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Stelmaszyk L, Stange C, Hügler M, Sidhu JP, Horn H, Tiehm A. Quantification of β-lactamase producing bacteria in German surface waters with subsequent MALDI-TOF MS-based identification and β-lactamase activity assay. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27384. [PMID: 38486766 PMCID: PMC10937694 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental oligotrophic bacteria are suspected to be highly relevant carriers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, there is a lack of validated methods for monitoring in the aquatic environment. Since extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) play a particularly important role in the clinical sector, a culturing method based on R2A-medium spiked with different combinations of β-lactams was applied to quantify β-lactamase-producing environmental bacteria from surface waters. In German surface water samples (n = 28), oligotrophic bacteria ranging from 4.0 × 103 to 1.7 × 104 CFU per 100 mL were detected on the nutrient-poor medium spiked with 3rd generation cephalosporins and carbapenems. These numbers were 3 log10 higher compared to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriales of clinical relevance from the same water samples. A MALDI-TOF MS identification of the isolates demonstrated, that the method leads to the isolation of environmentally relevant strains with Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, and Janthinobacterium being predominant β-lactam resistant genera. Subsequent micro-dilution antibiotic susceptibility tests (Micronaut-S test) confirmed the expression of β-lactamases. The qPCR analysis of surface waters DNA extracts showed the presence of β-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaCMY-2, blaOXA-48, blaVIM-2, blaSHV, and blaNDM-1) at concentrations of 3.7 (±1.2) to 1.0 (±1.9) log10 gene copies per 100 mL. Overall, the results demonstrate a widespread distribution of cephalosporinase and carbapenemase enzymes in oligotrophic environmental bacteria that have to be considered as a reservoir of ARGs and contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Stelmaszyk
- TZW: DVGW Technologiezentrum Wasser, Department of Water Microbiology, Karlsruher Straße 84, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Claudia Stange
- TZW: DVGW Technologiezentrum Wasser, Department of Water Microbiology, Karlsruher Straße 84, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Michael Hügler
- TZW: DVGW Technologiezentrum Wasser, Department of Water Microbiology, Karlsruher Straße 84, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jatinder P.S. Sidhu
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Harald Horn
- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Engler-Bunte Institute, Wasserchemie und Wassertechnologie, Engler-Bunte-Ring 9a, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Andreas Tiehm
- TZW: DVGW Technologiezentrum Wasser, Department of Water Microbiology, Karlsruher Straße 84, Karlsruhe, Germany
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2
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Naveed M, Wen S, Chan MWH, Wang F, Aslam S, Yin X, Xu B, Ullah A. Expression of BSN314 lysozyme genes in Escherichia coli BL21: a study to demonstrate microbicidal and disintegarting potential of the cloned lysozyme. Braz J Microbiol 2024; 55:215-233. [PMID: 38146050 PMCID: PMC10920529 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-023-01219-4] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This study is an extension of our previous studies in which the lysozyme was isolated and purified from Bacillus subtilis BSN314 (Naveed et al., 2022; Naveed et al., 2023). In this study, the lysozyme genes were cloned into the E. coli BL21. For the expression of lysozyme in E. coli BL21, two target genes, Lyz-1 and Lyz-2, were ligated into the modified vector pET28a to generate pET28a-Lyz1 and pET28a-Lyz2, respectively. To increase the production rate of the enzyme, 0.5-mM concentration of IPTG was added to the culture media and incubated at 37 °C and 220 rpm for 24 h. Lyz1 was identified as N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase and Lyz2 as D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase. They were purified by multi-step methodology (ammonium sulfate, precipitation, dialysis, and ultrafiltration), and antimicrobial activity was determined. For Lyz1, the lowest MIC/MBC (0.25 μg/mL; with highest ZOI = 22 mm) were recorded against Micrococcus luteus, whereas the highest MIC/MBC with lowest ZOI were measured against Salmonella typhimurium (2.50 μg /mL; with ZOI = 10 mm). As compared with Aspergillus oryzae (MIC/MFC; 3.00 μg/mL), a higher concentration of lysozyme was required to control the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MIC/MFC; 50 μg/mL). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to analyze the disintegrating effect of Lyz1 on the cells of selected Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and yeast. The AFM results showed that, as compared to Gram-negative bacteria, a lower concentration of lysozyme (Lyz1) was required to disintegrate the cell of Gram-positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100048, China
- Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Sai Wen
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100048, China
- Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Malik Wajid Hussain Chan
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100048, China.
- Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China.
| | - Fenghuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100048, China.
- Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China.
| | - Sadar Aslam
- Department of Zoology, University of Baltistan, Skardu, Pakistan
| | - Xian Yin
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100048, China
- Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Baocai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Geriatric Nutrition and Health (Beijing Technology and Business University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100048, China
- Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Asad Ullah
- Food and Marine Resources Research Center, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories Complex, Karachi, 75280, Pakistan
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3
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Boorman J, Zeng X, Lin J, van den Akker F. Structural insights into peptidoglycan glycosidase EtgA binding to the inner rod protein EscI of the type III secretion system via a designed EscI-EtgA fusion protein. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4930. [PMID: 38380768 PMCID: PMC10880428 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria express lytic enzymes such as glycosidases, which have potentially self-destructive peptidoglycan (PG)-degrading activity and, therefore, require careful regulation in bacteria. The PG glycosidase EtgA is regulated by localization to the assembling type III secretion system (T3SS), generating a hole in the PG layer for the T3SS to reach the outer membrane. The EtgA localization was found to be mediated via EtgA interacting with the T3SS inner rod protein EscI. To gain structural insights into the EtgA recognition of EscI, we determined the 2.01 Å resolution structure of an EscI (51-87)-linker-EtgA fusion protein designed based on AlphaFold2 predictions. The structure revealed EscI residues 72-87 forming an α-helix interacting with the backside of EtgA, distant from the active site. EscI residues 56-71 also were found to interact with EtgA, with these residues stretching across the EtgA surface. The ability of the EscI to interact with EtgA was also probed using an EscI peptide. The EscI peptide comprising residues 66-87, slightly larger than the observed EscI α-helix, was shown to bind to EtgA using microscale thermophoresis and thermal shift differential scanning fluorimetry. The EscI peptide also had a two-fold activity-enhancing effect on EtgA, whereas the EscI-EtgA fusion protein enhanced activity over four-fold compared to EtgA. Our studies suggest that EtgA regulation by EscI could be trifold involving protein localization, protein activation, and protein stabilization components. Analysis of the sequence conservation of the EscI EtgA interface residues suggested a possible conservation of such regulation for related proteins from different bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Boorman
- Department of BiochemistryCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - X. Zeng
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - J. Lin
- Department of Animal ScienceUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - F. van den Akker
- Department of BiochemistryCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
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4
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Hao A, Suo Y, Lee SY. Structural insights into the FtsEX-EnvC complex regulation on septal peptidoglycan hydrolysis in Vibrio cholerae. Structure 2024; 32:188-199.e5. [PMID: 38070498 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.11.007] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
During bacterial cell division, hydrolysis of septal peptidoglycan (sPG) is crucial for cell separation. This sPG hydrolysis is performed by the enzyme amidases whose activity is regulated by the integral membrane protein complex FtsEX-EnvC. FtsEX is an ATP-binding cassette transporter, and EnvC is a long coiled-coil protein that interacts with and activates the amidases. The molecular mechanism by which the FtsEX-EnvC complex activates amidases remains largely unclear. We present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the FtsEX-EnvC complex from the pathogenic bacteria V. cholerae (FtsEX-EnvCVC). FtsEX-EnvCVC in the presence of ADP adopts a distinct conformation where EnvC is "horizontally extended" rather than "vertically extended". Subsequent structural studies suggest that EnvC can swing between these conformations in space in a nucleotide-dependent manner. Our structural analysis and functional studies suggest that FtsEX-EnvCVC employs spatial control of EnvC for amidase activation, providing mechanistic insights into the FtsEX-EnvC regulation on septal peptidoglycan hydrolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aili Hao
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yang Suo
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Seok-Yong Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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5
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de Matos AM, Calado P, Miranda M, Almeida R, Rauter AP, Oliveira MC, Manageiro V, Caniça M. Alkyl deoxyglycoside-polymyxin combinations against critical priority carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2219. [PMID: 38278870 PMCID: PMC10817917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51428-6] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The escalating antimicrobial resistance crisis urges the development of new antibacterial treatments with innovative mechanisms of action, particularly against the critical priority carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) and Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Membrane-disrupting dodecyl deoxyglycosides have been reported for their interesting phosphatidylethanolamine-associated bactericidal activity against Gram-positive strains; however, their inability to penetrate the Gram-negative outer membrane (OM) renders them useless against the most challenging pathogens. Aiming to repurpose alkyl deoxyglycosides against Gram-negative bacteria, this study investigates the antimicrobial effects of five reference compounds with different deoxygenation patterns or anomeric configurations in combination with polymyxins as adjuvants for enhanced OM permeability. The generation of the lead 4,6-dideoxy scaffold was optimized through a simultaneous dideoxygenation step and applied to the synthesis of a novel alkyl 4,6-dideoxy C-glycoside 5, herein reported for the first time. When combined with subtherapeutic colistin concentrations, most glycosides demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity against several multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of CRAB, CRE and CRPA exhibiting distinct carbapenem resistance mechanisms, together with acceptable cytotoxicity against human HEK-293T and Caco-2 cells. The novel 4,6-dideoxy C-glycoside 5 emerged as the most promising prototype structure for further development (MIC 3.1 μg/mL when combined with colistin 0.5 μg/mL against CRPA or 0.25 μg/mL against several CRE and CRAB strains), highlighting the potential of C-glycosylation for an improved bioactive profile. This study is the first to show the potential of IM-targeting carbohydrate-based compounds for the treatment of infections caused by MDR Gram-negative pathogens of clinical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana M de Matos
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Departmento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Campo Grande, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Patrícia Calado
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Departmento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Campo Grande, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mónica Miranda
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Departmento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Campo Grande, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Almeida
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Departmento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Campo Grande, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Amélia P Rauter
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Departmento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Campo Grande, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M Conceição Oliveira
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vera Manageiro
- National Reference Laboratory of Antibiotic Resistances and Healthcare-Associated Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for the Studies of Animal Science, Institute of Agrarian and Agri-Food Sciences and Technologies, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- AL4AnimalS, Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Manuela Caniça
- National Reference Laboratory of Antibiotic Resistances and Healthcare-Associated Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for the Studies of Animal Science, Institute of Agrarian and Agri-Food Sciences and Technologies, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- AL4AnimalS, Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal
- CIISA, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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6
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Wang M, Xiao Ma S, Darwin AJ. An inhibitor/anti-inhibitor system controls the activity of lytic transglycosylase MltF in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mBio 2023; 14:e0202223. [PMID: 38047649 PMCID: PMC10746161 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02022-23] [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: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE A peptidoglycan cell wall is an essential component of almost all bacterial cell envelopes, which determines cell shape and prevents osmotic rupture. Antibiotics that interfere with peptidoglycan synthesis have been one of the most important treatments for bacterial infections. Peptidoglycan must also be hydrolyzed to incorporate new material for cell growth and division and to help accommodate important envelope-spanning systems. However, the enzymes that hydrolyze peptidoglycan must be carefully controlled to prevent autolysis. Exactly how this control is achieved is poorly understood in most cases but is a highly active area of current research. Identifying hydrolase control mechanisms has the potential to provide new targets for therapeutic intervention. The work here reports the important discovery of a novel inhibitor/anti-inhibitor system that controls the activity of a cell wall hydrolase in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which also affects resistance to an antibiotic used in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Wang
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sheya Xiao Ma
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Andrew J. Darwin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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7
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Delerue T, Chareyre S, Anantharaman V, Gilmore MC, Popham DL, Cava F, Aravind L, Ramamurthi KS. Bacterial cell surface nanoenvironment requires a specialized chaperone to activate a peptidoglycan biosynthetic enzyme. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.06.561273. [PMID: 37986874 PMCID: PMC10659427 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.06.561273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis spores are produced inside the cytosol of a mother cell. Spore surface assembly requires the SpoVK protein in the mother cell, but its function is unknown. Here, we report that SpoVK is a dedicated chaperone from a distinct higher-order clade of AAA+ ATPases that activates the peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase MurG during sporulation, even though MurG does not normally require activation by a chaperone during vegetative growth. MurG redeploys to the spore surface during sporulation, where we show that the local pH is reduced and propose that this change in cytosolic nanoenvironment necessitates a specific chaperone for proper MurG function. Further, we show that SpoVK participates in a developmental checkpoint in which improper spore surface assembly inactivates SpoVK, which leads to sporulation arrest. The AAA+ ATPase clade containing SpoVK includes other dedicated chaperones involved in secretion, cell-envelope biosynthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting that such fine-tuning might be a widespread feature of different subcellular nanoenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Delerue
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sylvia Chareyre
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Vivek Anantharaman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C. Gilmore
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR), Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - David L. Popham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Felipe Cava
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR), Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - L. Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kumaran S. Ramamurthi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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8
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Peterson EJR, Brooks AN, Reiss DJ, Kaur A, Do J, Pan M, Wu WJ, Morrison R, Srinivas V, Carter W, Arrieta-Ortiz ML, Ruiz RA, Bhatt A, Baliga NS. MtrA modulates Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell division in host microenvironments to mediate intrinsic resistance and drug tolerance. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112875. [PMID: 37542718 PMCID: PMC10480492 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112875] [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: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The success of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is largely attributed to its ability to physiologically adapt and withstand diverse localized stresses within host microenvironments. Here, we present a data-driven model (EGRIN 2.0) that captures the dynamic interplay of environmental cues and genome-encoded regulatory programs in Mtb. Analysis of EGRIN 2.0 shows how modulation of the MtrAB two-component signaling system tunes Mtb growth in response to related host microenvironmental cues. Disruption of MtrAB by tunable CRISPR interference confirms that the signaling system regulates multiple peptidoglycan hydrolases, among other targets, that are important for cell division. Further, MtrA decreases the effectiveness of antibiotics by mechanisms of both intrinsic resistance and drug tolerance. Together, the model-enabled dissection of complex MtrA regulation highlights its importance as a drug target and illustrates how EGRIN 2.0 facilitates discovery and mechanistic characterization of Mtb adaptation to specific host microenvironments within the host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David J Reiss
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Amardeep Kaur
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Julie Do
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Min Pan
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Wei-Ju Wu
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Robert Morrison
- Laboratory of Malaria, Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Warren Carter
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Rene A Ruiz
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Apoorva Bhatt
- School of Biosciences and Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Nitin S Baliga
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Departments of Biology and Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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9
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Wang M, Ma SX, Darwin AJ. An inhibitor/anti-inhibitor system controls the activity of lytic transglycosylase MltF in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.28.551027. [PMID: 37546783 PMCID: PMC10402148 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.28.551027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Most bacterial cell envelopes contain a cell wall layer made of peptidoglycan. The synthesis of new peptidoglycan is critical for cell growth, division and morphogenesis, and is also coordinated with peptidoglycan hydrolysis to accommodate the new material. However, the enzymes that cleave peptidoglycan must be carefully controlled to avoid autolysis. In recent years, some control mechanisms have begun to emerge, although there are many more questions than answers for how most cell wall hydrolases are regulated. Here, we report a novel cell wall hydrolase control mechanism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa , which we discovered during our characterization of a mutant sensitive to the overproduction of a secretin protein. The mutation affected an uncharacterized Sel1-like repeat protein encoded by the PA3978 locus. In addition to the secretin-sensitivity phenotype, PA3978 disruption also increased resistance to a β-lactam antibiotic used in the clinic. In vivo and in vitro analysis revealed that PA3978 binds to the catalytic domain of the lytic transglycosylase MltF and inhibits its activity. ΔPA3978 mutant phenotypes were suppressed by deleting mltF , consistent with them having been caused by elevated MltF activity. We also discovered another interaction partner of PA3978 encoded by the PA5502 locus. The phenotypes of a ΔPA5502 mutant suggested that PA5502 interferes with the inhibitory function of PA3978 towards MltF, and we confirmed that activity for PA5502 in vitro . Therefore, PA3978 and PA5502 form an inhibitor/anti-inhibitor system that controls MltF activity. We propose to name these proteins Ilt (inhibitor of lytic transglycosylase) and Lii (lytic transglycosylase inhibitor, inhibitor). IMPORTANCE A peptidoglycan cell wall is an essential component of almost all bacterial cell envelopes, which determines cell shape and prevents osmotic rupture. Antibiotics that interfere with peptidoglycan synthesis have been one of the most important treatments for bacterial infections. Peptidoglycan must also be hydrolyzed to incorporate new material for cell growth and division, and to help accommodate important envelope-spanning systems. However, the enzymes that hydrolyze peptidoglycan must be carefully controlled to prevent autolysis. Exactly how this control is achieved is poorly understood in most cases, but is a highly active area of current research. Identifying hydrolase control mechanisms has the potential to provide new targets for therapeutic intervention. The work here reports the important discovery of a novel inhibitor/anti-nhibitor system that controls the activity of a cell wall hydrolase in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and which also affects resistance to an antibiotic used in the clinic.
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10
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Zeden MS, Gallagher LA, Bueno E, Nolan AC, Ahn J, Shinde D, Razvi F, Sladek M, Burke Ó, O’Neill E, Fey PD, Cava F, Thomas VC, O’Gara JP. Metabolic reprogramming and altered cell envelope characteristics in a pentose phosphate pathway mutant increases MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011536. [PMID: 37486930 PMCID: PMC10399904 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Central metabolic pathways control virulence and antibiotic resistance, and constitute potential targets for antibacterial drugs. In Staphylococcus aureus the role of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) remains largely unexplored. Mutation of the 6-phosphogluconolactonase gene pgl, which encodes the only non-essential enzyme in the oxidative phase of the PPP, significantly increased MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, particularly in chemically defined media with physiologically-relevant concentrations of glucose, and reduced oxacillin (OX)-induced lysis. Expression of the methicillin-resistance penicillin binding protein 2a and peptidoglycan architecture were unaffected. Carbon tracing and metabolomics revealed extensive metabolic reprogramming in the pgl mutant including increased flux to glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and several cell envelope precursors, which was consistent with increased β-lactam resistance. Morphologically, pgl mutant cells were smaller than wild-type with a thicker cell wall and ruffled surface when grown in OX. The pgl mutation reduced resistance to Congo Red, sulfamethoxazole and oxidative stress, and increased resistance to targocil, fosfomycin and vancomycin. Levels of lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) were significantly reduced in pgl, which may limit cell lysis, while the surface charge of pgl cells was significantly more positive. A vraG mutation in pgl reversed the increased OX resistance phenotype, and partially restored wild-type surface charge, but not LTA levels. Mutations in vraF or graRS from the VraFG/GraRS complex that regulates DltABCD-mediated d-alanylation of teichoic acids (which in turn controls β-lactam resistance and surface charge), also restored wild-type OX susceptibility. Collectively these data show that reduced levels of LTAs and OX-induced lysis combined with a VraFG/GraRS-dependent increase in cell surface positive charge are accompanied by significantly increased OX resistance in an MRSA pgl mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve S. Zeden
- Microbiology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Laura A. Gallagher
- Microbiology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Emilio Bueno
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, MIMS—Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Aaron C. Nolan
- Microbiology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jongsam Ahn
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Dhananjay Shinde
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Fareha Razvi
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Margaret Sladek
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Órla Burke
- Microbiology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Eoghan O’Neill
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul D. Fey
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Felipe Cava
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, MIMS—Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Vinai C. Thomas
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - James P. O’Gara
- Microbiology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
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11
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Zhang C, Wang C, Zhao X, Hakizimana I. Effect of resistance difference on distribution of antibiotics in bacterial cell and conjugative gene transfer risks during electrochemical flow through reaction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 878:163142. [PMID: 36996977 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The occurrences and spread of antibiotic resistance (AR) mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environment have been aggravated because of the abuse of antibiotics. While the pressure of different antibiotics is known to induce the spread of AR in bacteria, whether distribution of different antibiotics in cell structure could affect HGT risks is not clear. Here, a significant difference between the distribution of tetracycline hydrochloride (Tet) and sulfamethoxazole (Sul) in cell structure during electrochemical flow through reaction (EFTR) process was firstly reported. Meanwhile, EFTR treatment possessed excellent disinfection performance and consequently controlled the HGT risks. The intracellular Tet (iTet) was discharged through efflux pumps to increase the content of extracellular Tet (eTet) due to the resistance of donor E. coli DH5α under the selective pressure of Tet, declining the damage of donor and plasmid RP4. The HGT frequency was 8.18-fold increase compared with that by EFTR treatment alone. While the secretion of intracellular Sul (iSul) was inhibited by blocking the formation of efflux pumps to inactivate the donor under the Sul pressure, and the total content of iSul and adsorbed Sul (aSul) to be 1.36-fold higher than that of eSul. Therefore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and cell membrane permeability were improved to release ARGs, and •OH attacked plasmid RP4 in the EFTR process, inhibiting the HGT risks. This study advances the awareness of the interaction between distribution of different antibiotics in cell structure and the HGT risks in the EFTR process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Can Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Xin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Israel Hakizimana
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
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12
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Soni V, Rosenn EH, Venkataraman R. Insights into the central role of N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) in peptidoglycan metabolism and its potential as a therapeutic target. Biochem J 2023; 480:1147-1164. [PMID: 37498748 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20230173] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Several decades after the discovery of the first antibiotic (penicillin) microbes have evolved novel mechanisms of resistance; endangering not only our abilities to combat future bacterial pandemics but many other clinical challenges such as acquired infections during surgeries. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is attributed to the mismanagement and overuse of these medications and is complicated by a slower rate of the discovery of novel drugs and targets. Bacterial peptidoglycan (PG), a three-dimensional mesh of glycan units, is the foundation of the cell wall that protects bacteria against environmental insults. A significant percentage of drugs target PG, however, these have been rendered ineffective due to growing drug resistance. Identifying novel druggable targets is, therefore, imperative. Uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) is one of the key building blocks in PG production, biosynthesized by the bifunctional enzyme N-acetyl-glucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU). UDP-GlcNAc metabolism has been studied in many organisms, but it holds some distinctive features in bacteria, especially regarding the bacterial GlmU enzyme. In this review, we provide an overview of different steps in PG biogenesis, discuss the biochemistry of GlmU, and summarize the characteristic structural elements of bacterial GlmU vital to its catalytic function. Finally, we will discuss various studies on the development of GlmU inhibitors and their significance in aiding future drug discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Soni
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, U.S.A
| | - Eric H Rosenn
- Tel Aviv University School of Medicine, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Ramya Venkataraman
- Laboratory of Innate Immunity, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India
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13
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Kitahara Y, van Teeffelen S. Bacterial growth - from physical principles to autolysins. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 74:102326. [PMID: 37279609 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
For bacteria to increase in size, they need to enzymatically expand their cell envelopes, and more concretely their peptidoglycan cell wall. A major task of growth is to increase intracellular space for the accumulation of macromolecules, notably proteins, RNA, and DNA. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of how cells coordinate envelope growth with biomass growth, focusing on elongation of rod-like bacteria. We first describe the recent discovery that surface area, but not cell volume, increases in proportion to mass growth. We then discuss how this relation could possibly be implemented mechanistically, reviewing the role of envelope insertion for envelope growth. Since cell-wall expansion requires the well-controlled activity of autolysins, we finally review recent progress in our understanding of autolysin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kitahara
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie, et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sven van Teeffelen
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie, et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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14
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Almuzaini AM. Phytochemicals: potential alternative strategy to fight Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1188752. [PMID: 37261108 PMCID: PMC10228746 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1188752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise of multidrug resistant (MDR) microorganisms is a great hazard worldwide and has made it difficult to treat many infectious diseases adequately. One of the most prevalent causes of outbreaks of foodborne illness worldwide is Salmonella. The ability of this and other harmful bacteria to withstand antibiotics has recently proven crucial to their effective control. Since the beginning of time, herbal medicines and phytochemicals have been employed for their potent antibacterial action and there is a growing trend toward the production of plant based natural products for the prevention and treatment of pathogenic infections. Numerous phytochemicals have been proven effective against the molecular determinants responsible for attaining drug resistance in pathogens like efflux pumps, membrane proteins, bacterial cell communications and biofilms. The medicinal plants having antibacterial activity and antibiotics combination with phytochemicals have shown synergetic activity against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The inhibitory effects of tannins on rumen proteolytic bacteria can be exploited in ruminant nutrition. Improved control of the rumen ecology and practical use of this feed additive technology in livestock production will be made possible by a better knowledge of the modulatory effects of phytochemicals on the rumen microbial populations in combination with fermentation. This review focuses on the development of antibacterial resistance in Salmonella, the mechanism of action of phytochemicals and the use of phytochemicals against S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. The advances and potential future applications of phytochemicals in the fight against resistant are also discussed.
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15
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Premetis GE, Stathi A, Papageorgiou AC, Labrou NE. Structural and functional features of a broad-spectrum prophage-encoded enzybiotic from Enterococcus faecium. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7450. [PMID: 37156923 PMCID: PMC10167349 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34309-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have become a growing threat to public health. The gram-positive Enterococcus faecium is classified by WHO as a high-priority pathogen among the global priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Peptidoglycan-degrading enzymes (PDEs), also known as enzybiotics, are useful bactericidal agents in the fight against resistant bacteria. In this work, a genome-based screening approach of the genome of E. faecium allowed the identification of a putative PDE gene with predictive amidase activity (EfAmi1; EC 3.5.1.28) in a prophage-integrated sequence. EfAmi1 is composed by two domains: a N-terminal Zn2+-dependent N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase-2 (NALAA-2) domain and a C-terminal domain with unknown structure and function. The full-length gene of EfAmi1 was cloned and expressed as a 6xHis-tagged protein in E. coli. EfAmi1 was produced as a soluble protein, purified, and its lytic and antimicrobial activities were investigated using turbidity reduction and Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion assays against clinically isolated bacterial pathogens. The crystal structure of the N-terminal amidase-2 domain was determined using X-ray crystallography at 1.97 Å resolution. It adopts a globular fold with several α-helices surrounding a central five-stranded β-sheet. Sequence comparison revealed a cluster of conserved amino acids that defines a putative binding site for a buried zinc ion. The results of the present study suggest that EfAmi1 displays high lytic and antimicrobial activity and may represent a promising new antimicrobial in the post-antibiotic era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios E Premetis
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855, Athens, Greece
| | - Angeliki Stathi
- Department of Microbiology, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Nikolaos E Labrou
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, 11855, Athens, Greece.
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16
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Brogan AP, Rudner DZ. Regulation of peptidoglycan hydrolases: localization, abundance, and activity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 72:102279. [PMID: 36812681 PMCID: PMC10031507 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102279] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Most bacteria are surrounded by a cell wall composed of peptidoglycan (PG) that specifies shape and protects the cell from osmotic rupture. Growth, division, and morphogenesis are intimately linked to the synthesis of this exoskeleton but also its hydrolysis. The enzymes that cleave the PG meshwork require careful control to prevent aberrant hydrolysis and loss of envelope integrity. Bacteria employ diverse mechanisms to control the activity, localization, and abundance of these potentially autolytic enzymes. Here, we discuss four examples of how cells integrate these control mechanisms to finely tune cell wall hydrolysis. We highlight recent advances and exciting avenues for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P Brogan
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Z Rudner
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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17
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Dual RNA-Seq of Flavobacterium psychrophilum and Its Outer Membrane Vesicles Distinguishes Genes Associated with Susceptibility to Bacterial Cold-Water Disease in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030436. [PMID: 36986358 PMCID: PMC10057207 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Flavobacterium psychrophilum (Fp), the causative agent of Bacterial Cold-Water disease in salmonids, causes substantial losses in aquaculture. Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) contain several virulence factors, enzymes, toxins, and nucleic acids and are expected to play an essential role in host–pathogen interactions. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing, RNA-seq, to investigate the expression abundance of the protein-coding genes in the Fp OMVs versus the Fp whole cell. RNA-seq identified 2190 transcripts expressed in the whole cell and 2046 transcripts in OMVs. Of them, 168 transcripts were uniquely identified in OMVs, 312 transcripts were expressed only in the whole cell, and 1878 transcripts were shared in the two sets. Functional annotation analysis of the OMV-abundant transcripts showed an association with the bacterial translation machinery and histone-like DNA-binding proteins. RNA-Seq of the pathogen transcriptome on day 5 post-infection of Fp-resistant versus Fp-susceptible rainbow trout genetic lines revealed differential gene expression of OMV-enriched genes, suggesting a role for the OMVs in shaping the host–microbe interaction. Interestingly, a cell wall-associated hydrolase (CWH) gene was the most highly expressed gene in OMVs and among the top upregulated transcripts in susceptible fish. The CWH sequence was conserved in 51 different strains of Fp. The study provides insights into the potential role of OMVs in host–pathogen interactions and explores microbial genes essential for virulence and pathogenesis.
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18
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Zeden MS, Gallagher LA, Bueno E, Nolan AC, Ahn J, Shinde D, Razvi F, Sladek M, Burke Ó, O'Neill E, Fey PD, Cava F, Thomas VC, O'Gara JP. Metabolic reprogramming and flux to cell envelope precursors in a pentose phosphate pathway mutant increases MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.03.530734. [PMID: 36945400 PMCID: PMC10028837 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.03.530734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Central metabolic pathways controls virulence and antibiotic resistance, and constitute potential targets for antibacterial drugs. In Staphylococcus aureus the role of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) remains largely unexplored. Mutation of the 6-phosphogluconolactonase gene pgl, which encodes the only non-essential enzyme in the oxidative phase of the PPP, significantly increased MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, particularly in chemically defined media with glucose, and reduced oxacillin (OX)-induced lysis. Expression of the methicillin-resistance penicillin binding protein 2a and peptidoglycan architecture were unaffected. Carbon tracing and metabolomics revealed extensive metabolic reprogramming in the pgl mutant including increased flux to glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and several cell envelope precursors, which was consistent with increased β-lactam resistance. Morphologically, pgl mutant cells were smaller than wild-type with a thicker cell wall and ruffled surface when grown in OX. Further evidence of the pleiotropic effect of the pgl mutation was reduced resistance to Congo Red, sulfamethoxazole and oxidative stress, and increased resistance to targocil, fosfomycin and vancomycin. Reduced binding of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) to pgl was indicative of lower wall teichoic acid/lipoteichoic acid levels or altered teichoic acid structures. Mutations in the vraFG or graRS loci reversed the increased OX resistance phenotype and restored WGA binding to wild-type levels. VraFG/GraRS was previously implicated in susceptibility to cationic antimicrobial peptides and vancomycin, and these data reveal a broader role for this multienzyme membrane complex in the export of cell envelope precursors or modifying subunits required for resistance to diverse antimicrobial agents. Altogether our study highlights important roles for the PPP and VraFG/GraRS in β-lactam resistance, which will support efforts to identify new drug targets and reintroduce β-lactams in combination with adjuvants or other antibiotics for infections caused by MRSA and other β-lactam resistant pathogens. Author summary High-level resistance to penicillin-type (β-lactam) antibiotics significantly limits the therapeutic options for patients with MRSA infections necessitating the use of newer agents, for which reduced susceptibility has already been described. Here we report for the first time that the central metabolism pentose phosphate pathway controls MRSA resistance to penicillin-type antibiotics. We comprehensively demonstrated that mutation of the PPP gene pgl perturbed metabolism in MRSA leading to increased flux to cell envelope precursors to drive increased antibiotic resistance. Moreover, increased resistance was dependent on the VraRG/GraRS multienzyme membrane complex previously implicated in resistance to antimicrobial peptides and vancomycin. Our data thus provide new insights on MRSA mechanisms of β-lactam resistance, which will support efforts to expand the treatment options for infections caused by this and other antimicrobial resistant pathogens.
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19
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Jasilionis A, Plotka M, Wang L, Dorawa S, Lange J, Watzlawick H, van den Bergh T, Vroling B, Altenbuchner J, Kaczorowska AK, Pohl E, Kaczorowski T, Nordberg Karlsson E, Freitag-Pohl S. AmiP from hyperthermophilic Thermus parvatiensis prophage is a thermoactive and ultrathermostable peptidoglycan lytic amidase. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4585. [PMID: 36721347 PMCID: PMC9929850 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages encode a wide variety of cell wall disrupting enzymes that aid the viral escape in the final stages of infection. These lytic enzymes have accumulated notable interest due to their potential as novel antibacterials for infection treatment caused by multiple-drug resistant bacteria. Here, the detailed functional and structural characterization of Thermus parvatiensis prophage peptidoglycan lytic amidase AmiP, a globular Amidase_3 type lytic enzyme adapted to high temperatures is presented. The sequence and structure comparison with homologous lytic amidases reveals the key adaptation traits that ensure the activity and stability of AmiP at high temperatures. The crystal structure determined at a resolution of 1.8 Å displays a compact α/β-fold with multiple secondary structure elements omitted or shortened compared with protein structures of similar proteins. The functional characterization of AmiP demonstrates high efficiency of catalytic activity and broad substrate specificity toward thermophilic and mesophilic bacteria strains containing Orn-type or DAP-type peptidoglycan. The here presented AmiP constitutes the most thermoactive and ultrathermostable Amidase_3 type lytic enzyme biochemically characterized with a temperature optimum at 85°C. The extraordinary high melting temperature Tm 102.6°C confirms fold stability up to approximately 100°C. Furthermore, AmiP is shown to be more active over the alkaline pH range with pH optimum at pH 8.5 and tolerates NaCl up to 300 mM with the activity optimum at 25 mM NaCl. This set of beneficial characteristics suggests that AmiP can be further exploited in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrius Jasilionis
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Plotka
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Genetics, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sebastian Dorawa
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | - Josef Altenbuchner
- Institute of Biomedical Genetics, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Anna-Karina Kaczorowska
- Collection of Plasmids and Microorganisms, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ehmke Pohl
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, UK.,Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Tadeusz Kaczorowski
- Laboratory of Extremophiles Biology, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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20
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Insights into the Roles of Lipoteichoic Acids and MprF in Bacillus subtilis. mBio 2023; 14:e0266722. [PMID: 36744964 PMCID: PMC9973362 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02667-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gram-positive bacterial cells are protected from the environment by a cell envelope that is comprised of a thick layer of peptidoglycan that maintains cell shape and teichoic acid polymers whose biological function remains unclear. In Bacillus subtilis, the loss of all class A penicillin-binding proteins (aPBPs), which function in peptidoglycan synthesis, is conditionally lethal. Here, we show that this lethality is associated with an alteration of lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) and the accumulation of the major autolysin LytE in the cell wall. Our analysis provides further evidence that the length and abundance of LTAs act to regulate the cellular level and activity of autolytic enzymes, specifically LytE. Importantly, we identify a novel function for the aminoacyl-phosphatidylglycerol synthase MprF in the modulation of LTA biosynthesis in both B. subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. This finding has implications for our understanding of antimicrobial resistance (particularly to daptomycin) in clinically relevant bacteria and the involvement of MprF in the virulence of pathogens such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). IMPORTANCE In Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, the cell envelope is a structure that protects the cells from the environment but is also dynamic in that it must be modified in a controlled way to allow cell growth. In this study, we show that lipoteichoic acids (LTAs), which are anionic polymers attached to the membrane, have a direct role in modulating the cellular abundance of cell wall-degrading enzymes. We also find that the apparent length of the LTA is modulated by the activity of the enzyme MprF, previously implicated in modifications of the cell membrane leading to resistance to antimicrobial peptides. These findings are important contributions to our understanding of how bacteria balance cell wall synthesis and degradation to permit controlled growth and division. These results also have implications for the interpretation of antibiotic resistance, particularly for the clinical treatment of MRSA infections.
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21
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Naveed M, Wang Y, Yin X, Chan MWH, Aslam S, Wang F, Xu B, Ullah A. Purification, Characterization and Bactericidal Action of Lysozyme, Isolated from Bacillus subtillis BSN314: A Disintegrating Effect of Lysozyme on Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031058. [PMID: 36770725 PMCID: PMC9919333 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present study, lysozyme was purified by the following multi-step methodology: salt (ammonium sulfate) precipitation, dialysis, and ultrafiltration. The lysozyme potential was measured by enzymatic activity after each purification step. However, after ultrafiltration, the resulting material was considered extra purified. It was concentrated in an ultrafiltration centrifuge tube, and the resulting protein/lysozyme was used to determine its bactericidal potential against five bacterial strains, including three gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis 168, Micrococcus luteus, and Bacillus cereus) and two gram-negative (Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) strains. The results of ZOI and MIC/MBC showed that lysozyme had a higher antimicrobial activity against gram-positive than gram-negative bacterial strains. The results of the antibacterial activity of lysozyme were compared with those of ciprofloxacin (antibiotic). For this purpose, two indices were applied in the present study: antimicrobial index (AMI) and percent activity index (PAI). It was found that the purified lysozyme had a higher antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus (AMI/PAI; 1.01/101) and Bacillus subtilis 168 (AMI/PAI; 1.03/103), compared to the antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) used in this study. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to determine the bactericidal action of the lysozyme on the bacterial cell. The purified protein was further processed by gel column chromatography and the eluate was collected, its enzymatic activity was 21.93 U/mL, while the eluate was processed by native-PAGE. By this analysis, the un-denatured protein with enzymatic activity of 40.9 U/mL was obtained. This step shows that the protein (lysozyme) has an even higher enzymatic potential. To determine the specific peptides (in lysozyme) that may cause the bactericidal potential and cell lytic/enzymatic activity, the isolated protein (lysozyme) was further processed by the SDS-PAGE technique. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed different bands with sizes of 34 kDa, 24 kDa, and 10 kDa, respectively. To determine the chemical composition of the peptides, the bands (from SDS-PAGE) were cut, enzymatically digested, desalted, and analyzed by LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry). LC-MS analysis showed that the purified lysozyme had the following composition: the number of proteins in the sample was 56, the number of peptides was 124, and the number of PSMs (peptide spectrum matches) was 309. Among them, two peptides related to lysozyme and bactericidal activities were identified as: A0A1Q9G213 (N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase) and A0A1Q9FRD3 (D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase). The corresponding protein sequence and nucleic acid sequence were determined by comparison with the database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naveed
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yadong Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
| | - Xian Yin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
| | - Malik Wajid Hussain Chan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Campus Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi 75300, Pakistan
| | - Sadar Aslam
- Department of Biological Science, University of Baltistan, Skardu 16400, Pakistan
| | - Fenghuan Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- Correspondence: (F.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Baocai Xu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- Correspondence: (F.W.); (B.X.)
| | - Asad Ullah
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- School of Light Industry, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), Beijing 100048, China
- Food and Marine Resources Research Center, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories Complex, Karachi 75280, Pakistan
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22
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Frirdich E, Vermeulen J, Biboy J, Vollmer W, Gaynor EC. Multiple Campylobacter jejuni proteins affecting the peptidoglycan structure and the degree of helical cell curvature. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1162806. [PMID: 37143542 PMCID: PMC10151779 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1162806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is a Gram-negative helical bacterium. Its helical morphology, maintained by the peptidoglycan (PG) layer, plays a key role in its transmission in the environment, colonization, and pathogenic properties. The previously characterized PG hydrolases Pgp1 and Pgp2 are important for generating C. jejuni helical morphology, with deletion mutants being rod-shaped and showing alterations in their PG muropeptide profiles in comparison to the wild type. Homology searches and bioinformatics were used to identify additional gene products involved in C. jejuni morphogenesis: the putative bactofilin 1104 and the M23 peptidase domain-containing proteins 0166, 1105, and 1228. Deletions in the corresponding genes resulted in varying curved rod morphologies with changes in their PG muropeptide profiles. All changes in the mutants complemented except 1104. Overexpression of 1104 and 1105 also resulted in changes in the morphology and in the muropeptide profiles, suggesting that the dose of these two gene products influences these characteristics. The related helical ε-Proteobacterium Helicobacter pylori has characterized homologs of C. jejuni 1104, 1105, and 1228 proteins, yet deletion of the homologous genes in H. pylori had differing effects on H. pylori PG muropeptide profiles and/or morphology compared to the C. jejuni deletion mutants. It is therefore apparent that even related organisms with similar morphologies and homologous proteins can have diverse PG biosynthetic pathways, highlighting the importance of studying PG biosynthesis in related organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilisa Frirdich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Emilisa Frirdich,
| | - Jenny Vermeulen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jacob Biboy
- The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Erin C. Gaynor
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Clark KA, Covington BC, Seyedsayamdost MR. Biosynthesis-guided discovery reveals enteropeptins as alternative sactipeptides containing N-methylornithine. Nat Chem 2022; 14:1390-1398. [PMID: 36316408 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-022-01063-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The combination of next-generation DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics has revitalized natural product discovery. Using a bioinformatic search strategy, we recently identified ∼600 gene clusters in otherwise overlooked streptococci that code for ribosomal peptide natural products synthesized by radical S-adenosylmethionine enzymes. These grouped into 16 subfamilies and pointed to an unexplored microbiome biosynthetic landscape. Here we report the structure, biosynthesis and function of one of these natural product groups, which we term enteropeptins, from the gut microbe Enterococcus cecorum. We show three reactions in the biosynthesis of enteropeptins that are each catalysed by a different family of metalloenzymes. Among these, we characterize the founding member of a widespread superfamily of Fe-S-containing methyltransferases, which, together with an Mn2+-dependent arginase, installs N-methylornithine in the peptide sequence. Biological assays with the mature product revealed bacteriostatic activity only against the producing strain, extending an emerging theme of fratricidal or self-inhibitory metabolites in microbiome firmicutes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenzie A Clark
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Mohammad R Seyedsayamdost
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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In vitro studies of the protein-interaction network of cell-wall lytic transglycosylase RlpA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1314. [PMID: 36451021 PMCID: PMC9712689 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04230-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein networks of cell-wall-biosynthesis assemblies are largely unknown. A key class of enzymes in these assemblies is the lytic transglycosylases (LTs), of which eleven exist in P. aeruginosa. We have undertaken a pulldown strategy in conjunction with mass-spectrometry-based proteomics to identify the putative binding partners for the eleven LTs of P. aeruginosa. A total of 71 putative binding partners were identified for the eleven LTs. A systematic assessment of the binding partners of the rare lipoprotein A (RlpA), one of the pseudomonal LTs, was made. This 37-kDa lipoprotein is involved in bacterial daughter-cell separation by an unknown process. RlpA participates in both the multi-protein and multi-enzyme divisome and elongasome assemblies. We reveal an extensive protein-interaction network for RlpA involving at least 19 proteins. Their kinetic parameters for interaction with RlpA were assessed by microscale thermophoresis, surface-plasmon resonance, and isothermal-titration calorimetry. Notable RlpA binding partners include PBP1b, PBP4, and SltB1. Elucidation of the protein-interaction networks for each of the LTs, and specifically for RlpA, opens opportunities for the study of their roles in the complex protein assemblies intimately involved with the cell wall as a structural edifice critical for bacterial survival.
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25
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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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Ming H, Yan G, Zhang X, Pei X, Fu L, Zhou D. Harsh temperature induces Microcystis aeruginosa growth enhancement and water deterioration during vernalization. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 223:118956. [PMID: 35985140 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms are seasonal phenomena in eutrophic water. Cyanobacteria grow fast in the warm spring/summer while disappearing in cold autumn/winter. The temperature change induces algal vernalization. However, whether vernalization affects cyanobacterial blooms, and the regulatory signaling mechanisms are unclear. This study used Microcystis aeruginosa as the model cyanobacteria, and 4 °C and 10 °C as the low-temperature stimulation to explore the cell growth, metabolites, and signaling pathways in cyanobacteria vernalization. Low temperatures induced M. aeruginosa vernalization; the growth rate and cell density increased by 35±4% and 33±2%. Vernalization influenced peptidoglycan synthesis and cell permeability. Soluble microbial products (SMPs) in water increased by 109±5%, resulting in water deterioration. Polysaccharides were the predominant SMPs during the initial term of vernalization. Tryptophan protein-like & humic acid-like substances became the main increased SMPs in the middle-later period of vernalization. Harsh temperatures triggered quorum sensing and two-component system. Signaling sensing systems upregulated photosynthesis, glycolysis, TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and DNA replication, enhancing M. aeruginosa growth and metabolism during vernalization. This study verified that low temperature stimulates cyanobacteria growth and metabolism, and vernalization possibly aggravates cyanobacterial blooms and water deterioration. It provides new insights into the mechanism of seasonal cyanobacterial blooms and the pivotal role of signaling regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ming
- Engineering Lab for Water Pollution Control and Resources Recovery of Jilin Province, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Ge Yan
- Engineering Lab for Water Pollution Control and Resources Recovery of Jilin Province, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Engineering Lab for Water Pollution Control and Resources Recovery of Jilin Province, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Xiaofen Pei
- Engineering Lab for Water Pollution Control and Resources Recovery of Jilin Province, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Liang Fu
- Engineering Lab for Water Pollution Control and Resources Recovery of Jilin Province, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China.
| | - Dandan Zhou
- Engineering Lab for Water Pollution Control and Resources Recovery of Jilin Province, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
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27
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Wang J, Yu Q, Peng Q, Slamti L, Zhang R, Hou S, Lereclus D, Song F. Deletion of the novel gene mother cell lysis X results in Cry1Ac encapsulation in the Bacillus thuringiensis HD73. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:951830. [PMID: 36016772 PMCID: PMC9397120 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.951830] [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: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel protein MclX (mother cell lysis X) in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki strain HD73 (B. thuringiensis HD73) was characterized in this work. MclX has no known domain and its gene deletion in HD73 resulted in Cry1Ac encapsulation in the mother cell and did not influence Cry1Ac protein production or insecticidal activity. In vitro cell wall hydrolysis experiments showed that MclX cannot hydrolyze the cell wall. In mclX deletion mutants, the expression of cwlC (which encodes a key cell wall hydrolase) was significantly decreased, as shown by the β-galactosidase activity assay. MclX cannot directly bind to the cwlC promoter, based on the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The cwlC was reported to be regulated by σK and GerE. However, the transcriptional activities of sigK and gerE showed no difference between HD73 and the mclX deletion mutant. It is indicated that MclX influenced cwlC expression independently of σK or GerE, through a new pathway to regulate cwlC expression. mclX deletion could be a new approach for insecticidal protein encapsulation in Bacillus thuringiensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingyue Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Peng
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Leyla Slamti
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Ruibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuo Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Didier Lereclus
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Fuping Song
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Fuping Song,
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28
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Meng Y, Wang Q, Ma Z, Li W, Niu K, Zhu T, Lin H, Lu C, Fan H. Streptococcal autolysin promotes dysfunction of swine tracheal epithelium by interacting with vimentin. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010765. [PMID: 35921364 PMCID: PMC9377611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is a major zoonotic pathogen resulting in manifestations as pneumonia and septic shock. The upper respiratory tract is typically thought to be the main colonization and entry site of SS2 in pigs, but the mechanism through which it penetrates the respiratory barrier is still unclear. In this study, a mutant with low invasive potential to swine tracheal epithelial cells (STECs) was screened from the TnYLB-1 transposon insertion mutant library of SS2, and the interrupted gene was identified as autolysin (atl). Compared to wild-type (WT) SS2, Δatl mutant exhibited lower ability to penetrate the tracheal epithelial barrier in a mouse model. Purified Atl also enhanced SS2 translocation across STEC monolayers in Transwell inserts. Furthermore, Atl redistributed the tight junctions (TJs) in STECs through myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) signaling, which led to increased barrier permeability. Using mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), pull-down, bacterial two-hybrid and saturation binding experiments, we showed that Atl binds directly to vimentin. CRISPR/Cas9-targeted deletion of vimentin in STECs (VIM KO STECs) abrogated the capacity of SS2 to translocate across the monolayers, SS2-induced phosphorylation of myosin II regulatory light chain (MLC) and MLCK transcription, indicating that vimentin is indispensable for MLCK activation. Consistently, vimentin null mice were protected from SS2 infection and exhibited reduced tracheal and lung injury. Thus, MLCK-mediated epithelial barrier opening caused by the Atl-vimentin interaction is found to be likely the key mechanism by which SS2 penetrates the tracheal epithelium. Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2), an emerging zoonotic agent, can breach the respiratory barrier and cause invasive disease in pigs. Here, we identified the novel role of autolysin Atl in penetration of the respiratory barrier by SS2 and its systemic dissemination and identified its binding partner, vimentin, a type III intermediate filament protein. Atl contributed to the MLCK-triggered redistribution of tight junctions to open the tracheal epithelial barrier. Knockout of vimentin abolished the ability of SS2 to penetrate the monolayer barrier and the activation of MLCK. Furthermore, vimentin null mice were protected from infection by intranasally administered SS2. This study is the first to demonstrate that the interaction between the GBS Bsp-like domain of Atl and vimentin promotes MLCK-mediated dysfunction of the epithelial barrier, which may provide theoretical information for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatments against diseases caused by similar respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Meng
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Wang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhe Ma
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Weiyi Li
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Niu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Zhu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huixing Lin
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Chengping Lu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hongjie Fan
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- * E-mail:
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29
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Metal cofactor stabilization by a partner protein is a widespread strategy employed for amidase activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201141119. [PMID: 35733252 PMCID: PMC9245657 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201141119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Construction and remodeling of the bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall must be carefully coordinated with cell growth and division. Central to cell wall construction are hydrolases that cleave bonds in peptidoglycan. These enzymes also represent potential new antibiotic targets. One such hydrolase, the amidase LytH in Staphylococcus aureus, acts to remove stem peptides from PG, controlling where substrates are available for insertion of new PG strands and consequently regulating cell size. When it is absent, cells grow excessively large and have division defects. For activity, LytH requires a protein partner, ActH, that consists of an intracellular domain, a large rhomboid protease domain, and three extracellular tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs). Here, we demonstrate that the amidase-activating function of ActH is entirely contained in its extracellular TPRs. We show that ActH binding stabilizes metals in the LytH active site and that LytH metal binding in turn is needed for stable complexation with ActH. We further present a structure of a complex of the extracellular domains of LytH and ActH. Our findings suggest that metal cofactor stabilization is a general strategy used by amidase activators and that ActH houses multiple functions within a single protein.
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Wang M, Buist G, van Dijl JM. Staphylococcus aureus cell wall maintenance - the multifaceted roles of peptidoglycan hydrolases in bacterial growth, fitness, and virulence. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6604383. [PMID: 35675307 PMCID: PMC9616470 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is an important human and livestock pathogen that is well-protected against environmental insults by a thick cell wall. Accordingly, the wall is a major target of present-day antimicrobial therapy. Unfortunately, S. aureus has mastered the art of antimicrobial resistance, as underscored by the global spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The major cell wall component is peptidoglycan. Importantly, the peptidoglycan network is not only vital for cell wall function, but it also represents a bacterial Achilles' heel. In particular, this network is continuously opened by no less than 18 different peptidoglycan hydrolases (PGHs) encoded by the S. aureus core genome, which facilitate bacterial growth and division. This focuses attention on the specific functions executed by these enzymes, their subcellular localization, their control at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, their contributions to staphylococcal virulence and their overall importance in bacterial homeostasis. As highlighted in the present review, our understanding of the different aspects of PGH function in S. aureus has been substantially increased over recent years. This is important because it opens up new possibilities to exploit PGHs as innovative targets for next-generation antimicrobials, passive or active immunization strategies, or even to engineer them into effective antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jan Maarten van Dijl
- Corresponding author: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, P.O. box 30001, HPC EB80, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands, Tel. +31-50-3615187; Fax. +31-50-3619105; E-mail:
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31
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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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32
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Li C, Liang Y, Qiao Y. Messengers From the Gut: Gut Microbiota-Derived Metabolites on Host Regulation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:863407. [PMID: 35531300 PMCID: PMC9073088 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.863407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human gut is the natural habitat for trillions of microorganisms, known as the gut microbiota, which play indispensable roles in maintaining host health. Defining the underlying mechanistic basis of the gut microbiota-host interactions has important implications for treating microbiota-associated diseases. At the fundamental level, the gut microbiota encodes a myriad of microbial enzymes that can modify various dietary precursors and host metabolites and synthesize, de novo, unique microbiota-derived metabolites that traverse from the host gut into the blood circulation. These gut microbiota-derived metabolites serve as key effector molecules to elicit host responses. In this review, we summarize recent studies in the understanding of the major classes of gut microbiota-derived metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids (BAs) and peptidoglycan fragments (PGNs) on their regulatory effects on host functions. Elucidation of the structures and biological activities of such gut microbiota-derived metabolites in the host represents an exciting and critical area of research.
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33
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Luan M, Jin J, Wang Y, Li X, Xie A. Association of PGLYRP2 gene polymorphism and sporadic Parkinson's disease in northern Chinese Han population. Neurosci Lett 2022; 775:136547. [PMID: 35218888 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136547] [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: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Gut inflammation is increasingly corroborated to take part in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). The PGLYRP2 gene has been proven to increase susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The present study aimed to explore the genetic relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the PGLYRP2 gene and the risk of sporadic PD in the Han population of northern China. The genotypes of the rs3813135 T/C, rs733731 C/T and rs892145 A/T polymorphisms of the PGLYRP2 gene in 400 Chinese Han patients with PD and 400 healthy age-and sex-matched individuals were identified by the Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The results showed that the frequency of the rs892145 AT heterozygote significantly differed between the PD and control groups (OR = 1.459, 95%CI = 1.459-1.039, P = 0.029), as well as the early-onset PD and control groups (P = 0.024). The rs3813135 polymorphism yielded only one significant result: C allele was more common in the male PD group than in the male control group (P = 0.045). Conversely, no significant difference in the genotype frequency of rs733731 was found between the PD and control groups. Five common haplotypes were assessed, of which the TTA and TCA haplotypes were related to PD susceptibility. In summary, our results indicated that the PGLYRP2 gene is associated with sporadic PD in the Chinese Han population, in which the rs892145 AT heterozygote might increase the risk of PD and possibly the risk of early-onset PD. Moreover, linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis showed these three PGLYRP2 polymorphisms has a strong linkage in causing mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Luan
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jianing Jin
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Li
- Department of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Anmu Xie
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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Direct and Indirect Interactions Promote Complexes of the Lipoprotein LbcA, the CtpA Protease and Its Substrates, and Other Cell Wall Proteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0039321. [PMID: 34570626 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00393-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipoprotein LbcA was discovered because it copurified with and promoted the activity of CtpA, a carboxyl-terminal processing protease (CTP) required for type III secretion system function and virulence in a mouse model of acute pneumonia. In this study, we explored the role of LbcA by determining its effect on the proteome and its participation in protein complexes. lbcA- and ctpA-null mutations had strikingly similar effects on the proteome, suggesting that assisting CtpA might be the most impactful role of LbcA in the bacterial cell. Independent complexes containing LbcA and CtpA, or LbcA and a substrate, were isolated from P. aeruginosa cells, indicating that LbcA facilitates proteolysis by recruiting the protease and its substrates independently. An unbiased examination of proteins that copurified with LbcA revealed an enrichment for proteins associated with the cell wall. One of these copurification partners was found to be a new CtpA substrate and the first substrate that is not a peptidoglycan hydrolase. Many of the other LbcA copurification partners are known or predicted peptidoglycan hydrolases. However, some of these LbcA copurification partners were not cleaved by CtpA, and an in vitro assay revealed that while CtpA and all of its substrates bound to LbcA directly, these nonsubstrates did not. Subsequent experiments suggested that the nonsubstrates might copurify with LbcA by participating in multienzyme complexes containing LbcA-binding CtpA substrates. IMPORTANCE Carboxyl-terminal processing proteases (CTPs) are widely conserved and associated with the virulence of several bacteria, including CtpA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CtpA copurifies with the uncharacterized lipoprotein LbcA. This study shows that the most impactful role of LbcA might be to promote CtpA-dependent proteolysis and that it achieves this as a scaffold for CtpA and its substrates. It also reveals that LbcA copurification partners are enriched for cell wall-associated proteins, one of which is a novel CtpA substrate. Some of the LbcA copurification partners are not cleaved by CtpA but might copurify with LbcA because they participate in multienzyme complexes containing CtpA substrates. These findings are important because CTPs and their associated proteins affect peptidoglycan remodeling and virulence in multiple species.
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Huang L, Xu L, Han G, Crickmore N, Song F, Xu J. Characterization of CwlC, an autolysin, and its role in mother cell lysis of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Lett Appl Microbiol 2021; 74:92-102. [PMID: 34695235 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) has been proven to efficiently control mosquitoes, of which many species are important vectors of human disease. The larvicidal action is attributed to the parasporal crystals formed in the sporulating cells and released upon cell autolysis. In this study, a sporulation-specific cwlC gene that encodes an N-acetylmuramoyl-L -alanine amidase was characterized in Bti strain Bt-59. CwlC was the only cell wall hydrolase in Bti found to contain both MurNAc-LAA and Amidase02_C domains. A recombinant CwlC-His protein was able to digest the Bacillus cell wall. Deletion of the cwlC gene delayed Bti mother cell lysis without impacting vegetative growth or insecticidal efficacy. Transcriptional analyses indicated that cwlC was expressed at the late sporulation stage and was controlled by SigK. Two other cell wall hydrolase genes, cwlB and cwlE, with high expression levels at T14 in Bt-59, were also identified. Like cwlC, cwlB expression was controlled by SigK; in contrast, cwlE was found not to be under the control of this sigma factor and unlike the other two, its gene was found to be plasmid encoded.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Huang
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Jiangsu Lixiahe District Institute of Agricultural Sciences/National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Microbiology, Yangzhou, China
| | - L Xu
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Jiangsu Lixiahe District Institute of Agricultural Sciences/National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Microbiology, Yangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - G Han
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Jiangsu Lixiahe District Institute of Agricultural Sciences/National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Microbiology, Yangzhou, China
| | - N Crickmore
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - F Song
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - J Xu
- Department of Applied Microbiology, Jiangsu Lixiahe District Institute of Agricultural Sciences/National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Microbiology, Yangzhou, China
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López-Arvizu A, Rocha-Mendoza D, Farrés A, Ponce-Alquicira E, García-Cano I. Improved antimicrobial spectrum of the N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase from Latilactobacillus sakei upon LysM domain deletion. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:196. [PMID: 34654973 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03169-1] [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: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The gene encoding N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase in Latilactobacillus sakei isolated from a fermented meat product was cloned in two forms: its complete sequence (AmiC) and a truncated sequence without one of its anchoring LysM domains (AmiLysM4). The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of LysM domain deletion on antibacterial activity as well the biochemical characterization of each recombinant protein. AmiC and AmiLysM4 were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. Using a zymography method, two bands with lytic activity were observed, which were confirmed by LC-MS/MS analysis, with molecular masses of 71 kDa (AmiC) and 66 kDa (AmiLysM4). The recombinant proteins were active against Listeria innocua and Staphylococcus aureus strains. The inhibitory spectrum of AmiLysM4 was broader than AmiC as it showed inhibition of Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Weissella viridescens, both microorganisms associated with food decomposition. Optimal temperature and pH values were determined for both proteins using L-alanine-p-nitroanilide hydrochloride as a substrate for N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase activity. Both proteins showed similar maximum activity values for pH (8) and temperature (50 °C). Furthermore, structural predictions did not show differences for the catalytic region, but differences were found for the region called 2dom-AmiLysM4, which includes 4 of the 5 LysM domains. Therefore, modification of the LysM domain offers new tools for the development of novel food biopreservatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana López-Arvizu
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico, México
| | - Diana Rocha-Mendoza
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amelia Farrés
- Departamento de Alimentos y Biotecnología, Facultad de Química UNAM, Mexico, México
| | - Edith Ponce-Alquicira
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico, México.
| | - Israel García-Cano
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico, México. .,Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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37
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Abstract
Most bacteria are protected from environmental offenses by a cell wall consisting of strong yet elastic peptidoglycan. The cell wall is essential for preserving bacterial morphology and viability, and thus the enzymes involved in the production and turnover of peptidoglycan have become preferred targets for many of our most successful antibiotics. In the past decades, Vibrio cholerae, the gram-negative pathogen causing the diarrheal disease cholera, has become a major model for understanding cell wall genetics, biochemistry, and physiology. More than 100 articles have shed light on novel cell wall genetic determinants, regulatory links, and adaptive mechanisms. Here we provide the first comprehensive review of V. cholerae's cell wall biology and genetics. Special emphasis is placed on the similarities and differences with Escherichia coli, the paradigm for understanding cell wall metabolism and chemical structure in gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Alvarez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå SE-90187, Sweden;
| | - Sara B Hernandez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå SE-90187, Sweden;
| | - Felipe Cava
- Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå SE-90187, Sweden;
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38
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Alves Feliciano C, Eckenroth BE, Diaz OR, Doublié S, Shen A. A lipoprotein allosterically activates the CwlD amidase during Clostridioides difficile spore formation. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009791. [PMID: 34570752 PMCID: PMC8496864 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Spore-forming pathogens like Clostridioides difficile depend on germination to initiate infection. During gemination, spores must degrade their cortex layer, which is a thick, protective layer of modified peptidoglycan. Cortex degradation depends on the presence of the spore-specific peptidoglycan modification, muramic-∂-lactam (MAL), which is specifically recognized by cortex lytic enzymes. In C. difficile, MAL production depends on the CwlD amidase and its binding partner, the GerS lipoprotein. To gain insight into how GerS regulates CwlD activity, we solved the crystal structure of the CwlD:GerS complex. In this structure, a GerS homodimer is bound to two CwlD monomers such that the CwlD active sites are exposed. Although CwlD structurally resembles amidase_3 family members, we found that CwlD does not bind Zn2+ stably on its own, unlike previously characterized amidase_3 enzymes. Instead, GerS binding to CwlD promotes CwlD binding to Zn2+, which is required for its catalytic mechanism. Thus, in determining the first structure of an amidase bound to its regulator, we reveal stabilization of Zn2+ co-factor binding as a novel mechanism for regulating bacterial amidase activity. Our results further suggest that allosteric regulation by binding partners may be a more widespread mode for regulating bacterial amidase activity than previously thought. Spore germination is essential for many spore-forming pathogens to initiate infection. In order for spores to germinate, they must degrade a thick, protective layer of cell wall known as the cortex. The enzymes that digest this layer selectively recognize the spore-specific cell wall modification, muramic-∂-lactam (MAL). MAL is made in part through the activity of the CwlD amidase, which is found in all spore-forming bacteria. While Bacillus subtilis CwlD appears to have amidase activity on its own, Clostridioides difficile CwlD activity depends on its binding partner, the GerS lipoprotein. To understand why C. difficile CwlD requires GerS, we determined the X-ray crystal structure of the CwlD:GerS complex and discovered that GerS binds to a site distant from CwlD’s active site. We also found that GerS stabilizes CwlD binding to its co-factor, Zn2+, indicating that GerS allosterically activates CwlD amidase. Notably, regulation at the level of Zn2+ binding has not previously been described for bacterial amidases, and GerS is the first protein to be shown to allosterically activate an amidase. Since binding partners of bacterial amidases were only first discovered 15 years ago, our results suggest that diverse mechanisms remain to be discovered for these critical enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Alves Feliciano
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Brian E. Eckenroth
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Oscar R. Diaz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sylvie Doublié
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Aimee Shen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Biochemical reconstitution defines new functions for membrane-bound glycosidases in assembly of the bacterial cell wall. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2103740118. [PMID: 34475211 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103740118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The peptidoglycan cell wall is a macromolecular structure that encases bacteria and is essential for their survival. Proper assembly of the cell wall requires peptidoglycan synthases as well as membrane-bound cleavage enzymes that control where new peptidoglycan is made and inserted. Previous studies have shown that two membrane-bound proteins in Streptococcus pneumoniae, here named MpgA and MpgB, are important in maintaining cell wall integrity. MpgA was predicted to be a lytic transglycosylase based on its homology to Escherichia coli MltG, while the enzymatic activity of MpgB was unclear. Using nascent peptidoglycan substrates synthesized in vitro from the peptidoglycan precursor Lipid II, we report that both MpgA and MpgB are muramidases. We show that replacing a single amino acid in E. coli MltG with the corresponding amino acid from MpgA results in muramidase activity, allowing us to predict from the presence of this amino acid that other putative lytic transglycosylases actually function as muramidases. Strikingly, we report that MpgA and MpgB cut nascent peptidoglycan at different positions along the sugar backbone relative to the reducing end, with MpgA producing much longer peptidoglycan oligomers. We show that the cleavage site selectivity of MpgA is controlled by the LysM-like subdomain, which is required for its full functionality in cells. We propose that MltG's ability to complement the loss of MpgA in S. pneumoniae despite performing different cleavage chemistry is because it can cleave nascent peptidoglycan at the same distance from the lipid anchor.
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40
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Figueroa-Cuilan WM, Randich AM, Dunn CM, Santiago-Collazo G, Yowell A, Brown PJB. Diversification of LytM Protein Functions in Polar Elongation and Cell Division of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:729307. [PMID: 34489918 PMCID: PMC8416486 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.729307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
LytM-domain containing proteins are LAS peptidases (lysostaphin-type enzymes, D-Ala-D-Ala metallopeptidases, and sonic hedgehog) and are known to play diverse roles throughout the bacterial cell cycle through direct or indirect hydrolysis of the bacterial cell wall. A subset of the LytM factors are catalytically inactive but regulate the activity of other cell wall hydrolases and are classically described as cell separation factors NlpD and EnvC. Here, we explore the function of four LytM factors in the alphaproteobacterial plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. An LmdC ortholog (Atu1832) and a MepM ortholog (Atu4178) are predicted to be catalytically active. While Atu1832 does not have an obvious function in cell growth or division, Atu4178 is essential for polar growth and likely functions as a space-making endopeptidase that cleaves amide bonds in the peptidoglycan cell wall during elongation. The remaining LytM factors are degenerate EnvC and NlpD orthologs. Absence of these proteins results in striking phenotypes indicative of misregulation of cell division and growth pole establishment. The deletion of an amidase, AmiC, closely phenocopies the deletion of envC suggesting that EnvC might regulate AmiC activity. The NlpD ortholog DipM is unprecedently essential for viability and depletion results in the misregulation of early stages of cell division, contrasting with the canonical view of DipM as a cell separation factor. Finally, we make the surprising observation that absence of AmiC relieves the toxicity induced by dipM overexpression. Together, these results suggest EnvC and DipM may function as regulatory hubs with multiple partners to promote proper cell division and establishment of polarity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amelia M. Randich
- Department of Biology, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, United States
| | - Caroline M. Dunn
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Gustavo Santiago-Collazo
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Molecular Pathogenesis and Therapeutics Graduate Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Andrew Yowell
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Pamela J. B. Brown
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
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41
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Abstract
Most bacteria are surrounded by a peptidoglycan cell wall that defines their shape and protects them from osmotic lysis. The expansion and division of this structure therefore plays an integral role in bacterial growth and division. Additionally, the biogenesis of the peptidoglycan layer is the target of many of our most effective antibiotics. Thus, a better understanding of how the cell wall is built will enable the development of new therapies to combat the rise of drug-resistant bacterial infections. This review covers recent advances in defining the mechanisms involved in assembling the peptidoglycan layer with an emphasis on discoveries related to the function and regulation of the cell elongation and division machineries in the model organisms Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia D A Rohs
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; .,Current affiliation: Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Thomas G Bernhardt
- Department of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA; .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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42
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Labana P, Dornan MH, Lafrenière M, Czarny TL, Brown ED, Pezacki JP, Boddy CN. Armeniaspirols inhibit the AAA+ proteases ClpXP and ClpYQ leading to cell division arrest in Gram-positive bacteria. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:1703-1715.e11. [PMID: 34293284 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Multi-drug-resistant bacteria present an urgent threat to modern medicine, creating a desperate need for antibiotics with new modes of action. As natural products remain an unsurpassed source for clinically viable antibiotic compounds, we investigate the mechanism of action of armeniaspirol. The armeniaspirols are a structurally unique class of Gram-positive antibiotic discovered from Streptomyces armeniacus for which resistance cannot be readily obtained. We show that armeniaspirol inhibits the ATP-dependent proteases ClpXP and ClpYQ in vitro and in the model Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis. This inhibition dysregulates the divisome and elongasome supported by an upregulation of key proteins FtsZ, DivIVA, and MreB inducing cell division arrest. The inhibition of ClpXP and ClpYQ to dysregulate cell division represents a unique antibiotic mechanism of action and armeniaspirol is the only known natural product inhibitor of the coveted anti-virulence target ClpP. Thus, armeniaspirol possesses a promising lead scaffold for antibiotic development with unique pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puneet Labana
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Mark H Dornan
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Matthew Lafrenière
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Tomasz L Czarny
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Eric D Brown
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - John P Pezacki
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Christopher N Boddy
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada.
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43
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Page JE, Walker S. Natural products that target the cell envelope. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 61:16-24. [PMID: 33662818 PMCID: PMC8169544 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The inexorable spread of resistance to clinically used drugs demands that we maintain a full pipeline of antibiotic candidates. As organisms have struggled to survive and compete over evolutionary history, they have developed the capacity to make a remarkably diverse array of natural products that target the cell envelope. A few have been developed for use in the clinic but most have not, and there are still an enormous number of opportunities to investigate. Substrate-binding antibiotics for Gram-positive organisms, phage-derived lysins, and outer membrane protein-targeting agents for Gram-negative organisms represent promising avenues where nature's gifts may be repurposed for use in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Page
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, HIM1013, 4 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Suzanne Walker
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, HIM1013, 4 Blackfan Circle, Boston, MA, 02115, United States.
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44
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Lloyd MD, Yevglevskis M, Nathubhai A, James TD, Threadgill MD, Woodman TJ. Racemases and epimerases operating through a 1,1-proton transfer mechanism: reactivity, mechanism and inhibition. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:5952-5984. [PMID: 34027955 PMCID: PMC8142540 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs00540a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Racemases and epimerases catalyse changes in the stereochemical configurations of chiral centres and are of interest as model enzymes and as biotechnological tools. They also occupy pivotal positions within metabolic pathways and, hence, many of them are important drug targets. This review summarises the catalytic mechanisms of PLP-dependent, enolase family and cofactor-independent racemases and epimerases operating by a deprotonation/reprotonation (1,1-proton transfer) mechanism and methods for measuring their catalytic activity. Strategies for inhibiting these enzymes are reviewed, as are specific examples of inhibitors. Rational design of inhibitors based on substrates has been extensively explored but there is considerable scope for development of transition-state mimics and covalent inhibitors and for the identification of inhibitors by high-throughput, fragment and virtual screening approaches. The increasing availability of enzyme structures obtained using X-ray crystallography will facilitate development of inhibitors by rational design and fragment screening, whilst protein models will facilitate development of transition-state mimics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Lloyd
- Drug & Target Discovery, Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
| | - Maksims Yevglevskis
- Drug & Target Discovery, Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. and CatSci Ltd., CBTC2, Capital Business Park, Wentloog, Cardiff CF3 2PX, UK
| | - Amit Nathubhai
- Drug & Target Discovery, Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. and University of Sunderland, School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sciences Complex, Sunderland SR1 3SD, UK
| | - Tony D James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, People's Republic of China
| | - Michael D Threadgill
- Drug & Target Discovery, Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. and Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3BY, UK
| | - Timothy J Woodman
- Drug & Target Discovery, Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
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Ser/Thr Kinase-Dependent Phosphorylation of the Peptidoglycan Hydrolase CwlA Controls Its Export and Modulates Cell Division in Clostridioides difficile. mBio 2021; 12:mBio.00519-21. [PMID: 34006648 PMCID: PMC8262956 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00519-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell growth and division require a balance between synthesis and hydrolysis of the peptidoglycan (PG). Inhibition of PG synthesis or uncontrolled PG hydrolysis can be lethal for the cells, making it imperative to control peptidoglycan hydrolase (PGH) activity. The synthesis or activity of several key enzymes along the PG biosynthetic pathway is controlled by the Hanks-type serine/threonine kinases (STKs). In Gram-positive bacteria, inactivation of genes encoding STKs is associated with a range of phenotypes, including cell division defects and changes in cell wall metabolism, but only a few kinase substrates and associated mechanisms have been identified. We previously demonstrated that STK-PrkC plays an important role in cell division, cell wall metabolism, and resistance to antimicrobial compounds in the human enteropathogen Clostridioides difficile In this work, we characterized a PG hydrolase, CwlA, which belongs to the NlpC/P60 family of endopeptidases and hydrolyses cross-linked PG between daughter cells to allow cell separation. We identified CwlA as the first PrkC substrate in C. difficile We demonstrated that PrkC-dependent phosphorylation inhibits CwlA export, thereby controlling hydrolytic activity in the cell wall. High levels of CwlA at the cell surface led to cell elongation, whereas low levels caused cell separation defects. Thus, we provided evidence that the STK signaling pathway regulates PGH homeostasis to precisely control PG hydrolysis during cell division.IMPORTANCE Bacterial cells are encased in a PG exoskeleton that helps to maintain cell shape and confers physical protection. To allow bacterial growth and cell separation, PG needs to be continuously remodeled by hydrolytic enzymes that cleave PG at critical sites. How these enzymes are regulated remains poorly understood. We identify a new PG hydrolase involved in cell division, CwlA, in the enteropathogen C. difficile Lack or accumulation of CwlA at the bacterial surface is responsible for a division defect, while its accumulation in the absence of PrkC also increases susceptibility to antimicrobial compounds targeting the cell wall. CwlA is a substrate of the kinase PrkC in C. difficile PrkC-dependent phosphorylation controls the export of CwlA, modulating its levels and, consequently, its activity in the cell wall. This work provides a novel regulatory mechanism by STK in tightly controlling protein export.
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46
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Class A Penicillin-Binding Protein-Mediated Cell Wall Synthesis Promotes Structural Integrity during Peptidoglycan Endopeptidase Insufficiency in Vibrio cholerae. mBio 2021; 12:mBio.03596-20. [PMID: 33824203 PMCID: PMC8092314 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03596-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell wall is composed primarily of peptidoglycan (PG), a poly-aminosugar that is essential to sustain cell shape, growth, and structural integrity. PG is synthesized by class A/B penicillin-binding proteins (a/bPBPs) and shape, elongation, division, and sporulation (SEDS) proteins like RodA (as part of the Rod system cell elongation machinery) and degraded by "autolytic" enzymes to accommodate growth processes. It is thought that autolysins (particularly endopeptidases [EPs]) are required for PG synthesis and incorporation by creating gaps that are patched and paved by PG synthases, but the exact relationship between autolysins and PG synthesis remains incompletely understood. Here, we have probed the consequences of EP depletion for PG synthesis in the diarrheal pathogen Vibrio cholerae We found that EP depletion resulted in severe morphological and division defects, but these cells continued to increase in mass and aberrantly incorporated new cell wall material. Mass increase proceeded in the presence of Rod system inhibitors, but cells lysed upon inhibition of aPBPs, suggesting that aPBPs are required for structural integrity under these conditions. The Rod system, although not essential for the observed mass increase, remained functional even after prolonged EP depletion. Last, heterologous expression of an EP from Neisseria gonorrhoeae fully complemented growth and morphology of an EP-insufficient V. cholerae, highlighting the possibility that the PG synthases may not necessarily function via direct interaction with EPs. Overall, our findings suggest that during EP insufficiency in V. cholerae, aPBPs become essential for structural integrity while the Rod system is unable to promote proper cell expansion.IMPORTANCE Synthesis and turnover of the bacterial cell wall must be tightly coordinated to avoid structural integrity failure and cell death. Details of this coordination are poorly understood, particularly if and how cell wall turnover enzymes are required for the activity of the different cell wall synthesis machines, the aPBPs and the Rod system. Our results suggest that in Vibrio cholerae, one class of turnover enzymes, the endopeptidases, are necessary for proper cell elongation and division. aPBPs become essential for maintaining structural integrity during EP insufficiency, while the Rod system remains active but contributes little to cell expansion under these conditions. Our results suggest that aPBPs are more versatile than the Rod system in their ability to recognize cell wall gaps formed by autolysins other than the major endopeptidases, adding to our understanding of the coordination between autolysins and cell wall synthases. A detailed understanding of autolysin biology may promote the development of antibiotics that target these essential turnover processes.
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Mueller EA, Iken AG, Ali Öztürk M, Winkle M, Schmitz M, Vollmer W, Di Ventura B, Levin PA. The active repertoire of Escherichia coli peptidoglycan amidases varies with physiochemical environment. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:311-328. [PMID: 33666292 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Nearly all bacteria are encased in peptidoglycan, an extracytoplasmic matrix of polysaccharide strands crosslinked through short peptide stems. In the Gram-negative model organism Escherichia coli, more than 40 synthases and autolysins coordinate the growth and division of the peptidoglycan sacculus in the periplasm. The precise contribution of many of these enzymes to peptidoglycan metabolism remains unclear due to significant apparent redundancy, particularly among the autolysins. E. coli produces three major LytC-type-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases, which share a role in separating the newly formed daughter cells during cytokinesis. Here, we reveal two of the three amidases that exhibit growth medium-dependent changes in activity. Specifically, we report acidic growth conditions stimulate AmiB-and to a lesser extent, AmiC-amidase activity. Combining genetic, biochemical, and computational analyses, we demonstrate that low pH-dependent stimulation of AmiB is mediated through the periplasmic amidase activators NlpD, EnvC, and ActS (formerly known as YgeR). Although NlpD and EnvC promote amidase activity across pH environments, ActS preferentially stimulates AmiB activity in acidic conditions. Altogether, our findings support partially overlapping roles for E. coli amidases and their regulators in cell separation and illuminate the physiochemical environment as an important mediator of cell wall enzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Mueller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Center for Science & Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Abbygail G Iken
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mehmet Ali Öztürk
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, McKelvey School of Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Winkle
- The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Mirko Schmitz
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, McKelvey School of Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Barbara Di Ventura
- Signalling Research Centers BIOSS and CIBSS, McKelvey School of Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Petra Anne Levin
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Center for Science & Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Characteristics of the Proteolytic Enzymes Produced by Lactic Acid Bacteria. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26071858. [PMID: 33806095 PMCID: PMC8037685 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26071858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, we have observed a very rapid development in the biotechnological use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in various branches of the food industry. All such areas of activity of these bacteria are very important and promise enormous economic and industrial successes. LAB are a numerous group of microorganisms that have the ability to ferment sugars into lactic acid and to produce proteolytic enzymes. LAB proteolytic enzymes play an important role in supplying cells with the nitrogen compounds necessary for their growth. Their nutritional requirements in this regard are very high. Lactic acid bacteria require many free amino acids to grow. The available amount of such compounds in the natural environment is usually small, hence the main function of these enzymes is the hydrolysis of proteins to components absorbed by bacterial cells. Enzymes are synthesized inside bacterial cells and are mostly secreted outside the cell. This type of proteinase remains linked to the cell wall structure by covalent bonds. Thanks to advances in enzymology, it is possible to obtain and design new enzymes and their preparations that can be widely used in various biotechnological processes. This article characterizes the proteolytic activity, describes LAB nitrogen metabolism and details the characteristics of the peptide transport system. Potential applications of proteolytic enzymes in many industries are also presented, including the food industry.
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Fisher JF, Mobashery S. β-Lactams against the Fortress of the Gram-Positive Staphylococcus aureus Bacterium. Chem Rev 2021; 121:3412-3463. [PMID: 33373523 PMCID: PMC8653850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The biological diversity of the unicellular bacteria-whether assessed by shape, food, metabolism, or ecological niche-surely rivals (if not exceeds) that of the multicellular eukaryotes. The relationship between bacteria whose ecological niche is the eukaryote, and the eukaryote, is often symbiosis or stasis. Some bacteria, however, seek advantage in this relationship. One of the most successful-to the disadvantage of the eukaryote-is the small (less than 1 μm diameter) and nearly spherical Staphylococcus aureus bacterium. For decades, successful clinical control of its infection has been accomplished using β-lactam antibiotics such as the penicillins and the cephalosporins. Over these same decades S. aureus has perfected resistance mechanisms against these antibiotics, which are then countered by new generations of β-lactam structure. This review addresses the current breadth of biochemical and microbiological efforts to preserve the future of the β-lactam antibiotics through a better understanding of how S. aureus protects the enzyme targets of the β-lactams, the penicillin-binding proteins. The penicillin-binding proteins are essential enzyme catalysts for the biosynthesis of the cell wall, and understanding how this cell wall is integrated into the protective cell envelope of the bacterium may identify new antibacterials and new adjuvants that preserve the efficacy of the β-lactams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed F Fisher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Shahriar Mobashery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Indiana 46556, United States
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Abstract
Peptidoglycan is a defining feature of the bacterial cell wall. Initially identified as a target of the revolutionary beta-lactam antibiotics, peptidoglycan has become a subject of much interest for its biology, its potential for the discovery of novel antibiotic targets, and its role in infection. Peptidoglycan is a large polymer that forms a mesh-like scaffold around the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Peptidoglycan synthesis is vital at several stages of the bacterial cell cycle: for expansion of the scaffold during cell elongation and for formation of a septum during cell division. It is a complex multifactorial process that includes formation of monomeric precursors in the cytoplasm, their transport to the periplasm, and polymerization to form a functional peptidoglycan sacculus. These processes require spatio-temporal regulation for successful assembly of a robust sacculus to protect the cell from turgor and determine cell shape. A century of research has uncovered the fundamentals of peptidoglycan biology, and recent studies employing advanced technologies have shed new light on the molecular interactions that govern peptidoglycan synthesis. Here, we describe the peptidoglycan structure, synthesis, and regulation in rod-shaped bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli, with a few examples from Salmonella and other diverse organisms. We focus on the pathway of peptidoglycan sacculus elongation, with special emphasis on discoveries of the past decade that have shaped our understanding of peptidoglycan biology.
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