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Gallegos-Monterrosa R, Coulthurst SJ. The ecological impact of a bacterial weapon: microbial interactions and the Type VI secretion system. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:fuab033. [PMID: 34156081 PMCID: PMC8632748 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria inhabit all known ecological niches and establish interactions with organisms from all kingdoms of life. These interactions are mediated by a wide variety of mechanisms and very often involve the secretion of diverse molecules from the bacterial cells. The Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a bacterial protein secretion system that uses a bacteriophage-like machinery to secrete a diverse array of effectors, usually translocating them directly into neighbouring cells. These effectors display toxic activity in the recipient cell, making the T6SS an effective weapon during inter-bacterial competition and interactions with eukaryotic cells. Over the last two decades, microbiology research has experienced a shift towards using systems-based approaches to study the interactions between diverse organisms and their communities in an ecological context. Here, we focus on this aspect of the T6SS. We consider how our perspective of the T6SS has developed and examine what is currently known about the impact that bacteria deploying the T6SS can have in diverse environments, including niches associated with plants, insects and mammals. We consider how T6SS-mediated interactions can affect host organisms by shaping their microbiota, as well as the diverse interactions that can be established between different microorganisms through the deployment of this versatile secretion system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah J Coulthurst
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
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2
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Abstract
The regulation and timely expression of bacterial genes during infection is critical for a pathogen to cause an infection. Bacteria have multiple mechanisms to regulate gene expression in response to their environment, one of which is two-component systems (TCS). TCS have two components. One component is a sensory histidine kinase (HK) that autophosphorylates when activated by a signal. The activated sensory histidine kinase then transfers the phosphoryl group to the second component, the response regulator, which activates transcription of target genes. The genus Burkholderia contains members that cause human disease and are often extensively resistant to many antibiotics. The Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) can cause severe lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). BCC members have also recently been associated with several outbreaks of bacteremia from contaminated pharmaceutical products. Separate from the BCC is Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is the causative agent of melioidosis, a serious disease that occurs in the tropics, and a potential bioterrorism weapon. Bioinformatic analysis of sequenced Burkholderia isolates predicts that most strains have at least 40 TCS. The vast majority of these TCS are uncharacterized both in terms of the signals that activate them and the genes that are regulated by them. This review will highlight TCS that have been described to play a role in virulence in either the BCC or B. pseudomallei Since many of these TCS are involved in virulence, TCS are potential novel therapeutic targets, and elucidating their function is critical for understanding Burkholderia pathogenesis.
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Phenylacetyl Coenzyme A, Not Phenylacetic Acid, Attenuates CepIR-Regulated Virulence in Burkholderia cenocepacia. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.01594-19. [PMID: 31585996 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01594-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During phenylalanine catabolism, phenylacetic acid (PAA) is converted to phenylacetyl coenzyme A (PAA-CoA) by a ligase, PaaK, and then PAA-CoA is epoxidized by a multicomponent monooxygenase, PaaABCDE, before further degradation through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In the opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia, loss of paaABCDE attenuates virulence factor expression, which is under the control of the LuxIR-like quorum sensing (QS) system, CepIR. To further investigate the link between CepIR-regulated virulence and PAA catabolism, we created knockout mutants of the first step of the pathway (PAA-CoA synthesis by PaaK) and characterized them in comparison to a paaABCDE mutant using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and virulence assays. We found that while loss of PaaABCDE decreased virulence, deletion of the paaK genes resulted in a more virulent phenotype than that of the wild-type strain. Deletion of either paaK or paaABCDE led to higher levels of released PAA but no differences in levels of internal accumulation compared to the wild-type level. While we found no evidence of direct cepIR downregulation by PAA-CoA or PAA, a low-virulence cepR mutant reverted to a virulent phenotype upon removal of the paaK genes. On the other hand, removal of paaABCDE in the cepR mutant did not impact its attenuated phenotype. Together, our results suggest an indirect role for PAA-CoA in suppressing B. cenocepacia CepIR-activated virulence.IMPORTANCE The opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia uses a chemical signal process called quorum sensing (QS) to produce virulence factors. In B. cenocepacia, QS relies on the presence of the transcriptional regulator CepR which, upon binding QS signal molecules, activates virulence. In this work, we found that even in the absence of CepR, B. cenocepacia can elicit a pathogenic response if phenylacetyl-CoA, an intermediate of the phenylacetic acid degradation pathway, is not produced. Instead, accumulation of phenylacetyl-CoA appears to attenuate pathogenicity. Therefore, we have discovered that it is possible to trigger virulence in the absence of CepR, challenging the classical view of activation of virulence by this QS mechanism. Our work provides new insight into the relationship between metabolism and virulence in opportunistic bacteria. We propose that in the event that QS signaling molecules cannot accumulate to trigger a pathogenic response, a metabolic signal can still activate virulence in B. cenocepacia.
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Oppy CC, Jebeli L, Kuba M, Oates CV, Strugnell R, Edgington-Mitchell LE, Valvano MA, Hartland EL, Newton HJ, Scott NE. Loss of O-Linked Protein Glycosylation in Burkholderia cenocepacia Impairs Biofilm Formation and Siderophore Activity and Alters Transcriptional Regulators. mSphere 2019; 4:e00660-19. [PMID: 31722994 PMCID: PMC6854043 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00660-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
O-linked protein glycosylation is a conserved feature of the Burkholderia genus. The addition of the trisaccharide β-Gal-(1,3)-α-GalNAc-(1,3)-β-GalNAc to membrane exported proteins in Burkholderia cenocepacia is required for bacterial fitness and resistance to environmental stress. However, the underlying causes of the defects observed in the absence of glycosylation are unclear. Using proteomics, luciferase reporter assays, and DNA cross-linking, we demonstrate the loss of glycosylation leads to changes in transcriptional regulation of multiple proteins, including the repression of the master quorum CepR/I. These proteomic and transcriptional alterations lead to the abolition of biofilm formation and defects in siderophore activity. Surprisingly, the abundance of most of the known glycosylated proteins did not significantly change in the glycosylation-defective mutants, except for BCAL1086 and BCAL2974, which were found in reduced amounts, suggesting they could be degraded. However, the loss of these two proteins was not responsible for driving the proteomic alterations, biofilm formation, or siderophore activity. Together, our results show that loss of glycosylation in B. cenocepacia results in a global cell reprogramming via alteration of the transcriptional regulatory systems, which cannot be explained by the abundance changes in known B. cenocepacia glycoproteins.IMPORTANCE Protein glycosylation is increasingly recognized as a common posttranslational protein modification in bacterial species. Despite this commonality, our understanding of the role of most glycosylation systems in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis is incomplete. In this work, we investigated the effect of the disruption of O-linked glycosylation in the opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia using a combination of proteomic, molecular, and phenotypic assays. We find that in contrast to recent findings on the N-linked glycosylation systems of Campylobacter jejuni, O-linked glycosylation does not appear to play a role in proteome stabilization of most glycoproteins. Our results reveal that loss of glycosylation in B. cenocepacia strains leads to global proteome and transcriptional changes, including the repression of the quorum-sensing regulator cepR (BCAM1868) gene. These alterations lead to dramatic phenotypic changes in glycosylation-null strains, which are paralleled by both global proteomic and transcriptional alterations, which do not appear to directly result from the loss of glycosylation per se. This research unravels the pleiotropic effects of O-linked glycosylation in B. cenocepacia, demonstrating that its loss does not simply affect the stability of the glycoproteome, but also interferes with transcription and the broader proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron C Oppy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leila Jebeli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Miku Kuba
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Clare V Oates
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Richard Strugnell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Laura E Edgington-Mitchell
- Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, New York, USA
| | - Miguel A Valvano
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth L Hartland
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hayley J Newton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nichollas E Scott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
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5
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Peñil-Celis A, Garcillán-Barcia MP. Crosstalk Between Type VI Secretion System and Mobile Genetic Elements. Front Mol Biosci 2019; 6:126. [PMID: 31799257 PMCID: PMC6863884 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many bacterial processes require cell-cell contacts. Such are the cases of bacterial conjugation, one of the main horizontal gene transfer mechanisms that physically spreads DNA, and the type VI secretion systems (T6SSs), which deploy antibacterial activity. Bacteria depend on conjugation to adapt to changing environments, while T6SS killing activity could pose a threat to mating partners. Here we review the experimental evidences of overlapping and interaction between the T6SSs, bacterial conjugation, and conjugative genetic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arancha Peñil-Celis
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Santander, Spain
| | - M Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Santander, Spain
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6
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Quorum Sensing as Antivirulence Target in Cystic Fibrosis Pathogens. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20081838. [PMID: 31013936 PMCID: PMC6515091 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20081838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder which leads to the secretion of a viscous mucus layer on the respiratory epithelium that facilitates colonization by various bacterial pathogens. The problem of drug resistance has been reported for all the species able to colonize the lung of CF patients, so alternative treatments are urgently needed. In this context, a valid approach is to investigate new natural and synthetic molecules for their ability to counteract alternative pathways, such as virulence regulating quorum sensing (QS). In this review we describe the pathogens most commonly associated with CF lung infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, species of the Burkholderia cepacia complex and the emerging pathogens Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Haemophilus influenzae and non-tuberculous Mycobacteria. For each bacterium, the QS system(s) and the molecules targeting the different components of this pathway are described. The amount of investigations published in the last five years clearly indicate the interest and the expectations on antivirulence therapy as an alternative to classical antibiotics.
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7
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Gomes MC, Tasrini Y, Subramoni S, Agnoli K, Feliciano JR, Eberl L, Sokol P, O’Callaghan D, Vergunst AC. The afc antifungal activity cluster, which is under tight regulatory control of ShvR, is essential for transition from intracellular persistence of Burkholderia cenocepacia to acute pro-inflammatory infection. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007473. [PMID: 30513124 PMCID: PMC6301696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia cenocepacia is particularly life-threatening for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Chronic lung infections with these bacteria can rapidly develop into fatal pulmonary necrosis and septicaemia. We have recently shown that macrophages are a critical site for replication of B. cenocepacia K56-2 and the induction of fatal pro-inflammatory responses using a zebrafish infection model. Here, we show that ShvR, a LysR-type transcriptional regulator that is important for biofilm formation, rough colony morphotype and inflammation in a rat lung infection model, is also required for the induction of fatal pro-inflammatory responses in zebrafish larvae. ShvR was not essential, however, for bacterial survival and replication in macrophages. Temporal, rhamnose-induced restoration of shvR expression in the shvR mutant during intramacrophage stages unequivocally demonstrated a key role for ShvR in transition from intracellular persistence to acute fatal pro-inflammatory disease. ShvR has been previously shown to tightly control the expression of the adjacent afc gene cluster, which specifies the synthesis of a lipopeptide with antifungal activity. Mutation of afcE, encoding an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, has been shown to give similar phenotypes as the shvR mutant. We found that, like shvR, afcE is also critical for the switch from intracellular persistence to fatal infection in zebrafish. The closely related B. cenocepacia H111 has been shown to be less virulent than K56-2 in several infection models, including Galleria mellonella and rats. Interestingly, constitutive expression of shvR in H111 increased virulence in zebrafish larvae to almost K56-2 levels in a manner that absolutely required afc. These data confirm a critical role for afc in acute virulence caused by B. cenocepacia that depends on strain-specific regulatory control by ShvR. We propose that ShvR and AFC are important virulence factors of the more virulent Bcc species, either through pro-inflammatory effects of the lipopeptide AFC, or through AFC-dependent membrane properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yara Tasrini
- VBMI, INSERM, Université de Montpellier, Nîmes, France
| | - Sujatha Subramoni
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Kirsty Agnoli
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Leo Eberl
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pamela Sokol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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8
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Thailandamide, a Fatty Acid Synthesis Antibiotic That Is Coexpressed with a Resistant Target Gene. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.00463-18. [PMID: 29914944 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00463-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbes encode many uncharacterized gene clusters that may produce antibiotics and other bioactive small molecules. Methods for activating these genes are needed to explore their biosynthetic potential. A transposon containing an inducible promoter was randomly inserted into the genome of the soil bacterium Burkholderia thailandensis to induce antibiotic expression. This screen identified the polyketide/nonribosomal peptide thailandamide as an antibiotic and discovered its regulator, AtsR. Mutants of Salmonella resistant to thailandamide had mutations in the accA gene for acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) carboxylase, which is one of the first enzymes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway. A second copy of accA in the thailandamide synthesis gene cluster keeps B. thailandensis resistant to its own antibiotic. These genetic techniques will likely be powerful tools for discovering other unusual antibiotics.
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9
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Cui C, Yang C, Song S, Fu S, Sun X, Yang L, He F, Zhang LH, Zhang Y, Deng Y. A novel two-component system modulates quorum sensing and pathogenicity in Burkholderia cenocepacia. Mol Microbiol 2018; 108:32-44. [PMID: 29363827 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is widely utilized by bacterial pathogens to regulate biological functions and pathogenicity. Recent evidence has shown that QS is subject to regulatory cascades, especially two-component systems that often respond to environmental stimulation. At least two different types of QS systems regulate pathogenesis in Burkholderia cenocepacia. However, it remains unclear how this bacterial pathogen controls these QS systems. Here, we demonstrate a novel two-component system RqpSR (Regulating Quorum sensing and Pathogenicity), which plays an important role in modulating QS and pathogenesis in B. cenocepacia. We demonstrate strong protein-protein binding affinity between RqpS and RqpR. Mutations in rqpS and rqpR exerted overlapping effects on B. cenocepacia transcriptomes and phenotypes, including motility, biofilm formation and virulence. In trans expression of rqpR rescued the defective phenotypes in the rqpS mutant. RqpR controls target gene expression by direct binding to DNA promoters, including the cis-2-dodecenoic acid (BDSF) and N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) signal synthase gene promoters. These findings suggest that the RqpSR system strongly modulates physiology by forming a complicated hierarchy with QS systems. This type of two-component system appears to be widely distributed and coexists with the BDSF QS system in various bacterial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyu Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Guangdong Innovative Research Team of Sociomicrobiology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Chunxi Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Guangdong Innovative Research Team of Sociomicrobiology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shihao Song
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Guangdong Innovative Research Team of Sociomicrobiology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shuna Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Guangdong Innovative Research Team of Sociomicrobiology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiuyun Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Guangdong Innovative Research Team of Sociomicrobiology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Liang Yang
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Fei He
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lian-Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yongliang Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Yinyue Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Guangdong Innovative Research Team of Sociomicrobiology, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.,Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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10
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Shanks RMQ, Stella NA, Lahr RM, Aston MA, Brothers KM, Callaghan JD, Sigindere C, Liu X. Suppressor analysis of eepR mutant defects reveals coordinate regulation of secondary metabolites and serralysin biosynthesis by EepR and HexS. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2017; 163:280-288. [PMID: 28270264 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The EepR transcription factor positively regulates secondary metabolites and tissue-damaging metalloproteases. To gain insight into mechanisms by which EepR regulates pigment and co-regulated factors, genetic suppressor analysis was performed. Suppressor mutations that restored pigment to the non-pigmented ∆eepR mutant mapped to the hexS ORF. Mutation of hexS also restored haemolysis, swarming motility and protease production to the eepR mutant. HexS is a known direct and negative regulator of secondary metabolites in Serratia marcescens and is a LysR family regulator and an orthologue of LrhA. Here, we demonstrate that HexS directly controls eepR and the serralysin gene prtS. EepR was shown to directly regulate eepR expression but indirectly regulate hexS expression. Together, these data indicate that EepR and HexS oppose each other in controlling stationary phase-associated molecules and enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Q Shanks
- Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas A Stella
- Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Roni M Lahr
- Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Marissa A Aston
- Present address: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly M Brothers
- Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jake D Callaghan
- Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Cihad Sigindere
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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11
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Use of Synthetic Hybrid Strains To Determine the Role of Replicon 3 in Virulence of the Burkholderia cepacia Complex. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.00461-17. [PMID: 28432094 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00461-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) displays a wealth of metabolic diversity with great biotechnological potential, but the utilization of these bacteria is limited by their opportunistic pathogenicity to humans. The third replicon of the Bcc, megaplasmid pC3 (0.5 to 1.4 Mb, previously chromosome 3), is important for various phenotypes, including virulence, antifungal, and proteolytic activities and the utilization of certain substrates. Approximately half of plasmid pC3 is well conserved throughout sequenced Bcc members, while the other half is not. To better locate the regions responsible for the key phenotypes, pC3 mutant derivatives of Burkholderia cenocepacia H111 carrying large deletions (up to 0.58 Mb) were constructed with the aid of the FLP-FRT (FRT, flippase recognition target) recombination system from Saccharomyces cerevisiae The conserved region was shown to confer near-full virulence in both Caenorhabditis elegans and Galleria mellonella infection models. Antifungal activity was unexpectedly independent of the part of pC3 bearing a previously identified antifungal gene cluster, while proteolytic activity was dependent on the nonconserved part of pC3, which encodes the ZmpA protease. To investigate to what degree pC3-encoded functions are dependent on chromosomally encoded functions, we transferred pC3 from Burkholderia cenocepacia K56-2 and Burkholderia lata 383 into other pC3-cured Bcc members. We found that although pC3 is highly important for virulence, it was the genetic background of the recipient that determined the pathogenicity level of the hybrid strain. Furthermore, we found that important phenotypes, such as antifungal activity, proteolytic activity, and some substrate utilization capabilities, can be transferred between Bcc members using pC3.IMPORTANCE The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is a group of closely related bacteria with great biotechnological potential. Some strains produce potent antifungal compounds and can promote plant growth or degrade environmental pollutants. However, their agricultural potential is limited by their opportunistic pathogenicity, particularly for cystic fibrosis patients. Despite much study, their virulence remains poorly understood. The third replicon, pC3, which is present in all Bcc isolates and is important for pathogenicity, stress resistance, and the production of antifungal compounds, has recently been reclassified from a chromosome to a megaplasmid. In this study, we identified regions on pC3 important for virulence and antifungal activity and investigated the role of the chromosomal background for the function of pC3 by exchanging the megaplasmid between different Bcc members. Our results may open a new avenue for the construction of antifungal but nonpathogenic Burkholderia hybrids. Such strains may have great potential as biocontrol strains for protecting fungus-borne diseases of plant crops.
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12
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Gallique M, Decoin V, Barbey C, Rosay T, Feuilloley MGJ, Orange N, Merieau A. Contribution of the Pseudomonas fluorescens MFE01 Type VI Secretion System to Biofilm Formation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170770. [PMID: 28114423 PMCID: PMC5256989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are widespread in Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas. These macromolecular machineries inject toxins directly into prokaryotic or eukaryotic prey cells. Hcp proteins are structural components of the extracellular part of this machinery. We recently reported that MFE01, an avirulent strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens, possesses at least two hcp genes, hcp1 and hcp2, encoding proteins playing important roles in interbacterial interactions. Indeed, P. fluorescens MFE01 can immobilise and kill diverse bacteria of various origins through the action of the Hcp1 or Hcp2 proteins of the T6SS. We show here that another Hcp protein, Hcp3, is involved in killing prey cells during co-culture on solid medium. Even after the mutation of hcp1, hcp2, or hcp3, MFE01 impaired biofilm formation by MFP05, a P. fluorescens strain isolated from human skin. These mutations did not reduce P. fluorescens MFE01 biofilm formation, but the three Hcp proteins were required for the completion of biofilm maturation. Moreover, a mutant with a disruption of one of the unique core component genes, MFE01ΔtssC, was unable to produce its own biofilm or inhibit MFP05 biofilm formation. Finally, MFE01 did not produce detectable N-acyl-homoserine lactones for quorum sensing, a phenomenon reported for many other P. fluorescens strains. Our results suggest a role for the T6SS in communication between bacterial cells, in this strain, under biofilm conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Gallique
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
| | - Victorien Decoin
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
| | - Corinne Barbey
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
- Seeds Innovation Protection Research and Environment (SIPRE), Achicourt, France
| | - Thibaut Rosay
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
| | - Marc G. J. Feuilloley
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
| | - Nicole Orange
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
| | - Annabelle Merieau
- LMSM, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, IUT d'Evreux, Université de Rouen, Normandy University, Evreux, France
- * E-mail:
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Burkholderia cepacia Complex Regulation of Virulence Gene Expression: A Review. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8010043. [PMID: 28106859 PMCID: PMC5295037 DOI: 10.3390/genes8010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) bacteria emerged as opportunistic pathogens in cystic fibrosis and immunocompromised patients. Their eradication is very difficult due to the high level of intrinsic resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics. Bcc bacteria have large and complex genomes, composed of two to four replicons, with variable numbers of insertion sequences. The complexity of Bcc genomes confers a high genomic plasticity to these bacteria, allowing their adaptation and survival to diverse habitats, including the human host. In this work, we review results from recent studies using omics approaches to elucidate in vivo adaptive strategies and virulence gene regulation expression of Bcc bacteria when infecting the human host or subject to conditions mimicking the stressful environment of the cystic fibrosis lung.
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Quorum Sensing and the Use of Quorum Quenchers as Natural Biocides to Inhibit Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria. Antibiotics (Basel) 2016; 5:antibiotics5040039. [PMID: 27983678 PMCID: PMC5187520 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics5040039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are one of the main protagonist groups of biocorrosion in the seawater environment. Given their principal role in biocorrosion, it remains a crucial task to develop strategies to reduce the abundance of SRBs. Conventional approaches include the use of biocides and antibiotics, which can impose health, safety, and environmental concerns. This review examines an alternative approach to this problem. This is achieved by reviewing the role of quorum sensing (QS) in SRB populations and its impact on the biofilm formation process. Genome databases of SRBs are mined to look for putative QS systems and homologous protein sequences representative of autoinducer receptors or synthases. Subsequently, this review puts forward the potential use of quorum quenchers as natural biocides against SRBs and outlines the potential strategies for the implementation of this approach.
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Kumar B, Cardona ST. Synthetic Cystic Fibrosis Sputum Medium Regulates Flagellar Biosynthesis through the flhF Gene in Burkholderia cenocepacia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:65. [PMID: 27379216 PMCID: PMC4905959 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cenocepacia belongs to the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), a group of at least 18 distinct species that establish chronic infections in the lung of people with the genetic disease cystic fibrosis (CF). The sputum of CF patients is rich in amino acids and was previously shown to increase flagellar gene expression in B. cenocepacia. We examined flagellin expression and flagellar morphology of B. cenocepacia grown in synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum medium (SCFM) compared to minimal medium. We found that CF nutritional conditions induce increased motility and flagellin expression. Individual amino acids added at the same concentrations as found in SCFM also increased motility but not flagellin expression, suggesting a chemotactic effect of amino acids. Electron microscopy and flagella staining demonstrated that the increase in flagellin corresponds to a change in the number of flagella per cell. In minimal medium, the ratio of multiple: single: aflagellated cells was 2:3.5:4.5; while under SCFM conditions, the ratio was 7:2:1. We created a deletion mutant, ΔflhF, to study whether this putative GTPase regulates the flagellation pattern of B. cenocepacia K56-2 during growth in CF conditions. The ΔflhF mutant exhibited 80% aflagellated, 14% single and 6% multiple flagellated bacterial subpopulations. Moreover, the ratio of multiple to single flagella in WT and ΔflhF was 3.5 and 0.43, respectively in CF conditions. The observed differences suggest that FlhF positively regulates flagellin expression and the flagellation pattern in B. cenocepacia K56-2 during CF nutritional conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brijesh Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Silvia T Cardona
- Department of Microbiology, University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB, Canada; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB, Canada
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16
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Aubert DF, Xu H, Yang J, Shi X, Gao W, Li L, Bisaro F, Chen S, Valvano MA, Shao F. A Burkholderia Type VI Effector Deamidates Rho GTPases to Activate the Pyrin Inflammasome and Trigger Inflammation. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 19:664-74. [PMID: 27133449 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic pathogen of the cystic fibrosis lung that elicits a strong inflammatory response. B. cenocepacia employs a type VI secretion system (T6SS) to survive in macrophages by disarming Rho-type GTPases, causing actin cytoskeletal defects. Here, we identified TecA, a non-VgrG T6SS effector responsible for actin disruption. TecA and other bacterial homologs bear a cysteine protease-like catalytic triad, which inactivates Rho GTPases by deamidating a conserved asparagine in the GTPase switch-I region. RhoA deamidation induces caspase-1 inflammasome activation, which is mediated by the familial Mediterranean fever disease protein Pyrin. In mouse infection, the deamidase activity of TecA is necessary and sufficient for B. cenocepacia-triggered lung inflammation and also protects mice from lethal B. cenocepacia infection. Therefore, Burkholderia TecA is a T6SS effector that modifies a eukaryotic target through an asparagine deamidase activity, which in turn elicits host cell death and inflammation through activation of the Pyrin inflammasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Aubert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Hao Xu
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jieling Yang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China; National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xuyan Shi
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Wenqing Gao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Lin Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Fabiana Bisaro
- Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
| | - She Chen
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Miguel A Valvano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London N6A 5C1, Canada; Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK.
| | - Feng Shao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China; National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Beijing 102206, China.
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Aubert DF, Valvano MA, Hu S. Quantification of type VI secretion system activity in macrophages infected with Burkholderia cenocepacia. Microbiology (Reading) 2015; 161:2161-73. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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18
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Abstract
Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) species are a group of Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens that infect the airways of cystic fibrosis patients, and occasionally they infect other immunocompromised patients. Bcc bacteria display high-level multidrug resistance and chronically persist in the infected host while eliciting robust inflammatory responses. Studies using macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells, combined with advances in the genetic manipulation of these bacteria, have increased our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of virulence in these pathogens and the molecular details of cell-host responses triggering inflammation. This article discusses our current view of the intracellular survival of Burkholderia cenocepacia within macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Valvano
- Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7AE, UK
- Centre for Human Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada
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Burkholderia cenocepacia Lipopolysaccharide Modification and Flagellin Glycosylation Affect Virulence but Not Innate Immune Recognition in Plants. mBio 2015; 6:e00679. [PMID: 26045541 PMCID: PMC4462625 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00679-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Burkholderia cenocepacia causes opportunistic infections in plants, insects, animals, and humans, suggesting that "virulence" depends on the host and its innate susceptibility to infection. We hypothesized that modifications in key bacterial molecules recognized by the innate immune system modulate host responses to B. cenocepacia. Indeed, modification of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose and flagellin glycosylation attenuates B. cenocepacia infection in Arabidopsis thaliana and Galleria mellonella insect larvae. However, B. cenocepacia LPS and flagellin triggered rapid bursts of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in A. thaliana leading to activation of the PR-1 defense gene. These responses were drastically reduced in plants with fls2 (flagellin FLS2 host receptor kinase), Atnoa1 (nitric oxide-associated protein 1), and dnd1-1 (reduced production of nitric oxide) null mutations. Together, our results indicate that LPS modification and flagellin glycosylation do not affect recognition by plant receptors but are required for bacteria to establish overt infection. IMPORTANCE Virulence and pathogenicity are properties ascribed to microbes, which actually require careful consideration of the host. Using the term "pathogen" to define a microbe without considering its host has recently been debated, since the microbe's capacity to establish a niche in a given host is a critical feature associated with infection. Opportunistic bacteria are a perfect example of microbes whose ability to cause disease is intimately related to the host's ability to recognize and respond to the infection. Here, we use the opportunistic bacterium Burkholderia cenocepacia and the host plant Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate the role of bacterial surface molecules, namely, lipopolysaccharide and flagellin, in contributing to infection and also in eliciting a host response. We reveal that both molecules can be modified by glycosylation, and although the modifications are critical for the bacteria to establish an infection, they do not impact the host's ability to recognize the pathogen.
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Serratia marcescens Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein Controls Transcription of EepR, a Novel Regulator of Antimicrobial Secondary Metabolites. J Bacteriol 2015; 197:2468-78. [PMID: 25897029 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00136-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Serratia marcescens generates secondary metabolites and secreted enzymes, and it causes hospital infections and community-acquired ocular infections. Previous studies identified cyclic AMP (cAMP) receptor protein (CRP) as an indirect inhibitor of antimicrobial secondary metabolites. Here, we identified a putative two-component regulator that suppressed crp mutant phenotypes. Evidence supports that the putative response regulator eepR was directly transcriptionally inhibited by cAMP-CRP. EepR and the putative sensor kinase EepS were necessary for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, including prodigiosin- and serratamolide-dependent phenotypes, swarming motility, and hemolysis. Recombinant EepR bound to the prodigiosin and serratamolide promoters in vitro. Together, these data introduce a novel regulator of secondary metabolites that directly connects the broadly conserved metabolism regulator CRP with biosynthetic genes that may contribute to competition with other microbes. IMPORTANCE This study identifies a new transcription factor that is directly controlled by a broadly conserved transcription factor, CRP. CRP is well studied in its role to help bacteria respond to the amount of nutrients in their environment. The new transcription factor EepR is essential for the bacterium Serratia marcescens to produce two biologically active compounds, prodigiosin and serratamolide. These two compounds are antimicrobial and may allow S. marcescens to compete for limited nutrients with other microorganisms. Results from this study tie together the CRP environmental nutrient sensor with a new regulator of antimicrobial compounds. Beyond microbial ecology, prodigiosin and serratamolide have therapeutic potential; therefore, understanding their regulation is important for both applied and basic science.
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Inhibition of Salmonella enterica biofilm formation using small-molecule adenosine mimetics. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 59:76-84. [PMID: 25313216 DOI: 10.1128/aac.03407-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofilms have been widely implicated in chronic infections and environmental persistence of Salmonella enterica, facilitating enhanced colonization of surfaces and increasing the ability of the bacteria to be transmitted to new hosts. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi biofilm formation on gallstones from humans and mice enhances gallbladder colonization and bacterial shedding, while Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium biofilms facilitate long-term persistence in a number of environments important to food, medical, and farming industries. Salmonella regulates expression of many virulence- and biofilm-related processes using kinase-driven pathways. Kinases play pivotal roles in phosphorylation and energy transfer in cellular processes and possess an ATP-binding pocket required for their functions. Many other cellular proteins also require ATP for their activity. Here we test the hypothesis that pharmacological interference with ATP-requiring enzymes utilizing adenosine mimetic compounds would decrease or inhibit bacterial biofilm formation. Through the screening of a 3,000-member ATP mimetic library, we identified a single compound (compound 7955004) capable of significantly reducing biofilm formation by S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi. The compound was not bactericidal or bacteriostatic toward S. Typhimurium or cytotoxic to mammalian cells. An ATP-Sepharose affinity matrix technique was used to discover potential protein-binding targets of the compound and identified GroEL and DeoD. Compound 7955004 was screened against other known biofilm-forming bacterial species and was found to potently inhibit biofilms of Acinetobacter baumannii as well. The identification of a lead compound with biofilm-inhibiting capabilities toward Salmonella provides a potential new avenue of therapeutic intervention against Salmonella biofilm formation, with applicability to biofilms of other bacterial pathogens.
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Pribytkova T, Lightly TJ, Kumar B, Bernier SP, Sorensen JL, Surette MG, Cardona ST. The attenuated virulence of aBurkholderia cenocepacia paaABCDEmutant is due to inhibition of quorum sensing by release of phenylacetic acid. Mol Microbiol 2014; 94:522-36. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Pribytkova
- Department of Microbiology; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Tasia Joy Lightly
- Department of Microbiology; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Brijesh Kumar
- Department of Microbiology; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Steve P. Bernier
- Department of Medicine; Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - John L. Sorensen
- Department of Chemistry; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
| | - Michael G. Surette
- Department of Medicine; Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences; McMaster University; Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Silvia T. Cardona
- Department of Microbiology; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Disease; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
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Van Acker H, De Canck E, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Sass A, Deforce D, Nelis HJ, Coenye T. The BCESM genomic region contains a regulator involved in quorum sensing and persistence in Burkholderia cenocepacia J2315. Future Microbiol 2014; 9:845-60. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb.14.54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Aim: In this study, we investigated the function of BCAM0257-8-9 located in the BCESM region of the Burkholderia cenocepacia J2315 genome. Materials & methods: Differential RNA sequencing was used to determine transcription start sites. The phenotype of overexpression mutants was studied and a transcriptome analysis of the BCAM0258 overexpression mutant was performed. Results: BCAM0257 and BCAM0258 were identified as belonging to an operon, positively regulated by BCAM0259. We found that this operon is involved in persistence and that BCAM0258 functions as a regulator influencing quorum sensing and activating pathways related to iron acquisition and biofilm formation. Overexpression of BCAM0257 increased virulence. Conclusion: The BCESM genomic region contains an operon that contributes to quorum sensing and is involved in persistence, biofilm formation and virulence. BCAM0257-8-9 is found in all sequenced B. cenocepacia ET12 genomes and these results may help explain why infections with strains of the B. cenocepacia ET12 lineage are difficult to treat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heleen Van Acker
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Evelien De Canck
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Andrea Sass
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter Deforce
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hans J Nelis
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tom Coenye
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Assani K, Tazi MF, Amer AO, Kopp BT. IFN-γ stimulates autophagy-mediated clearance of Burkholderia cenocepacia in human cystic fibrosis macrophages. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96681. [PMID: 24798083 PMCID: PMC4010498 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Burkholderia cenocepacia is a virulent pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), survives intracellularly in macrophages, and uniquely causes systemic infections in CF. Autophagy is a physiologic process that involves engulfing non-functional organelles and proteins and delivering them for lysosomal degradation, but also plays a role in eliminating intracellular pathogens, including B. cenocepacia. Autophagy is defective in CF but can be stimulated in murine CF models leading to increased clearance of B. cenocepacia, but little is known about autophagy stimulation in human CF macrophages. IFN-γ activates macrophages and increases antigen presentation while also inducing autophagy in macrophages. We therefore, hypothesized that treatment with IFN-γ would increase autophagy and macrophage activation in patients with CF. Peripheral blood monocyte derived macrophages (MDMs) were obtained from CF and non-CF donors and subsequently infected with B. cenocepacia. Basal serum levels of IFN-γ were similar between CF and non-CF patients, however after B. cenocepacia infection there is deficient IFN-γ production in CF MDMs. IFN-γ treated CF MDMs demonstrate increased co-localization with the autophagy molecule p62, increased autophagosome formation, and increased trafficking to lysosomes compared to untreated CF MDMs. Electron microscopy confirmed IFN-γ promotes double membrane vacuole formation around bacteria in CF MDMs, while only single membrane vacuoles form in untreated CF cells. Bacterial burden is significantly reduced in autophagy stimulated CF MDMs, comparable to non-CF levels. IL-1β production is decreased in CF MDMs after IFN-γ treatment. Together, these results demonstrate that IFN-γ promotes autophagy-mediated clearance of B. cenocepacia in human CF macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaivon Assani
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mia F. Tazi
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity and the Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Amal O. Amer
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity and the Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Benjamin T. Kopp
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Section of Pediatric Pulmonology, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Fazli M, Almblad H, Rybtke ML, Givskov M, Eberl L, Tolker-Nielsen T. Regulation of biofilm formation in Pseudomonas and Burkholderia species. Environ Microbiol 2014; 16:1961-81. [PMID: 24592823 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In the present review, we describe and compare the molecular mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of biofilm formation by Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia. Our current knowledge suggests that biofilm formation is regulated by cyclic diguanosine-5'-monophosphate (c-di-GMP), small RNAs (sRNA) and quorum sensing (QS) in all these bacterial species. The systems that employ c-di-GMP as a second messenger regulate the production of exopolysaccharides and surface proteins which function as extracellular matrix components in the biofilms formed by the bacteria. The systems that make use of sRNAs appear to regulate the production of exopolysaccharide biofilm matrix material in all these species. In the pseudomonads, QS regulates the production of extracellular DNA, lectins and biosurfactants which all play a role in biofilm formation. In B.cenocepacia QS regulates the expression of a large surface protein, lectins and extracellular DNA that all function as biofilm matrix components. Although the three regulatory systems all regulate the production of factors used for biofilm formation, the molecular mechanisms involved in transducing the signals into expression of the biofilm matrix components differ between the species. Under the conditions tested, exopolysaccharides appears to be the most important biofilm matrix components for P.aeruginosa, whereas large surface proteins appear to be the most important biofilm matrix components for P.putida, P.fluorescens, and B.cenocepacia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Fazli
- Department of International Health, Immunology, and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
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26
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Suppiger A, Schmid N, Aguilar C, Pessi G, Eberl L. Two quorum sensing systems control biofilm formation and virulence in members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Virulence 2014; 4:400-9. [PMID: 23799665 PMCID: PMC3714132 DOI: 10.4161/viru.25338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) consists of 17 closely related species that are problematic opportunistic bacterial pathogens for cystic fibrosis patients and immunocompromised individuals. These bacteria are capable of utilizing two different chemical languages: N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) and cis-2-unsaturated fatty acids. Here we summarize the current knowledge of the underlying molecular architectures of these communication systems, showing how they are interlinked and discussing how they regulate overlapping as well as specific sets of genes. A particular focus is laid on the role of these signaling systems in the formation of biofilms, which are believed to be highly important for chronic infections. We review genes that have been implicated in the sessile lifestyle of this group of bacteria. The new emerging role of the intracellular second messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) as a downstream regulator of the fatty acid signaling cascade and as a key factor in biofilm formation is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Suppiger
- Department of Microbiology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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27
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Aubert DF, Hamad MA, Valvano MA. A markerless deletion method for genetic manipulation of Burkholderia cenocepacia and other multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1197:311-327. [PMID: 25172289 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1261-2_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Genetic manipulation of multidrug-resistant bacteria is often difficult and hinders progress in understanding their physiology and pathogenesis. This book chapter highlights advances in genetic manipulation of Burkholderia cenocepacia, which are also applicable to other members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria of other genera. The method detailed here is based on the I-SceI homing endonuclease system, which can be efficiently used for chromosomal integration, deletion, and genetic replacement. This system creates markerless mutations and insertions without leaving a genetic scar and thus can be reused successively to generate multiple modifications in the same strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Aubert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Human Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5C1
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28
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Khodai-Kalaki M, Aubert DF, Valvano MA. Characterization of the AtsR hybrid sensor kinase phosphorelay pathway and identification of its response regulator in Burkholderia cenocepacia. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:30473-30484. [PMID: 24014026 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.489914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AtsR is a membrane-bound hybrid sensor kinase of Burkholderia cenocepacia that negatively regulates quorum sensing and virulence factors such as biofilm production, type 6-secretion, and protease secretion. Here we elucidate the mechanism of AtsR phosphorelay by site-directed mutagenesis of predicted histidine and aspartic acid phosphoacceptor residues. We demonstrate by in vitro phosphorylation that histidine 245 and aspartic acid 536 are conserved sites of phosphorylation in AtsR, and we also identify the cytosolic response regulator AtsT (BCAM0381) as a key component of the AtsR phosphorelay pathway. Monitoring the function of AtsR and its derivatives in vivo by measuring extracellular protease activity and swarming motility confirmed the in vitro phosphorylation results. Together we find that the AtsR receiver domain plays a fine-tuning role in determining the levels of phosphotransfer from its sensor kinase domain to the AtsT response regulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Khodai-Kalaki
- From the Centre for Human Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada and
| | - Daniel F Aubert
- From the Centre for Human Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada and
| | - Miguel A Valvano
- From the Centre for Human Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada and; the Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queen's University Belfast, BT9 5GZ Belfast, United Kingdom.
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