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Warren Norris MAH, Plaskon DM, Tamayo R. Phase Variation of Flagella and Toxins in Clostridioides difficile is Mediated by Selective Rho-dependent Termination. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168456. [PMID: 38278436 PMCID: PMC10942720 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is an intestinal pathogen that exhibits phase variation of flagella and toxins through inversion of the flagellar (flg) switch controlling flagellar and toxin gene expression. The transcription termination factor Rho preferentially inhibits swimming motility of bacteria with the 'flg-OFF' switch sequence. How C. difficile Rho mediates this selectivity was unknown. C. difficile Rho contains an N-terminal insertion domain (NID) which is found in a subset of Rho orthologues and confers diverse functions. Here we determined how Rho distinguishes between flg-ON and -OFF mRNAs and the roles of the NID and other domains of C. difficile Rho. Using in vitro ATPase assays, we determined that Rho specifically binds a region containing the left inverted repeat of the flg switch, but only of flg-OFF mRNA, indicating that differential termination is mediated by selective Rho binding. Using a suite of in vivo and in vitro assays in C. difficile, we determined that the NID is essential for Rho termination of flg-OFF mRNA, likely by influencing the ability to form stable hexamers, and the RNA binding domain is critical for flg-OFF specific termination. This work gives insight into the novel mechanism by which Rho interacts with flg mRNA to mediate phase variation of flagella and toxins in C. difficile and broadens our understanding of Rho-mediated termination in an organism with an AT-rich genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes A H Warren Norris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Dylan M Plaskon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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2
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Marvaud JC, Bouttier S, Saunier J, Kansau I. Clostridioides difficile Flagella. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2202. [PMID: 38396876 PMCID: PMC10889297 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042202] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is an important pathogen for humans with a lead in nosocomial infection, but it is also more and more common in communities. Our knowledge of the pathology has historically been focused on the toxins produced by the bacteria that remain its major virulence factors. But the dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota creating the conditions for the colonization appears to be fundamental for our understanding of the disease. Colonization implies several steps for the bacteria that do or do not use their capacity of motility with the synthesis of flagella. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of different topics on the C. difficile flagellum, ranging from its genetic organization to the vaccinal interest in it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Christophe Marvaud
- Institut MICALIS, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Equipe Bactéries Pathogènes et Santé, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France (I.K.)
| | - Sylvie Bouttier
- Institut MICALIS, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Equipe Bactéries Pathogènes et Santé, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France (I.K.)
| | - Johanna Saunier
- Matériaux et Santé, Faculté de pharmacie, Université Paris Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Imad Kansau
- Institut MICALIS, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Equipe Bactéries Pathogènes et Santé, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France (I.K.)
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3
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Vuotto C, Donelli G, Buckley A, Chilton C. Clostridioides difficile Biofilm. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:249-272. [PMID: 38175479 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), previously Clostridium difficile infection, is a symptomatic infection of the large intestine caused by the spore-forming anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium Clostridioides difficile. CDI is an important healthcare-associated disease worldwide, characterized by high levels of recurrence, morbidity, and mortality. CDI is observed at a higher rate in immunocompromised patients after antimicrobial therapy, with antibiotics disrupting the commensal microbiota and promoting C. difficile colonization of the gastrointestinal tract.A rise in clinical isolates resistant to multiple antibiotics and the reduced susceptibility to the most commonly used antibiotic molecules have made the treatment of CDI more complicated, allowing the persistence of C. difficile in the intestinal environment.Gut colonization and biofilm formation have been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis and persistence of C. difficile. In fact, biofilm growth is considered as a serious threat because of the related antimicrobial tolerance that makes antibiotic therapy often ineffective. This is the reason why the involvement of C. difficile biofilm in the pathogenesis and recurrence of CDI is attracting more and more interest, and the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation of C. difficile as well as the role of biofilm in CDI are increasingly being studied by researchers in the field.Findings on C. difficile biofilm, possible implications in CDI pathogenesis and treatment, efficacy of currently available antibiotics in treating biofilm-forming C. difficile strains, and some antimicrobial alternatives under investigation will be discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Vuotto
- Microbial Biofilm Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Anthony Buckley
- Microbiome and Nutritional Sciences Group, School of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Caroline Chilton
- Healthcare Associated Infection Research Group, Section of Molecular Gastroenterology, Leeds Institute for Medical Research at St James, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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4
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Serrano M, Martins D, Henriques AO. Clostridioides difficile Sporulation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:273-314. [PMID: 38175480 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Some members of the Firmicutes phylum, including many members of the human gut microbiota, are able to differentiate a dormant and highly resistant cell type, the endospore (hereinafter spore for simplicity). Spore-formers can colonize virtually any habitat and, because of their resistance to a wide variety of physical and chemical insults, spores can remain viable in the environment for long periods of time. In the anaerobic enteric pathogen Clostridioides difficile the aetiologic agent is the oxygen-resistant spore, while the toxins produced by actively growing cells are the main cause of the disease symptoms. Here, we review the regulatory circuits that govern entry into sporulation. We also cover the role of spores in the infectious cycle of C. difficile in relation to spore structure and function and the main control points along spore morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Serrano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal.
| | - Diogo Martins
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Adriano O Henriques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal
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5
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Claushuis B, de Ru AH, Rotman SA, van Veelen PA, Dawson LF, Wren BW, Corver J, Smits WK, Hensbergen PJ. Revised Model for the Type A Glycan Biosynthetic Pathway in Clostridioides difficile Strain 630Δ erm Based on Quantitative Proteomics of cd0241- cd0244 Mutant Strains. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2665-2674. [PMID: 37965964 PMCID: PMC10714395 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00485] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial flagellum is involved in a variety of processes including motility, adherence, and immunomodulation. In the Clostridioides difficile strain 630Δerm, the main filamentous component, FliC, is post-translationally modified with an O-linked Type A glycan structure. This modification is essential for flagellar function, since motility is seriously impaired in gene mutants with improper biosynthesis of the Type A glycan. The cd0240-cd0244 gene cluster encodes the Type A biosynthetic proteins, but the role of each gene, and the corresponding enzymatic activity, have not been fully elucidated. Using quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics analyses, we determined the relative abundance of the observed glycan variations of the Type A structure in cd0241, cd0242, cd0243, and cd0244 mutant strains. Our data not only confirm the importance of CD0241, CD0242, and CD0243 but, in contrast to previous data, also show that CD0244 is essential for the biosynthesis of the Type A modification. Combined with additional bioinformatic analyses, we propose a revised model for Type A glycan biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Claushuis
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Arnoud H. de Ru
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah A. Rotman
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A. van Veelen
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa F. Dawson
- Faculty
of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan W. Wren
- Faculty
of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University
Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Department
of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University
Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J. Hensbergen
- Center
for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden
University Medical Center, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
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Zhan F, Li Y, Shi F, Lu Z, Yang M, Li Q, Lin L, Qin Z. Characterization analysis of TLR5a and TLR5b immune response after different bacterial infection in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 136:108716. [PMID: 37001745 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor (TLR) is an important pattern recognition receptor, which specifically recognizes microbial components, and TLR5 recognizes bacterial flagellin in vertebrates and invertebrates. In this study, two forms of TLR5 (TLR5a and TLR5b) were identified in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Aeromonas hydrophila and Staphylococcus aureus were used to investigate the role of grass carp TLR5a and TLR5b against bacteria (flagellate and non-flagellate) in innate immunity, and the expression of TLR5a and TLR5b genes and proteins were detected in immune-related tissues. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that TLR5a and TLR5b genes of grass carp were highly expressed in the liver, spleen, and head kidney, and their expression patterns were similar in tissues. Meanwhile, the TLR5b gene expression was higher than TLR5a in most tissues. Following exposure to A. hydrophila and S. aureus, the expression levels of TLR5a and TLR5b genes in the liver, spleen, and head kidney were up-regulated significantly. Moreover, the downstream gene, NF-κB, was up-regulated significantly. After A. hydrophila infection, the expression of TLR5a gene was up-regulated in the liver and spleen at 24 h, while TLR5b was up-regulated at 6 h. In the head kidney, TLR5a was up-regulated at 6 h, while TLR5b was up-regulated at 6 h and 12 h. After S. aureus infection, TLR5a and TLR5b were up-regulated at 6 h in the liver and 12 h in the spleen. However, in the head kidney, TLR5a was down-regulated, while TLR5b was up-regulated. Compared with TLR5a, TLR5b had a higher expression level and stronger response to pathogen stimulation. The immunofluorescence results showed that TLR5a and TLR5b proteins in the liver of grass carp infected with A. hydrophila and S. aureus were similar but different in the spleen and head kidney. The results indicated that TLR5a and TLR5b play a critical role in resisting bacterial infection, and TLR5a and TLR5b had obvious tissue and pathogen specificity. TLR5b may play a major role in immune tissues, while TLR5a may play an auxiliary regulatory role in early infection. In addition, TLR5a and TLR5b have an irreplaceable regulatory role in response to flagellate and non-flagellate bacteria. This lays a foundation to explore further the role of TLR5 in resisting flagellate and non-flagellate infections in fish and provides a reference for the innate immunity research of grass carp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanbin Zhan
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China
| | - Fei Shi
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China
| | - Zhijie Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China
| | - Minxuan Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China
| | - Qingqing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China
| | - Li Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China.
| | - Zhendong Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Water Environment and Aquatic Products Security Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Diseases and Waterfowl Breeding, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510222, China.
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7
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Chandra H, Sorg JA, Hassett DJ, Sun X. Regulatory transcription factors of Clostridioides difficile pathogenesis with a focus on toxin regulation. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023; 49:334-349. [PMID: 35389761 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2054307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (CD), a nosocomial gut pathogen, produces two major exotoxins, TcdA and TcdB, which disrupt the gut epithelial barrier and induce inflammatory/immune responses, leading to symptoms ranging from mild diarrhoea to pseudomembranous colitis and potentially to death. The expression of toxins is regulated by various transcription factors (TFs) which are induced in response to CD physiological life stages, nutritional availability, and host environment. This review summarises our current understanding on the regulation of toxin expression by TFs that interconnect with pathways of flagellar synthesis, quorum sensing, motility, biofilm formation, sporulation, and phase variation. The pleiotropic roles of some key TFs suggest that toxin production is tightly linked to other cellular processes of the CD physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Chandra
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joseph A Sorg
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Daniel J Hassett
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xingmin Sun
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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8
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Cheng JKJ, Unnikrishnan M. Clostridioides difficile infection: traversing host-pathogen interactions in the gut. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169. [PMID: 36848200 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
C. difficile is the primary cause for nosocomial infective diarrhoea. For a successful infection, C. difficile must navigate between resident gut bacteria and the harsh host environment. The perturbation of the intestinal microbiota by broad-spectrum antibiotics alters the composition and the geography of the gut microbiota, deterring colonization resistance, and enabling C. difficile to colonize. This review will discuss how C. difficile interacts with and exploits the microbiota and the host epithelium to infect and persist. We provide an overview of C. difficile virulence factors and their interactions with the gut to aid adhesion, cause epithelial damage and mediate persistence. Finally, we document the host responses to C. difficile, describing the immune cells and host pathways that are associated and triggered during C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey K J Cheng
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Meera Unnikrishnan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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9
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Lowry RC, Allihaybi L, Parker JL, Couto NAS, Stafford GP, Shaw JG. Heterogeneous glycosylation and methylation of the
Aeromonas caviae
flagellin. Microbiologyopen 2022; 11:e1306. [PMID: 36031959 PMCID: PMC9290775 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C. Lowry
- Department of Infection Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease University of Sheffield Medical School Sheffield UK
| | - Laila Allihaybi
- Department of Infection Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease University of Sheffield Medical School Sheffield UK
| | - Jennifer L. Parker
- Department of Infection Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease University of Sheffield Medical School Sheffield UK
| | | | - Graham P. Stafford
- School of Clinical Dentistry, Claremont Crescent University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Jonathan G. Shaw
- Department of Infection Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease University of Sheffield Medical School Sheffield UK
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10
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Clark AE, Adamson CC, Carothers KE, Roxas BAP, Viswanathan VK, Vedantam G. The Alternative Sigma Factor SigL Influences Clostridioides difficile Toxin Production, Sporulation, and Cell Surface Properties. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:871152. [PMID: 35633701 PMCID: PMC9130780 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.871152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The alternative sigma factor SigL (Sigma-54) facilitates bacterial adaptation to the extracellular environment by modulating the expression of defined gene subsets. A homolog of the gene encoding SigL is conserved in the diarrheagenic pathogen Clostridioides difficile. To explore the contribution of SigL to C. difficile biology, we generated sigL-disruption mutants (sigL::erm) in strains belonging to two phylogenetically distinct lineages-the human-relevant Ribotype 027 (strain BI-1) and the veterinary-relevant Ribotype 078 (strain CDC1). Comparative proteomics analyses of mutants and isogenic parental strains revealed lineage-specific SigL regulons. Concomitantly, loss of SigL resulted in pleiotropic and distinct phenotypic alterations in the two strains. Sporulation kinetics, biofilm formation, and cell surface-associated phenotypes were altered in CDC1 sigL::erm relative to the isogenic parent strain but remained unchanged in BI-1 sigL::erm. In contrast, secreted toxin levels were significantly elevated only in the BI-1 sigL::erm mutant relative to its isogenic parent. We also engineered SigL overexpressing strains and observed enhanced biofilm formation in the CDC1 background, and reduced spore titers as well as dampened sporulation kinetics in both strains. Thus, we contend that SigL is a key, pleiotropic regulator that dynamically influences C. difficile's virulence factor landscape, and thereby, its interactions with host tissues and co-resident microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E. Clark
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Chelsea C. Adamson
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | | | | | - V. K. Viswanathan
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- BIO5 Institute for Collaborative Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Gayatri Vedantam
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- BIO5 Institute for Collaborative Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System, Tucson, AZ, United States
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11
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Trzilova D, Warren MAH, Gadda NC, Williams CL, Tamayo R. Flagellum and toxin phase variation impacts intestinal colonization and disease development in a mouse model of Clostridioides difficile infection. Gut Microbes 2022; 14:2038854. [PMID: 35192433 PMCID: PMC8890394 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2038854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a major nosocomial pathogen that can cause severe, toxin-mediated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Recent work has shown that C. difficile exhibits heterogeneity in swimming motility and toxin production in vitro through phase variation by site-specific DNA recombination. The recombinase RecV reversibly inverts the flagellar switch sequence upstream of the flgB operon, leading to the ON/OFF expression of flagellum and toxin genes. How this phenomenon impacts C. difficile virulence in vivo remains unknown. We identified mutations in the right inverted repeat that reduced or prevented flagellar switch inversion by RecV. We introduced these mutations into C. difficile R20291 to create strains with the flagellar switch "locked" in either the ON or OFF orientation. These mutants exhibited a loss of flagellum and toxin phase variation during growth in vitro, yielding precisely modified mutants suitable for assessing virulence in vivo. In a hamster model of acute C. difficile infection, the phase-locked ON mutant caused greater toxin accumulation than the phase-locked OFF mutant but did not differ significantly in the ability to cause acute disease symptoms. In contrast, in a mouse model, preventing flagellum and toxin phase variation affected the ability of C. difficile to colonize the intestinal tract and to elicit weight loss, which is attributable to differences in toxin production during infection. These results show that the ability of C. difficile to phase vary flagella and toxins influences colonization and disease development and suggest that the phenotypic variants generated by flagellar switch inversion have distinct capacities for causing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Trzilova
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mercedes A. H. Warren
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nicole C. Gadda
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Caitlin L. Williams
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,CONTACT Rita Tamayo 125 Mason Farm Rd, CB #7290, Chapel Hill, NC27599-7290
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12
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Zhou Q, Rao F, Chen Z, Cheng Y, Zhang Q, Zhang J, Guan Z, He Y, Yu W, Cui G, Qi X, Hong W. The cwp66 Gene Affects Cell Adhesion, Stress Tolerance, and Antibiotic Resistance in Clostridioides difficile. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0270421. [PMID: 35357205 PMCID: PMC9045246 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02704-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacteria that is one of the leading causes of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The cell wall protein 66 gene (cwp66) encodes a cell wall protein, which is the second major cell surface antigen of C. difficile. Although immunological approaches, such as antibodies and purified recombinant proteins, have been implemented to study the role of Cwp66 in cell adhesion, no deletion mutant of the cwp66 gene has yet been characterized. We constructed a cwp66 gene deletion mutant using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats Cpf1 (CRISPR-Cpf1) system. The phenotypic and transcriptomic changes of the Δcwp66 mutant compared with the wild-type (WT) strain were studied. The deletion of the cwp66 gene led to the decrease of cell adhesive capacity, cell motility, and stresses tolerance (to Triton X-100, acidic environment, and oxidative stress). Interestingly, the Δcwp66 mutant is more sensitive than the WT strain to clindamycin, ampicillin, and erythromycin but more resistant than the latter to vancomycin and metronidazole. Moreover, mannitol utilization capability in the Δcwp66 mutant was lost. Comparative transcriptomic analyses indicated that (i) 22.90-fold upregulation of cwpV gene and unable to express gpr gene were prominent in the Δcwp66 mutant; (ii) the cwp66 gene was involved in vancomycin resistance of C. difficile by influencing the expression of d-Alanine-d-Alanine ligase; and (iii) the mannose/fructose/sorbose IIC and IID components were upregulated in Δcwp66 mutant. The present work deepens our understanding of the contribution of the cwp66 gene to cell adhesion, stress tolerance, antibiotic resistance, and mannitol transportation of C. difficile. IMPORTANCE The cell wall protein 66 gene (cwp66) encodes a cell wall protein, which is the second major cell surface antigen of C. difficile. Although immunological approaches, such as antibodies and purified recombinant proteins, have been implemented to study the role of Cwp66 in cell adhesion, no deletion mutant of the cwp66 gene has yet been characterized. The current study provides direct evidence that the cwp66 gene serves as a major adhesion in C. difficile, and also suggested that deletion of the cwp66 gene led to the decrease of cell adhesive capacity, cell motility, and stresses tolerance (to Triton X-100, acidic environment, and oxidative stress). Interestingly, the antibiotic resistance and carbon source utilization profiles of the Δcwp66 mutant were significantly changed. These phenotypes were detrimental to the survival and pathogenesis of C. difficile in the human gut and may shed light on preventing C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingshuai Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Fengqin Rao
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhenghong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Education Department of Guizhou, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yumei Cheng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Qifang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhizhong Guan
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yan He
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Wenfeng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Guzhen Cui
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Parasitology of Education Department of Guizhou, School of Basic Medical Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Qi
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Wei Hong
- Key Laboratory of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Ministry of Education & Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology of Guizhou Province, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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13
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Choe Y, Lee D, Seong M, Yoon JB, Yang JH, Yang JY, Moon KH, Kang HY. Characterization of Edwardsiella piscicida CK108 flagellin genes and evaluation of their potential as vaccine targets in the zebrafish model. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2022; 45:249-259. [PMID: 34843109 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The control of bacterial pathogens, including Edwardsiella piscicida, in the aquaculture industry has high economic importance. This study aimed to identify a potential live vaccine candidate against E. piscicida infection to minimize the side effects and elicit immunity in the host. This study evaluated the virulence factors of E. piscicida CK108, with a special focus on the flagella. E. piscicida has two important homologous flagellin genes, namely flagellin-associated protein (fap) and flagellin domain-containing protein (fdp). CK226 (Δfap), CK247 (Δfdp) and CK248 (Δfap, fdp) mutant strains were constructed. Both CK226 and CK247 displayed decreased length and thickness of flagellar filaments, resulting in reduced bacterial swimming motility, while CK248 was non-motile as it lacked flagella. The loss of flagella and decreased motility was expected to decrease the pathogenicity of CK248. However, the median lethal dose (LD50 ) of CK248 against zebrafish was lower than those of the wild-type, CK226 and CK247 strains. The protective immunity and cytokine gene expression levels in the CK248-infected zebrafish were lower than those in the wild type-infected zebrafish. In conclusion, Fap and Fdp are essential for flagella formation and motility, and for stimulating fish immune response, which can be utilized as a potential adjuvants for E. piscicida vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjeong Choe
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
- Laboratory Animal Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, Korea
| | - Donghee Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Minji Seong
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
- Laboratory Animal Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, Korea
- Mucosal Immunology Lab., Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
| | - Ju Bin Yoon
- Department of Convergence Study on the Ocean Science and Technology, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
- Lab. of Marine Microbiology, Division of Convergence on Marine Science, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
| | - Jun Hyeok Yang
- Lab. of Marine Microbiology, Division of Convergence on Marine Science, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
- Department of Marine Bioscience and Environment, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
| | - Jin-Young Yang
- Mucosal Immunology Lab., Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
| | - Ki Hwan Moon
- Department of Convergence Study on the Ocean Science and Technology, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
- Lab. of Marine Microbiology, Division of Convergence on Marine Science, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
- Department of Marine Bioscience and Environment, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, Busan, Korea
| | - Ho Young Kang
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea
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14
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Hensbergen PJ, de Ru AH, Friggen AH, Corver J, Smits WK, van Veelen PA. New insights into the Type A glycan modification of Clostridioides difficile flagellar protein flagellin C by phosphoproteomics analysis. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101622. [PMID: 35065968 PMCID: PMC8861647 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101622] [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] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The type A glycan modification found in human pathogen Clostridioides difficile consists of a monosaccharide (GlcNAc) that is linked to an N-methylated threonine through a phosphodiester bond. This structure has previously been described on the flagellar protein flagellin C of several C. difficile strains and is important for bacterial motility. The study of post-translational modifications often relies on some type of enrichment strategy; however, a procedure for enrichment of this modification has not yet been demonstrated. In this study, we show that an approach that is commonly used in phosphoproteomics, Fe3+-immobilized metal affinity chromatography, also enriches for peptides with this unique post-translational modification. Using LC–MS/MS analyses of immobilized metal affinity chromatography–captured tryptic peptides, we observed not only type A-modified C. difficile flagellin peptides but also a variety of truncated/modified type A structures on these peptides. Using an elaborate set of mass spectrometry analyses, we demonstrate that one of these modifications consists of a type A structure containing a phosphonate (2-aminoethylphosphonate), a modification that is rarely observed and has hitherto not been described in C. difficile. In conclusion, we show that a common enrichment strategy results in reliable identification of peptides carrying a type A glycan modification, and that the results obtained can be used to advance models about its biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Hensbergen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Arnoud H de Ru
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke H Friggen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Corver
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wiep Klaas Smits
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A van Veelen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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15
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Tremblay YD, Dupuy B. The blueprint for building a biofilm the Clostridioides difficile way. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 66:39-45. [PMID: 34933207 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is an opportunistic pathogen that causes by a high rate of recurrent infections. Persistence in the gastrointestinal tract is thought to be mediated by sporulation and/or biofilm formation. There is an increase interest in C. difficile biofilm formation and recent findings have provided a framework to model surface-attached biofilm formation. For in vitro biofilm formation, C. difficile must undergo a metabolic reprogramming as it enters stationary phase. This helps maintain long-term viability and increases responsiveness to signals leading to biofilm formation. Metabolic reprogramming and biofilm formation requires several regulatory factors and these overlap with the sporulation cascade. Despite recent advances, further research is needed to answer outstanding questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Dn Tremblay
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, UMR-CNRS 2001, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015 Paris, France; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, UMR-CNRS 2001, Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, F-75015 Paris, France.
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16
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Gu W, Wang W, Li W, Li N, Wang Y, Zhang W, Lu C, Tong P, Han Y, Sun X, Lu J, Wu Y, Dai J. New ribotype Clostridioides difficile from ST11 group revealed higher pathogenic ability than RT078. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:687-699. [PMID: 33682630 PMCID: PMC8023612 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1900748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is the predominant antibiotic-associated enteropathogen associated with diarrhoea or pseudomembranous colitis in patients worldwide. Previously, we identified C. difficile RT078 isolates (CD21062) from elderly patients in China, including two new ribotype strains (CD10010 and CD12038) belonging to the ST11 group, and their genomic features were also investigated. This study compared sporulation, spore germination, toxin expression, flagellar characteristics, and adhesion among these strains in vitro and analysed their pathogenic ability in vivo using animal models. The results showed sporulation and spore germination did not significantly differ among the three C. difficile strains. CD10010 and CD12038 showed higher transcriptional levels of toxins until 48 h; thereafter, the transcriptional levels of toxins remained constant among RT078, CD10010, and CD12038. RT078 showed a loss of flagellum and its related genes, whereas CD12038 showed the highest motility in vitro. Both CD10010 and CD12038 initially showed flg phase OFF, and the flagellar switch reversed to phase ON after 48 h in swim agar. Flagellar proteins and toxins were both upregulated when flg phase OFF changed to flg phase ON status, enhancing their pathogenic ability. CD12038 showed the highest adhesion to Hep-2 cells. Histopathology and inflammation scores demonstrated that CD12038 caused the most severe tissue damage and infection in vivo. The new ribotype strains, particularly CD12038, exhibit higher pathogenic ability than the typical RT078 strain, both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, more attention should be paid to this new C. difficile strain in epidemiological research; further studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenpeng Gu
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
- Department of Acute Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China
| | - Wenguang Wang
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Wenge Li
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Na Li
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Wenzhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Caixia Lu
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Pinfen Tong
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Yuanyuan Han
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaomei Sun
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
| | - Jinxing Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Jiejie Dai
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
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17
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Yakovlieva L, Fülleborn JA, Walvoort MTC. Opportunities and Challenges of Bacterial Glycosylation for the Development of Novel Antibacterial Strategies. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:745702. [PMID: 34630370 PMCID: PMC8498110 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.745702] [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] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation is a ubiquitous process that is universally conserved in nature. The various products of glycosylation, such as polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and glycolipids, perform a myriad of intra- and extracellular functions. The multitude of roles performed by these molecules is reflected in the significant diversity of glycan structures and linkages found in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Importantly, glycosylation is highly relevant for the virulence of many bacterial pathogens. Various surface-associated glycoconjugates have been identified in bacteria that promote infectious behavior and survival in the host through motility, adhesion, molecular mimicry, and immune system manipulation. Interestingly, bacterial glycosylation systems that produce these virulence factors frequently feature rare monosaccharides and unusual glycosylation mechanisms. Owing to their marked difference from human glycosylation, bacterial glycosylation systems constitute promising antibacterial targets. With the rise of antibiotic resistance and depletion of the antibiotic pipeline, novel drug targets are urgently needed. Bacteria-specific glycosylation systems are especially promising for antivirulence therapies that do not eliminate a bacterial population, but rather alleviate its pathogenesis. In this review, we describe a selection of unique glycosylation systems in bacterial pathogens and their role in bacterial homeostasis and infection, with a focus on virulence factors. In addition, recent advances to inhibit the enzymes involved in these glycosylation systems and target the bacterial glycan structures directly will be highlighted. Together, this review provides an overview of the current status and promise for the future of using bacterial glycosylation to develop novel antibacterial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liubov Yakovlieva
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Julius A Fülleborn
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marthe T C Walvoort
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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18
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Meza-Torres J, Auria E, Dupuy B, Tremblay YDN. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Clostridioides difficile Biofilm as a Reservoir for Recurrent Infections. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1922. [PMID: 34576818 PMCID: PMC8470499 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiota inhabiting the intestinal tract provide several critical functions to its host. Microorganisms found at the mucosal layer form organized three-dimensional structures which are considered to be biofilms. Their development and functions are influenced by host factors, host-microbe interactions, and microbe-microbe interactions. These structures can dictate the health of their host by strengthening the natural defenses of the gut epithelium or cause disease by exacerbating underlying conditions. Biofilm communities can also block the establishment of pathogens and prevent infectious diseases. Although these biofilms are important for colonization resistance, new data provide evidence that gut biofilms can act as a reservoir for pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile. In this review, we will look at the biofilms of the intestinal tract, their contribution to health and disease, and the factors influencing their formation. We will then focus on the factors contributing to biofilm formation in C. difficile, how these biofilms are formed, and their properties. In the last section, we will look at how the gut microbiota and the gut biofilm influence C. difficile biofilm formation, persistence, and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jazmin Meza-Torres
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris, France; (J.M.-T.); (E.A.)
| | - Emile Auria
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris, France; (J.M.-T.); (E.A.)
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris, France; (J.M.-T.); (E.A.)
| | - Yannick D. N. Tremblay
- Laboratoire Pathogenèse des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, UMR-CNRS 2001, Université de Paris, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris, France; (J.M.-T.); (E.A.)
- Health Sciences Building, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Rd, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
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19
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Thorsing M, Krogh TJ, Vitved L, Nawrocki A, Jakobsen R, Larsen MR, Chakraborty S, Bourgeois AL, Andersen AZ, Boysen A. Linking inherent O-Linked Protein Glycosylation of YghJ to Increased Antigen Potential. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:705468. [PMID: 34490144 PMCID: PMC8417355 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.705468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a WHO priority pathogen and vaccine target which causes infections in low-income and middle-income countries, travelers visiting endemic regions. The global urgent demand for an effective preventive intervention has become more pressing as ETEC strains have become increasingly multiple antibiotic resistant. However, the vaccine development pipeline has been slow to address this urgent need. To date, vaccine development has focused mainly on canonical antigens such as colonization factors and expressed toxins but due to genomic plasticity of this enteric pathogen, it has proven difficult to develop effective vaccines. In this study, we investigated the highly conserved non-canonical vaccine candidate YghJ/SsLE. Using the mass spectrometry-based method BEMAP, we demonstrate that YghJ is hyperglycosylated in ETEC and identify 54 O-linked Set/Thr residues within the 1519 amino acid primary sequence. The glycosylation sites are evenly distributed throughout the sequence and do not appear to affect the folding of the overall protein structure. Although the glycosylation sites only constitute a minor subpopulation of the available epitopes, we observed a notable difference in the immunogenicity of the glycosylated YghJ and the non-glycosylated protein variant. We can demonstrate by ELISA that serum from patients enrolled in an ETEC H10407 controlled infection study are significantly more reactive with glycosylated YghJ compared to the non-glycosylated variant. This study provides an important link between O-linked glycosylation and the relative immunogenicity of bacterial proteins and further highlights the importance of this observation in considering ETEC proteins for inclusion in future broad coverage subunit vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lars Vitved
- Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Arkadiusz Nawrocki
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Martin R. Larsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Subhra Chakraborty
- Center for Immunization Research, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - A. Louis Bourgeois
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Washington, DC, United States
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20
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Brauer M, Lassek C, Hinze C, Hoyer J, Becher D, Jahn D, Sievers S, Riedel K. What's a Biofilm?-How the Choice of the Biofilm Model Impacts the Protein Inventory of Clostridioides difficile. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:682111. [PMID: 34177868 PMCID: PMC8225356 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.682111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The anaerobic pathogen Clostridioides difficile is perfectly equipped to survive and persist inside the mammalian intestine. When facing unfavorable conditions C. difficile is able to form highly resistant endospores. Likewise, biofilms are currently discussed as form of persistence. Here a comprehensive proteomics approach was applied to investigate the molecular processes of C. difficile strain 630Δerm underlying biofilm formation. The comparison of the proteome from two different forms of biofilm-like growth, namely aggregate biofilms and colonies on agar plates, revealed major differences in the formation of cell surface proteins, as well as enzymes of its energy and stress metabolism. For instance, while the obtained data suggest that aggregate biofilm cells express both flagella, type IV pili and enzymes required for biosynthesis of cell-surface polysaccharides, the S-layer protein SlpA and most cell wall proteins (CWPs) encoded adjacent to SlpA were detected in significantly lower amounts in aggregate biofilm cells than in colony biofilms. Moreover, the obtained data suggested that aggregate biofilm cells are rather actively growing cells while colony biofilm cells most likely severely suffer from a lack of reductive equivalents what requires induction of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and C. difficile’s V-type ATPase to maintain cell homeostasis. In agreement with this, aggregate biofilm cells, in contrast to colony biofilm cells, neither induced toxin nor spore production. Finally, the data revealed that the sigma factor SigL/RpoN and its dependent regulators are noticeably induced in aggregate biofilms suggesting an important role of SigL/RpoN in aggregate biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madita Brauer
- Department for Microbial Physiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christian Lassek
- Department for Microbial Physiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christian Hinze
- Department for Microbial Physiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Juliane Hoyer
- Department for Microbial Proteomics, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dörte Becher
- Department for Microbial Proteomics, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Dieter Jahn
- Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Institute of Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Susanne Sievers
- Department for Microbial Physiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Katharina Riedel
- Department for Microbial Physiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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21
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Flagellar Structures from the Bacterium Caulobacter crescentus and Implications for Phage ϕ CbK Predation of Multiflagellin Bacteria. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:JB.00399-20. [PMID: 33288623 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00399-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Caulobacter crescentus is a Gram-negative alphaproteobacterium that commonly lives in oligotrophic fresh- and saltwater environments. C. crescentus is a host to many bacteriophages, including ϕCbK and ϕCbK-like bacteriophages, which require interaction with the bacterial flagellum and pilus complexes during adsorption. It is commonly thought that the six paralogs of the flagellin gene present in C. crescentus are important for bacteriophage evasion. Here, we show that deletion of specific flagellins in C. crescentus can indeed attenuate ϕCbK adsorption efficiency, although no single deletion completely ablates ϕCbK adsorption. Thus, the bacteriophage ϕCbK likely recognizes a common motif among the six known flagellins in C. crescentus with various degrees of efficiency. Interestingly, we observe that most deletion strains still generate flagellar filaments, with the exception of a strain that contains only the most divergent flagellin, FljJ, or a strain that contains only FljN and FljO. To visualize the surface residues that are likely recognized by ϕCbK, we determined two high-resolution structures of the FljK filament, with and without an amino acid substitution that induces straightening of the filament. We observe posttranslational modifications on conserved surface threonine residues of FljK that are likely O-linked glycans. The possibility of interplay between these modifications and ϕCbK adsorption is discussed. We also determined the structure of a filament composed of a heterogeneous mixture of FljK and FljL, the final resolution of which was limited to approximately 4.6 Å. Altogether, this work builds a platform for future investigations of how phage ϕCbK infects C. crescentus at the molecular level.IMPORTANCE Bacterial flagellar filaments serve as an initial attachment point for many bacteriophages to bacteria. Some bacteria harbor numerous flagellin genes and are therefore able to generate flagellar filaments with complex compositions, which is thought to be important for evasion from bacteriophages. This study characterizes the importance of the six flagellin genes in C. crescentus for infection by bacteriophage ϕCbK. We find that filaments containing the FljK flagellin are the preferred substrate for bacteriophage ϕCbK. We also present a high-resolution structure of a flagellar filament containing only the FljK flagellin, which provides a platform for future studies on determining how bacteriophage ϕCbK attaches to flagellar filaments at the molecular level.
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Trzilova D, Anjuwon-Foster BR, Torres Rivera D, Tamayo R. Rho factor mediates flagellum and toxin phase variation and impacts virulence in Clostridioides difficile. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008708. [PMID: 32785266 PMCID: PMC7446863 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The intestinal pathogen Clostridioides difficile exhibits heterogeneity in motility and toxin production. This phenotypic heterogeneity is achieved through phase variation by site-specific recombination via the DNA recombinase RecV, which reversibly inverts the “flagellar switch” upstream of the flgB operon. A recV mutation prevents flagellar switch inversion and results in phenotypically locked strains. The orientation of the flagellar switch influences expression of the flgB operon post-transcription initiation, but the specific molecular mechanism is unknown. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of spontaneous suppressor mutants in the non-motile, non-toxigenic recV flg OFF background that regained motility and toxin production. The restored phenotypes corresponded with increased expression of flagellum and toxin genes. The motile suppressor mutants contained single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in rho, which encodes the bacterial transcription terminator Rho factor. Analyses using transcriptional reporters indicate that Rho contributes to heterogeneity in flagellar gene expression by preferentially terminating transcription of flg OFF mRNA within the 5’ leader sequence. Additionally, Rho is important for initial colonization of the intestine in a mouse model of infection, which may in part be due to the sporulation and growth defects observed in the rho mutants. Together these data implicate Rho factor as a regulator of gene expression affecting phase variation of important virulence factors of C. difficile. Phenotypic heterogeneity maintained by phase variation allows bacterial subpopulations to overcome potentially detrimental stresses in the environment, contributing to bacterial survival. Phase variation of flagella and toxins in C. difficile suggests that maintaining heterogeneity of their production may be important for survival and virulence. In this study, we identified Rho as a trans-acting factor that mediates the differential gene expression that imparts heterogeneity in flagellum and toxin production. These results reveal a new role for Rho-mediated transcription termination in regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Trzilova
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Brandon R. Anjuwon-Foster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dariana Torres Rivera
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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23
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Virulence Factors of Clostridioides ( Clostridium) difficile Linked to Recurrent Infections. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY 2019; 2019:7127850. [PMID: 31933709 PMCID: PMC6942709 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7127850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
From 20 to 30% of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI), patients might develop recurrence of the infection (RCDI) and, after the first recurrence, the risk of further episodes increases up to 60%. Several bacterial virulence factors have been associated with RCDI, including the elevated production of toxins A and B, the presence of a binary toxin CDT, and mutations in the negative regulator of toxin expression, tcdC. Additional factors have shown to regulate toxin production and virulence in C. difficile in RCDI, including the accessory-gene regulator agr, which acts as a positive switch for toxin transcription. Furthermore, adhesion and motility-associated factors, such as Cwp84, SlpA, and flagella, have shown to increase the adhesion efficiency to host epithelia, cell internalization, and the formation of biofilm. Finally, biofilm confers to C. difficile protection from antibiotics and acts as a reservoir for spores that allow the persistence of the infection in the host. In this review, we describe the key virulence factors of C. difficile that have been associated with recurrent infections.
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24
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Richards E, Bouché L, Panico M, Arbeloa A, Vinogradov E, Morris H, Wren B, Logan SM, Dell A, Fairweather NF. The S-layer protein of a Clostridium difficile SLCT-11 strain displays a complex glycan required for normal cell growth and morphology. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:18123-18137. [PMID: 30275012 PMCID: PMC6254364 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is a bacterial pathogen that causes major health challenges worldwide. It has a well-characterized surface (S)-layer, a para-crystalline proteinaceous layer surrounding the cell wall. In many bacterial and archaeal species, the S-layer is glycosylated, but no such modifications have been demonstrated in C. difficile. Here, we show that a C. difficile strain of S-layer cassette type 11, Ox247, has a complex glycan attached via an O-linkage to Thr-38 of the S-layer low-molecular-weight subunit. Using MS and NMR, we fully characterized this glycan. We present evidence that it is composed of three domains: (i) a core peptide-linked tetrasaccharide with the sequence -4-α-Rha-3-α-Rha-3-α-Rha-3-β-Gal-peptide; (ii) a repeating pentasaccharide with the sequence -4-β-Rha-4-α-Glc-3-β-Rha-4-(α-Rib-3-)β-Rha-; and (iii) a nonreducing end-terminal 2,3 cyclophosphoryl-rhamnose attached to a ribose-branched sub-terminal rhamnose residue. The Ox247 genome contains a 24-kb locus containing genes for synthesis and protein attachment of this glycan. Mutations in genes within this locus altered or completely abrogated formation of this glycan, and their phenotypes suggested that this S-layer modification may affect sporulation, cell length, and biofilm formation of C. difficile In summary, our findings indicate that the S-layer protein of SLCT-11 strains displays a complex glycan and suggest that this glycan is required for C. difficile sporulation and control of cell shape, a discovery with implications for the development of antimicrobials targeting the S-layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Richards
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Bouché
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Panico
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Arbeloa
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Evgeny Vinogradov
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Howard Morris
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom,; Biopharmaspec, Suite 3.1, Lido Medical Centre, St. Saviours Road, JE2 7LA Jersey, United Kingdom, and
| | - Brendan Wren
- the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WC1E 7HT, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susan M Logan
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Anne Dell
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom,.
| | - Neil F Fairweather
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom,.
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25
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Rath CB, Schirmeister F, Figl R, Seeberger PH, Schäffer C, Kolarich D. Flagellin Glycoproteomics of the Periodontitis Associated Pathogen Selenomonas sputigena Reveals Previously Not Described O-glycans and Rhamnose Fragment Rearrangement Occurring on the Glycopeptides. Mol Cell Proteomics 2018; 17:721-736. [PMID: 29339411 PMCID: PMC5880101 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra117.000394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Flagellated, Gram-negative, anaerobic, crescent-shaped Selenomonas species are colonizers of the digestive system, where they act at the interface between health and disease. Selenomonas sputigena is also considered a potential human periodontal pathogen, but information on its virulence factors and underlying pathogenicity mechanisms is scarce. Here we provide the first report of a Selenomonas glycoprotein, showing that S. sputigena produces a diversely and heavily O-glycosylated flagellin C9LY14 as a major cellular protein, which carries various hitherto undescribed rhamnose- and N-acetylglucosamine linked O-glycans in the range from mono- to hexasaccharides. A comprehensive glycomic and glycoproteomic assessment revealed extensive glycan macro- and microheterogeneity identified from 22 unique glycopeptide species. From the multiple sites of glycosylation, five were unambiguously identified on the 437-amino acid C9LY14 protein (Thr149, Ser182, Thr199, Thr259, and Ser334), the only flagellin protein identified. The O-glycans additionally showed modifications by methylation and putative acetylation. Some O-glycans carried hitherto undescribed residues/modifications as determined by their respective m/z values, reflecting the high diversity of native S. sputigena flagellin. We also found that monosaccharide rearrangement occurred during collision-induced dissociation (CID) of protonated glycopeptide ions. This effect resulted in pseudo Y1-glycopeptide fragment ions that indicated the presence of additional glycosylation sites on a single glycopeptide. CID oxonium ions and electron transfer dissociation, however, confirmed that just a single site was glycosylated, showing that glycan-to-peptide rearrangement can occur on glycopeptides and that this effect is influenced by the molecular nature of the glycan moiety. This effect was most pronounced with disaccharides. This study is the first report on O-linked flagellin glycosylation in a Selenomonas species, revealing that C9LY14 is one of the most heavily glycosylated flagellins described to date. This study contributes to our understanding of the largely under-investigated surface properties of oral bacteria. The data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD005859.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia B. Rath
- From the ‡Department of NanoBiotechnology, NanoGlycobiology unit, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Falko Schirmeister
- §Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany; ,¶Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rudolf Figl
- ‖Department of Chemistry, Division of Biochemistry, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter H. Seeberger
- §Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany; ,¶Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Schäffer
- From the ‡Department of NanoBiotechnology, NanoGlycobiology unit, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Daniel Kolarich
- §Department of Biomolecular Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany; .,**Institute for Glycomics, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Queensland, 4222, Australia
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26
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Fulton KM, Li J, Tomas JM, Smith JC, Twine SM. Characterizing bacterial glycoproteins with LC-MS. Expert Rev Proteomics 2018; 15:203-216. [PMID: 29400572 DOI: 10.1080/14789450.2018.1435276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Though eukaryotic glycoproteins have been studied since their discovery in the 1930s, the first bacterial glycoprotein was not identified until the 1970s. As a result, their role in bacterial pathogenesis is still not well understood and they remain an understudied component of bacterial virulence. In recent years, mass spectrometry has emerged as a leading technology for the study of bacterial glycoproteins, largely due to its sensitivity and versatility. Areas covered: Identification and comprehensive characterization of bacterial glycoproteins usually requires multiple complementary mass spectrometry approaches, including intact protein analysis, top-down analysis, and bottom-up methods used in combination with specialized liquid chromatography. This review provides an overview of liquid chromatography separation technologies, as well as current and emerging mass spectrometry approaches used specifically for bacterial glycoprotein identification and characterization. Expert commentary: Bacterial glycoproteins may have significant clinical utility as a result of their unique structures and exposure on the surface of the cells. Better understanding of these glycoconjugates is an essential first step towards that goal. These often unique structures, and by extension the key enzymes involved in their synthesis, represent promising targets for novel antimicrobials, while unique carbohydrate structures may be used as antigens in vaccines or as biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Fulton
- a Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio , National Research Council Canada , Ottawa , Canada
| | - Jianjun Li
- a Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio , National Research Council Canada , Ottawa , Canada
| | - Juan M Tomas
- b Departament de Microbiologia, Facultat de Biologia , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Jeffrey C Smith
- c Department of Chemistry , Carleton University , Ottawa , Canada
| | - Susan M Twine
- a Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio , National Research Council Canada , Ottawa , Canada
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27
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Latousakis D, Juge N. How Sweet Are Our Gut Beneficial Bacteria? A Focus on Protein Glycosylation in Lactobacillus. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19010136. [PMID: 29301365 PMCID: PMC5796085 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19010136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein glycosylation is emerging as an important feature in bacteria. Protein glycosylation systems have been reported and studied in many pathogenic bacteria, revealing an important diversity of glycan structures and pathways within and between bacterial species. These systems play key roles in virulence and pathogenicity. More recently, a large number of bacterial proteins have been found to be glycosylated in gut commensal bacteria. We present an overview of bacterial protein glycosylation systems (O- and N-glycosylation) in bacteria, with a focus on glycoproteins from gut commensal bacteria, particularly Lactobacilli. These emerging studies underscore the importance of bacterial protein glycosylation in the interaction of the gut microbiota with the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Latousakis
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, The Gut Health and Food Safety Institute Strategic Programme, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UA, UK.
| | - Nathalie Juge
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, The Gut Health and Food Safety Institute Strategic Programme, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UA, UK.
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29
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Dresler J, Krutova M, Fucikova A, Klimentova J, Hruzova V, Duracova M, Houdkova K, Salovska B, Matejkova J, Hubalek M, Pajer P, Pisa L, Nyc O. Analysis of proteomes released from in vitro cultured eight Clostridium difficile PCR ribotypes revealed specific expression in PCR ribotypes 027 and 176 confirming their genetic relatedness and clinical importance at the proteomic level. Gut Pathog 2017; 9:45. [PMID: 28814976 PMCID: PMC5556371 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-017-0194-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Clostridium difficile is the causative agent of C. difficile infection (CDI) that could be manifested by diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis or life-threatening toxic megacolon. The spread of certain strains represents a significant economic burden for health-care. The epidemic successful strains are also associated with severe clinical features of CDI. Therefore, a proteomic study has been conducted that comprises proteomes released from in vitro cultured panel of eight different PCR ribotypes (RTs) and employs the combination of shotgun proteomics and label-free quantification (LFQ) approach. Results The comparative semi-quantitative analyses enabled investigation of a total of 662 proteins. Both hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) created eight distinctive groups. From these quantifiable proteins, 27 were significantly increased in functional annotations. Among them, several known factors connected with virulence were identified, such as toxin A, B, binary toxin, flagellar proteins, and proteins associated with Pro–Pro endopeptidase (PPEP-1) functional complex. Comparative analysis of protein expression showed a higher expression or unique expression of proteins linked to pathogenicity or iron metabolism in RTs 027 and 176 supporting their genetic relatedness and clinical importance at the proteomic level. Moreover, the absence of putative nitroreductase and the abundance of the Abc-type fe3+ transport system protein were observed as biomarkers for the RTs possessing binary toxin genes (027, 176 and 078). Higher expression of selected flagellar proteins clearly distinguished RTs 027, 176, 005 and 012, confirming the pathogenic role of the assembly in CDI. Finally, the histidine synthesis pathway regulating protein complex HisG/HisZ was observed only in isolates possessing the genes for toxin A and B. Conclusions This study showed the applicability of the LFQ approach and provided the first semi-quantitative insight into the proteomes released from in vitro cultured panel of eight RTs. The observed differences pointed to a new direction for studies focused on the elucidation of the mechanisms underlining the CDI nature. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13099-017-0194-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Dresler
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Krutova
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Fucikova
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, UoD, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Klimentova
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, UoD, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Hruzova
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Duracova
- Faculty of Military Health Sciences, UoD, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Houdkova
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Salovska
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Matejkova
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Hubalek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Pajer
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Pisa
- Military Health Institute, Military Medical Agency, Tychonova 1, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Otakar Nyc
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
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30
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Anjuwon-Foster BR, Tamayo R. A genetic switch controls the production of flagella and toxins in Clostridium difficile. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006701. [PMID: 28346491 PMCID: PMC5386303 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the human intestinal pathogen Clostridium difficile, flagella promote adherence to intestinal epithelial cells. Flagellar gene expression also indirectly impacts production of the glucosylating toxins, which are essential to diarrheal disease development. Thus, factors that regulate the expression of the flgB operon will likely impact toxin production in addition to flagellar motility. Here, we report the identification a "flagellar switch" that controls the phase variable production of flagella and glucosylating toxins. The flagellar switch, located upstream of the flgB operon containing the early stage flagellar genes, is a 154 bp invertible sequence flanked by 21 bp inverted repeats. Bacteria with the sequence in one orientation expressed flagellum and toxin genes, produced flagella, and secreted the toxins ("flg phase ON"). Bacteria with the sequence in the inverse orientation were attenuated for flagellar and toxin gene expression, were aflagellate, and showed decreased toxin secretion ("flg phase OFF"). The orientation of the flagellar switch is reversible during growth in vitro. We provide evidence that gene regulation via the flagellar switch occurs post-transcription initiation and requires a C. difficile-specific regulatory factor to destabilize or degrade the early flagellar gene mRNA when the flagellar switch is in the OFF orientation. Lastly, through mutagenesis and characterization of flagellar phase locked isolates, we determined that the tyrosine recombinase RecV, which catalyzes inversion at the cwpV switch, is also responsible for inversion at the flagellar switch in both directions. Phase variable flagellar motility and toxin production suggests that these important virulence factors have both advantageous and detrimental effects during the course of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon R. Anjuwon-Foster
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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31
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Dannheim H, Riedel T, Neumann-Schaal M, Bunk B, Schober I, Spröer C, Chibani CM, Gronow S, Liesegang H, Overmann J, Schomburg D. Manual curation and reannotation of the genomes of Clostridium difficile 630Δerm and C. difficile 630. J Med Microbiol 2017; 66:286-293. [DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Henning Dannheim
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Thomas Riedel
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Boyke Bunk
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover–Braunschweig, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Isabel Schober
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cathrin Spröer
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover–Braunschweig, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cynthia Maria Chibani
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology, Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Grisebachstraße 8, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabine Gronow
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover–Braunschweig, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Heiko Liesegang
- Department of Genomic and Applied Microbiology, Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Grisebachstraße 8, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Overmann
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover–Braunschweig, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dietmar Schomburg
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig and Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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32
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Bouché L, Panico M, Hitchen P, Binet D, Sastre F, Faulds-Pain A, Valiente E, Vinogradov E, Aubry A, Fulton K, Twine S, Logan SM, Wren BW, Dell A, Morris HR. The Type B Flagellin of Hypervirulent Clostridium difficile Is Modified with Novel Sulfonated Peptidylamido-glycans. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:25439-25449. [PMID: 27758867 PMCID: PMC5207245 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.749481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation of flagellins is a well recognized property of many bacterial species. In this study, we describe the structural characterization of novel flagellar glycans from a number of hypervirulent strains of C. difficile. We used mass spectrometry (nano-LC-MS and MS/MS analysis) to identify a number of putative glycopeptides that carried a variety of glycoform substitutions, each of which was linked through an initial N-acetylhexosamine residue to Ser or Thr. Detailed analysis of a LLDGSSTEIR glycopeptide released by tryptic digestion, which carried two variant structures, revealed that the glycopeptide contained, in addition to carbohydrate moieties, a novel structural entity. A variety of electrospray-MS strategies using Q-TOF technology were used to define this entity, including positive and negative ion collisionally activated decomposition MS/MS, which produced unique fragmentation patterns, and high resolution accurate mass measurement to allow derivation of atomic compositions, leading to the suggestion of a taurine-containing peptidylamido-glycan structure. Finally, NMR analysis of flagellin glycopeptides provided complementary information. The glycan portion of the modification was assigned as α-Fuc3N-(1→3)-α-Rha-(1→2)-α-Rha3OMe-(1→3)-β-GlcNAc-(1→)Ser, and the novel capping moiety was shown to be comprised of taurine, alanine, and glycine. This is the first report of a novel O-linked sulfonated peptidylamido-glycan moiety decorating a flagellin protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bouché
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Panico
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Hitchen
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Binet
- BioPharmaSpec, Suite 3.1 Lido Medical Centre, St. Saviours Road, Jersey JE2 7LA, United Kingdom
| | - Federico Sastre
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra Faulds-Pain
- the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Esmeralda Valiente
- the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Evgeny Vinogradov
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada, and
| | - Annie Aubry
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada, and
| | - Kelly Fulton
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada, and
| | - Susan Twine
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada, and
| | - Susan M Logan
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada, and
| | - Brendan W Wren
- the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Dell
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom,
| | - Howard R Morris
- From the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.,BioPharmaSpec, Suite 3.1 Lido Medical Centre, St. Saviours Road, Jersey JE2 7LA, United Kingdom
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Valiente E, Bouché L, Hitchen P, Faulds-Pain A, Songane M, Dawson LF, Donahue E, Stabler RA, Panico M, Morris HR, Bajaj-Elliott M, Logan SM, Dell A, Wren BW. Role of Glycosyltransferases Modifying Type B Flagellin of Emerging Hypervirulent Clostridium difficile Lineages and Their Impact on Motility and Biofilm Formation. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:25450-25461. [PMID: 27703012 PMCID: PMC5207246 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.749523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is the principal cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea worldwide. The pathogen modifies its flagellin with either a type A or type B O-linked glycosylation system, which has a contributory role in pathogenesis. We study the functional role of glycosyltransferases modifying type B flagellin in the 023 and 027 hypervirulent C. difficile lineages by mutagenesis of five putative glycosyltransferases and biosynthetic genes. We reveal their roles in the biosynthesis of the flagellin glycan chain and demonstrate that flagellar post-translational modification affects motility and adhesion-related bacterial properties of these strains. We show that the glycosyltransferases 1 and 2 (GT1 and GT2) are responsible for the sequential addition of a GlcNAc and two rhamnoses, respectively, and that GT3 is associated with the incorporation of a novel sulfonated peptidyl-amido sugar moiety whose structure is reported in our accompanying paper (Bouché, L., Panico, M., Hitchen, P., Binet, D., Sastre, F., Faulds-Pain, A., Valiente, E., Vinogradov, E., Aubry, A., Fulton, K., Twine, S., Logan, S. M., Wren, B. W., Dell, A., and Morris, H. R. (2016) J. Biol. Chem. 291, 25439–25449). GT2 is also responsible for methylation of the rhamnoses. Whereas type B modification is not required for flagellar assembly, some mutations that result in truncation or abolition of the glycan reduce bacterial motility and promote autoaggregation and biofilm formation. The complete lack of flagellin modification also significantly reduces adhesion of C. difficile to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells but does not affect activation of human TLR5. Our study advances our understanding of the genes involved in flagellar glycosylation and their biological roles in emerging hypervirulent C. difficile strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda Valiente
- From the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Bouché
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Hitchen
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra Faulds-Pain
- From the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Mario Songane
- the Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa F Dawson
- From the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Donahue
- From the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A Stabler
- From the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Panico
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Howard R Morris
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.,BioPharmaSpec Ltd., Suite 3.1, Lido Medical Centre, St. Saviours Road, Jersey JE2 7LA, United Kingdom
| | - Mona Bajaj-Elliott
- the Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, United Kingdom
| | - Susan M Logan
- the Vaccine Program, Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada, and
| | - Anne Dell
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan W Wren
- From the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom,
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Abstract
There is an ongoing race between bacterial evolution and medical advances. Pathogens have the advantages of short generation times and horizontal gene transfer that enable rapid adaptation to new host environments and therapeutics that currently outpaces clinical research. Antibiotic resistance, the growing impact of nosocomial infections, cancer-causing bacteria, the risk of zoonosis, and the possibility of biowarfare all emphasize the increasingly urgent need for medical research focussed on bacterial pathogens. Bacterial glycoproteins are promising targets for alternative therapeutic intervention since they are often surface exposed, involved in host-pathogen interactions, required for virulence, and contain distinctive glycan structures. The potential exists to exploit these unique structures to improve clinical prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. Translation of the potential in this field to actual clinical impact is an exciting prospect for fighting infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Fulton
- a Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio , National Research Council Canada , Ottawa , Canada
| | - Jeffrey C Smith
- b Department of Chemistry and Institute of Biochemistry , Carleton University , Ottawa , Canada
| | - Susan M Twine
- a Human Health Therapeutics Portfolio , National Research Council Canada , Ottawa , Canada
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Lighting Up Clostridium Difficile: Reporting Gene Expression Using Fluorescent Lov Domains. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23463. [PMID: 26996606 PMCID: PMC4800718 DOI: 10.1038/srep23463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The uses of fluorescent reporters derived from green fluorescent protein have proved invaluable for the visualisation of biological processes in bacteria grown under aerobic conditions. However, their requirement for oxygen has limited their application in obligate anaerobes such as Clostridium difficile. Fluorescent proteins derived from Light, Oxygen or Voltage sensing (LOV) domains have been shown to bridge this limitation, but their utility as translational fusions to monitor protein expression and localisation in a strict anaerobic bacterium has not been reported. Here we demonstrate the utility of phiLOV in three species of Clostridium and its application as a marker of real-time protein translation and dynamics through genetic fusion with the cell division protein, FtsZ. Time lapse microscopy of dividing cells suggests that Z ring assembly arises through the extension of the FtsZ arc starting from one point on the circumference. Furthermore, through incorporation of phiLOV into the flagella subunit, FliC, we show the potential of bacterial LOV-based fusion proteins to be successfully exported to the extracellular environment.
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Janoir C. Virulence factors of Clostridium difficile and their role during infection. Anaerobe 2016; 37:13-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2015.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Ünal CM, Steinert M. Novel therapeutic strategies for Clostridium difficile infections. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2015; 20:269-85. [PMID: 26565670 DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2016.1090428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In recent years, Clostridium difficile has become the primary cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis, resulting in long and complicated hospital stays that represent a serious burden for patients as well as health care systems. Currently, conservative treatment of C. difficile infection (CDI) relies on the antibiotics vancomycin, metronidazole or fidaxomicin, or in case of multiple recurrences, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). AREAS COVERED The fast-spreading, epidemic nature of this pathogen urgently necessitates the search for alternative treatment strategies as well as antibiotic targets. Accordingly, in this review, we highlight the recent findings regarding virulence associated traits of C. difficile, evaluate their potential as alternative drug targets, and present current efforts in designing inhibitory compounds, with the aim of pointing out possibilities for future treatment strategies. EXPERT OPINION Increased attention on systematic analysis of the virulence mechanisms of C. difficile has already led to the identification of several alternative drug targets. In the future, applying state of the art 'omics' and the development of novel infection models that mimic the human gut, a highly complex ecological niche, will unveil the genomic and metabolic plasticity of this pathogen and will certainly help dealing with future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can M Ünal
- a 1 Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Mikrobiologie , Spielmannstr. 7, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany ; .,b 2 Türk-Alman Üniversitesi, Fen Fakültesi , Şahinkaya Cad. 86, 34820, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Michael Steinert
- a 1 Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Mikrobiologie , Spielmannstr. 7, D-38106, Braunschweig, Germany ; .,c 3 Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research , Mascheroder Weg 1, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
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Willing SE, Candela T, Shaw HA, Seager Z, Mesnage S, Fagan RP, Fairweather NF. Clostridium difficile surface proteins are anchored to the cell wall using CWB2 motifs that recognise the anionic polymer PSII. Mol Microbiol 2015; 96:596-608. [PMID: 25649385 PMCID: PMC4973711 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Gram‐positive surface proteins can be covalently or non‐covalently anchored to the cell wall and can impart important properties on the bacterium in respect of cell envelope organisation and interaction with the environment. We describe here a mechanism of protein anchoring involving tandem CWB2 motifs found in a large number of cell wall proteins in the Firmicutes. In the Clostridium difficile cell wall protein family, we show the three tandem repeats of the CWB2 motif are essential for correct anchoring to the cell wall. CWB2 repeats are non‐identical and cannot substitute for each other, as shown by the secretion into the culture supernatant of proteins containing variations in the patterns of repeats. A conserved Ile Leu Leu sequence within the CWB2 repeats is essential for correct anchoring, although a preceding proline residue is dispensable. We propose a likely genetic locus encoding synthesis of the anionic polymer PSII and, using RNA knock‐down of key genes, reveal subtle effects on cell wall composition. We show that the anionic polymer PSII binds two cell wall proteins, SlpA and Cwp2, and these interactions require the CWB2 repeats, defining a new mechanism of protein anchoring in Gram‐positive bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E Willing
- Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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The role of flagella in Clostridium difficile pathogenicity. Trends Microbiol 2015; 23:275-82. [PMID: 25659185 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is widely publicised as a problem in the health-care system. Disruption of the normal gut microbiota by antibiotic therapy allows C. difficile to colonise the colon. On colonisation, C. difficile produces two toxins that lead to disease, with symptoms ranging from mild-to-severe diarrhoea, to fulminant and often fatal pseudomembranous colitis (PMC). How C. difficile establishes initial colonisation of the host is an area of active investigation. Recently there has been increased research into the role of C. difficile flagella in colonisation and adherence. Novel research has also elucidated a more complex role of flagella in C. difficile virulence pertaining to the regulation of toxin gene expression. This review focuses on new insights into the specific role of C. difficile flagella in colonisation and toxin gene expression.
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