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Wellner SM, Alobaidallah MSA, Fei X, Herrero-Fresno A, Olsen JE. Genome-wide identification of fitness-genes in aminoglycoside-resistant Escherichia coli during antibiotic stress. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4163. [PMID: 38378700 PMCID: PMC10879529 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54169-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Resistance against aminoglycosides is widespread in bacteria. This study aimed to identify genes that are important for growth of E. coli during aminoglycoside exposure, since such genes may be targeted to re-sensitize resistant E. coli to treatment. We constructed three transposon mutant libraries each containing > 230.000 mutants in E. coli MG1655 strains harboring streptomycin (aph(3″)-Ib/aph(6)-Id), gentamicin (aac(3)-IV), or neomycin (aph(3″)-Ia) resistance gene(s). Transposon Directed Insertion-site Sequencing (TraDIS), a combination of transposon mutagenesis and high-throughput sequencing, identified 56 genes which were deemed important for growth during streptomycin, 39 during gentamicin and 32 during neomycin exposure. Most of these fitness-genes were membrane-located (n = 55) and involved in either cell division, ATP-synthesis or stress response in the streptomycin and gentamicin exposed libraries, and enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis or magnesium sensing/transport in the neomycin exposed library. For validation, eight selected fitness-genes/gene-clusters were deleted (minCDE, hflCK, clsA and cpxR associated with streptomycin and gentamicin resistance, and phoPQ, wecA, lpp and pal associated with neomycin resistance), and all mutants were shown to be growth attenuated upon exposure to the corresponding antibiotics. In summary, we identified genes that are advantageous in aminoglycoside-resistant E. coli during antibiotic stress. In addition, we increased the understanding of how aminoglycoside-resistant E. coli respond to antibiotic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Marina Wellner
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Mosaed Saleh A Alobaidallah
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 21423, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, 22384, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xiao Fei
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Ana Herrero-Fresno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade da Santiago de Compostela (USC), Campus Terra, 27002, Lugo, Spain.
| | - John Elmerdahl Olsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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Holden ER, Yasir M, Turner AK, Wain J, Charles IG, Webber MA. Genome-wide analysis of genes involved in efflux function and regulation within Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169. [PMID: 36745554 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of multidrug-resistant bacteria is increasing globally, with efflux pumps being a fundamental platform limiting drug access and synergizing with other mechanisms of resistance. Increased expression of efflux pumps is a key feature of most cells that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. Whilst expression of efflux genes can confer benefits, production of complex efflux systems is energetically costly and the expression of efflux is highly regulated, with cells balancing benefits against costs. This study used TraDIS-Xpress, a genome-wide transposon mutagenesis technology, to identify genes in Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium involved in drug efflux and its regulation. We exposed mutant libraries to the canonical efflux substrate acriflavine in the presence and absence of the efflux inhibitor phenylalanine-arginine β-naphthylamide. Comparisons between conditions identified efflux-specific and drug-specific responses. Known efflux-associated genes were easily identified, including acrAB, tolC, marRA, ramRA and soxRS, confirming the specificity of the response. Further genes encoding cell envelope maintenance enzymes and products involved with stringent response activation, DNA housekeeping, respiration and glutathione biosynthesis were also identified as affecting efflux activity in both species. This demonstrates the deep relationship between efflux regulation and other cellular regulatory networks. We identified a conserved set of pathways crucial for efflux activity in these experimental conditions, which expands the list of genes known to impact on efflux efficacy. Responses in both species were similar and we propose that these common results represent a core set of genes likely to be relevant to efflux control across the Enterobacteriaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Holden
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - Muhammad Yasir
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - A Keith Turner
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ, UK
| | - John Wain
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ, UK.,Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Ian G Charles
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ, UK.,Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Mark A Webber
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UQ, UK.,Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
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Repurposing of Ciclopirox to Overcome the Limitations of Zidovudine (Azidothymidine) against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030552. [PMID: 35335928 PMCID: PMC8950944 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria are the top-priority pathogens to be eradicated. Drug repurposing (e.g., the use of non-antibiotics to treat bacterial infections) may be helpful to overcome the limitations of current antibiotics. Zidovudine (azidothymidine, AZT), a licensed oral antiviral agent, is a leading repurposed drug against MDR Gram-negative bacterial infections. However, the rapid emergence of bacterial resistance due to long-term exposure, overuse, or misuse limits its application, making it necessary to develop new alternatives. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of ciclopirox (CPX) as an alternative to AZT. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of AZT and CPX against MDR Gram-negative bacteria were determined; CPX appeared more active against β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, whereas AZT displayed no selectivity for any antibiotic-resistant strain. Motility assays revealed that β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli strains were less motile in nature and more strongly affected by CPX than a parental strain. Resistance against CPX was not observed in E. coli even after 25 days of growth, whereas AZT resistance was observed in less than 2 days. Moreover, CPX effectively killed AZT-resistant strains with different resistance mechanisms. Our findings indicate that CPX may be utilized as an alternative or supplement to AZT-based medications to treat opportunistic Gram-negative bacterial infections.
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