlstrand Rudin
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Felix P Klose
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Jonas Elmwall
- The Phagocyte Research Laboratory, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Amanda Welin
- The Phagocyte Research Laboratory, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Marios Stylianou
- Antifungal Immunity Group, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Karin Christenson
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Constantin F Urban
- Antifungal Immunity Group, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden
| | - Huamei Forsman
- The Phagocyte Research Laboratory, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Claes Dahlgren
- The Phagocyte Research Laboratory, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Anna Karlsson
- The Phagocyte Research Laboratory, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Johan Bylund
- Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
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45
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Sahin A, Tasdemir HM, Karabulut AF, Gürü M. Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Particleboard Manufactured from Waste Peachnut Shell with Glass Powder. ARABIAN JOURNAL FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13369-017-2427-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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46
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Dissecting the contribution of Staphylococcus aureus α-phenol-soluble modulins to biofilm amyloid structure. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34552. [PMID: 27708403 PMCID: PMC5052566 DOI: 10.1038/srep34552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is recognized as one of the most frequent causes of biofilm-associated infections. The recently discovered phenol soluble modulins (PSMs) are small α-helical amphipathic peptides that act as the main molecular effectors of staphylococcal biofilm maturation, promoting the formation of an extracellular fibril structure with amyloid-like properties. Here, we combine computational, biophysical and in cell analysis to address the specific contribution of individual PSMs to biofilm structure. We demonstrate that despite their highly similar sequence and structure, contrary to what it was previously thought, not all PSMs participate in amyloid fibril formation. A balance of hydrophobic/hydrophilic forces and helical propensity seems to define the aggregation propensity of PSMs and control their assembly and function. This knowledge would allow to target specifically the amyloid properties of these peptides. In this way, we show that Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the principal polyphenol in green tea, prevents the assembly of amyloidogenic PSMs and disentangles their preformed amyloid fibrils.
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47
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Qin L, McCausland JW, Cheung GYC, Otto M. PSM-Mec-A Virulence Determinant that Connects Transcriptional Regulation, Virulence, and Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococci. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1293. [PMID: 27597849 PMCID: PMC4992726 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PSM-mec is a secreted virulence factor that belongs to the phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) family of amphipathic, alpha-helical peptide toxins produced by Staphylococcus species. All known PSMs are core genome-encoded with the exception of PSM-mec, whose gene is found in specific sub-types of SCCmec methicillin resistance mobile genetic elements present in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci. In addition to the cytolytic translational product, PSM-mec, the psm-mec locus encodes a regulatory RNA. In S. aureus, the psm-mec locus influences cytolytic capacity, methicillin resistance, biofilm formation, cell spreading, and the expression of other virulence factors, such as other PSMs, which results in a significant impact on immune evasion and disease. However, these effects are highly strain-dependent, which is possibly due to differences in PSM-mec peptide vs. psm-mec RNA-controlled effects. Here, we summarize the functional properties of PSM-mec and the psm-mec RNA molecule and their roles in staphylococcal pathogenesis and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Qin
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD, USA; Department of Dermatology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan, China
| | - Joshua W McCausland
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gordon Y C Cheung
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael Otto
- Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
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48
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Towle KM, Lohans CT, Miskolzie M, Acedo JZ, van Belkum MJ, Vederas JC. Solution Structures of Phenol-Soluble Modulins α1, α3, and β2, Virulence Factors from Staphylococcus aureus. Biochemistry 2016; 55:4798-806. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Towle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | | | - Mark Miskolzie
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - Jeella Z. Acedo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - Marco J. van Belkum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - John C. Vederas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
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49
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Clonality, virulence and the occurrence of genes encoding antibiotic resistance among Staphylococcus warneri isolates from bloodstream infections. J Med Microbiol 2016; 65:828-836. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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50
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Berjeaud JM, Chevalier S, Schlusselhuber M, Portier E, Loiseau C, Aucher W, Lesouhaitier O, Verdon J. Legionella pneumophila: The Paradox of a Highly Sensitive Opportunistic Waterborne Pathogen Able to Persist in the Environment. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:486. [PMID: 27092135 PMCID: PMC4824771 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila, the major causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, is found in freshwater environments in close association with free-living amoebae and multispecies biofilms, leading to persistence, spread, biocide resistance, and elevated virulence of the bacterium. Indeed, legionellosis outbreaks are mainly due to the ability of this bacterium to colonize and persist in water facilities, despite harsh physical and chemical treatments. However, these treatments are not totally efficient and, after a lag period, L. pneumophila may be able to quickly re-colonize these systems. Several natural compounds (biosurfactants, antimicrobial peptides…) with anti-Legionella properties have recently been described in the literature, highlighting their specific activities against this pathogen. In this review, we first consider this hallmark of Legionella to resist killing, in regard to its biofilm or host-associated life style. Then, we focus more accurately on natural anti-Legionella molecules described so far, which could provide new eco-friendly and alternative ways to struggle against this important pathogen in plumbing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Berjeaud
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Sylvie Chevalier
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, Université de Rouen Evreux, France
| | - Margot Schlusselhuber
- Laboratoire Aliments Bioprocédés Toxicologie Environnements, EA 4651, Université de Caen Caen, France
| | - Emilie Portier
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Clémence Loiseau
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Willy Aucher
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Olivier Lesouhaitier
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, Université de Rouen Evreux, France
| | - Julien Verdon
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
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