1
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Wang X, Li H, Wu C, Yang J, Wang J, Yang T. Metabolism-triggered sensor array aided by machine learning for rapid identification of pathogens. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 255:116264. [PMID: 38588629 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Chemical-nose strategy has achieved certain success in the discrimination and identification of pathogens. However, this strategy usually relies on non-specific interactions, which are prone to be significantly disturbed by the change of environment thus limiting its practical usefulness. Herein, we present a novel chemical-nose sensing approach leveraging the difference in the dynamic metabolic variation during peptidoglycan metabolism among different species for rapid pathogen discrimination. Pathogens were first tethered with clickable handles through metabolic labeling at two different acidities (pH = 5 and 7) for 20 and 60 min, respectively, followed by click reaction with fluorescence up-conversion nanoparticles to generate a four-dimensional signal output. This discriminative multi-dimensional signal allowed eight types of model bacteria to be successfully classified within the training set into strains, genera, and Gram phenotypes. As the difference in signals of the four sensing channels reflects the difference in the amount/activity of enzymes involved in metabolic labeling, this strategy has good anti-interference capability, which enables precise pathogen identification within 2 h with 100% accuracy in spiked urinary samples and allows classification of unknown species out of the training set into the right phenotype. The robustness of this approach holds significant promise for its widespread application in pathogen identification and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Huida Li
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Chengxin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Jianyu Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China.
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2
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Löckener I, Behrmann LV, Reuter J, Schiefer A, Klöckner A, Krannich S, Otten C, Mölleken K, Ichikawa S, Hoerauf A, Schneider T, Pfarr KM, Henrichfreise B. The MraY Inhibitor Muraymycin D2 and Its Derivatives Induce Enlarged Cells in Obligate Intracellular Chlamydia and Wolbachia and Break the Persistence Phenotype in Chlamydia. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:421. [PMID: 38786149 PMCID: PMC11117252 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050421] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chlamydial infections and diseases caused by filarial nematodes are global health concerns. However, treatment presents challenges due to treatment failures potentially caused by persisting Chlamydia and long regimens against filarial infections accompanied by low compliance. A new treatment strategy could be the targeting of the reduced peptidoglycan structures involved in cell division in the obligate intracellular bacteria Chlamydia and Wolbachia, the latter being obligate endosymbionts supporting filarial development, growth, and survival. Here, cell culture experiments with C. trachomatis and Wolbachia showed that the nucleoside antibiotics muraymycin and carbacaprazamycin interfere with bacterial cell division and induce enlarged, aberrant cells resembling the penicillin-induced persistence phenotype in Chlamydia. Enzymatic inhibition experiments with purified C. pneumoniae MraY revealed that muraymycin derivatives abolish the synthesis of the peptidoglycan precursor lipid I. Comparative in silico analyses of chlamydial and wolbachial MraY with the corresponding well-characterized enzyme in Aquifex aeolicus revealed a high degree of conservation, providing evidence for a similar mode of inhibition. Muraymycin D2 treatment eradicated persisting non-dividing C. trachomatis cells from an established penicillin-induced persistent infection. This finding indicates that nucleoside antibiotics may have additional properties that can break bacterial persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Löckener
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Lara Vanessa Behrmann
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
| | - Jula Reuter
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Andrea Schiefer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Sebastian Krannich
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Christian Otten
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
| | - Katja Mölleken
- Institute for Functional Microbial Genomics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
| | - Satoshi Ichikawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-12, Nishi-6, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kenneth M. Pfarr
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; (L.V.B.)
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Beate Henrichfreise
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology (IPM), University of Bonn, University Hospital Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany (C.O.); (B.H.)
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3
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Zheng Y, Zhu X, Jiang M, Cao F, You Q, Chen X. Development and Applications of D-Amino Acid Derivatives-based Metabolic Labeling of Bacterial Peptidoglycan. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319400. [PMID: 38284300 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319400] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Peptidoglycan, an essential component within the cell walls of virtually all bacteria, is composed of glycan strands linked by stem peptides that contain D-amino acids. The peptidoglycan biosynthesis machinery exhibits high tolerance to various D-amino acid derivatives. D-amino acid derivatives with different functionalities can thus be specifically incorporated into and label the peptidoglycan of bacteria, but not the host mammalian cells. This metabolic labeling strategy is highly selective, highly biocompatible, and broadly applicable, which has been utilized in various fields. This review introduces the metabolic labeling strategies of peptidoglycan by using D-amino acid derivatives, including one-step and two-step strategies. In addition, we emphasize the various applications of D-amino acid derivative-based metabolic labeling, including bacterial peptidoglycan visualization (existence, biosynthesis, and dynamics, etc.), bacterial visualization (including bacterial imaging and visualization of growth and division, metabolic activity, antibiotic susceptibility, etc.), pathogenic bacteria-targeted diagnostics and treatment (positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, gas therapy, immunotherapy, etc.), and live bacteria-based therapy. Finally, a summary of this metabolic labeling and an outlook is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfang Zheng
- Fujian-Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Industrial Biocatalysis, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangsan Road, Fuzhou, 350007, P.R. China
| | - Xinyu Zhu
- Fujian-Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Industrial Biocatalysis, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangsan Road, Fuzhou, 350007, P.R. China
| | - Mingyi Jiang
- Fujian-Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Industrial Biocatalysis, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, 32 Shangsan Road, Fuzhou, 350007, P.R. China
| | - Fangfang Cao
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, NUS Center for Nanomedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Qing You
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, NUS Center for Nanomedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Xiaoyuan Chen
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, NUS Center for Nanomedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
- Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
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4
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Pan T, Su L, Zhang Y, Xu L, Chen Y. Advances in Bio-Optical Imaging Systems for Spatiotemporal Monitoring of Intestinal Bacteria. Mol Nutr Food Res 2024; 68:e2300760. [PMID: 38491399 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300760] [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: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Vast and complex intestinal communities are regulated and balanced through interactions with their host organisms, and disruption of gut microbial balance can cause a variety of diseases. Studying the mechanisms of pathogenic intestinal flora in the host and early detection of bacterial translocation and colonization can guide clinical diagnosis, provide targeted treatments, and improve patient prognosis. The use of in vivo imaging techniques to track microorganisms in the intestine, and study structural and functional changes of both cells and proteins, may clarify the governing equilibrium between the flora and host. Despite the recent rapid development of in vivo imaging of intestinal microecology, determining the ideal methodology for clinical use remains a challenge. Advances in optics, computer technology, and molecular biology promise to expand the horizons of research and development, thereby providing exciting opportunities to study the spatio-temporal dynamics of gut microbiota and the origins of disease. Here, this study reviews the characteristics and problems associated with optical imaging techniques, including bioluminescence, conventional fluorescence, novel metabolic labeling methods, nanomaterials, intelligently activated imaging agents, and photoacoustic (PA) imaging. It hopes to provide a valuable theoretical basis for future bio-intelligent imaging of intestinal bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongtong Pan
- Hepatology Diagnosis and Treatment Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Lihuang Su
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yiying Zhang
- Alberta Institute, Wenzhou Medical University, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Liang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Hepatology Diagnosis and Treatment Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University & Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
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5
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Sorlin A, López-Álvarez M, Biboy J, Gray J, Rabbitt SJ, Rahim JU, Lee SH, Bobba KN, Blecha J, Parker MF, Flavell RR, Engel J, Ohliger M, Vollmer W, Wilson DM. Peptidoglycan-Targeted [ 18F]3,3,3-Trifluoro-d-alanine Tracer for Imaging Bacterial Infection. JACS AU 2024; 4:1039-1047. [PMID: 38559735 PMCID: PMC10976610 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Imaging is increasingly used to detect and monitor bacterial infection. Both anatomic (X-rays, computed tomography, ultrasound, and MRI) and nuclear medicine ([111In]-WBC SPECT, [18F]FDG PET) techniques are used in clinical practice but lack specificity for the causative microorganisms themselves. To meet this challenge, many groups have developed imaging methods that target pathogen-specific metabolism, including PET tracers integrated into the bacterial cell wall. We have previously reported the d-amino acid derived PET radiotracers d-methyl-[11C]-methionine, d-[3-11C]-alanine, and d-[3-11C]-alanine-d-alanine, which showed robust bacterial accumulation in vitro and in vivo. Given the clinical importance of radionuclide half-life, in the current study, we developed [18F]3,3,3-trifluoro-d-alanine (d-[18F]-CF3-ala), a fluorine-18 labeled tracer. We tested the hypothesis that d-[18F]-CF3-ala would be incorporated into bacterial peptidoglycan given its structural similarity to d-alanine itself. NMR analysis showed that the fluorine-19 parent amino acid d-[19F]-CF3-ala was stable in human and mouse serum. d-[19F]-CF3-ala was also a poor substrate for d-amino acid oxidase, the enzyme largely responsible for mammalian d-amino acid metabolism and a likely contributor to background signals using d-amino acid derived PET tracers. In addition, d-[19F]-CF3-ala showed robust incorporation into Escherichia coli peptidoglycan, as detected by HPLC/mass spectrometry. Based on these promising results, we developed a radiosynthesis of d-[18F]-CF3-ala via displacement of a bromo-precursor with [18F]fluoride followed by chiral stationary phase HPLC. Unexpectedly, the accumulation of d-[18F]-CF3-ala by bacteria in vitro was highest for Gram-negative pathogens in particular E. coli. In a murine model of acute bacterial infection, d-[18F]-CF3-ala could distinguish live from heat-killed E. coli, with low background signals. These results indicate the viability of [18F]-modified d-amino acids for infection imaging and indicate that improved specificity for bacterial metabolism can improve tracer performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre
M. Sorlin
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Marina López-Álvarez
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Jacob Biboy
- The
Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Newcastle
University Newcastle, Newcastle
upon Tyne NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Joe Gray
- The
Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Newcastle
University Newcastle, Newcastle
upon Tyne NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah J. Rabbitt
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Junaid Ur Rahim
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Sang Hee Lee
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Kondapa Naidu Bobba
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Joseph Blecha
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Mathew F.L. Parker
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department
of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine
at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Robert R. Flavell
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- UCSF
Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Joanne Engel
- Department
of Medicine, University of California, San
Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Michael Ohliger
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Department
of Radiology, Zuckerberg San Francisco General
Hospital, San Francisco, California 94110, United States
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- The
Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Newcastle
University Newcastle, Newcastle
upon Tyne NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
- Institute
for Molecular Bioscience, The University
of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - David M. Wilson
- Department
of Radiology, Biomedical Imaging University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
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6
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Zhang XL, Báti G, Li C, Guo A, Yeo C, Ding H, Pal KB, Xu Y, Qiao Y, Liu XW. GlcNAc-1,6-anhydro-MurNAc Moiety Affords Unusual Glycosyl Acceptor that Terminates Peptidoglycan Elongation. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:7400-7407. [PMID: 38456799 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c12526] [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: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Peptidoglycan (PG), an essential exoskeletal polymer in bacteria, is a well-known antibiotic target. PG polymerization requires the action of bacterial transglycosylases (TGases), which couple the incoming glycosyl acceptor to the donor. Interfering with the TGase activity can interrupt the PG assembly. Existing TGase inhibitors like moenomycin and Lipid II analogues always occupy the TGase active sites; other strategies to interfere with proper PG elongation have not been widely exploited. Inspired by the natural 1,6-anhydro-MurNAc termini that mark the ends of PG strands in bacteria, we hypothesized that the incorporation of an anhydromuramyl-containing glycosyl acceptor by TGase into the growing PG may effectively inhibit PG elongation. To explore this possibility, we synthesized 4-O-(N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminyl)-1,6-anhydro-N-acetyl-β-d-muramyl-l-Ala-γ-d-Glu-l-Lys-d-Ala-d-Ala, 1, within 15 steps, and demonstrated that this anhydromuropeptide and its analogue lacking the peptide, 1-deAA, were both utilized by bacterial TGase as noncanonical anhydro glycosyl acceptors in vitro. The incorporation of an anhydromuramyl moiety into PG strands by TGases afforded efficient termination of glycan chain extension. Moreover, the preliminary in vitro studies of 1-deAA against Staphylococcus aureus showed that 1-deAA served as a reasonable antimicrobial adjunct of vancomycin. These insights imply the potential application of such anhydromuropeptides as novel classes of PG-terminating inhibitors, pointing toward novel strategies in antibacterial agent development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Lin Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Gábor Báti
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Chenyu Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Aoxin Guo
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Claresta Yeo
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Han Ding
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Kumar Bhaskar Pal
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Yuan Xu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Yuan Qiao
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
| | - Xue-Wei Liu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371, Singapore
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7
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Koatale P, Welling MM, Ndlovu H, Kgatle M, Mdanda S, Mdlophane A, Okem A, Takyi-Williams J, Sathekge MM, Ebenhan T. Insights into Peptidoglycan-Targeting Radiotracers for Imaging Bacterial Infections: Updates, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:270-286. [PMID: 38290525 PMCID: PMC10862554 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00443] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The unique structural architecture of the peptidoglycan allows for the stratification of bacteria as either Gram-negative or Gram-positive, which makes bacterial cells distinguishable from mammalian cells. This classification has received attention as a potential target for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Bacteria's ability to metabolically integrate peptidoglycan precursors during cell wall biosynthesis and recycling offers an opportunity to target and image pathogens in their biological state. This Review explores the peptidoglycan biosynthesis for bacteria-specific targeting for infection imaging. Current and potential radiolabeled peptidoglycan precursors for bacterial infection imaging, their development status, and their performance in vitro and/or in vivo are highlighted. We conclude by providing our thoughts on how to shape this area of research for future clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palesa
C. Koatale
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mick M. Welling
- Interventional
Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Honest Ndlovu
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mankgopo Kgatle
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sipho Mdanda
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Amanda Mdlophane
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ambrose Okem
- Department
of Anaesthesia, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, 2050 Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - John Takyi-Williams
- Pharmacokinetic
and Mass Spectrometry Core, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Mike M. Sathekge
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Thomas Ebenhan
- Department
of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- Nuclear
Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) NPC, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa
- DSI/NWU Pre-clinical
Drug Development Platform, North West University, 2520 Potchefstroom, South Africa
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8
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Eddenden A, Dooda MK, Morrison ZA, Subramanian AS, Howell PL, Troutman JM, Nitz M. Metabolic Usage and Glycan Destinations of GlcNAz in E. coli. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:69-80. [PMID: 38146215 PMCID: PMC11138243 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria use a diverse range of carbohydrates to generate a profusion of glycans, with amino sugars, such as N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), being prevalent in the cell wall and in many exopolysaccharides. The primary substrate for GlcNAc-containing glycans, UDP-GlcNAc, is the product of the bacterial hexosamine pathway and a key target for bacterial metabolic glycan engineering. Using the strategy of expressing NahK, to circumvent the hexosamine pathway, it is possible to directly feed the analogue of GlcNAc, N-azidoacetylglucosamine (GlcNAz), for metabolic labeling in Escherichia coli. The cytosolic production of UDP-GlcNAz was confirmed by using fluorescence-assisted polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The key question of where GlcNAz is incorporated was interrogated by analyzing potential sites including peptidoglycan (PGN), the biofilm-related exopolysaccharide poly-β-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA). The highest levels of incorporation were observed in PGN with lower levels in PNAG and no observable incorporation in LPS or ECA. The promiscuity of the PNAG synthase (PgaCD) toward UDP-GlcNAz in vitro and the lack of undecaprenyl-pyrophosphoryl-GlcNAz intermediates generated in vivo confirmed the incorporation preferences. The results of this work will guide the future development of carbohydrate-based probes and metabolic engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Eddenden
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Manoj K. Dooda
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28223-0001, United States
| | - Zachary A. Morrison
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada
| | - Adithya Shankara Subramanian
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - P. Lynne Howell
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jerry M. Troutman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28223-0001, United States
| | - Mark Nitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada
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9
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Zhang C, Manley S. Super-Resolution Microscopy of the Bacterial Cell Wall Labeled by Fluorescent D-Amino Acids. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2727:83-94. [PMID: 37815710 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3491-2_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent D-amino acids (FDAAs) enable in situ visualization of bacterial cell wall synthesis via their incorporation into peptidoglycan (PG) crosslinks. When combined with super-resolution microscopy, FDAAs allow the details of cell wall synthesis to be resolved beyond the diffraction limit of visible light. Here, we describe using the super-resolution method of single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) in conjunction with two newly synthesized FDAAs (sCy5DA and sCy5DL_amide) to resolve bacterial PG at the nanoscale in a variety of species, including Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- Institute of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Suliana Manley
- Institute of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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10
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Hammond LR, White ML, Eswara PJ. Probing Bacterial Cell Division and Cell Envelope Biogenesis with Live-Cell Fluorescence Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2727:205-214. [PMID: 37815719 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3491-2_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The development of advanced microscopy techniques has ushered in a new era of research as it helps understand biological processes on a deeper, mechanistic, and molecular level like never before. Live-cell fluorescence microscopy has importantly allowed us to visualize subcellular protein localization and incorporation of various fluorophores compatible with living cells in real time. As such, this technique offers valuable insights at the single-cell level and enables us to monitor phenotypic differences that were easily overlooked at a population level. One area of research that has benefited greatly from these advances is the study of the bacterial cell envelope biogenesis and cell division process. In this report, we provide detailed protocols, optimized in our lab, for imaging these processes in the Gram-positive organisms Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Hammond
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Maria L White
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Prahathees J Eswara
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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11
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Liu X, den Blaauwen T. NlpI-Prc Proteolytic Complex Mediates Peptidoglycan Synthesis and Degradation via Regulation of Hydrolases and Synthases in Escherichia coli. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16355. [PMID: 38003545 PMCID: PMC10671308 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216355] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Balancing peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis and degradation with precision is essential for bacterial growth, yet our comprehension of this intricate process remains limited. The NlpI-Prc proteolytic complex plays a crucial but poorly understood role in the regulation of multiple enzymes involved in PG metabolism. In this paper, through fluorescent D-amino acid 7-hydroxycoumarincarbonylamino-D-alanine (HADA) labeling and immunolabeling assays, we have demonstrated that the NlpI-Prc complex regulates the activity of PG transpeptidases and subcellular localization of PBP3 under certain growth conditions. PBP7 (a PG hydrolase) and MltD (a lytic transglycosylase) were confirmed to be negatively regulated by the NlpI-Prc complex by an in vivo degradation assay. The endopeptidases, MepS, MepM, and MepH, have consistently been demonstrated as redundantly essential "space makers" for nascent PG insertion. However, we observed that the absence of NlpI-Prc complex can alleviate the lethality of the mepS mepM mepH mutant. A function of PG lytic transglycosylases MltA and MltD as "space makers" was proposed through multiple gene deletions. These findings unveil novel roles for NlpI-Prc in the regulation of both PG synthesis and degradation, shedding light on the previously undiscovered function of lytic transglycosylases as "space makers" in PG expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tanneke den Blaauwen
- Bacterial Cell Biology and Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Science, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Lin S, Wu F, Zhang Y, Chen H, Guo H, Chen Y, Liu J. Surface-modified bacteria: synthesis, functionalization and biomedical applications. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:6617-6643. [PMID: 37724854 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00369h] [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: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a great leap forward in bacteria-based living agents, including imageable probes, diagnostic reagents, and therapeutics, by virtue of their unique characteristics, such as genetic manipulation, rapid proliferation, colonization capability, and disease site targeting specificity. However, successful translation of bacterial bioagents to clinical applications remains challenging, due largely to their inherent susceptibility to environmental insults, unavoidable toxic side effects, and limited accumulation at the sites of interest. Cell surface components, which play critical roles in shaping bacterial behaviors, provide an opportunity to chemically modify bacteria and introduce different exogenous functions that are naturally unachievable. With the help of surface modification, a wide range of functionalized bacteria have been prepared over the past years and exhibit great potential in various biomedical applications. In this article, we mainly review the synthesis, functionalization, and biomedical applications of surface-modified bacteria. We first introduce the approaches of chemical modification based on the bacterial surface structure and then highlight several advanced functions achieved by modifying specific components on the surface. We also summarize the advantages as well as limitations of surface chemically modified bacteria in the applications of bioimaging, diagnosis, and therapy and further discuss the current challenges and possible solutions in the future. This work will inspire innovative design thinking for the development of chemical strategies for preparing next-generation biomedical bacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Feng Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Yifan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Huan Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Haiyan Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Yanmei Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
| | - Jinyao Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
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13
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Alberge F, Lakey BD, Schaub RE, Dohnalkova AC, Lemmer KC, Dillard JP, Noguera DR, Donohue TJ. A previously uncharacterized divisome-associated lipoprotein, DalA, is needed for normal cell division in Rhodobacterales. mBio 2023; 14:e0120323. [PMID: 37389444 PMCID: PMC10470522 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01203-23] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell envelope is a key subcellular compartment with important roles in antibiotic resistance, nutrient acquisition, and cell morphology. We seek to gain a better understanding of proteins that contribute to the function of the cell envelope in Alphaproteobacteria. Using Rhodobacter sphaeroides, we show that a previously uncharacterized protein, RSP_1200, is an outer membrane (OM) lipoprotein that non-covalently binds peptidoglycan (PG). Using a fluorescently tagged version of this protein, we find that RSP_1200 undergoes a dynamic repositioning during the cell cycle and is enriched at the septum during cell division. We show that the position of RSP_1200 mirrors the location of FtsZ rings, leading us to propose that RSP_1200 is a newly identified component of the R. sphaeroides' divisome. Additional support for this hypothesis includes the co-precipitation of RSP_1200 with FtsZ, the Pal protein, and several predicted PG L,D-transpeptidases. We also find that a ∆RSP_1200 mutation leads to defects in cell division, sensitivity to PG-active antibiotics, and results in the formation of OM protrusions at the septum during cell division. Based on these results, we propose to name RSP_1200 DalA (for division-associated lipoprotein A) and postulate that DalA serves as a scaffold to position or modulate the activity of PG transpeptidases that are needed to form envelope invaginations during cell division. We find that DalA homologs are present in members of the Rhodobacterales order within Alphaproteobacteria. Therefore, we propose that further analysis of this and related proteins will increase our understanding of the macromolecular machinery and proteins that participate in cell division in Gram-negative bacteria. IMPORTANCE Multi-protein complexes of the bacterial cell envelope orchestrate key processes like growth, division, biofilm formation, antimicrobial resistance, and production of valuable compounds. The subunits of these protein complexes are well studied in some bacteria, and differences in their composition and function are linked to variations in cell envelope composition, shape, and proliferation. However, some envelope protein complex subunits have no known homologs across the bacterial phylogeny. We find that Rhodobacter sphaeroides RSP_1200 is a newly identified lipoprotein (DalA) and that loss of this protein causes defects in cell division and changes the sensitivity to compounds, affecting cell envelope synthesis and function. We find that DalA forms a complex with proteins needed for cell division, binds the cell envelope polymer peptidoglycan, and colocalizes with enzymes involved in the assembly of this macromolecule. The analysis of DalA provides new information on the cell division machinery in this and possibly other Alphaproteobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Alberge
- />Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Bryan D. Lakey
- />Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ryan E. Schaub
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Alice C. Dohnalkova
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | | | - Joseph P. Dillard
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel R. Noguera
- />Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Timothy J. Donohue
- />Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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14
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Lakey BD, Alberge F, Parrell D, Wright ER, Noguera DR, Donohue TJ. The role of CenKR in the coordination of Rhodobacter sphaeroides cell elongation and division. mBio 2023; 14:e0063123. [PMID: 37283520 PMCID: PMC10470753 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00631-23] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell elongation and division are essential aspects of the bacterial life cycle that must be coordinated for viability and replication. The impact of misregulation of these processes is not well understood as these systems are often not amenable to traditional genetic manipulation. Recently, we reported on the CenKR two-component system (TCS) in the Gram-negative bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides that is genetically tractable, widely conserved in α-proteobacteria, and directly regulates the expression of components crucial for cell elongation and division, including genes encoding subunit of the Tol-Pal complex. In this work, we show that overexpression of cenK results in cell filamentation and chaining. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), we generated high-resolution two-dimensional (2D) images and three-dimensional (3D) volumes of the cell envelope and division septum of wild-type cells and a cenK overexpression strain finding that these morphological changes stem from defects in outer membrane (OM) and peptidoglycan (PG) constriction. By monitoring the localization of Pal, PG biosynthesis, and the bacterial cytoskeletal proteins MreB and FtsZ, we developed a model for how increased CenKR activity leads to changes in cell elongation and division. This model predicts that increased CenKR activity decreases the mobility of Pal, delaying OM constriction, and ultimately disrupting the midcell positioning of MreB and FtsZ and interfering with the spatial regulation of PG synthesis and remodeling. IMPORTANCE By coordinating cell elongation and division, bacteria maintain their shape, support critical envelope functions, and orchestrate division. Regulatory and assembly systems have been implicated in these processes in some well-studied Gram-negative bacteria. However, we lack information on these processes and their conservation across the bacterial phylogeny. In R. sphaeroides and other α-proteobacteria, CenKR is an essential two-component system (TCS) that regulates the expression of genes known or predicted to function in cell envelope biosynthesis, elongation, and/or division. Here, we leverage unique features of CenKR to understand how increasing its activity impacts cell elongation/division and use antibiotics to identify how modulating the activity of this TCS leads to changes in cell morphology. Our results provide new insight into how CenKR activity controls the structure and function of the bacterial envelope, the localization of cell elongation and division machinery, and cellular processes in organisms with importance in health, host-microbe interactions, and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D. Lakey
- Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - François Alberge
- Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel Parrell
- Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Elizabeth R. Wright
- Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center,Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel R. Noguera
- Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Timothy J. Donohue
- Wisconsin Energy Institute, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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15
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Eddenden A, Dooda MK, Morrison ZA, Subramanian AS, Howell PL, Troutman JM, Nitz M. The Metabolic Usage and Glycan Destinations of GlcNAz in E. coli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.17.553294. [PMID: 37645909 PMCID: PMC10462111 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.17.553294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria use a diverse range of carbohydrates to generate a profusion of glycans, with amino sugars such as N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) being prevalent in the cell wall and in many exopolysaccharides. The primary substrate for GlcNAc-containing glycans, UDP-GlcNAc, is the product of the bacterial hexosamine pathway, and a key target for bacterial metabolic glycan engineering. Using the strategy of expressing NahK, to circumvent the hexosamine pathway, it is possible to directly feed the analogue of GlcNAc, N-azidoacetylglucosamine (GlcNAz), for metabolic labelling in E. coli. The cytosolic production of UDP-GlcNAz was confirmed using fluorescence assisted polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The key question of where GlcNAz is incorporated, was interrogated by analyzing potential sites including: peptidoglycan (PGN), the biofilm-related exopolysaccharide poly-β-1,6-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA). The highest levels of incorporation were observed in PGN with lower levels in PNAG and no observable incorporation in LPS or ECA. The promiscuity of the PNAG synthase (PgaCD) towards UDP-GlcNAz in vitro and lack of undecaprenyl-pyrophosphoryl-GlcNAz intermediates generated in vivo confirmed the incorporation preferences. The results of this work will guide the future development of carbohydrate-based probes and metabolic engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Eddenden
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Manoj K Dooda
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
| | - Zachary A Morrison
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adithya Shankara Subramanian
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - P Lynne Howell
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jerry M Troutman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
| | - Mark Nitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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16
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Kenry, Liu B. Bioorthogonal reactions and AIEgen-based metabolically engineered theranostic systems. Chem 2023; 9:2078-2094. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chempr.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
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17
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Figueroa-Cuilan WM, Irazoki O, Feeley M, Smith E, Nguyen T, Cava F, Goley ED. Quantitative analysis of morphogenesis and growth dynamics in an obligate intracellular bacterium. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar69. [PMID: 37017481 PMCID: PMC10295487 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-01-0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Obligate intracellular bacteria of the order Rickettsiales include important human pathogens. However, our understanding of the biology of Rickettsia species is limited by challenges imposed by their obligate intracellular lifestyle. To overcome this roadblock, we developed methods to assess cell wall composition, growth, and morphology of Rickettsia parkeri, a human pathogen in the spotted fever group of the Rickettsia genus. Analysis of the cell wall of R. parkeri revealed unique features that distinguish it from free-living alphaproteobacteria. Using a novel fluorescence microscopy approach, we quantified R. parkeri morphology in live host cells and found that the fraction of the population undergoing cell division decreased over the course of infection. We further demonstrated the feasibility of localizing fluorescence fusions, for example, to the cell division protein ZapA, in live R. parkeri for the first time. To evaluate population growth kinetics, we developed an imaging-based assay that improves on the throughput and resolution of other methods. Finally, we applied these tools to quantitatively demonstrate that the actin homologue MreB is required for R. parkeri growth and rod shape. Collectively, a toolkit was developed of high-throughput, quantitative tools to understand growth and morphogenesis of R. parkeri that is translatable to other obligate intracellular bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanda M. Figueroa-Cuilan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2185
| | - Oihane Irazoki
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine, Umeå Center for Microbial Research, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marissa Feeley
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2185
| | - Erika Smith
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2185
| | - Trung Nguyen
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2185
| | - Felipe Cava
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine, Umeå Center for Microbial Research, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Erin D. Goley
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2185
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18
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Finin P, Khan RMN, Oh S, Boshoff HIM, Barry CE. Chemical approaches to unraveling the biology of mycobacteria. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:420-435. [PMID: 37207631 PMCID: PMC10201459 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), perhaps more than any other organism, is intrinsically appealing to chemical biologists. Not only does the cell envelope feature one of the most complex heteropolymers found in nature1 but many of the interactions between Mtb and its primary host (we humans) rely on lipid and not protein mediators.2,3 Many of the complex lipids, glycolipids, and carbohydrates biosynthesized by the bacterium still have unknown functions, and the complexity of the pathological processes by which tuberculosis (TB) disease progress offers many opportunities for these molecules to influence the human response. Because of the importance of TB in global public health, chemical biologists have applied a wide-ranging array of techniques to better understand the disease and improve interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Finin
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - R M Naseer Khan
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sangmi Oh
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Helena I M Boshoff
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Clifton E Barry
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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19
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Kim W, Kim M, Park W. Unlocking the mystery of lysine toxicity on Microcystis aeruginosa. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 448:130932. [PMID: 36860069 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Lysine toxicity on certain groups of bacterial cells has been recognized for many years, but the detailed molecular mechanisms that drive this phenomenon have not been elucidated. Many cyanobacteria including Microcystis aeruginosa cannot efficiently export and degrade lysine, although they have evolved to maintain a single copy of the lysine uptake system through which arginine or ornithine can also be transported into the cytoplasm. Autoradiographic analysis using 14C-l-lysine confirmed that lysine was competitively uptaken into cells with arginine or ornithine, which explained the arginine or ornithine-mediated alleviation of lysine toxicity in M. aeruginosa. A relatively non-specific MurE amino acid ligase could incorporate l-lysine into the 3rd position of UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-tripeptide by replacing meso-diaminopimelic acid during the stepwise addition of amino acids on peptidoglycan (PG) biosynthesis. However, further transpeptidation was blocked because lysine substitution at the pentapeptide of the cell wall inhibited the activity of transpeptidases. The leaky PG structure caused irreversible damage to the photosynthetic system and membrane integrity. Collectively, our results suggest that a lysine-mediated coarse-grained PG network and the absence of concrete septal PG lead to the death of slow-growing cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonjae Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular Environmental Microbiology, Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Minkyung Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular Environmental Microbiology, Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Woojun Park
- Laboratory of Molecular Environmental Microbiology, Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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20
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Zheng Q, Chang PV. Shedding Light on Bacterial Physiology with Click Chemistry. Isr J Chem 2023; 63:e202200064. [PMID: 37841997 PMCID: PMC10569449 DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202200064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria constitute a major lifeform on this planet and play numerous roles in ecology, physiology, and human disease. However, conventional methods to probe their activities are limited in their ability to visualize and identify their functions in these diverse settings. In the last two decades, the application of click chemistry to label these microbes has deepened our understanding of bacterial physiology. With the development of a plethora of chemical tools that target many biological molecules, it is possible to track these microorganisms in real-time and at unprecedented resolution. Here, we review click chemistry, including bioorthogonal reactions, and their applications in imaging bacterial glycans, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids using chemical reporters. We also highlight significant advances that have enabled biological discoveries that have heretofore remained elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Zheng
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Pamela V Chang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Cornell Center for Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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21
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Kwan JMC, Qiao Y. Mechanistic Insights into the Activities of Major Families of Enzymes in Bacterial Peptidoglycan Assembly and Breakdown. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202200693. [PMID: 36715567 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200693] [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: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Serving as an exoskeletal scaffold, peptidoglycan is a polymeric macromolecule that is essential and conserved across all bacteria, yet is absent in mammalian cells; this has made bacterial peptidoglycan a well-established excellent antibiotic target. In addition, soluble peptidoglycan fragments derived from bacteria are increasingly recognised as key signalling molecules in mediating diverse intra- and inter-species communication in nature, including in gut microbiota-host crosstalk. Each bacterial species encodes multiple redundant enzymes for key enzymatic activities involved in peptidoglycan assembly and breakdown. In this review, we discuss recent findings on the biochemical activities of major peptidoglycan enzymes, including peptidoglycan glycosyltransferases (PGT) and transpeptidases (TPs) in the final stage of peptidoglycan assembly, as well as peptidoglycan glycosidases, lytic transglycosylase (LTs), amidases, endopeptidases (EPs) and carboxypeptidases (CPs) in peptidoglycan turnover and metabolism. Biochemical characterisation of these enzymes provides valuable insights into their substrate specificity, regulation mechanisms and potential modes of inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeric Mun Chung Kwan
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore.,LKC School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, 11 Mandalay Road, Singapore, Singapore, 208232, Singapore
| | - Yuan Qiao
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore, 637371, Singapore
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22
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Chen D, Guo J, Li A, Sun C, Lin H, Lin H, Yang C, Wang W, Gao J. Metabolic fluorine labeling and hotspot imaging of dynamic gut microbiota in mice. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabg6808. [PMID: 36706178 PMCID: PMC9882976 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg6808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Real-time localization and microbial activity information of indigenous gut microbiota over an extended period of time remains a challenge with existing visualizing methods. Here, we report a metabolic fluorine labeling (MEFLA)-based strategy for monitoring the dynamic gut microbiota via 19F magnetic resonance imaging (19F MRI). In situ labeling of different microbiota subgroups is achieved by using a panel of peptidoglycan-targeting MEFLA probes containing 19F atoms of different chemical shifts, and subsequent real-time in vivo imaging is accomplished by multiplexed hotspot 19F MRI with high sensitivity and unlimited penetration. Using this method, we realize extended visualization (>24 hours) of native gut microbes located at different intestinal sections and semiquantitative analysis of their metabolic dynamics modulated by various conditions, such as the host death and different β-lactam antibiotics. Our strategy holds great potential for noninvasive and real-time assessing of the metabolic activities and locations of the highly dynamic gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Junnan Guo
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Ao Li
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chengjie Sun
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Huibin Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Hongyu Lin
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Jinhao Gao
- Department of Chemical Biology, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
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23
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PBP1A Directly Interacts with the Divisome Complex to Promote Septal Peptidoglycan Synthesis in Acinetobacter baumannii. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0023922. [PMID: 36317921 PMCID: PMC9765026 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00239-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The class A penicillin-binding proteins (aPBPs), PBP1A and PBP1B, are major peptidoglycan synthases that synthesize more than half of the peptidoglycan per generation in Escherichia coli. Whereas aPBPs have distinct roles in peptidoglycan biosynthesis during growth (i.e., elongation and division), they are semiredundant; disruption of either is rescued by the other to maintain envelope homeostasis and promote proper growth. Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen that has a high propensity to overcome antimicrobial treatment. A. baumannii contains both PBP1A and PBP1B (encoded by mrcA and mrcB, respectively), but only mrcA deletion decreased fitness and contributed to colistin resistance through inactivation of lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis, indicating that PBP1B was not functionally redundant with the PBP1A activity. While previous studies suggested a distinct role for PBP1A in division, it was unknown whether its role in septal peptidoglycan biosynthesis was direct. Here, we show that A. baumannii PBP1A has a direct role in division through interactions with divisome components. PBP1A localizes to septal sites during growth, where it interacts with the transpeptidase PBP3, an essential division component that regulates daughter cell formation. PBP3 overexpression was sufficient to rescue the division defect in ΔmrcA A. baumannii; however, PBP1A overexpression was not sufficient to rescue the septal defect when PBP3 was inhibited, suggesting that their activity is not redundant. Overexpression of a major dd-carboxypeptidase, PBP5, also restored the canonical A. baumannii coccobacilli morphology in ΔmrcA cells. Together, these data support a direct role for PBP1A in A. baumannii division and highlights its role as a septal peptidoglycan synthase. IMPORTANCE Peptidoglycan biosynthesis is a validated target of β-lactam antibiotics, and it is critical that we understand essential processes in multidrug-resistant pathogens such as Acinetobacter baumannii. While model systems such as Escherichia coli have shown that PBP1A is associated with side wall peptidoglycan synthesis, we show herein that A. baumannii PBP1A directly interacts with the divisome component PBP3 to promote division, suggesting a unique role for the enzyme in this highly drug-resistant nosocomial pathogen. A. baumannii demonstrated unanticipated resistance and tolerance to envelope-targeting antibiotics, which may be driven by rewired peptidoglycan machinery and may underlie therapeutic failure during antibiotic treatment.
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24
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Gao J, Qin J, Ding C, Gao Y, Guo J, Li M, Yang C, Wang W. Fluorescent metabolic labeling-based quick antibiotic susceptibility test for anaerobic bacteria. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:1314-1319. [PMID: 36349219 PMCID: PMC9627725 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00163b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Because of the advancements in medicine and science, the numbers of patients surviving complicated diseases are continuously increasing, which in turn leads to elevated chances of anaerobic infections by endogenous bacteria. Traditional growth yield-based antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs) against anaerobic bacteria are very time-consuming (≥48 h) and labor intensive, which delays the timely guidance of antibiotic prescription and increases the mortality of patients. Inspired by a fluorescent d-amino acid (FDAA) labeling-based AST (FaAST) that we recently developed for quick determination of aerobic bacteria's susceptibilities, here we report an accurate and fast AST method for anaerobic pathogens. Based on flow cytometry analysis of anaerobes that have been treated with various doses of antibiotics and metabolically labeled with FDAA, the intensities of which can reflect their affected metabolic status by the drugs, the MICs of each drug can then be determined. The whole process can be completed in 5 h. After testing 40 combinations of the representative anaerobic bacteria and antibiotics, our method demonstrates a high susceptibility category accuracy of 95.0%. This FaAST-based protocol is helpful in accurately and quickly guiding antibiotic decisions when treating critical infections caused by anaerobic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Juanxiu Qin
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Chenling Ding
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Junnan Guo
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
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25
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BELITSKY BORISR. VanG- and D-Ala-D-Ser-dependent peptidoglycan synthesis and vancomycin resistance in Clostridioides difficile. Mol Microbiol 2022; 118:526-540. [PMID: 36065735 PMCID: PMC9671823 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14980] [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: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A Clostridioides difficile strain deficient in the ddl gene is unable to synthesize the dipeptide D-Ala-D-Ala, an essential component of peptidoglycan and the target of vancomycin. We isolated spontaneous suppressors of a ∆ddl mutation that allowed cell growth in the absence of D-Ala-D-Ala. The mutations caused constitutive or partly constitutive expression of the vancomycin-inducible vanG operon responsible for the synthesis of D-Ala-D-Ser, which can replace D-Ala-D-Ala in peptidoglycan. The mutations mapped to the vanS or vanR genes, which regulate expression of the vanG operon. The constitutive level of vanG expression was about 10-fold above that obtained by vancomycin induction. The incorporation of D-Ala-D-Ser into peptidoglycan due to high expression of the vanG operon conferred only low-level resistance to vancomycin, but VanG was found to synthesize D-Ala-D-Ala in addition to D-Ala-D-Ser. However, the same, low resistance to vancomycin was also observed in cells completely unable to synthesize D-Ala-D-Ala and grown in the presence of D-Ala-D-Ser. D-Ala-D-Ala presence was required for efficient vancomycin induction of the vanG operon showing that vancomycin is not by itself able to activate VanS. D-Ala-D-Ser, similar to D-Ala-D-Ala, served as an anti-activator of DdlR, the positive regulator of the ddl gene, thereby coupling vanG and ddl expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- BORIS R. BELITSKY
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA
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26
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Abstract
Transmission of bacterial endospores between the environment and people and the following germination in vivo play critical roles in both the deadly infections of some bacterial pathogens and the stabilization of the commensal microbiotas in humans. Our knowledge about the germination process of different bacteria in the mammalian gut, however, is still very limited due to the lack of suitable tools to visually monitor this process. We proposed a two-step labeling strategy that can image and quantify the endospores' germination in the recipient's intestines. Endospores collected from donor's gut microbiota were first labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate and transplanted to mice via gavage. The recipient mice were then administered with Cyanine5-tagged D-amino acid to label all the viable bacteria, including the germinated endospores, in their intestines in situ. The germinated donor endospores could be distinguished by presenting two types of fluorescent signals simultaneously. The integrative use of cell-sorting, 16S rDNA sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) staining of the two-colored bacteria unveiled the taxonomic information of the donor endospores that germinated in the recipient's gut. Using this strategy, we investigated effects of different germinants and pre-treatment interventions on their germination, and found that germination of different commensal bacterial genera was distinctly affected by various types of germinants. This two-color labeling strategy shows its potential as a versatile tool for visually monitoring endospore germination in the hosts and screening for new interventions to improve endospore-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Xu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liyuan Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yahui Du
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huibin Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Song
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China,The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China,CONTACT Chaoyong Yang
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China,Wei Wang Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai200127, China
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27
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Li L, Ng AWR, Adamson C, Hayashi H, Li C, Lim H, Qiao Y. Chemoenzymatic Probes Reveal Peptidoglycan Recognition and Uptake Mechanisms in Candida albicans. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:2538-2550. [PMID: 35968762 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Candida albicans, the major fungal pathogen in humans, is under the strong influence of bacterial peptidoglycan fragments to undergo the yeast-to-hyphae transition, a key virulent step in C. albicans pathogenesis and infections. However, due to the synthetic difficulties of obtaining peptidoglycan fragments for biological studies, mechanistic details of how C. albicans recognizes and uptakes these peptidoglycan fragments have not been well elucidated. Notably, previous works have solely focused on the synthetic peptidoglycan ligand, muramyl dipeptide (MDP), despite its poor hyphal-inducing activity in C. albicans. In this work, we isolated and purified natural peptidoglycan fragments via enzymatic degradation of bacteria cell wall sacculi and chemoenzymatically installed a series of functional d-amino acids into the natural muropeptide, creating peptidoglycan probes that bear photoaffinity, bio-orthogonal, or fluorescent functionality. Using these chemoenzymatic peptidoglycan probes, we established that natural peptidoglycan fragments, which are potent hyphal-inducers, interact with the C. albicans Cyr1 sensor protein in the in-gel fluorescence assay as well as in in vitro pulldown studies. Moreover, we established that bacterial peptidoglycan probes enter C. albicans cells via an energy-dependent endocytic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanxin Li
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
| | - Allan Wee Ren Ng
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
| | - Christopher Adamson
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
| | - Hirohito Hayashi
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
| | - Chenyu Li
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
| | - Huiyi Lim
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
| | - Yuan Qiao
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry (CBC), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS), Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, S637371 Singapore
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28
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Zhang C, Reymond L, Rutschmann O, Meyer MA, Denereaz J, Qiao J, Ryckebusch F, Griffié J, Stepp WL, Manley S. Fluorescent d-Amino Acids for Super-resolution Microscopy of the Bacterial Cell Wall. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:2418-2424. [PMID: 35994360 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent d-amino acids (FDAAs) have previously been developed to enable in situ highlighting of locations of bacterial cell wall growth. Most bacterial cells lie at the edge of the diffraction limit of visible light; thus, resolving the precise details of peptidoglycan (PG) biosynthesis requires super-resolution microscopy after probe incorporation. Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has stringent requirements on the fluorophore photophysical properties and therefore has remained challenging in this context. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of new FDAAs compatible with one-step labeling and SMLM imaging. We demonstrate the incorporation of our probes and their utility for visualizing PG at the nanoscale in Gram-negative, Gram-positive, and mycobacteria species. This improved FDAA toolkit will endow researchers with a nanoscale perspective on the spatial distribution of PG biosynthesis for a broad range of bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Luc Reymond
- Biomolecular Screening Core Facility, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Ophélie Rutschmann
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Mischa A Meyer
- Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Julien Denereaz
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Jiangtao Qiao
- Environmental Engineering Institute, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Faustine Ryckebusch
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Juliette Griffié
- Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Willi L Stepp
- Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Suliana Manley
- Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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29
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Lorente Cobo N, Sibinelli-Sousa S, Biboy J, Vollmer W, Bayer-Santos E, Prehna G. Molecular characterization of the type VI secretion system effector Tlde1a reveals a structurally altered LD-transpeptidase fold. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102556. [PMID: 36183829 PMCID: PMC9638812 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a molecular machine that Gram-negative bacteria have adapted for multiple functions, including interbacterial competition. Bacteria use the T6SS to deliver protein effectors into adjacent cells to kill rivals and establish niche dominance. Central to T6SS-mediated bacterial competition is an arms race to acquire diverse effectors to attack and neutralize target cells. The peptidoglycan has a central role in bacterial cell physiology, and effectors that biochemically modify peptidoglycan structure effectively induce cell death. One such T6SS effector is Tlde1a from Salmonella Typhimurium. Tlde1a functions as an LD-carboxypeptidase to cleave tetrapeptide stems and as an LD-transpeptidase to exchange the terminal D-alanine of a tetrapeptide stem with a noncanonical D-amino acid. To understand how Tlde1a exhibits toxicity at the molecular level, we determined the X-ray crystal structure of Tlde1a alone and in complex with D-amino acids. Our structural data revealed that Tlde1a possesses a unique LD-transpeptidase fold consisting of a dual pocket active site with a capping subdomain. This includes an exchange pocket to bind a D-amino acid for exchange and a catalytic pocket to position the D-alanine of a tetrapeptide stem for cleavage. Our toxicity assays in Escherichia coli and in vitro peptidoglycan biochemical assays with Tlde1a variants correlate Tlde1a molecular features directly to its biochemical functions. We observe that the LD-carboxypeptidase and LD-transpeptidase activities of Tlde1a are both structurally and functionally linked. Overall, our data highlight how an LD-transpeptidase fold has been structurally altered to create a toxic effector in the T6SS arms race.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Lorente Cobo
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Stephanie Sibinelli-Sousa
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jacob Biboy
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Ethel Bayer-Santos
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gerd Prehna
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
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30
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Gao J, Sun D, Li B, Yang C, Wang W. Integrated identification of growth pattern and taxon of bacterium in gut microbiota via confocal fluorescence imaging-oriented single-cell sequencing. MLIFE 2022; 1:350-358. [PMID: 38818223 PMCID: PMC10989894 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Despite the fast progress in our understanding of the complex functions of gut microbiota, it is still challenging to directly investigate the in vivo microbial activities and processes on an individual cell basis. To gain knowledge of the indigenous growth/division patterns of the diverse mouse gut bacteria with a relatively high throughput, here, we propose an integrative strategy, which combines the use of fluorescent probe labeling, confocal imaging with single-cell sorting, and sequencing. Mouse gut bacteria sequentially labeled by two fluorescent d-amino acid probes in vivo were first imaged by confocal microscopy to visualize their growth patterns, which can be unveiled by the distribution of the two fluorescence signals on each bacterium. Bacterial cells of interest on the imaging slide were then sorted using a laser ejection equipment, and the collected cells were then sequenced individually to identify their taxa. Our strategy allows integrated acquirement of the growth pattern knowledge of a variety of gut bacteria and their genomic information on a single-cell basis, which should also have great potential in studying many other complex bacterial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Di Sun
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Bei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Optics, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and PhysicsChinese Academy of SciencesChangchunChina
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, Xiamen UniversityCollege of Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringXiamenChina
| | - Wei Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji HospitalShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
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31
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Mohamed MS, Abdelkader K, Gomaa HAM, Batubara AS, Gamal M, Sayed AM. Mechanistic study of the antibacterial potential of the prenylated flavonoid auriculasin against Escherichia coli. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2022; 355:e2200360. [PMID: 36029269 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial resistance is spreading in an alarming manner, outpacing the rate of development of new antibacterial agents and surging the need for effective alternatives. Prenylated flavonoids are a promising class of natural antibiotics with reported activity against a wide range of resistant pathogens. Here, a large library of natural flavonoids (1718 structures) was virtually screened for potential candidates inhibiting the B-subunit of gyrase (Gyr-B). Twenty-eight candidates, predominated by prenylated flavonoids, appeared as promising hits. Six of them were selected for further in vitro antibacterial and Gyr-B enzyme inhibitory activities. Auriculasin is presented as the most potent antibacterial candidate, with a MIC ranging from 2 to 4 µg/ml against two clinically isolated multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strains. Mechanistic antibacterial analysis revealed auriculasin inhibitory activity towards the Gyr-B enzyme on the micromolar scale (IC50 = 0.38 ± 0.15 µM). Gyr-B interaction was further detailed by conducting an isothermal titration calorimetric experiment, which revealed a competitive inhibition with a high affinity for the Gyr-B active site, achieved mostly through enthalpic interactions (ΔGbinding = -10.69 kcal/mol). Molecular modeling and physics-based simulations demonstrated the molecule's manner of fitting inside the Gyr-B active site, indicating a very potential nucleus for the future generation of more potent derivatives. To conclude, prenylated flavonoids are interesting antibacterial candidates with anti-Gyr-B mechanism of action that can be obtained from a plant-derived flavonoid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malik S Mohamed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Karim Abdelkader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Hesham A M Gomaa
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afnan S Batubara
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Gamal
- Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Sayed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
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Holtrup S, Greger M, Mayer B, Specht M, Waidner B. Insights Into the Helical Shape Complex of Helicobacter pylori. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:929194. [PMID: 36090072 PMCID: PMC9448923 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.929194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One important factor that promotes the colonization of the upper digestive system of the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori is its helical cell shape. The bacteria cell shape is predominantly defined by its peptidoglycan cell wall. In rod-shaped species, PG synthesis is mediated by two dynamic molecular machines that facilitate growth along the perpendicular axis and the septum, called the elongasome and the divisome, respectively. Furthermore, many bacteria evolved additional mechanisms to locally change PG synthesis patterns to generate diverse cell shapes. Recent work characterizing cell shape mutants of Helicobacter pylori revealed a novel mechanism for the generation of a twisted helix from a rod, including PG-modifying enzymes as well as additional proteins such as the bactofilin homolog CcmA or the membrane proteins Csd5 and Csd7. In this study, we investigate the localization and dynamics of CcmA and Csd7 using live-cell imaging. We also address the question of how these change in the presence or absence of the putative interaction partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Holtrup
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Greger
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Mayer
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Mara Specht
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Barbara Waidner
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Barbara Waidner,
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Mendes SS, Marques J, Mesterházy E, Straetener J, Arts M, Pissarro T, Reginold J, Berscheid A, Bornikoel J, Kluj RM, Mayer C, Oesterhelt F, Friães S, Royo B, Schneider T, Brötz-Oesterhelt H, Romão CC, Saraiva LM. Synergetic Antimicrobial Activity and Mechanism of Clotrimazole-Linked CO-Releasing Molecules. ACS BIO & MED CHEM AU 2022; 2:419-436. [PMID: 35996473 PMCID: PMC9389576 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomedchemau.2c00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Several metal-based
carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CORMs)
are active CO donors with established antibacterial activity. Among
them, CORM conjugates with azole antibiotics of type [Mn(CO)3(2,2′-bipyridyl)(azole)]+ display important synergies
against several microbes. We carried out a structure–activity
relationship study based upon the lead structure of [Mn(CO)3(Bpy)(Ctz)]+ by producing clotrimazole (Ctz) conjugates
with varying metal and ligands. We concluded that the nature of the
bidentate ligand strongly influences the bactericidal activity, with
the substitution of bipyridyl by small bicyclic ligands leading to
highly active clotrimazole conjugates. On the contrary, the metal
did not influence the activity. We found that conjugate [Re(CO)3(Bpy)(Ctz)]+ is more than the sum of its parts:
while precursor [Re(CO)3(Bpy)Br] has no antibacterial activity
and clotrimazole shows only moderate minimal inhibitory concentrations,
the potency of [Re(CO)3(Bpy)(Ctz)]+ is one order
of magnitude higher than that of clotrimazole, and the spectrum of
bacterial target species includes Gram-positive and Gram-negative
bacteria. The addition of [Re(CO)3(Bpy)(Ctz)]+ to Staphylococcus aureus causes a
general impact on the membrane topology, has inhibitory effects on
peptidoglycan biosynthesis, and affects energy functions. The mechanism
of action of this kind of CORM conjugates involves a sequence of events
initiated by membrane insertion, followed by membrane disorganization,
inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis, CO release, and break down
of the membrane potential. These results suggest that conjugation
of CORMs to known antibiotics may produce useful structures with synergistic
effects that increase the conjugate’s activity relative to
that of the antibiotic alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia S Mendes
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Joana Marques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Edit Mesterházy
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Jan Straetener
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Cluster of Excellence Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection. University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Melina Arts
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, University Clinic Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Teresa Pissarro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Jorgina Reginold
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Anne Berscheid
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Cluster of Excellence Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection. University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jan Bornikoel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Cluster of Excellence Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection. University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Robert M Kluj
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Organismic Interactions, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Mayer
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Organismic Interactions, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Filipp Oesterhelt
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Cluster of Excellence Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection. University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Sofia Friães
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Royo
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, University Clinic Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Heike Brötz-Oesterhelt
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Dept. of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Cluster of Excellence Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection. University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Carlos C Romão
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Lígia M Saraiva
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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Peptidoglycan Recycling Promotes Outer Membrane Integrity and Carbapenem Tolerance in Acinetobacter baumannii. mBio 2022; 13:e0100122. [PMID: 35638738 PMCID: PMC9239154 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01001-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
β-Lactam antibiotics exploit the essentiality of the bacterial cell envelope by perturbing the peptidoglycan layer, typically resulting in rapid lysis and death. Many Gram-negative bacteria do not lyse but instead exhibit "tolerance," the ability to sustain viability in the presence of bactericidal antibiotics for extended periods. Antibiotic tolerance has been implicated in treatment failure and is a stepping-stone in the acquisition of true resistance, and the molecular factors that promote intrinsic tolerance are not well understood. Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical-threat nosocomial pathogen notorious for its ability to rapidly develop multidrug resistance. Carbapenem β-lactam antibiotics (i.e., meropenem) are first-line prescriptions to treat A. baumannii infections, but treatment failure is increasingly prevalent. Meropenem tolerance in Gram-negative pathogens is characterized by morphologically distinct populations of spheroplasts, but the impact of spheroplast formation is not fully understood. Here, we show that susceptible A. baumannii clinical isolates demonstrate tolerance to high-level meropenem treatment, form spheroplasts upon exposure to the antibiotic, and revert to normal growth after antibiotic removal. Using transcriptomics and genetic screens, we show that several genes associated with outer membrane integrity maintenance and efflux promote tolerance, likely by limiting entry into the periplasm. Genes associated with peptidoglycan homeostasis in the periplasm and cytoplasm also answered our screen, and their disruption compromised cell envelope barrier function. Finally, we defined the enzymatic activity of the tolerance determinants penicillin-binding protein 7 (PBP7) and ElsL (a cytoplasmic ld-carboxypeptidase). These data show that outer membrane integrity and peptidoglycan recycling are tightly linked in their contribution to A. baumannii meropenem tolerance. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem treatment failure associated with "superbug" infections has rapidly increased in prevalence, highlighting the urgent need to develop new therapeutic strategies. Antibiotic tolerance can directly lead to treatment failure but has also been shown to promote the acquisition of true resistance within a population. While some studies have addressed mechanisms that promote tolerance, factors that underlie Gram-negative bacterial survival during carbapenem treatment are not well understood. Here, we characterized the role of peptidoglycan recycling in outer membrane integrity maintenance and meropenem tolerance in A. baumannii. These studies suggest that the pathogen limits antibiotic concentrations in the periplasm and highlight physiological processes that could be targeted to improve antimicrobial treatment.
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Penicillin-Binding Protein 1 (PBP1) of Staphylococcus aureus Has Multiple Essential Functions in Cell Division. mBio 2022; 13:e0066922. [PMID: 35703435 PMCID: PMC9426605 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00669-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cell division is a complex process requiring the coordination of multiple components to allow the appropriate spatial and temporal control of septum formation and cell scission. Peptidoglycan (PG) is the major structural component of the septum, and our recent studies in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus have revealed a complex, multistage PG architecture that develops during septation. Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) are essential for the final steps of PG biosynthesis; their transpeptidase activity links the peptide side chains of nascent glycan strands. PBP1 is required for cell division in S. aureus, and here, we demonstrate that it has multiple essential functions associated with its enzymatic activity and as a regulator of division. Loss of PBP1, or just its C-terminal PASTA domains, results in cessation of division at the point of septal plate formation. The PASTA domains can bind PG and thereby potentially coordinate the cell division process. The transpeptidase activity of PBP1 is also essential, but its loss leads to a strikingly different phenotype of thickened and aberrant septa, which is phenocopied by the morphological effects of adding the PBP1-specific β-lactam, meropenem. Together, these results lead to a model for septal PG synthesis where PBP1 enzyme activity is required for the characteristic architecture of the septum and PBP1 protein molecules enable the formation of the septal plate.
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36
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa Alters Peptidoglycan Composition under Nutrient Conditions Resembling Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infections. mSystems 2022; 7:e0015622. [PMID: 35545925 PMCID: PMC9239049 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00156-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemic strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are highly virulent opportunistic pathogens with increased transmissibility and enhanced antimicrobial resistance. Understanding the cellular mechanisms behind this heightened virulence and resistance is critical. Peptidoglycan (PG) is an integral component of P. aeruginosa cells that is essential to its survival and a target for antimicrobials. Here, we examined the global PG composition of two P. aeruginosa epidemic strains, LESB58 and LESlike1, and compared them to the common laboratory strains PAO1 and PA14. We also examined changes in PG composition when the strains were cultured under nutrient conditions that resembled cystic fibrosis lung infections. We identified 448 unique muropeptides and provide the first evidence for stem peptides modified with O-methylation, meso-diaminopimelic acid (mDAP) deamination, and novel substitutions of mDAP residues within P. aeruginosa PG. Our results also present the first evidence for both d,l- and l,d-endopeptidase activity on the PG sacculus of a Gram-negative organism. The PG composition of the epidemic strains varied significantly when grown under conditions resembling cystic fibrosis (CF) lung infections, showing increases in O-methylated stem peptides and decreases in l,d-endopeptidase activity as well as an increased abundance of de-N-acetylated sugars and l,d-transpeptidase activity, which are related to bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistance, respectively. We also identified strain-specific changes where LESlike1 increased the addition of unique amino acids to the terminus of the stem peptide and LESB58 increased amidase activity. Overall, this study demonstrates that P. aeruginosa PG composition is primarily influenced by nutrient conditions that mimic the CF lung; however, inherent strain-to-strain differences also exist. IMPORTANCE Using peptidoglycomics to examine the global composition of the peptidoglycan (PG) allows insights into the enzymatic activity that functions on this important biopolymer. Changes within the PG structure have implications for numerous physiological processes, including virulence and antimicrobial resistance. The identification of highly unique PG modifications illustrates the complexity of this biopolymer in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Analyzing the PG composition of clinical P. aeruginosa epidemic strains provides insights into the increased virulence and antimicrobial resistance of these difficult-to-eradicate infections.
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Gao J, Guo J, Chen J, Ding C, Wang J, Huang Q, Jian Y, Zhao X, Li M, Gao Y, Yang C, Wang W. d-Amino Acid-Based Metabolic Labeling Enables a Fast Antibiotic Susceptibility Test of Both Isolated Bacteria and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2101736. [PMID: 34898025 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202101736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The threat of multidrug-resistant bacteria has escalated rapidly, increasing the demand for accurate antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs). Traditional bacterial growth yield-based ASTs often take overnight to report, delaying the timely guidance of antibiotic use. Here, a fluorescent d-amino acid (FDAA) labeling-based AST (FaAST) is reported, which can quickly provide accurate minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The FDAA-labeling signals that reflect the bacterial metabolic status underlie the flow cytometry-based strategy for MIC determination. Resistant bacteria show a reluctant decline in FDAA-labeling (inhibited metabolism) after treatment with the corresponding antibiotics, whereas susceptible bacteria demonstrate quick responses to low doses of drugs. The MICs are determined based on the changing trends in labeling. After testing 23 clinical isolates and laboratory strains of the most critical drug-resistant bacteria against a panel of representative antibiotics, FaAST shows a high susceptibility category with an accuracy of 98.13%. Moreover, FaAST can also make quick and accurate diagnosis against bronchoalveolar lavage fluids collected from hospital-acquired pneumonia patients, saving 2-4 days in guiding antibiotic use for this life-threatening infection. Thus, the speed, accuracy, and broad applicability of FaAST will be valuable in informing antibiotic decisions when treating critical infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Gao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Junnan Guo
- Institute of Molecular Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Jianxiao Chen
- Department of Critical Care Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Chenling Ding
- Department of Critical Care Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Jiemin Wang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Qian Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Ying Jian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Xianyuan Zhao
- Department of Critical Care Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Critical Care Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces Department of Chemical Biology College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine Renji Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200127 China
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38
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Banahene N, Kavunja HW, Swarts BM. Chemical Reporters for Bacterial Glycans: Development and Applications. Chem Rev 2022; 122:3336-3413. [PMID: 34905344 PMCID: PMC8958928 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria possess an extraordinary repertoire of cell envelope glycans that have critical physiological functions. Pathogenic bacteria have glycans that are essential for growth and virulence but are absent from humans, making them high-priority targets for antibiotic, vaccine, and diagnostic development. The advent of metabolic labeling with bioorthogonal chemical reporters and small-molecule fluorescent reporters has enabled the investigation and targeting of specific bacterial glycans in their native environments. These tools have opened the door to imaging glycan dynamics, assaying and inhibiting glycan biosynthesis, profiling glycoproteins and glycan-binding proteins, and targeting pathogens with diagnostic and therapeutic payload. These capabilities have been wielded in diverse commensal and pathogenic Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and mycobacterial species─including within live host organisms. Here, we review the development and applications of chemical reporters for bacterial glycans, including peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharide, glycoproteins, teichoic acids, and capsular polysaccharides, as well as mycobacterial glycans, including trehalose glycolipids and arabinan-containing glycoconjugates. We cover in detail how bacteria-targeting chemical reporters are designed, synthesized, and evaluated, how they operate from a mechanistic standpoint, and how this information informs their judicious and innovative application. We also provide a perspective on the current state and future directions of the field, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary teams to create novel tools and extend existing tools to support fundamental and translational research on bacterial glycans.
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Magnesium rescues the morphology of Bacillus subtilis mreB mutants through its inhibitory effect on peptidoglycan hydrolases. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1137. [PMID: 35064120 PMCID: PMC8782873 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04294-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell wall homeostasis in bacteria is tightly regulated by balanced synthesis and degradation of peptidoglycan (PG), allowing cells to expand their sacculus during growth while maintaining physical integrity. In rod-shaped bacteria, actin-like MreB proteins are key players of the PG elongation machinery known as the Rod complex. In the Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis depletion of the essential MreB leads to loss of rod shape and cell lysis. However, millimolar concentrations of magnesium in the growth medium rescue the viability and morphological defects of mreB mutants by an unknown mechanism. Here, we used a combination of cytological, biochemical and biophysical approaches to investigate the cell surface properties of mreB null mutant cells and the interactions of Mg2+ with the cell wall of B. subtilis. We show that ∆mreB cells have rougher and softer surfaces, and changes in PG composition indicative of increased DL- and DD-endopeptidase activities as well as increased deacetylation of the sugar moieties. Increase in DL-endopeptidase activity is mitigated by excess Mg2+ while DD-endopeptidase activity remains high. Visualization of PG degradation in pulse-chase experiments showed anisotropic PG hydrolase activity along the sidewalls of ∆mreB cells, in particular at the sites of increased cell width and bulging, while PG synthesis remained isotropic. Overall, our data support a model in which divalent cations maintain rod shape in ∆mreB cells by inhibiting PG hydrolases, possibly through the formation of crosslinks with carboxyl groups of the PG meshwork that affect the capacity of PG hydrolases to act on their substrate.
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40
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Alhadrami HA, Abdulaal WH, Hassan HM, Alhakamy NA, Sayed AM. In Silico-Based Discovery of Natural Anthraquinones with Potential against Multidrug-Resistant E. coli. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15010086. [PMID: 35056143 PMCID: PMC8778091 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
E. coli is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes different human infections. Additionally, it resists common antibiotics due to its outer protective membrane. Natural products have been proven to be efficient antibiotics. However, plant natural products are far less explored in this regard. Accordingly, over 16,000 structures covering almost all African medicinal plants in AfroDb in a structural-based virtual screening were used to find efficient anti-E. coli candidates. These drug-like structures were docked into the active sites of two important molecular targets (i.e., E. coli’s Ddl-B and Gyr-B). The top-scoring hits (i.e., got docking scores < −10 kcal/mol) produced in the initial virtual screening (0.15% of the database structures for Ddl-B and 0.17% of the database structures for Gyr-B in the database) were further refined using molecular dynamic simulation-based binding free energy (ΔG) calculation. Anthraquinones were found to prevail among the retrieved hits. Accordingly, readily available anthraquinone derivatives (10 hits) were selected, prepared, and tested in vitro against Ddl-B, Gyr-B, multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli, MRSA, and VRSA. A number of the tested derivatives demonstrated strong micromolar enzyme inhibition and antibacterial activity against E. coli, MRSA, and VRSA, with MIC values ranging from 2 to 64 µg/mL. Moreover, both E. coli’s Ddl-B and Gyr-B were inhibited by emodin and chrysophanol with IC50 values comparable to the reference inhibitors (IC50 = 216 ± 5.6, 236 ± 8.9 and 0.81 ± 0.3, 1.5 ± 0.5 µM for Ddl-B and Gyr-B, respectively). All of the active antibacterial anthraquinone hits showed low to moderate cellular cytotoxicity (CC50 > 50 µM) against human normal fibroblasts (WI-38). Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) experiments were carried out to reveal the binding modes of these inhibitors inside the active site of each enzyme. The findings presented in this study are regarded as a significant step toward developing novel antibacterial agents against MDR strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hani A. Alhadrami
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80402, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Molecular Diagnostic Lab, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80402, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agent Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80402, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wesam H. Abdulaal
- Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80402, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Hossam M. Hassan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni-Suef 62513, Egypt
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt
- Correspondence: (H.M.H.); (A.M.S.)
| | - Nabil A. Alhakamy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80402, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ahmed M. Sayed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni-Suef 62513, Egypt
- Correspondence: (H.M.H.); (A.M.S.)
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41
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Lin H, Yang C, Wang W. Imitate to illuminate: labeling of bacterial peptidoglycan with fluorescent and bio-orthogonal stem peptide-mimicking probes. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:1198-1208. [PMID: 36320889 PMCID: PMC9533424 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00086e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of its high involvement in antibiotic therapy and the emergence of drug-resistance, the chemical structure and biosynthesis of bacterial peptidoglycan (PGN) have been some of the key topics in bacteriology for several decades. Recent advances in the development of fluorescent or bio-orthogonal stem peptide-mimicking probes for PGN-labeling have rekindled the interest of chemical biologists and microbiologists in this area. The structural designs, bio-orthogonal features and flexible uses of these peptide-based probes allow directly assessing, not only the presence of PGN in different biological systems, but also specific steps in PGN biosynthesis. In this review, we summarize the design rationales, functioning mechanisms, and microbial processes/questions involved in these PGN-targeting probes. Our perspectives on the limitations and future development of these tools are also presented. By imitating the structures of stem peptide, many fluorescent and bio-orthogonal labeling probes have been designed and used in illuminating the peptidoglycan biosynthesis processes.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
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42
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Identification of the potential active site of the septal peptidoglycan polymerase FtsW. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009993. [PMID: 34986161 PMCID: PMC8765783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
SEDS (Shape, Elongation, Division and Sporulation) proteins are widely conserved peptidoglycan (PG) glycosyltransferases that form complexes with class B penicillin-binding proteins (bPBPs, with transpeptidase activity) to synthesize PG during bacterial cell growth and division. Because of their crucial roles in bacterial morphogenesis, SEDS proteins are one of the most promising targets for the development of new antibiotics. However, how SEDS proteins recognize their substrate lipid II, the building block of the PG layer, and polymerize it into glycan strands is still not clear. In this study, we isolated and characterized dominant-negative alleles of FtsW, a SEDS protein critical for septal PG synthesis during bacterial cytokinesis. Interestingly, most of the dominant-negative FtsW mutations reside in extracellular loops that are highly conserved in the SEDS family. Moreover, these mutations are scattered around a central cavity in a modeled FtsW structure, which has been proposed to be the active site of SEDS proteins. Consistent with this, we found that these mutations blocked septal PG synthesis but did not affect FtsW localization to the division site, interaction with its partners nor its substrate lipid II. Taken together, these results suggest that the residues corresponding to the dominant-negative mutations likely constitute the active site of FtsW, which may aid in the design of FtsW inhibitors. SEDS (Shape, Elongation, Division and Sporulation) proteins are widely conserved peptidoglycan polymerases that play critical roles in cell elongation and cell division in rod-shaped bacteria. However, how they catalyze PG polymerization remains poorly understood. In this study, we isolated and characterized a set of dominant-negative mutations in the SEDS protein FtsW, which synthesizes septal peptidoglycan during cell division in most bacteria. Our results revealed that the dominant-negative mutations disrupt FtsW’s ability to synthesize peptidoglycan, but do not affect its other activities, suggesting that the corresponding amino acids may constitute the active site of FtsW.
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43
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Liechti GW. Localized Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis in Chlamydia trachomatis Conforms to the Polarized Division and Cell Size Reduction Developmental Models. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:733850. [PMID: 34956109 PMCID: PMC8699169 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.733850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell size regulation in bacteria is a function of two basic cellular processes: the expansion of the cell envelope and its constriction at spatially defined points at what will eventually become the division plane. In most bacterial species, both cell wall expansion and restriction are dependent on peptidoglycan (PG), a structural polymer comprised of sugars and amino acids that imparts strength and rigidity to bacterial membranes. Pathogenic Chlamydia species are unique in that their cell walls contain very little PG, which is restricted almost entirely to the apparent division plane of the microbe's replicative forms. Very little is known about the degree to which PG affects the size and shape of C. trachomatis during its division process, and recent studies suggest the process is initiated via a polarized mechanism. We conducted an imaging study to ascertain the dimensions, orientation, and relative density of chlamydial PG throughout the organism's developmental cycle. Our analysis indicates that PG in replicating C. trachomatis can be associated with four, broad structural forms; polar/septal disks, small/thick rings, large rings, and small/thin rings. We found that PG density appeared to be highest in septal disks and small/thick rings, indicating that these structures likely have high PG synthesis to degradation ratios. We also discovered that as C. trachomatis progresses through its developmental cycle PG structures, on average, decrease in total volume, indicating that the average cell volume of chlamydial RBs likely decreases over time. When cells infected with C. trachomatis are treated with inhibitors of critical components of the microbe's two distinct PG synthases, we observed drastic differences in the ratio of PG synthesis to degradation, as well as the volume and shape of PG-containing structures. Overall, our results suggest that C. trachomatis PG synthases differentially regulate the expansion and contraction of the PG ring during both the expansion and constriction of the microbe's cell membrane during cell growth and division, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- George W Liechti
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United States
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44
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Metabolic biorthogonal labeling and dSTORM imaging of peptidoglycan synthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:101006. [PMID: 34977669 PMCID: PMC8683770 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.101006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy is a method of choice for studying peptidoglycan assembly, but it presents two major challenges: the peptidoglycan must be labeled with a probe that will not perturb the physiological process, and the spatial resolution must reach the nanometer scale to reveal fine details of the synthesis process. This protocol meets both challenges by combining biorthogonal metabolic labeling of peptidoglycan in Streptococcus pneumoniae with super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (dSTORM), also providing cues to adapt it to other bacteria. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Trouve et al. (2021). Peptidoglycan can be labeled with a clickable D-Ala-D-Ala dipeptide The labeled peptidoglycan can be conjugated to a clickable Alexa Fluor 647 dye Fluorescently labeled peptidoglycan can be observed at 30-nm resolution by dSTORM
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45
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Unipolar Peptidoglycan Synthesis in the Rhizobiales Requires an Essential Class A Penicillin-Binding Protein. mBio 2021; 12:e0234621. [PMID: 34544272 PMCID: PMC8546619 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02346-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Rhizobiales are polarly growing bacteria that lack homologs of the canonical Rod complex. To investigate the mechanisms underlying polar cell wall synthesis, we systematically probed the function of cell wall synthesis enzymes in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The development of fluorescent d-amino acid dipeptide (FDAAD) probes, which are incorporated into peptidoglycan by penicillin-binding proteins in A. tumefaciens, enabled us to monitor changes in growth patterns in the mutants. Use of these fluorescent cell wall probes and peptidoglycan compositional analysis demonstrate that a single class A penicillin-binding protein is essential for polar peptidoglycan synthesis. Furthermore, we find evidence of an additional mode of cell wall synthesis that requires ld-transpeptidase activity. Genetic analysis and cell wall targeting antibiotics reveal that the mechanism of unipolar growth is conserved in Sinorhizobium and Brucella. This work provides insights into unipolar peptidoglycan biosynthesis employed by the Rhizobiales during cell elongation.
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46
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Tank RG, Lund VA, Kumar S, Turner RD, Lafage L, Pasquina Lemonche L, Bullough PA, Cadby A, Foster SJ, Hobbs JK. Correlative Super-Resolution Optical and Atomic Force Microscopy Reveals Relationships Between Bacterial Cell Wall Architecture and Synthesis in Bacillus subtilis. ACS NANO 2021; 15:16011-16018. [PMID: 34533301 PMCID: PMC8552488 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c04375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how bacteria grow and divide requires insight into both the molecular-level dynamics of ultrastructure and the chemistry of the constituent components. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can provide near molecular resolution images of biological systems but typically provides limited chemical information. Conversely, while super-resolution optical microscopy allows localization of particular molecules and chemistries, information on the molecular context is difficult to obtain. Here, we combine these approaches into STORMForce (stochastic optical reconstruction with atomic force microscopy) and the complementary SIMForce (structured illumination with atomic force microscopy), to map the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall structural macromolecule, peptidoglycan, during growth and division in the rod-shaped bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Using "clickable" d-amino acid incorporation, we fluorescently label and spatially localize a short and controlled period of peptidoglycan synthesis and correlate this information with high-resolution AFM of the resulting architecture. During division, septal synthesis occurs across its developing surface, suggesting a two-stage process with incorporation at the leading edge and with considerable in-filling behind. During growth, the elongation of the rod occurs through bands of synthesis, spaced by ∼300 nm, and corresponds to denser regions of the internal cell wall as revealed by AFM. Combining super-resolution optics and AFM can provide insights into the synthesis processes that produce the complex architectures of bacterial structural biopolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raveen
K. G. Tank
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria A. Lund
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Sandip Kumar
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Robert D. Turner
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- Department
of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 4DP, United Kingdom
| | - Lucia Lafage
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Laia Pasquina Lemonche
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Per A. Bullough
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Ashley Cadby
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J. Foster
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Jamie K. Hobbs
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
- The
Florey Institute for Host−Pathogen Interactions, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
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47
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Reboul A, Carlier E, Stubbe FX, Barbieux E, Demars A, Ong PTA, Gerodez A, Muraille E, De Bolle X. PdeA is required for the rod shape morphology of Brucella abortus. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:1449-1463. [PMID: 34662460 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic-di-GMP plays crucial role in the cell cycle regulation of the α-Proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Here we investigated its role in the α-Proteobacterium Brucella abortus, a zoonotic intracellular pathogen. Surprisingly, deletion of all predicted cyclic-di-GMP synthesizing or degrading enzymes did not drastically impair the growth of B. abortus, nor its ability to grow inside cell lines. As other Rhizobiales, B. abortus displays unipolar growth from the new cell pole generated by cell division. We found that the phosphodiesterase PdeA, the ortholog of the essential polar growth factor RgsP of the Rhizobiale Sinorhizobium meliloti, is required for rod shape integrity but is not essential for B. abortus growth. Indeed, the radius of the pole is increased by 31 ± 1.7% in a ΔpdeA mutant, generating a coccoid morphology. A mutation in the cyclic-di-GMP phosphodiesterase catalytic site of PdeA does not generate the coccoid morphology and the ΔpdeA mutant kept the ability to recruit markers of new and old poles. However, the presence of PdeA is required in an intra-nasal mouse model of infection. In conclusion, we propose that PdeA contributes to bacterial morphology and virulence in B. abortus, but it is not crucial for polarity and asymmetric growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Eric Muraille
- URBM, Narilis, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium.,Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles and ULB Center for Research in Immunology (U-CRI), Gosselies, Belgium
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48
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Briggs NS, Bruce KE, Naskar S, Winkler ME, Roper DI. The Pneumococcal Divisome: Dynamic Control of Streptococcus pneumoniae Cell Division. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:737396. [PMID: 34737730 PMCID: PMC8563077 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.737396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell division in Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is performed and regulated by a protein complex consisting of at least 14 different protein elements; known as the divisome. Recent findings have advanced our understanding of the molecular events surrounding this process and have provided new understanding of the mechanisms that occur during the division of pneumococcus. This review will provide an overview of the key protein complexes and how they are involved in cell division. We will discuss the interaction of proteins in the divisome complex that underpin the control mechanisms for cell division and cell wall synthesis and remodelling that are required in S. pneumoniae, including the involvement of virulence factors and capsular polysaccharides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas S. Briggs
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin E. Bruce
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Souvik Naskar
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Malcolm E. Winkler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - David I. Roper
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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49
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Lin H, Lin L, Du Y, Gao J, Yang C, Wang W. Biodistributions of l,d-Transpeptidases in Gut Microbiota Revealed by In Vivo Labeling with Peptidoglycan Analogs. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:1164-1171. [PMID: 34185512 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
By catalyzing a 3-3 cross-link in peptidoglycan, l,d-transpeptidases (Ldts) can cause resistance to β-lactams in some pathogens in vitro. However, the prevalence of Ldt and Ldt-mediated responses to different β-lactams in vivo have never been explored. Here, we apply an in vivo metabolic labeling strategy to study their biodistributions and Ldt-induced bacterial responses to β-lactams in the mouse gut microbiota. A tetrapeptide-based fluorescent probe that functions as a substrate for Ldts in Gram-positive bacteria efficiently labels ∼18% of total gut bacteria after gavage, suggesting Ldts' high prevalence in gut microbiota. The cellular distributions of 3-3 cross-links on three gut bacterial species were then identified with the aid of fluorescence in situ hybridization to identify the bacterial taxa. After oral administration of two β-lactams, ampicillin and meropenem, only the latter efficiently inhibits the tetrapeptide labeling, suggesting that Ldts may be able to cause resistance to some β-lactams in the mammalian gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Liyuan Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yahui Du
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Juan Gao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
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50
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Luong P, Dube DH. Dismantling the bacterial glycocalyx: Chemical tools to probe, perturb, and image bacterial glycans. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 42:116268. [PMID: 34130219 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial glycocalyx is a quintessential drug target comprised of structurally distinct glycans. Bacterial glycans bear unusual monosaccharide building blocks whose proper construction is critical for bacterial fitness, survival, and colonization in the human host. Despite their appeal as therapeutic targets, bacterial glycans are difficult to study due to the presence of rare bacterial monosaccharides that are linked and modified in atypical manners. Their structural complexity ultimately hampers their analytical characterization. This review highlights recent advances in bacterial chemical glycobiology and focuses on the development of chemical tools to probe, perturb, and image bacterial glycans and their biosynthesis. Current technologies have enabled the study of bacterial glycosylation machinery even in the absence of detailed structural information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong Luong
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bowdoin College, 6600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
| | - Danielle H Dube
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Bowdoin College, 6600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA.
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