1
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Sao Emani C, Reiling N. The efflux pumps Rv1877 and Rv0191 play differential roles in the protection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis against chemical stress. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1359188. [PMID: 38516013 PMCID: PMC10956863 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1359188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background It was previously shown that GlnA3sc enabled Streptomyces coelicolor to survive in excess polyamines. However, subsequent studies revealed that Rv1878, the corresponding Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) ortholog, was not essential for the detoxification of spermine (Spm), in M.tb. On the other hand, the multi-drug efflux pump Rv1877 was previously shown to enable export of a wide range of compounds, while Rv0191 was shown to be more specific to chloramphenicol. Rationale Therefore, we first wanted to determine if detoxification of Spm by efflux can be achieved by any efflux pump, or if that was dependent upon the function of the pump. Next, since Rv1878 was found not to be essential for the detoxification of Spm, we sought to follow-up on the investigation of the physiological role of Rv1878 along with Rv1877 and Rv0191. Approach To evaluate the specificity of efflux pumps in the mycobacterial tolerance to Spm, we generated unmarked ∆rv1877 and ∆rv0191 M.tb mutants and evaluated their susceptibility to Spm. To follow up on the investigation of any other physiological roles they may have, we characterized them along with the ∆rv1878 M.tb mutant. Results The ∆rv1877 mutant was sensitive to Spm stress, while the ∆rv0191 mutant was not. On the other hand, the ∆rv1878 mutant grew better than the wild-type during iron starvation yet was sensitive to cell wall stress. The proteins Rv1877 and Rv1878 seemed to play physiological roles during hypoxia and acidic stress. Lastly, the ∆rv0191 mutant was the only mutant that was sensitive to oxidative stress. Conclusion The multidrug MFS-type efflux pump Rv1877 is required for Spm detoxification, as opposed to Rv0191 which seems to play a more specific role. Moreover, Rv1878 seems to play a role in the regulation of iron homeostasis and the reconstitution of the cell wall of M.tb. On the other hand, the sensitivity of the ∆rv0191 mutant to oxidative stress, suggests that Rv0191 may be responsible for the transport of low molecular weight thiols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Sao Emani
- Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Norbert Reiling
- Microbial Interface Biology, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
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2
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Rahlwes KC, Dias BR, Campos PC, Alvarez-Arguedas S, Shiloh MU. Pathogenicity and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Virulence 2023; 14:2150449. [PMID: 36419223 PMCID: PMC9817126 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2150449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis, an infectious disease with one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Leveraging its highly evolved repertoire of non-protein and protein virulence factors, Mtb invades through the airway, subverts host immunity, establishes its survival niche, and ultimately escapes in the setting of active disease to initiate another round of infection in a naive host. In this review, we will provide a concise synopsis of the infectious life cycle of Mtb and its clinical and epidemiologic significance. We will also take stock of its virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms that modulate host immunity and facilitate its spread. Developing a greater understanding of the interface between Mtb virulence factors and host defences will enable progress toward improved vaccines and therapeutics to prevent and treat tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn C. Rahlwes
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Beatriz R.S. Dias
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Priscila C. Campos
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Samuel Alvarez-Arguedas
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Michael U. Shiloh
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA,CONTACT Michael U. Shiloh
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3
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Bigi MM, Forrellad MA, García JS, Blanco FC, Vázquez CL, Bigi F. An update on Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipoproteins. Future Microbiol 2023; 18:1381-1398. [PMID: 37962486 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0088] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost 3% of the proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), the main causative agent of human tuberculosis, are lipoproteins. These lipoproteins are characteristic of the mycobacterial cell envelope and participate in many mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis. In this review, the authors provide an updated analysis of M. tuberculosis lipoproteins and categorize them according to their demonstrated or predicted functions, including transport of compounds to and from the cytoplasm, biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell envelope, defense and resistance mechanisms, enzymatic activities and signaling pathways. In addition, this updated analysis revealed that at least 40% of M. tuberculosis lipoproteins are glycosylated.
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Affiliation(s)
- María M Bigi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155 (C1121ABG), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina A Forrellad
- Instituto de Biotecnología, CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina (INTA), N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular, INTA-CONICET, N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julia S García
- Instituto de Biotecnología, CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina (INTA), N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular, INTA-CONICET, N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico C Blanco
- Instituto de Biotecnología, CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina (INTA), N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular, INTA-CONICET, N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristina L Vázquez
- Instituto de Biotecnología, CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina (INTA), N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular, INTA-CONICET, N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Fabiana Bigi
- Instituto de Biotecnología, CICVyA, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina (INTA), N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular, INTA-CONICET, N. Repetto & de los Reseros, Hurlingham (1686), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Sanchez C, Jaramillo-Valverde L, Capristano S, Solis G, Soto A, Valdivia-Silva J, Poterico JA, Guio H. Antigen-Induced IL-1RA Production Discriminates Active and Latent Tuberculosis Infection. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1385. [PMID: 37374887 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The IGRA (Interferon Gamma Release Assays) test is currently the standard specific test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection status. However, a positive test cannot distinguish between active tuberculosis disease (ATBD) and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Developing a test with this characteristic is needed. We conducted longitudinal studies to identify a combination of antigen peptides and cytokines to discriminate between ATBD and LTBI. We studied 54 patients with ATBD disease and 51 with LTBI infection. Cell culture supernatant from cells stimulated with overlapping Mycobacterium tuberculosis novel peptides and 40 cytokines/chemokines were analyzed using the Luminex technology. To summarize longitudinal measurements of analyte levels, we calculated the area under the curve (AUC). Our results indicate that in vitro cell stimulation with a novel combination of peptides (Rv0849-12, Rv2031c-14, Rv2031c-5, and Rv2693-06) and IL-1RA detection in culture supernatants can discriminate between LTBI and ATBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Sanchez
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima 15046, Peru
- Escuela de Posgrado, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Lima 15314, Peru
| | - Luis Jaramillo-Valverde
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima 15046, Peru
- School of Medicine, Universidad Continental, Lima 15046, Peru
| | - Silvia Capristano
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima 15046, Peru
| | - Gilmer Solis
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima 15046, Peru
| | - Alonso Soto
- Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue, Lima 15007, Peru
| | - Julio Valdivia-Silva
- INBIOMEDIC Research and Technological Center, Lima 15046, Peru
- Centro de Investigación en Bioingeniería, Universidad de Ingenieria y Tecnologia-UTEC, Lima 15063, Peru
| | - Julio A Poterico
- INBIOMEDIC Research and Technological Center, Lima 15046, Peru
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Huánuco, Huánuco 10001, Peru
| | - Heinner Guio
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima 15046, Peru
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad para la Salud, Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener, Lima 15046, Peru
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5
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Sao Emani C, Richter A, Singh A, Bhatt A, Av-Gay Y. The ΔCysK 2 mutant of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is sensitive to vancomycin associated with changes in cell wall phospholipid profile. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 624:120-126. [PMID: 35940124 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.07.096] [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: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine plays a versatile role in cellular physiology and has previously been shown to be instrumental to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) pathophysiology. In this study, we have generated mutants deficient in CysK2 and CysH, the key Cysteine, biosynthetic enzymes. In contrast to the ΔcysH mutant, the ΔcysK2 mutant is not an auxotroph and as such not essential for cysteine biosynthesis. Interestingly, the ΔcysK2 mutant shows increased sensitivity to cumene hydroperoxide, vitamin C, diamide, rifampicin and Vancomycin and shows alterations in phospholipid profile of Mtb cell wall. Our findings suggest that alteration in phospholipids content of M.tb cell wall by CysK2 may form a mode of defence against selected antibiotics and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine Sao Emani
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine/Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Adrian Richter
- Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Straße 3, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Albel Singh
- School of Biosciences and Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Apoorva Bhatt
- School of Biosciences and Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Yossef Av-Gay
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine/Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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6
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Khabibullina NF, Kutuzova DM, Burmistrova IA, Lyadova IV. The Biological and Clinical Aspects of a Latent Tuberculosis Infection. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7030048. [PMID: 35324595 PMCID: PMC8955876 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7030048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by bacilli from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, remains a serious global public health problem, representing one of the main causes of death from infectious diseases. About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with Mtb and has a latent TB infection (LTBI). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an LTBI is characterized by a lasting immune response to Mtb antigens without any TB symptoms. Current LTBI diagnoses and treatments are based on this simplified definition, although an LTBI involves a broad range of conditions, including when Mtb remains in the body in a persistent form and the immune response cannot be detected. The study of LTBIs has progressed in recent years; however, many biological and medical aspects of an LTBI are still under discussion. This review focuses on an LTBI as a broad spectrum of states, both of the human body, and of Mtb cells. The problems of phenotypic insusceptibility, diagnoses, chemoprophylaxis, and the necessity of treatment are discussed. We emphasize the complexity of an LTBI diagnosis and its treatment due to its ambiguous nature. We consider alternative ways of differentiating an LTBI from active TB, as well as predicting TB reactivation based on using mycobacterial “latency antigens” for interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) tests and the transcriptomic analysis of human blood cells.
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7
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López-Agudelo VA, Baena A, Barrera V, Cabarcas F, Alzate JF, Beste DJV, Ríos-Estepa R, Barrera LF. Dual RNA Sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Infected Human Splenic Macrophages Reveals a Strain-Dependent Host-Pathogen Response to Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031803. [PMID: 35163725 PMCID: PMC8836425 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), leading to pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, whereby Mtb is disseminated to many other organs and tissues. Dissemination occurs early during the disease, and bacteria can be found first in the lymph nodes adjacent to the lungs and then later in the extrapulmonary organs, including the spleen. The early global gene expression response of human tissue macrophages and intracellular clinical isolates of Mtb has been poorly studied. Using dual RNA-seq, we have explored the mRNA profiles of two closely related clinical strains of the Latin American and Mediterranean (LAM) family of Mtb in infected human splenic macrophages (hSMs). This work shows that these pathogens mediate a distinct host response despite their genetic similarity. Using a genome-scale host–pathogen metabolic reconstruction to analyze the data further, we highlight that the infecting Mtb strain also determines the metabolic response of both the host and pathogen. Thus, macrophage ontogeny and the genetic-derived program of Mtb direct the host–pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor A. López-Agudelo
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética (GICIG), Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (V.A.L.-A.); (A.B.)
- Grupo de Bioprocesos, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Andres Baena
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética (GICIG), Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (V.A.L.-A.); (A.B.)
| | - Vianey Barrera
- Programa de Ingeniería Biológica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Felipe Cabarcas
- Grupo Sistemas Embebidos e Inteligencia Computacional (SISTEMIC), Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Juan F. Alzate
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica (CNSG), Sede de Investigación Universitaria (SIU), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Dany J. V. Beste
- Department of Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK;
| | - Rigoberto Ríos-Estepa
- Grupo de Bioprocesos, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Luis F. Barrera
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética (GICIG), Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (V.A.L.-A.); (A.B.)
- Correspondence:
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8
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Alvarez-Eraso KLF, Muñoz-Martínez LM, Alzate JF, Barrera LF, Baena A. Modulatory Impact of the sRNA Mcr11 in Two Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Curr Microbiol 2022; 79:39. [PMID: 34982251 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02733-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is a successful pathogen causing tuberculosis (TB) disease in humans. It has been shown, that some circulating strains of Mtb in TB endemic populations, are more virulent and more transmissible than others, which may be related to their evolved adaptations to modulate the host immune responses. Underlying these adaptations to the stressful conditions, different genetic regulatory networks involved sRNAs that are mostly unknown for Mtb. We have previously shown that Mcr11 is one of the main sRNAs that determine transcriptomic differences among the Colombian clinical isolates UT127 and UT205 compared to the laboratory strain H37Rv. We found that the knock-down of mcr11 using CRISPRi has a major impact on phenotypic traits, especially in the clinical isolate UT205. Through the analysis of RNA-seq during the knock-down of mcr11 in UT205, we found a downregulation of genes mainly involved in lipid synthesis, lipid metabolism, ribosomal proteins, transport systems, respiratory and energy systems, membrane and cell wall components, intermediary metabolism, lipoproteins and virulence genes. One of the most interesting genes showing transcriptomic changes is OprA (encoded by the gene rv0516c), which has been involved in the K+ regulation. Overall, our data may suggest that one of the prominent roles of the sRNA Mcr11 is to regulate genes that control Mtb growth and osmoregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Juan F Alzate
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 53 No. 61-30, Medellín, Colombia
- Centro Nacional de Secuenciación Genómica-CNSG, Medellín, Colombia
- Sede de Investigación Universitaria-SIU, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luis F Barrera
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética (GICIG), Medellín, Colombia
- Sede de Investigación Universitaria-SIU, Medellín, Colombia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Andres Baena
- Grupo de Inmunología Celular e Inmunogenética (GICIG), Medellín, Colombia.
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 53 No. 61-30, Medellín, Colombia.
- Sede de Investigación Universitaria-SIU, Medellín, Colombia.
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9
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Seniya SP, Yadav P, Jain V. Construction of E. coli-Mycobacterium shuttle vectors with a variety of expression systems and polypeptide tags for gene expression in mycobacteria. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230282. [PMID: 32160243 PMCID: PMC7065818 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cloning and expression of a desired gene is indispensable in molecular biology studies. Expression vectors, in this regard, should offer much needed flexibility and choice of cloning strategies for both in vivo and in vitro protein expression experiments. Furthermore, availability of option to choose from various reporter tags allows one to be flexible during designing of an experiment in a more relevant manner. Thus, the need of a versatile expression system cannot be ignored. Although several different expression vectors are available for gene expression in mycobacteria, they lack the required versatility of expression and the inclusion of reporter tags. We here present the construction of a set of nine E. coli-Mycobacterium shuttle plasmids, which offer a combination of three mycobacterial promoter systems (heat shock inducible-hsp60, tetracycline-, and acetamide-inducible) along with three polypeptide tags (Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and hexa-histidine tag). These vectors offer the cloning of a target gene in all the nine given vectors in parallel, thus allowing the generation of recombinant plasmids that will express the target gene from different promoters with different tags. Here, while the hexa-histidine and GST tags can be used for protein purification and pull-down experiments, the GFP-tag can be used for protein localization within the cell. Additionally, the vectors also offer the choice of positioning of the reporter tag either at the N-terminus or at the C-terminus of the expressed protein, which is achieved by cloning of the gene at any of the two blunt-end restriction enzyme sites available in the vector. We believe that these plasmids will be extremely useful in the gene expression studies in mycobacteria by offering the choices of promoters and reporters. Our work also paves the way to developing more such plasmids with other tags and promoters that may find use in mycobacterial biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surya Pratap Seniya
- Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, India
| | - Priya Yadav
- Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, India
| | - Vikas Jain
- Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, India
- * E-mail:
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10
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Borgers K, Vandewalle K, Festjens N, Callewaert N. A guide to Mycobacterium mutagenesis. FEBS J 2019; 286:3757-3774. [PMID: 31419030 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The genus Mycobacterium includes several pathogens that cause severe disease in humans, like Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), the infectious agent causing tuberculosis. Genetic tools to engineer mycobacterial genomes, in a targeted or random fashion, have provided opportunities to investigate M. tb infection and pathogenesis. Furthermore, they have allowed the identification and validation of potential targets for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of tuberculosis. This review describes the various methods that are available for the generation of mutants in Mycobacterium species, focusing specifically on tools for altering slow-growing mycobacteria from the M. tb complex. Among others, it incorporates the recent new molecular biological technologies (e.g. ORBIT) to rapidly and/or genome-wide comprehensively obtain targeted mutants in mycobacteria. As such, this review can be used as a guide to select the appropriate genetic tools to generate mycobacterial mutants of interest, which can be used as tools to aid understanding of M. tb infection or to help developing TB intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katlyn Borgers
- VIB-UGhent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Kristof Vandewalle
- VIB-UGhent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Nele Festjens
- VIB-UGhent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Nico Callewaert
- VIB-UGhent Center for Medical Biotechnology, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Belgium
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11
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Degiacomi G, Benjak A, Madacki J, Boldrin F, Provvedi R, Palù G, Kordulakova J, Cole ST, Manganelli R. Essentiality of mmpL3 and impact of its silencing on Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene expression. Sci Rep 2017; 7:43495. [PMID: 28240248 PMCID: PMC5327466 DOI: 10.1038/srep43495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
MmpL3 is an inner membrane transporter of Mycobacterium tuberculosis responsible for the export of trehalose momomycolate, a precursor of the mycobacterial outer membrane component trehalose dimycolate (TDM), as well as mycolic acids bound to arabinogalactan. MmpL3 represents an emerging target for tuberculosis therapy. In this paper, we describe the construction and characterization of an mmpL3 knockdown strain of M. tuberculosis. Downregulation of mmpL3 led to a stop in bacterial division and rapid cell death, preceded by the accumulation of TDM precursors. MmpL3 was also shown to be essential for growth in monocyte-derived human macrophages. Using RNA-seq we also found that MmpL3 depletion caused up-regulation of 47 genes and down-regulation of 23 genes (at least 3-fold change and false discovery rate ≤1%). Several genes related to osmoprotection and metal homeostasis were induced, while several genes related to energy production and mycolic acids biosynthesis were repressed suggesting that inability to synthesize a correct outer membrane leads to changes in cellular permeability and a metabolic downshift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Degiacomi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Andrej Benjak
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan Madacki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Francesca Boldrin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Giorgio Palù
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Jana Kordulakova
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Stewart T Cole
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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12
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Becker K, Sander P. Mycobacterium tuberculosis lipoproteins in virulence and immunity - fighting with a double-edged sword. FEBS Lett 2016; 590:3800-3819. [PMID: 27350117 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/26/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial lipoproteins are secreted membrane-anchored proteins characterized by a lipobox motif. This lipobox motif directs post-translational modifications at the conserved cysteine through the consecutive action of three enzymes: Lgt, LspA and Lnt, which results in di- or triacylated forms. Lipoproteins are abundant in all bacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and often involved in virulence and immunoregulatory processes. On the one hand, disruption of the biosynthesis pathway of lipoproteins leads to attenuation of M. tuberculosis in vivo, and mycobacteria deficient for certain lipoproteins have been assessed as attenuated live vaccine candidates. On the other hand, several mycobacterial lipoproteins form immunodominant antigens which promote an immune response. Some of these have been explored in DNA or subunit vaccination approaches against tuberculosis. The immune recognition of specific lipoproteins, however, might also benefit long-term survival of M. tuberculosis through immune modulation, while others induce protective responses. Exploiting lipoproteins as vaccines is thus a complex matter which requires deliberative investigation. The dual role of lipoproteins in the immunity to and pathogenicity of mycobacteria is discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Becker
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Sander
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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Sakthi S, Palaniyandi K, Gupta UD, Gupta P, Narayanan S. Lipoprotein LpqS deficient M. tuberculosis mutant is attenuated for virulence in vivo and shows protective efficacy better than BCG in guinea pigs. Vaccine 2016; 34:735-43. [PMID: 26768127 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.12.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2015] [Revised: 12/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial lipoproteins are a functionally diverse class of membrane anchored proteins. Lipoproteins constitute nearly 2.5% of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteome. Inactivation of genes coding for individual lipoproteins results in attenuated phenotype of the mutants. LpqS is a lipoprotein highly conserved among slow growing pathogenic mycobacteria. Our previous study has shown that the lpqS gene deletion mutant of M. tuberculosis (MtbΔlpqS) poorly replicates in THP1-(human acute monocytic leukemia cell line) derived macrophagic cell line. In addition, guinea pigs, when infected with the mutant strain exhibited significantly reduced bacterial burden and pathological damage in the infected tissues in comparison with the parental strain infected group. Subsequently, we evaluated the protective efficacy of the mutant by immunization of guinea pigs through aerosol and subcutaneous routes. We observed that immunization of guinea pigs with MtbΔlpqS offered superior protection in lungs as compared to BCG. In addition, MtbΔlpqS also prevented the haematogenous spread of the disease which was evident from the significantly reduced splenic bacillary load compared to saline vaccinated animals. The gross pathological observations and the histopathological observations well corroborated the bacterial findings. We also observed that aerogenic route of immunization imparts superior protection compared to subcutaneous route of immunization. These findings well establishes the efficacy of M. tuberculosis mutant in imparting protection against pulmonary TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suba Sakthi
- Department of Immunology, National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Mayor Sathiyamoorthy Road, Chetpet, Chennai 600031, India
| | - Kannan Palaniyandi
- Department of Immunology, National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Mayor Sathiyamoorthy Road, Chetpet, Chennai 600031, India
| | - Umesh D Gupta
- National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycabacterial Diseases, Tajganj, Agra 282001, India
| | - Pushpa Gupta
- National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycabacterial Diseases, Tajganj, Agra 282001, India
| | - Sujatha Narayanan
- Department of Immunology, National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Mayor Sathiyamoorthy Road, Chetpet, Chennai 600031, India.
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Bannantine JP, Stabel JR, Laws E, D. Cardieri MC, Souza CD. Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Recombinant Proteins Modulate Antimycobacterial Functions of Bovine Macrophages. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128966. [PMID: 26076028 PMCID: PMC4468122 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been shown that Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) activates the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) p38 pathway, yet it is unclear which components of M. paratuberculosis are involved in the process. Therefore, a set of 42 M. paratuberculosis recombinant proteins expressed from coding sequences annotated as lipoproteins were screened for their ability to induce IL-10 expression, an indicator of MAPKp38 activation, in bovine monocyte-derived macrophages. A recombinant lipoprotein, designated as MAP3837c, was among a group of 6 proteins that strongly induced IL-10 gene transcription in bovine macrophages, averaging a 3.1-fold increase compared to non-stimulated macrophages. However, a parallel increase in expression of IL-12 and TNF-α was only observed in macrophages exposed to a subset of these 6 proteins. Selected recombinant proteins were further analyzed for their ability to enhance survival of M. avium within bovine macrophages as measured by recovered viable bacteria and nitrite production. All 6 IL-10 inducing MAP recombinant proteins along with M. paratuberculosis cells significantly enhanced phosphorylation of MAPK-p38 in bovine macrophages. Although these proteins are likely not post translationally lipidated in E. coli and thus is a limitation in this study, these results form the foundation of how the protein component of the lipoprotein interacts with the immune system. Collectively, these data reveal M. paratuberculosis proteins that might play a role in MAPK-p38 pathway activation and hence in survival of this organism within bovine macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P. Bannantine
- National Animal Disease Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Judith R. Stabel
- National Animal Disease Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Laws
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Maria Clara D. Cardieri
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Cleverson D. Souza
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
As with most life on Earth, the transition metal copper (Cu) is essential for the viability of the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, infected hosts can also use Cu to control microbial growth. Several Cu-responsive pathways are present in M. tuberculosis, including the regulated in copper repressor (RicR) regulon, which is unique to pathogenic mycobacteria. In this work, we describe the contribution of each RicR-regulated gene to Cu resistance in vitro and to virulence in animals. We found that the deletion or disruption of individual RicR-regulated genes had no impact on virulence in mice, although several mutants had Cu hypersensitivity. In contrast, a mutant unable to activate the RicR regulon was not only highly susceptible to Cu but also attenuated in mice. Thus, these data suggest that several genes of the RicR regulon are required simultaneously to combat Cu toxicity in vivo or that this regulon is also important for resistance against Cu-independent mechanisms of host defense. IMPORTANCE Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis, killing millions of people every year. Therefore, understanding the biology of M. tuberculosis is crucial for the development of new therapies to treat this devastating disease. Our studies reveal that although host-supplied Cu can suppress bacterial growth, M. tuberculosis has a unique pathway, the RicR regulon, to defend against Cu toxicity. These findings suggest that Cu homeostasis pathways in both the host and the pathogen could be exploited for the treatment of tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis, killing millions of people every year. Therefore, understanding the biology of M. tuberculosis is crucial for the development of new therapies to treat this devastating disease. Our studies reveal that although host-supplied Cu can suppress bacterial growth, M. tuberculosis has a unique pathway, the RicR regulon, to defend against Cu toxicity. These findings suggest that Cu homeostasis pathways in both the host and the pathogen could be exploited for the treatment of tuberculosis.
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Brülle JK, Tschumi A, Sander P. Lipoproteins of slow-growing Mycobacteria carry three fatty acids and are N-acylated by apolipoprotein N-acyltransferase BCG_2070c. BMC Microbiol 2013; 13:223. [PMID: 24093492 PMCID: PMC3850990 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-13-223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lipoproteins are virulence factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bacterial lipoproteins are modified by the consecutive action of preprolipoprotein diacylglyceryl transferase (Lgt), prolipoprotein signal peptidase (LspA) and apolipoprotein N- acyltransferase (Lnt) leading to the formation of mature triacylated lipoproteins. Lnt homologues are found in Gram-negative and high GC-rich Gram-positive, but not in low GC-rich Gram-positive bacteria, although N-acylation is observed. In fast-growing Mycobacterium smegmatis, the molecular structure of the lipid modification of lipoproteins was resolved recently as a diacylglyceryl residue carrying ester-bound palmitic acid and ester-bound tuberculostearic acid and an additional amide-bound palmitic acid. Results We exploit the vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis BCG as model organism to investigate lipoprotein modifications in slow-growing mycobacteria. Using Escherichia coli Lnt as a query in BLASTp search, we identified BCG_2070c and BCG_2279c as putative lnt genes in M. bovis BCG. Lipoproteins LprF, LpqH, LpqL and LppX were expressed in M. bovis BCG and BCG_2070c lnt knock-out mutant and lipid modifications were analyzed at molecular level by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight analysis. Lipoprotein N-acylation was observed in wildtype but not in BCG_2070c mutants. Lipoprotein N- acylation with palmitoyl and tuberculostearyl residues was observed. Conclusions Lipoproteins are triacylated in slow-growing mycobacteria. BCG_2070c encodes a functional Lnt in M. bovis BCG. We identified mycobacteria-specific tuberculostearic acid as further substrate for N-acylation in slow-growing mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane K Brülle
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zurich, Gloriastrasse 30/32, CH-8006, Zurich, Switzerland.
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