1
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Whitfield GB, Brun YV. The type IVc pilus: just a Tad different. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 79:102468. [PMID: 38579360 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2024.102468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria utilize type IV pili (T4P) to interact with their environment, where they facilitate processes including motility, adherence, and DNA uptake. T4P require multisubunit, membrane-spanning nanomachines for assembly. The tight adherence (Tad) pili are an Archaea-derived T4P subgroup whose machinery exhibits significant mechanistic and architectural differences from bacterial type IVa and IVb pili. Most Tad biosynthetic genes are encoded in a single locus that is widespread in bacteria due to facile acquisition via horizontal gene transfer. These loci experience extensive structural rearrangements, including the acquisition of novel regulatory or biosynthetic genes, which fine-tune their function. This has permitted their integration into many different bacterial lifestyles, including the Caulobacter crescentus cell cycle, Myxococcus xanthus predation, and numerous plant and mammalian pathogens and symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory B Whitfield
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie, et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada.
| | - Yves V Brun
- Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie, et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
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2
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Zhu L, Li W, Liu Y, Li J, Xu L, Gu L, Chen C, Cao Y, He Q. Metaproteomics analysis of anaerobic digestion of food waste by the addition of calcium peroxide and magnetite. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0145123. [PMID: 38224621 PMCID: PMC10880661 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01451-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Adding trace calcium peroxide and magnetite into a semi-continuous digester is a new method to effectively improve the anaerobic digestion of food waste. However, the microbial mechanism in this system has not been fully explored. Metaproteomics further revealed that the most active and significantly regulated genus u_p_Chloroflexi had formed a good cooperative relationship with Methanomicrobiales and Methanothrix in the system. u_p_Chloroflexi decomposed more organic compounds into CO2, acetate, amino acids, and other substances by alternating between short aerobic-anaerobic respiration. It perceived and adapted to the surrounding environment by producing biofilm, extracellular enzymes, and accelerating substrate transport, formed a respiratory barrier, and enhanced iron transport capacity by using highly expressed cytochrome C. The methanogens formed reactive oxygen species scavengers and reduced iron transport to prevent oxidative damage. This study provides new insight for improving the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of food waste and identifying key microorganisms and their regulated functional proteins in the calcium peroxide-magnetite digestion system.IMPORTANCEPrevious study has found that the combination of calcium peroxide and magnetite has a good promoting effect on the anaerobic digestion process of food waste. Through multiple omics approaches, information such as microbial population structure and changes in metabolites can be further analyzed. This study can help researchers gain a deeper understanding of the digestion pathway of food waste under the combined action of calcium peroxide and magnetite, further elucidate the impact mechanisms of calcium peroxide and magnetite at the microbial level, and provide theoretical guidance to improve the efficiency and stability of anaerobic digestion of food waste, as well as reduce operational costs. This research contributes to improving energy recovery efficiency, promoting sustainable management and development of food waste, and is of great significance to environmental protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wen Li
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yongli Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinze Li
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Linji Xu
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Gu
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cong Chen
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Jiangsu Jiangnan Water Co., Ltd, Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiang He
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environments, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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3
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Rivier AJ, Myers KS, Garcia AK, Sobol MS, Kaçar B. Regulatory response to a hybrid ancestral nitrogenase in Azotobacter vinelandii. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0281523. [PMID: 37702481 PMCID: PMC10581106 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02815-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological nitrogen fixation, the microbial reduction of atmospheric nitrogen to bioavailable ammonia, represents both a major limitation on biological productivity and a highly desirable engineering target for synthetic biology. However, the engineering of nitrogen fixation requires an integrated understanding of how the gene regulatory dynamics of host diazotrophs respond across sequence-function space of its central catalytic metalloenzyme, nitrogenase. Here, we interrogate this relationship by analyzing the transcriptome of Azotobacter vinelandii engineered with a phylogenetically inferred ancestral nitrogenase protein variant. The engineered strain exhibits reduced cellular nitrogenase activity but recovers wild-type growth rates following an extended lag period. We find that expression of genes within the immediate nitrogen fixation network is resilient to the introduced nitrogenase sequence-level perturbations. Rather the sustained physiological compatibility with the ancestral nitrogenase variant is accompanied by reduced expression of genes that support trace metal and electron resource allocation to nitrogenase. Our results spotlight gene expression changes in cellular processes adjacent to nitrogen fixation as productive engineering considerations to improve compatibility between remodeled nitrogenase proteins and engineered host diazotrophs. IMPORTANCE Azotobacter vinelandii is a key model bacterium for the study of biological nitrogen fixation, an important metabolic process catalyzed by nitrogenase enzymes. Here, we demonstrate that compatibilities between engineered A. vinelandii strains and nitrogenase variants can be modulated at the regulatory level. The engineered strain studied here responds by adjusting the expression of proteins involved in cellular processes adjacent to nitrogen fixation, rather than that of nitrogenase proteins themselves. These insights can inform future strategies to transfer nitrogenase variants to non-native hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J. Rivier
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kevin S. Myers
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Amanda K. Garcia
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Morgan S. Sobol
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Betül Kaçar
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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4
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Graña-Miraglia L, Morales-Lizcano N, Wang PW, Hwang DM, Yau YCW, Waters VJ, Guttman DS. Predictive modeling of antibiotic eradication therapy success for new-onset Pseudomonas aeruginosa pulmonary infections in children with cystic fibrosis. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011424. [PMID: 37672526 PMCID: PMC10506723 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) lung infections are the leading cause of mortality among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients; therefore, the eradication of new-onset Pa lung infections is an important therapeutic goal that can have long-term health benefits. The use of early antibiotic eradication therapy (AET) has been shown to clear the majority of new-onset Pa infections, and it is hoped that identifying the underlying basis for AET failure will further improve treatment outcomes. Here we generated machine learning models to predict AET outcomes based on pathogen genomic data. We used a nested cross validation design, population structure control, and recursive feature selection to improve model performance and showed that incorporating population structure control was crucial for improving model interpretation and generalizability. Our best model, controlling for population structure and using only 30 recursively selected features, had an area under the curve of 0.87 for a holdout test dataset. The top-ranked features were generally associated with motility, adhesion, and biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Graña-Miraglia
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nadia Morales-Lizcano
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pauline W. Wang
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David M. Hwang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yvonne C. W. Yau
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Division of Microbiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Valerie J. Waters
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Translational Medicine, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David S. Guttman
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Sánchez-Jiménez A, Llamas MA, Marcos-Torres FJ. Transcriptional Regulators Controlling Virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11895. [PMID: 37569271 PMCID: PMC10418997 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241511895] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogen capable of colonizing virtually every human tissue. The host colonization competence and versatility of this pathogen are powered by a wide array of virulence factors necessary in different steps of the infection process. This includes factors involved in bacterial motility and attachment, biofilm formation, the production and secretion of extracellular invasive enzymes and exotoxins, the production of toxic secondary metabolites, and the acquisition of iron. Expression of these virulence factors during infection is tightly regulated, which allows their production only when they are needed. This process optimizes host colonization and virulence. In this work, we review the intricate network of transcriptional regulators that control the expression of virulence factors in P. aeruginosa, including one- and two-component systems and σ factors. Because inhibition of virulence holds promise as a target for new antimicrobials, blocking the regulators that trigger the production of virulence determinants in P. aeruginosa is a promising strategy to fight this clinically relevant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María A. Llamas
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 18008 Granada, Spain;
| | - Francisco Javier Marcos-Torres
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 18008 Granada, Spain;
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6
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Antibacterial activity of metal-phenanthroline complexes against multidrug-resistant Irish clinical isolates: a whole genome sequencing approach. J Biol Inorg Chem 2023; 28:153-171. [PMID: 36484826 PMCID: PMC9734640 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-022-01979-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the serious global health challenges of our time. There is now an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic agents that can overcome AMR, preferably through alternative mechanistic pathways from conventional treatments. The antibacterial activity of metal complexes (metal = Cu(II), Mn(II), and Ag(I)) incorporating 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and various dianionic dicarboxylate ligands, along with their simple metal salt and dicarboxylic acid precursors, against common AMR pathogens were investigated. Overall, the highest level of antibacterial activity was evident in compounds that incorporate the phen ligand compared to the activities of their simple salt and dicarboxylic acid precursors. The chelates incorporating both phen and the dianion of 3,6,9-trioxaundecanedioic acid (tdda) were the most effective, and the activity varied depending on the metal centre. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was carried out on the reference Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, PAO1. This strain was exposed to sub-lethal doses of lead metal-tdda-phen complexes to form mutants with induced resistance properties with the aim of elucidating their mechanism of action. Various mutations were detected in the mutant P. aeruginosa genome, causing amino acid changes to proteins involved in cellular respiration, the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, and virulence mechanisms. This study provides insights into acquired resistance mechanisms of pathogenic organisms exposed to Cu(II), Mn(II), and Ag(I) complexes incorporating phen with tdda and warrants further development of these potential complexes as alternative clinical therapeutic drugs to treat AMR infections.
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7
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Rajput A, Tsunemoto H, Sastry AV, Szubin R, Rychel K, Chauhan SM, Pogliano J, Palsson BO. Advanced transcriptomic analysis reveals the role of efflux pumps and media composition in antibiotic responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:9675-9688. [PMID: 36095122 PMCID: PMC9508857 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and major cause of hospital-acquired infections. The virulence of P. aeruginosa is largely determined by its transcriptional regulatory network (TRN). We used 411 transcription profiles of P. aeruginosa from diverse growth conditions to construct a quantitative TRN by identifying independently modulated sets of genes (called iModulons) and their condition-specific activity levels. The current study focused on the use of iModulons to analyze the biofilm production and antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa. Our analysis revealed: (i) 116 iModulons, 81 of which show strong association with known regulators; (ii) novel roles of regulators in modulating antibiotics efflux pumps; (iii) substrate-efflux pump associations; (iv) differential iModulon activity in response to beta-lactam antibiotics in bacteriological and physiological media; (v) differential activation of 'Cell Division' iModulon resulting from exposure to different beta-lactam antibiotics and (vi) a role of the PprB iModulon in the stress-induced transition from planktonic to biofilm lifestyle. In light of these results, the construction of an iModulon-based TRN provides a transcriptional regulatory basis for key aspects of P. aeruginosa infection, such as antibiotic stress responses and biofilm formation. Taken together, our results offer a novel mechanistic understanding of P. aeruginosa virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Rajput
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Tsunemoto
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Anand V Sastry
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Richard Szubin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Rychel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Siddharth M Chauhan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joe Pogliano
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Bernhard O Palsson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Building 220, 2800 Kongens, Lyngby, Denmark
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8
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Marcos-Torres FJ, Moraleda-Muñoz A, Contreras-Moreno FJ, Muñoz-Dorado J, Pérez J. Mechanisms of Action of Non-Canonical ECF Sigma Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073601. [PMID: 35408957 PMCID: PMC8999054 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors are subunits of the RNA polymerase specialized in activating the transcription of a subset of genes responding to a specific environmental condition. The signal-transduction pathways where they participate can be activated by diverse mechanisms. The most common mechanism involves the action of a membrane-bound anti-sigma factor, which sequesters the ECF sigma factor, and releases it after the stimulus is sensed. However, despite most of these systems following this canonical regulation, there are many ECF sigma factors exhibiting a non-canonical regulatory mechanism. In this review, we aim to provide an updated and comprehensive view of the different activation mechanisms known for non-canonical ECF sigma factors, detailing their inclusion to the different phylogenetic groups and describing the mechanisms of regulation of some of their representative members such as EcfG from Rhodobacter sphaeroides, showing a partner-switch mechanism; EcfP from Vibrio parahaemolyticus, with a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism; or CorE from Myxococcus xanthus, regulated by a metal-sensing C-terminal extension.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aurelio Moraleda-Muñoz
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (F.J.C.-M.); (J.M.-D.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.-M.); (J.P.); Tel.: +34-95-824-2858 (A.M.-M.); +34-95-824-9830 (J.P.)
| | - Francisco Javier Contreras-Moreno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (F.J.C.-M.); (J.M.-D.)
| | - José Muñoz-Dorado
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (F.J.C.-M.); (J.M.-D.)
| | - Juana Pérez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Avda, Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; (F.J.C.-M.); (J.M.-D.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.-M.); (J.P.); Tel.: +34-95-824-2858 (A.M.-M.); +34-95-824-9830 (J.P.)
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van Belkum A, Almeida C, Bardiaux B, Barrass SV, Butcher SJ, Çaykara T, Chowdhury S, Datar R, Eastwood I, Goldman A, Goyal M, Happonen L, Izadi-Pruneyre N, Jacobsen T, Johnson PH, Kempf VAJ, Kiessling A, Bueno JL, Malik A, Malmström J, Meuskens I, Milner PA, Nilges M, Pamme N, Peyman SA, Rodrigues LR, Rodriguez-Mateos P, Sande MG, Silva CJ, Stasiak AC, Stehle T, Thibau A, Vaca DJ, Linke D. Host-Pathogen Adhesion as the Basis of Innovative Diagnostics for Emerging Pathogens. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11071259. [PMID: 34359341 PMCID: PMC8305138 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11071259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are an existential health threat, potentiated by emerging and re-emerging viruses and increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance. Targeted treatment of infectious diseases requires precision diagnostics, especially in cases where broad-range therapeutics such as antibiotics fail. There is thus an increasing need for new approaches to develop sensitive and specific in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests. Basic science and translational research are needed to identify key microbial molecules as diagnostic targets, to identify relevant host counterparts, and to use this knowledge in developing or improving IVD. In this regard, an overlooked feature is the capacity of pathogens to adhere specifically to host cells and tissues. The molecular entities relevant for pathogen–surface interaction are the so-called adhesins. Adhesins vary from protein compounds to (poly-)saccharides or lipid structures that interact with eukaryotic host cell matrix molecules and receptors. Such interactions co-define the specificity and sensitivity of a diagnostic test. Currently, adhesin-receptor binding is typically used in the pre-analytical phase of IVD tests, focusing on pathogen enrichment. Further exploration of adhesin–ligand interaction, supported by present high-throughput “omics” technologies, might stimulate a new generation of broadly applicable pathogen detection and characterization tools. This review describes recent results of novel structure-defining technologies allowing for detailed molecular analysis of adhesins, their receptors and complexes. Since the host ligands evolve slowly, the corresponding adhesin interaction is under selective pressure to maintain a constant receptor binding domain. IVD should exploit such conserved binding sites and, in particular, use the human ligand to enrich the pathogen. We provide an inventory of methods based on adhesion factors and pathogen attachment mechanisms, which can also be of relevance to currently emerging pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex van Belkum
- BioMérieux, Open Innovation & Partnerships, 38390 La Balme Les Grottes, France;
- Correspondence: (A.v.B.); (D.L.)
| | | | - Benjamin Bardiaux
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Sarah V. Barrass
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.V.B.); (S.J.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Sarah J. Butcher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.V.B.); (S.J.B.); (A.G.)
| | - Tuğçe Çaykara
- Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal; (T.Ç.); (C.J.S.)
| | - Sounak Chowdhury
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22242 Lund, Sweden; (S.C.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Rucha Datar
- BioMérieux, Microbiology R&D, 38390 La Balme Les Grottes, France;
| | | | - Adrian Goldman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (S.V.B.); (S.J.B.); (A.G.)
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Manisha Goyal
- BioMérieux, Open Innovation & Partnerships, 38390 La Balme Les Grottes, France;
| | - Lotta Happonen
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22242 Lund, Sweden; (S.C.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Nadia Izadi-Pruneyre
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Theis Jacobsen
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Pirjo H. Johnson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Volkhard A. J. Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (V.A.J.K.); (A.T.); (D.J.V.)
| | - Andreas Kiessling
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Juan Leva Bueno
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Anchal Malik
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Johan Malmström
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22242 Lund, Sweden; (S.C.); (L.H.); (J.M.)
| | - Ina Meuskens
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway;
| | - Paul A. Milner
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Michael Nilges
- Institut Pasteur, Structural Biology and Chemistry, 75724 Paris, France; (B.B.); (N.I.-P.); (T.J.); (M.N.)
| | - Nicole Pamme
- School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK; (N.P.); (P.R.-M.)
| | - Sally A. Peyman
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; (P.H.J.); (A.K.); (J.L.B.); (A.M.); (P.A.M.); (S.A.P.)
| | - Ligia R. Rodrigues
- CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (L.R.R.); (M.G.S.)
| | - Pablo Rodriguez-Mateos
- School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK; (N.P.); (P.R.-M.)
| | - Maria G. Sande
- CEB—Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (L.R.R.); (M.G.S.)
| | - Carla Joana Silva
- Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials, 4760-034 Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal; (T.Ç.); (C.J.S.)
| | - Aleksandra Cecylia Stasiak
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.C.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Thilo Stehle
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.C.S.); (T.S.)
| | - Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (V.A.J.K.); (A.T.); (D.J.V.)
| | - Diana J. Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (V.A.J.K.); (A.T.); (D.J.V.)
| | - Dirk Linke
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway;
- Correspondence: (A.v.B.); (D.L.)
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Yang W, Wei Q, Tong Q, Cui K, He G, Lin L, Ma LZ, Cornelis P, Wang Y. Traditional Chinese Medicine Tanreqing Inhibits Quorum Sensing Systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:517462. [PMID: 33391189 PMCID: PMC7775676 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.517462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can infect a wide variety of hosts including humans, plants, and animals. The production of virulence factors is the determinant of the infection paradigm and is under orchestrated regulation via cell-to-cell communication process called quorum sensing (QS). To disable QS circuits and prevent bacterial infections, a large battery of anti-QS agents, particularly from traditional Chinese medicine have been developed. Here, we used P. aeruginosa as a model microorganism to investigate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine Tanreqing (TRQ) formula on bacterial pathogenicity. Phenotypic analysis showed that TRQ treatment could completely inhibit the production of phenazine pyocyanin and moderately inhibit the production of virulence factors such as rhamnolipids, elastase, and alkaline protease. Further transcriptomic analyses revealed that TRQ treatment could significantly attenuate the expression of QS-regulated genes in P. aeruginosa and TRQ-treated P. aeruginosa regulon shared a large overlap with QS regulon. Component contribution to QS inhibition shed light on the indispensable role of all five components in TRQ formula. Further genetic analysis indicated that upstream regulators of QS systems, including two-component systems GacS/GacA and PprA/PprB, were both inhibited by TRQ treatment. Finally, our TRQ formula could efficiently protect Caenorhabditis elegans from killing by P. aeruginosa. Altogether, we have proved TRQ formula as an effective and specific agent to attenuate bacterial virulence and combat bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weifeng Yang
- Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Wei
- Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Tong
- School of Biological Engineering and Food Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaiyu Cui
- Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gaiying He
- Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Longfei Lin
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lvyan Z Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pierre Cornelis
- Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Microbiology Unit, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, LMSM EA4312, Évreux, France
| | - Yi Wang
- Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Abstract
The increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance imposes a severe threat to human health. For the development of effective treatment and prevention strategies, it is critical to understand the mechanisms employed by bacteria to grow in the human body. Posttranscriptional regulation plays an important role in bacterial adaptation to environmental changes. RNases and small RNAs are key players in this regulation. In this study, we demonstrate critical roles of the RNase YbeY in the virulence of the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We further identify the small RNA ReaL as the direct target of YbeY and elucidate the YbeY-regulated pathway on the expression of bacterial virulence factors. Our results shed light on the complex regulatory network of P. aeruginosa and indicate that inference with the YbeY-mediated regulatory pathway might be a valid strategy for the development of a novel treatment strategy. Posttranscriptional regulation plays an essential role in the quick adaptation of pathogenic bacteria to host environments, and RNases play key roles in this process by modifying small RNAs and mRNAs. We find that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa endonuclease YbeY is required for rRNA processing and the bacterial virulence in a murine acute pneumonia model. Transcriptomic analyses reveal that knocking out the ybeY gene results in downregulation of oxidative stress response genes, including the catalase genes katA and katB. Consistently, the ybeY mutant is more susceptible to H2O2 and neutrophil-mediated killing. Overexpression of katA restores the bacterial tolerance to H2O2 and neutrophil killing as well as virulence. We further find that the downregulation of the oxidative stress response genes is due to defective expression of the stationary-phase sigma factor RpoS. We demonstrate an autoregulatory mechanism of RpoS and find that ybeY mutation increases the level of a small RNA, ReaL, which directly represses the translation of rpoS through the 5′ UTR of its mRNA and subsequently reduces the expression of the oxidative stress response genes. In vitro assays demonstrate direct degradation of ReaL by YbeY. Deletion of reaL or overexpression of rpoS in the ybeY mutant restores the bacterial tolerance to oxidative stress and the virulence. We also demonstrate that YbeZ binds to YbeY and is involved in the 16S rRNA processing and regulation of reaL and rpoS as well as the bacterial virulence. Overall, our results reveal pleiotropic roles of YbeY and the YbeY-mediated regulation of rpoS through ReaL.
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