1
|
Sprenger M, Siemers M, Krautwurst S, Papenfort K. Small RNAs direct attack and defense mechanisms in a quorum sensing phage and its host. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:727-738.e6. [PMID: 38579715 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.03.010] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Many, if not all, bacteria use quorum sensing (QS) to control collective behaviors, and more recently, QS has also been discovered in bacteriophages (phages). Phages can produce communication molecules of their own, or "listen in" on the host's communication processes, to switch between lytic and lysogenic modes of infection. Here, we study the interaction of Vibrio cholerae with the lysogenic phage VP882, which is activated by the QS molecule DPO. We discover that induction of VP882 results in the binding of phage transcripts to the major RNA chaperone Hfq, which in turn outcompetes and downregulates host-encoded small RNAs (sRNAs). VP882 itself also encodes Hfq-binding sRNAs, and we demonstrate that one of these sRNAs, named VpdS, promotes phage replication by regulating host and phage mRNA levels. We further show that host-encoded sRNAs can antagonize phage replication by downregulating phage mRNA expression and thus might be part of the host's phage defense arsenal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Sprenger
- Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Malte Siemers
- Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany; Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Kai Papenfort
- Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany; Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Park JH, Song S, Kim S, Kim M, Kim KS. Optimizing Conditions for the Production of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles of Vibrio vulnificus and Analysis of the Inner Small RNA Compositions. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 34:29-38. [PMID: 38044684 PMCID: PMC10840491 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2310.10002] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Chemical and physical elements affecting the production of bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) of the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus were quantitatively assessed to optimize the conditions for the BEV production by using the western blot quantification for an outer membrane porin OmpU and by fluorescent dye FM4-64. When cells were cultured at 37°C in an enriched medium (2 × Luria Bertani; 2 × LB) in the presence of EDTA, they produced about 70% more BEVs. BEVs were purified from the cells cultured in the established optimal conditions by the density gradient ultracentrifugation. The dynamic light scattering measurement of the purified BEVs showed that the diameter of them ranged from approximately 25 nm to 161 nm. We hypothesized that there may be some features in nucleotide sequences specific to RNAs packaged in BEVs compared to those in cellular RNA molecules. We compared the nucleotide sequences and abundance of sRNAs between in the cellular fraction and in BEVs through next-generation sequencing (NGS). While no distinct feature was observed in the nucleotide sequences of sRNAs between two groups, the length of sRNA fragments from BEVs were significantly shorter than those in cytoplasm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Heon Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Suji Song
- Department of Life Sciences, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Soyee Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjeong Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Kun-Soo Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Meyer FM, Repnik U, Karnaukhova E, Schubert K, Bramkamp M. Effects of benzothiazinone and ethambutol on the integrity of the corynebacterial cell envelope. Cell Surf 2023; 10:100116. [PMID: 38044953 PMCID: PMC10689261 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2023.100116] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The mycomembrane (MM) is a mycolic acid layer covering the surface of Mycobacteria and related species. This group includes important pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, but also the biotechnologically important strain Corynebacterium glutamicum. Biosynthesis of the MM is an attractive target for antibiotic intervention. The first line anti-tuberculosis drug ethambutol (EMB) and the new drug candidate, benzothiazinone 043 (BTZ) interfere with the synthesis of the arabinogalactan (AG), which is a structural scaffold for covalently attached mycolic acids that form the inner leaflet of the MM. We previously showed that C. glutamicum cells treated with a sublethal concentration of EMB lose the integrity of the MM. In this study we examined the effects of BTZ on the cell envelope. Our work shows that BTZ efficiently blocks the apical growth machinery, however effects in combinatorial treatment with β-lactam antibiotics are only additive, not synergistic. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed a distinct middle layer in the septum of control cells considered to be the inner leaflet of the MM covalently attached to the AG. This layer was not detectable in the septa of BTZ or EMB treated cells. In addition, we observed that EMB treated cells have a thicker and less electron dense peptidoglycan (PG). While EMB and BTZ both effectively block elongation growth, BTZ also strongly reduces septal cell wall synthesis, slowing down growth effectively. This renders BTZ treated cells likely more tolerant to antibiotics that act on growing bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian M. Meyer
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Urska Repnik
- Central Microscopy Facility, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Karnaukhova
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Karin Schubert
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Marc Bramkamp
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Central Microscopy Facility, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Straße 2-4, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu F, Chen Z, Zhang S, Wu K, Bei C, Wang C, Chao Y. In vivo RNA interactome profiling reveals 3'UTR-processed small RNA targeting a central regulatory hub. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8106. [PMID: 38062076 PMCID: PMC10703908 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) are crucial regulators of gene expression in bacteria. Acting in concert with major RNA chaperones such as Hfq or ProQ, sRNAs base-pair with multiple target mRNAs and form large RNA-RNA interaction networks. To systematically investigate the RNA-RNA interactome in living cells, we have developed a streamlined in vivo approach iRIL-seq (intracellular RIL-seq). This generic approach is highly robust, illustrating the dynamic sRNA interactomes in Salmonella enterica across multiple stages of growth. We have identified the OmpD porin mRNA as a central regulatory hub that is targeted by a dozen sRNAs, including FadZ cleaved from the conserved 3'UTR of fadBA mRNA. Both ompD and FadZ are activated by CRP, constituting a type I incoherent feed-forward loop in the fatty acid metabolism pathway. Altogether, we have established an approach to profile RNA-RNA interactomes in live cells, highlighting the complexity of RNA regulatory hubs and RNA networks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- Microbial RNA Systems Biology Unit, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- The Center for Microbes, Development and Health (CMDH), Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Ziying Chen
- Microbial RNA Systems Biology Unit, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200033, China
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Microbial RNA Systems Biology Unit, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- The Center for Microbes, Development and Health (CMDH), Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kejing Wu
- Microbial RNA Systems Biology Unit, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- The Center for Microbes, Development and Health (CMDH), Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Cheng Bei
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200033, China
| | - Chuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200033, China.
| | - Yanjie Chao
- Microbial RNA Systems Biology Unit, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- The Center for Microbes, Development and Health (CMDH), Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mathieu-Denoncourt A, Duperthuy M. The VxrAB two-component system is important for the polymyxin B-dependent activation of the type VI secretion system in Vibrio cholerae O1 strain A1552. Can J Microbiol 2023; 69:393-406. [PMID: 37343290 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2023-0026] [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: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is used by bacteria for virulence, resistance to grazing, and competition with other bacteria. We previously demonstrated that the role of the T6SS in interbacterial competition and in resistance to grazing is enhanced in Vibrio cholerae in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of polymyxin B. Here, we performed a global quantitative proteomic analysis and a targeted transcriptomic analysis of the T6SS-known regulators in V. cholerae grown with and without polymyxin B. The proteome of V. cholerae is greatly modified by polymyxin B with more than 39% of the identified cellular proteins displaying a difference in their abundance, including T6SS-related proteins. We identified a regulator whose abundance and expression are increased in the presence of polymyxin B, vxrB, the response regulator of the two-component system VxrAB (VCA0565-66). In vxrAB, vxrA and vxrB deficient mutants, the expression of both hcp copies (VC1415 and VCA0017), although globally reduced, was not modified by polymyxin B. These hcp genes encode an identical protein Hcp, which is the major component of the T6SS syringe. Thus, the upregulation of the T6SS in the presence of polymyxin B appears to be, at least in part, due to the two-component system VxrAB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Mathieu-Denoncourt
- Département de Microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Marylise Duperthuy
- Département de Microbiologie, infectiologie et immunologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
Small regulatory RNA (sRNAs) are key mediators of posttranscriptional gene control in bacteria. Assisted by RNA-binding proteins, a single sRNA often modulates the expression of dozens of genes, and thus sRNAs frequently adopt central roles in regulatory networks. Posttranscriptional regulation by sRNAs comes with several unique features that cannot be achieved by transcriptional regulators. However, for optimal network performance, transcriptional and posttranscriptional control mechanisms typically go hand-in-hand. This view is reflected by the ever-growing class of mixed network motifs involving sRNAs and transcription factors, which are ubiquitous in biology and whose regulatory properties we are beginning to understand. In addition, sRNA activity can be antagonized by base-pairing with sponge RNAs, adding yet another layer of complexity to these networks. In this article, we summarize the regulatory concepts underlying sRNA-mediated gene control in bacteria and discuss how sRNAs shape the output of a network, focusing on several key examples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Papenfort
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany;
- Microverse Cluster, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Sahar Melamed
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ghandour R, Papenfort K. Small regulatory RNAs in Vibrio cholerae. MICROLIFE 2023; 4:uqad030. [PMID: 37441523 PMCID: PMC10335731 DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqad030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae is a major human pathogen causing the diarrheal disease, cholera. Regulation of virulence in V. cholerae is a multifaceted process involving gene expression changes at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. Whereas various transcription factors have been reported to modulate virulence in V. cholerae, small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) have now been established to also participate in virulence control and the regulation of virulence-associated processes, such as biofilm formation, quorum sensing, stress response, and metabolism. In most cases, these sRNAs act by base-pairing with multiple target transcripts and this process typically requires the aid of an RNA-binding protein, such as the widely conserved Hfq protein. This review article summarizes the functional roles of sRNAs in V. cholerae, their underlying mechanisms of gene expression control, and how sRNAs partner with transcription factors to modulate complex regulatory programs. In addition, we will discuss regulatory principles discovered in V. cholerae that not only apply to other Vibrio species, but further extend into the large field of RNA-mediated gene expression control in bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rabea Ghandour
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Institute of Microbiology, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Kai Papenfort
- Corresponding author. Institute of Microbiology, General Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Winzerlaer Straße 2, 07745 Jena, Germany. Tel: +49-3641-949-311; E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wu W, Pang CNI, Tree JJ, Mediati DG. Profiling the in vivo RNA interactome associated with the endoribonuclease RNase III in Staphylococcus aureus. Methods Enzymol 2023; 692:299-324. [PMID: 37925184 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.05.001] [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: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory small RNA (sRNA) have been extensively studied in model Gram-negative bacteria, but the functional characterisation of these post-transcriptional gene regulators in Gram-positives remains a major challenge. Our previous work in enterohaemorrhagic E. coli utilised the proximity-dependant ligation technique termed CLASH (UV-crosslinking, ligation, and sequencing of hybrids) for direct high-throughput sequencing of the regulatory sRNA-RNA interactions within the cell. Recently, we adapted the CLASH technique and demonstrated that UV-crosslinking and RNA proximity-dependant ligation can be applied to Staphylococcus aureus, which uncovered the first RNA-RNA interaction network in a Gram-positive bacterium. In this chapter, we describe modifications to the CLASH technique that were developed to capture the RNA interactome associated with the double-stranded endoribonuclease RNase III in two clinical isolates of S. aureus. To briefly summarise our CLASH methodology, regulatory RNA-RNA interactions were first UV-crosslinked in vivo to the RNase III protein and protein-RNA complexes were affinity-purified using the His6-TEV-FLAG tags. Linkers were ligated to RNase III-bound RNA during library preparation and duplexed RNA-RNA species were ligated together to form a single contiguous RNA 'hybrid'. The RNase III-RNA binding sites and RNA-RNA interactions occurring on RNase III (RNA hybrids) were then identified by paired-end sequencing technology. RNase III-CLASH represents a step towards a systems-level understanding of regulatory RNA in Gram-positive bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Winton Wu
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Chi Nam Ignatius Pang
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Jai J Tree
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Daniel G Mediati
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bina XR, Bina JE. Vibrio cholerae RND efflux systems: mediators of stress responses, colonization and pathogenesis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1203487. [PMID: 37256112 PMCID: PMC10225521 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1203487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance Nodulation Division (RND) efflux systems are ubiquitous transporters in gram-negative bacteria that provide protection against antimicrobial agents and thereby enhance survival in virtually all environments these prokaryotes inhabit. Vibrio cholerae is a dual lifestyle enteric pathogen that spends much of its existence in aquatic environments. An unwitting encounter with a human host can lead to V. cholerae intestinal colonization by strains that encode cholera toxin and toxin co-regulated pilus virulence factors leading to potentially fatal cholera diarrhea and dissemination in the environment. Adaptive response mechanisms to host factors encountered by these pathogens are therefore critical both to engage survival mechanisms such as RND-mediated transporters and to induce timely expression of virulence factors. Sensing of cues encountered in the host may therefore activate more than protective responses such as efflux systems, but also be coordinated to initiate expression of virulence factors. This review summarizes recent advances that contribute towards the understanding of RND efflux physiological functions and how the transport systems interface with the regulation of virulence factor production in V. cholerae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - James E. Bina
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Keller M, Han X, Dörr T. Disrupting Central Carbon Metabolism Increases β-Lactam Antibiotic Susceptibility in Vibrio cholerae. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0047622. [PMID: 36840595 PMCID: PMC10029711 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00476-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic tolerance, the ability of bacteria to sustain viability in the presence of typically bactericidal antibiotics for extended time periods, is an understudied contributor to treatment failure. The Gram-negative pathogen Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, becomes highly tolerant to β-lactam antibiotics (penicillin and related compounds) in a process requiring the two-component system VxrAB. VxrAB is induced by exposure to cell wall damaging conditions, which results in the differential regulation of >100 genes. While the effectors of VxrAB are relatively well known, VxrAB environment-sensing and activation mechanisms remain a mystery. Here, we used transposon mutagenesis to screen for mutants that spontaneously upregulate VxrAB signaling. This screen was answered by genes known to be required for proper cell envelope homeostasis, validating the approach. Unexpectedly, we also uncovered a new connection between central carbon metabolism and antibiotic tolerance in Vibrio cholerae. Inactivation of pgi (vc0374, coding for glucose-6-phosphate isomerase) resulted in an intracellular accumulation of glucose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate, concomitant with a marked cell envelope defect, resulting in VxrAB induction. Deletion of pgi also increased sensitivity to β-lactams and conferred a growth defect on salt-free LB, phenotypes that could be suppressed by deleting sugar uptake systems and by supplementing cell wall precursors in the growth medium. Our data suggest an important connection between central metabolism and cell envelope integrity and highlight a potential new target for developing novel antimicrobial agents. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic tolerance (the ability to survive exposure to antibiotics) is a stepping stone toward antibiotic resistance (the ability to grow in the presence of antibiotics), an increasingly common cause of antibiotic treatment failure. The mechanisms promoting tolerance are poorly understood. Here, we identified central carbon metabolism as a key contributor to antibiotic tolerance and resistance. A strain with a mutation in a sugar utilization pathway accumulates metabolites that likely shut down the synthesis of cell wall precursors, which weakens the cell wall and thus increases susceptibility to cell wall-active drugs. Our results illuminate the connection between central carbon metabolism and cell wall homeostasis in V. cholerae and suggest that interfering with metabolism may be a fruitful future strategy for the development of antibiotic adjuvants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan Keller
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Xiang Han
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Tobias Dörr
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
An RNA sponge controls quorum sensing dynamics and biofilm formation in Vibrio cholerae. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7585. [PMID: 36482060 PMCID: PMC9732341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35261-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) acting in concert with the RNA chaperone Hfq are prevalent in many bacteria and typically act by base-pairing with multiple target transcripts. In the human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, sRNAs play roles in various processes including antibiotic tolerance, competence, and quorum sensing (QS). Here, we use RIL-seq (RNA-interaction-by-ligation-and-sequencing) to identify Hfq-interacting sRNAs and their targets in V. cholerae. We find hundreds of sRNA-mRNA interactions, as well as RNA duplexes formed between two sRNA regulators. Further analysis of these duplexes identifies an RNA sponge, termed QrrX, that base-pairs with and inactivates the Qrr1-4 sRNAs, which are known to modulate the QS pathway. Transcription of qrrX is activated by QrrT, a previously uncharacterized LysR-type transcriptional regulator. Our results indicate that QrrX and QrrT are required for rapid conversion from individual to community behaviours in V. cholerae.
Collapse
|
12
|
Teschler JK, Nadell CD, Drescher K, Yildiz FH. Mechanisms Underlying Vibrio cholerae Biofilm Formation and Dispersion. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:503-532. [PMID: 35671532 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-111021-053553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms are a widely observed growth mode in which microbial communities are spatially structured and embedded in a polymeric extracellular matrix. Here, we focus on the model bacterium Vibrio cholerae and summarize the current understanding of biofilm formation, including initial attachment, matrix components, community dynamics, social interactions, molecular regulation, and dispersal. The regulatory network that orchestrates the decision to form and disperse from biofilms coordinates various environmental inputs. These cues are integrated by several transcription factors, regulatory RNAs, and second-messenger molecules, including bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP). Through complex mechanisms, V. cholerae weighs the energetic cost of forming biofilms against the benefits of protection and social interaction that biofilms provide. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Teschler
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA;
| | - Carey D Nadell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | | | - Fitnat H Yildiz
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ma Y, Zhang Y, Shan Z, Wang X, Xia X. Involvement of PhoP/PhoQ two-component system in biofilm formation in Cronobacter sakazakii. Food Control 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
14
|
Evguenieva-Hackenberg E. Riboregulation in bacteria: From general principles to novel mechanisms of the trp attenuator and its sRNA and peptide products. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2021; 13:e1696. [PMID: 34651439 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Gene expression strategies ensuring bacterial survival and competitiveness rely on cis- and trans-acting RNA-regulators (riboregulators). Among the cis-acting riboregulators are transcriptional and translational attenuators, and antisense RNAs (asRNAs). The trans-acting riboregulators are small RNAs (sRNAs) that bind proteins or base pairs with other RNAs. This classification is artificial since some regulatory RNAs act both in cis and in trans, or function in addition as small mRNAs. A prominent example is the archetypical, ribosome-dependent attenuator of tryptophan (Trp) biosynthesis genes. It responds by transcription attenuation to two signals, Trp availability and inhibition of translation, and gives rise to two trans-acting products, the attenuator sRNA rnTrpL and the leader peptide peTrpL. In Escherichia coli, rnTrpL links Trp availability to initiation of chromosome replication and in Sinorhizobium meliloti, it coordinates regulation of split tryptophan biosynthesis operons. Furthermore, in S. meliloti, peTrpL is involved in mRNA destabilization in response to antibiotic exposure. It forms two types of asRNA-containing, antibiotic-dependent ribonucleoprotein complexes (ARNPs), one of them changing the target specificity of rnTrpL. The posttranscriptional role of peTrpL indicates two emerging paradigms: (1) sRNA reprograming by small molecules and (2) direct involvement of antibiotics in regulatory RNPs. They broaden our view on RNA-based mechanisms and may inspire new approaches for studying, detecting, and using antibacterial compounds. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Small Molecule-RNA Interactions RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs.
Collapse
|
15
|
Bao SH, Jiang H, Zhu LY, Yao G, Han PG, Wan XK, Wang K, Song TY, Liu CJ, Wang S, Zhang ZY, Zhang DY, Meng E. A dynamic and multilocus metabolic regulation strategy using quorum-sensing-controlled bacterial small RNA. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109413. [PMID: 34289355 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic regulation strategies have been developed to redirect metabolic fluxes to production pathways. However, it is difficult to screen out target genes that, when repressed, improve yield without affecting cell growth. Here, we report a strategy using a quorum-sensing system to control small RNA transcription, allowing cell-density-dependent repression of target genes. This strategy is shown with convenient operation, dynamic repression, and availability for simultaneous regulation of multiple genes. The parameters Ai, Am, and RA (3-oxohexanoyl-homoserine lactone [AHL] concentrations at which half of the maximum repression and the maximum repression were reached and value of the maximum repression when AHL was added manually, respectively) are defined and introduced to characterize repression curves, and the variant LuxRI58N is identified as the most suitable tuning factor for shake flask culture. Moreover, it is shown that dynamic overexpression of the Hfq chaperone is the key to combinatorial repression without disruptions on cell growth. To show a broad applicability, the production titers of pinene, pentalenene, and psilocybin are improved by 365.3%, 79.5%, and 302.9%, respectively, by applying combinatorial dynamic repression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Heng Bao
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Hui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Ling-Yun Zhu
- College of Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, PRC
| | - Ge Yao
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Peng-Gang Han
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Xiu-Kun Wan
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Kang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Tian-Yu Song
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, PRC
| | - Chang-Jun Liu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops, Genetic Improvement, and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, PRC
| | - Shan Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops, Genetic Improvement, and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, PRC
| | - Zhe-Yang Zhang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops, Genetic Improvement, and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, PRC
| | - Dong-Yi Zhang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops, Genetic Improvement, and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, PRC; College of Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, PRC.
| | - Er Meng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops, Genetic Improvement, and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, PRC.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Azevedo NF, Allkja J, Goeres DM. Biofilms vs. cities and humans vs. aliens - a tale of reproducibility in biofilms. Trends Microbiol 2021; 29:1062-1071. [PMID: 34088548 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms are complex and dynamic structures that include many more components than just viable cells. Therefore, the apparently simple goal of growing reproducible biofilms is often elusive. One of the challenges in defining reproducibility for biofilm research is that different research fields use a spectrum of parameters to define reproducibility for their particular application. For instance, is the researcher interested in achieving a similar population density, height of biofilm structures, or function of the biofilm in a certain ecosystem/industrial context? Within this article we categorize reproducibility into four different levels: level 1, no reproducibility; level 2, standard reproducibility; level 3, potential standard reproducibility; and level 4, total reproducibility. To better understand the need for these different levels of reproducibility, we expand on the 'cities of microbes' analogy for biofilms by imagining that a new civilization has reached the Earth's outskirts and starts studying the Earth's cities. This will provide a better sense of scale and illustrate how small details can impact profoundly on the growth and behavior of a biofilm and our understanding of reproducibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuno F Azevedo
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Jontana Allkja
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Darla M Goeres
- Montana State University, Center for Biofilm Engineering, 366 Barnard Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Biofilm Formation as a Complex Result of Virulence and Adaptive Responses of Helicobacter pylori. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9121062. [PMID: 33353223 PMCID: PMC7766044 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9121062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that is capable of colonizing a host for many years, often for a lifetime. The survival in the gastric environment is enabled by the production of numerous virulence factors conditioning adhesion to the mucosa surface, acquisition of nutrients, and neutralization of the immune system activity. It is increasingly recognized, however, that the adaptive mechanisms of H. pylori in the stomach may also be linked to the ability of this pathogen to form biofilms. Initially, biofilms produced by H. pylori were strongly associated by scientists with water distribution systems and considered as a survival mechanism outside the host and a source of fecal-oral infections. In the course of the last 20 years, however, this trend has changed and now the most attention is focused on the biomedical aspect of this structure and its potential contribution to the therapeutic difficulties of H. pylori. Taking into account this fact, the aim of the current review is to discuss the phenomenon of H. pylori biofilm formation and present this mechanism as a resultant of the virulence and adaptive responses of H. pylori, including morphological transformation, membrane vesicles secretion, matrix production, efflux pump activity, and intermicrobial communication. These mechanisms will be considered in the context of transcriptomic and proteomic changes in H. pylori biofilms and their modulating effect on the development of this complex structure.
Collapse
|