Molecular cloning and characterization of a 79-kDa iron-repressible outer-membrane protein of Moraxella bovis

Genomic characterization of Moraxella bovis and Moraxella bovoculi Uruguayan strains isolated from calves with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is an ocular disease that affects bovines and has significant economic and health effects worldwide. Gram negative bacteria Moraxella bovis and Moraxella bovoculi are its main etiological agents. Antimicrobial therapy against IBK is often difficult in beef and dairy herds and, although vaccines are commercially available, their efficacy is variable and dependent on local strains. The aim of this study was to analyze for the first time the genomes of Uruguayan clinical isolates of M. bovis and M. bovoculi. The genomes were de novo assembled and annotated; the genetic basis of fimbrial synthesis was analyzed and virulence factors were identified. A 94% coverage in the reference genomes of both species, and more than 80% similarity to the reference genomes were observed. The mechanism of fimbrial phase variation in M. bovis was detected, and the tfpQ orientation of these genes confirmed, in an inversion region of approximately 2.18kb. No phase variation was determined in the fimbrial gene of M. bovoculi. When virulence factors were compared between strains, it was observed that fimbrial genes have 36.2% sequence similarity. In contrast, the TonB-dependent lactoferrin/transferrin receptor exhibited the highest percentage of amino acid similarity (97.7%) between strains, followed by cytotoxins MbxA/MbvA and the ferric uptake regulator. The role of these virulence factors in the pathogenesis of IBK and their potential as vaccine components should be explored.

Structural and functional insights into iron acquisition from lactoferrin and transferrin in Gram-negative bacterial pathogens

Iron is an essential element for various lifeforms but is largely insoluble due to the oxygenation of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans during the Proterozoic era. Metazoans evolved iron transport glycoproteins, like transferrin (Tf) and lactoferrin (Lf), to keep iron in a non-toxic, usable form, while maintaining a low free iron concentration in the body that is unable to sustain bacterial growth. To survive on the mucosal surfaces of the human respiratory tract where it exclusively resides, the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis utilizes surface receptors for acquiring iron directly from human Tf and Lf. The receptors are comprised of a surface lipoprotein to capture iron-loaded Tf or Lf and deliver it to a TonB-dependent transporter (TBDT) for removal of iron and transport across the outer membrane. The subsequent transport of iron into the cell is normally mediated by a periplasmic iron-binding protein and inner membrane transport complex, which has yet to be determined for Moraxella catarrhalis. We identified two potential periplasm to cytoplasm transport systems and performed structural and functional studies with the periplasmic binding proteins (FbpA and AfeA) to evaluate their role. Growth studies with strains deleted in the fbpA or afeA gene demonstrated that FbpA, but not AfeA, was required for growth on human Tf or Lf. The crystal structure of FbpA with bound iron in the open conformation was obtained, identifying three tyrosine ligands that were required for growth on Tf or Lf. Computational modeling of the YfeA homologue, AfeA, revealed conserved residues involved in metal binding.

Whole genome sequencing of Moraxella bovis strains from North America reveals two genotypes with different genetic determinants

BACKGROUND

Moraxella bovis and Moraxella bovoculi both associate with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), an economically significant and painful ocular disease that affects cattle worldwide. There are two genotypes of M. bovoculi (genotypes 1 and 2) that differ in their gene content and potential virulence factors, although neither have been experimentally shown to cause IBK. M. bovis is a causative IBK agent, however, not all strains carry a complete assortment of known virulence factors. The goals of this study were to determine the population structure and depth of M. bovis genomic diversity, and to compare core and accessory genes and predicted outer membrane protein profiles both within and between M. bovis and M. bovoculi.

RESULTS

Phylogenetic trees and bioinformatic analyses of 36 M. bovis chromosomes sequenced in this study and additional available chromosomes of M. bovis and both genotype 1 and 2 M. bovoculi, showed there are two genotypes (1 and 2) of M. bovis. The two M. bovis genotypes share a core of 2015 genes, with 121 and 186 genes specific to genotype 1 and 2, respectively. The two genotypes differ by their chromosome size and prophage content, encoded protein variants of the virulence factor hemolysin, and by their affiliation with different plasmids. Eight plasmid types were identified in this study, with types 1 and 6 observed in 88 and 56% of genotype 2 strains, respectively, and absent from genotype 1 strains. Only type 1 plasmids contained one or two gene copies encoding filamentous haemagglutinin-like proteins potentially involved with adhesion. A core of 1403 genes was shared between the genotype 1 and 2 strains of both M. bovis and M. bovoculi, which encoded a total of nine predicted outer membrane proteins.

CONCLUSIONS

There are two genotypes of M. bovis that differ in both chromosome content and plasmid profiles and thus may not equally associate with IBK. Immunological reagents specifically targeting select genotypes of M. bovis, or all genotypes of M. bovis and M. bovoculi together could be designed from the outer membrane proteins identified in this study.

The Role of the Moraxella catarrhalis CopB Protein in Facilitating Iron Acquisition From Human Transferrin and Lactoferrin

Moraxella catarrhalis is a Gram-negative bacterium that is responsible for a substantial proportion of upper respiratory infections in children and lower respiratory infections in the elderly. Moraxella catarrhalis resides exclusively on the mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract of humans and is capable of directly acquiring iron for growth from the host glycoproteins human transferrin (hTf) and human lactoferrin (hLf). The iron-bound form of these glycoproteins is initially captured by the surface lipoproteins Tf or Lf binding protein B (TbpB or LbpB) and delivered to the integral outer membrane TonB-dependent transport (TBDT) proteins, Tf binding protein A (TbpA) or Lf binding protein A (LbpA). The extraction of iron involves conformational changes in Lf and Tf to facilitate iron removal followed by its transport across the outer membrane by a well characterized process for TBDTs. Surprisingly the disruption of the gene encoding another TBDT, CopB, results in a reduction in the ability to grow on human Tf or Lf. The possibility that this could have been due to an artifact of mutant construction that resulted in the inhibition of TonB-mediated process was eliminated by a complete deletion of the CopB gene. A systematic evaluation of the impact on growth under various conditions by deletions of the genes encoding TbpA, LbpA, and CopB as well as mutations of the iron liganding residues and TonB box region of CopB was implemented. The results indicate that although CopB is capable of effectively acquiring iron from the growth medium, it does not directly acquire iron from Tf or Lf. We propose that the indirect effect on iron transport from Tf and Lf by CopB could possibly be explained by the association of TBDTs at gaps in the peptidoglycan layer that may enhance the efficiency of the process. This concept is supported by previous studies demonstrating an indirect effect on growth of Tf and Lf by deletion of the peptidoglycan binding outer membrane lipoprotein RmpM in Neisseria that also reduced the formation of larger complexes of TBDTs.

Component Causes of Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis - The Role of Moraxella Species in the Epidemiology of Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) involves multiple factors and opportunistic pathogens, including members of the genus Moraxella, specifically M bovis. The causal role of M bovis is clear, where the presence of virulence factors that facilitate colonization (pili) and host cytotoxicity (RTX toxins) are well characterized, and IBK has been reproduced in many models. Experimental infection with M bovoculi has failed to reproduce IBK-typical lesions in cattle thus far. However, recent work using genomics and mass spectrometry have found genomic diversity and recombination within these species, making species differentiation complex and challenging the ability to assign IBK causality to these organisms.

Antimicrobial activity of torilin isolated from Torilis japonica fruit against Bacillus subtilis

Torilis japonica fruit has been used in therapeutic antimicrobial treatments in Korea and China since ancient times, but there is still little information on the mechanism underlying this activity. We found that the ethanol extract of T. japonica fruit showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 spores and vegetative cells. The crude ethanol extract (75%) reduced the spore concentration by 3 log cycles and the vegetative cell concentration to lower than the detection level (reduction in spore concentration by more than 6 orders of magnitude) at a concentration of 1% (w/v). The ethanol extract of T. japonica fruit was fractionated into n-hexane (H) and a water layer. The active antimicrobial compound was isolated and purified from the hexane layer, and identified as torilin (5-[1-(acetyloxy)-1-methylethyl]-3,8-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,2,4,5,6,7,8,8a-octa-hydroazulen-6-yl(2E)-2-methylbut-2-enoate; C(22)H(32)O(5)). Torilin immediately reduced vegetative cells counts by 5 to 6 orders of magnitude, and reduced spores counts by 1 order of magnitude. The integrity of structures such as the inner, middle, and outer layers of the coat and the cortex, protoplast membrane, and core are vital to spores. Torilin functions as a surfactant with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties related to denaturalization of various proteins. The distortion of coat proteins due to direct binding polar groups of spore coats with hydrophilic groups of torilin may be responsible for the observed rapid inactivation of bacterial spores.

Bacterial outer membrane protein analysis by electrophoresis and microchip technology

Outer membrane proteins are indispensable components of bacterial cells and participate in several relevant functions of the microorganisms. Changes in the outer membrane protein composition might alter antibiotic sensitivity and pathogenicity. Furthermore, the effects of various factors on outer membrane protein expression, such as antibiotic treatment, mutation, changes in the environment, lipopolysaccharide modification and biofilm formation, have been analyzed. Traditionally, the outer membrane protein profile determination was performed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Converting this technique to capillary electrophoresis format resulted in faster separation, lower sample consumption and automation. Coupling capillary electrophoresis with mass spectrometry enabled the fast identification of bacterial proteins, while immediate quantitative analysis permitted the determination of up- and downregulation of certain outer membrane proteins. Adapting capillary electrophoresis to microchip format ensured a further ten- to 100-fold decrease in separation time. Application of different separation techniques combined with various sensitive detector systems has ensured further opportunities in the field of high-throughput bacterial protein analysis. This review provides an overview using selected examples of outer membrane proteins and the development and application of the electrophoretic and microchip technologies for the analysis of these proteins.

Filamentous-haemagglutinin-like protein genes encoded on a plasmid of Moraxella bovis

The complete nucleotide sequence of a plasmid, pMBO-1, from Moraxella bovis strain Epp63 was determined. We identified 30 open reading frames (ORFs) encoded by the 44,215bp molecule. Two large ORFs, flpA and flpB, encoding proteins with similarity to Bordetella pertussis filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA), were identified on the same plasmid. The gene for a specific accessory protein (Fap), which may play a role in the secretion of Flp protein, was also identified. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of total RNA isolated from M. bovis Epp63 indicated that the flpA, flpB, and fap genes are all transcribed. Southern blot analysis indicated that the flp and fap genes are present in other clinical isolates of geographically diverse M. bovis.

Mechanisms of Bacillus subtilis spore killing by and resistance to an acidic Fe3+-EDTA-iodide-ethanol formulation

AIMS

To determine the mechanisms of Bacillus subtilis spore killing by and resistance to an acidic solution containing Fe(3+), EDTA, KI and ethanol termed the KMT reagent.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Wild-type B. subtilis spores were not mutagenized by the KMT reagent but the wild-type and recA spores were killed at the same rate. Spores (alpha(-)beta(-)) lacking most DNA-protective alpha/beta-type small, acid-soluble spore proteins were less resistant to the KMT reagent than wild-type spores but were also not mutagenized, and alpha(-)beta(-) and alpha(-)beta(-)recA spores exhibited nearly identical resistance. Spore resistance to the KMT reagent was greatly decreased if spores had defective coats. However, the level of unsaturated fatty acids in the inner membrane did not determine spore sensitivity to the KMT reagent. Survivors in spore populations killed by the KMT reagent were sensitized to killing by wet heat or nitrous acid and to high salt in plating medium. KMT reagent-killed spores had not released their dipicolinic acid (DPA), although these killed spores released their DPA more readily when germinated with dodecylamine than did untreated spores. However, KMT reagent-killed spores did not germinate with nutrients or Ca(2+)-DPA and were recovered only poorly by lysozyme treatment in a hypertonic medium.

CONCLUSIONS

The KMT reagent does not kill spores by DNA damage and a major factor in spore resistance to this reagent is the spore coat. KMT reagent treatment damages the spore's ability to germinate, perhaps by damaging the spore's inner membrane. However, this damage is not oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These results provide information on the mechanism of spore resistance to and killing by the KMT reagent developed for killing Bacillus spores.

LruA and LruB, novel lipoproteins of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans associated with equine recurrent uveitis

Recurrent uveitis as a sequela to Leptospira infection is the most common infectious cause of blindness and impaired vision of horses worldwide. Leptospiral proteins expressed during prolonged survival in the eyes of horses with lesions of chronic uveitis were identified by screening a phage library of Leptospira interrogans DNA fragments with eye fluids from uveitic horses. Inserts of reactive phages encoded several known leptospiral proteins and two novel putative lipoproteins, LruA and LruB. LruA was intrinsically labeled during incubation of L. interrogans in medium containing [14C]palmitic acid, confirming that it is a lipoprotein. lruA and lruB were detected by Southern blotting in infectious Leptospira interrogans but not in nonpathogenic Leptospira biflexa. Fractionation data from cultured Leptospira indicate that LruA and LruB are localized in the inner membrane. Uveitic eye fluids contained significantly higher levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG specific for each protein than did companion sera, indicating strong local antibody responses. Moreover, LruA- and LruB-specific antisera reacted with equine ocular components, suggesting an immunopathogenic role in leptospiral uveitis.

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis vaccine development

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis is a common and highly contagious ocular disease affecting cattle worldwide. The tremendous economic losses attributable to this disease warrant continued investigation into methods of prevention. Multiple virulence factors have been linked to the primary aetiologic agent, Moraxella bovis. Efforts to develop an efficacious vaccine have primarily focused upon the use of surface pili or cytolysin to stimulate host immunity; however, M. bovis possesses other virulence determinants that include proteases, fibrinolysins, phospholipases and other cell surface components such as outer membrane proteins. These potentially conserved antigens provide additional possibilities for vaccine development. Examination of appropriate antigen presentation is necessary to attain an adequate immune response. Further, the potential for antigenic diversity as well as epitope conversion requires continuous epidemiological surveillance of isolates recovered from outbreaks. Current work targeting conserved immunogens provides hope for efficacious vaccines that when used in tandem with proper management may control, if not prevent, infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis.