Extensive and genome-wide changes in the transcription profile of Staphylococcus aureus induced by modulating the transcription of the cell wall synthesis gene murF

Effects of simvastatin on the mevalonate pathway and cell wall integrity of Staphylococcus aureus

AIMS

To investigate the effects of simvastatin as an antimicrobial, considering its influence on the mevalonate pathway and the bacterial cell wall of S. aureus.

METHODS AND RESULTS

S. aureus ATCC 29213 and 33591 were exposed to simvastatin in the presence of exogenous mevalonate to determine whether mevalonate could reverse the inhibition. S. aureus was also treated with simvastatin and gene expression analysis assays were performed to evaluate genes associated with the mevalonate pathway (mvaA, mvaS, mvaK1, and mvaK2), peptidoglycan synthesis (uppS, uppP, and murG), and cell wall stress (vraX, sgtB, and tcaA). Transmission electron microscopy was used to identify the presence of morphological changes. The data were compared using two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-test, or the Mann-Whitney test. Addition of exogenous mevalonate was able to partially or completely reverse the inhibition caused by simvastatin. A significant increase of the vraX gene and a reduction of the mvaA gene were observed, together with changes in bacterial morphology.

CONCLUSION

Simvastatin can exert its antimicrobial effect by means of changes in the cell wall associated with the mevalonate pathway.

RNA-Seq-based transcriptome analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus growth inhibition by propionate

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that causes a variety of infectious diseases such as pneumonia, endocarditis, and septic shock. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) evades virtually all available treatments, creating the need for an alternative control strategy. Although we previously demonstrated the inhibitory effect of sodium propionate (NaP) on MRSA, the regulatory mechanism of this effect remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism responsible for the inhibitory effect of NaP on MRSA using RNA-Seq analysis. Total RNAs were isolated from non-treated and 50 mM NaP-treated S. aureus USA300 for 3 h and transcriptional profiling was conducted by RNA-Seq analysis. A total of 171 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with log₂ fold change ≥2 and p < 0.05 was identified in the NaP treatment group compared with the control group. Among the 171 genes, 131 were up-regulated and 40 were down-regulated. Upon gene ontology (GO) annotation analysis, total 26 specific GO terms in "Biological process," "Molecular function," and "Cellular component" were identified in MRSA treated with NaP for 3 h. "Purine metabolism"; "riboflavin metabolism"; and "glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism" were identified as major altered metabolic pathways among the eight significantly enriched KEGG pathways in MRSA treated with NaP. Furthermore, the MRSA strains deficient in purF, ilvA, ribE, or ribA, which were the up-regulated DEGs in the metabolic pathways, were more susceptible to NaP than wild-type MRSA. Collectively, these results demonstrate that NaP attenuates MRSA growth by altering its metabolic pathways, suggesting that NaP can be used as a potential bacteriostatic agent for prevention of MRSA infection.

Remodeling Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Cell Wall Rigidity to Reduce Cell Lysis and Increase the Yield of Heterologous Proteins

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens has great potential as a host for heterologous protein production, but its severe autolytic behavior has precluded its industrial application to date. Because d,l-endopeptidase activity-guided cell wall rigidity is considered essential for autolysis resistance, we investigated the effects of d,l-endopeptidase genes lytE, lytF, cwlO, and cwlS play on the growth, lysis, and morphology remodeling of B. amyloliquefaciens strain TCCC11018. Individual and combinatorial deletion of lytE, lytF, and cwlS enhanced the cell growth and delayed cell lysis. For the best mutant with the lytF and cwlS double deletion, the viable cell number at 24 h increased by 11.90% and the cell wall thickness at 6 h increased by 25.87%. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses indicated that the improvement was caused by enhanced peptidoglycan synthesis. With the lytF and cwlS double deletion, the extracellular green fluorescent protein and phospholipase D expression levels increased by 113 and 55.89%, respectively. This work broadens our understanding of the relationship between d,l-endopeptidases and B. amyloliquefaciens cell characteristics, which provides an effective strategy to improve the heterologous protein expression in B. amyloliquefaciens-based cell factories.

Silver nanoparticles reduce the tolerance of Cronobacter sakazakii to environmental stress by inhibiting expression of related genes

Cronobacter sakazakii is a food-borne pathogen that is resistant to a variety of environmental stress conditions. It can survive in harsh environments. We studied the effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) on the environmental tolerance and biofilm formation of C. sakazakii. First, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AgNP to C. sakazakii and determined the growth curve of C. sakazakii treated with different concentrations of AgNP by using the plate counting method. After determining the sub-inhibition concentrations (SIC) of AgNP on C. sakazakii, we studied the effects of AgNP on the resistance of C. sakazakii to heat, desiccation, osmotic pressure, and acid. The antibiofilm activity of AgNP was also studied. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR was used to analyze the transcription levels of 16 genes related to the environmental tolerance of C. sakazakii. The SIC of AgNP significantly reduced the survival rate of C. sakazakii under various environmental stress conditions. The results showed that AgNP at 0.625 and 1.25 μg/mL significantly inhibited the formation of C. sakazakii biofilms. The expression levels of most genes were significantly downregulated in C. sakazakii cells treated with 0.625 and 1.25 μg/mL AgNP. Therefore, AgNP may reduce the environmental tolerance of C. sakazakii by inhibiting the expression of genes related to stress tolerance. Moreover, AgNP inhibited the production of ATP in C. sakazakii cells and the formation of C. sakazakii biofilms. Our research provides a theoretical basis for the application of AgNP in food packaging, bactericidal coatings, and other fields.

Molecular Details of Actinomycin D-Treated MRSA Revealed via High-Dimensional Data

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is highly concerning as a principal infection pathogen. The investigation of higher effective natural anti-MRSA agents from marine Streptomyces parvulus has led to the isolation of actinomycin D, that showed potential anti-MRSA activity with MIC and MBC values of 1 and 8 μg/mL, respectively. Proteomics-metabolomics analysis further demonstrated a total of 261 differential proteins and 144 differential metabolites induced by actinomycin D in MRSA, and the co-mapped correlation network of omics, indicated that actinomycin D induced the metabolism pathway of producing the antibiotic sensitivity in MRSA. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of the genes acnA, ebpS, clfA, icd, and gpmA related to the key differential proteins were down-regulated measured by qRT-PCR. Molecular docking predicted that actinomycin D was bound to the targets of the two key differential proteins AcnA and Icd by hydrogen bonds and interacted with multiple amino acid residues of the proteins. Thus, these findings will provide a basic understanding to further investigation of actinomycin D as a potential anti-MRSA agent.

Two-Component Systems of S. aureus: Signaling and Sensing Mechanisms

Staphylococcus aureus encodes 16 two-component systems (TCSs) that enable the bacteria to sense and respond to changing environmental conditions. Considering the function of these TCSs in bacterial survival and their potential role as drug targets, it is important to understand the exact mechanisms underlying signal perception. The differences between the sensing of appropriate signals and the transcriptional activation of the TCS system are often not well described, and the signaling mechanisms are only partially understood. Here, we review present insights into which signals are sensed by histidine kinases in S. aureus to promote appropriate gene expression in response to diverse environmental challenges.

Relationship between virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus from bovine mastitis

OBJECTIVES

This review summarizes the literature on the role of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes of Staphylococcus aureus in bovine mastitis, focusing on the association between these characteristics and their implications for public and animal health.

CONCLUSIONS

There is the possibility of antimicrobial resistance gene exchange among different bacteria, which is of serious concern in livestock husbandry, as well as in the treatment of human staphylococcal infections.

Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus persisters upon antibiotic exposure

Bacterial persister cells are phenotypic variants that exhibit a transient non-growing state and antibiotic tolerance. Here, we provide in vitro evidence of Staphylococcus aureus persisters within infected host cells. We show that the bacteria surviving antibiotic treatment within host cells are persisters, displaying biphasic killing and reaching a uniformly non-responsive, non-dividing state when followed at the single-cell level. This phenotype is stable but reversible upon antibiotic removal. Intracellular S. aureus persisters remain metabolically active but display an altered transcriptomic profile consistent with activation of stress responses, including the stringent response as well as cell wall stress, SOS and heat shock responses. These changes are associated with multidrug tolerance after exposure to a single antibiotic. We hypothesize that intracellular S. aureus persisters may constitute a reservoir for relapsing infection and could contribute to therapeutic failures.

Bacterial persister cells exhibit a transient non-growing state and antibiotic tolerance. Here, Peyrusson et al. provide evidence of metabolically active Staphylococcus aureus persisters within infected host cells exposed to antibiotics and analyse transcriptomic alterations associated with persistence.

The Staphylococcal Cell Wall

Dating back to the 1960s, initial studies on the staphylococcal cell wall were driven by the need to clarify the mode of action of the first antibiotics and the resistance mechanisms developed by the bacteria. During the following decades, the elucidation of the biosynthetic path and primary composition of staphylococcal cell walls was propelled by advances in microbial cell biology, specifically, the introduction of high-resolution analytical techniques and molecular genetic approaches. The field of staphylococcal cell wall gradually gained its own significance as the complexity of its chemical structure and involvement in numerous cellular processes became evident, namely its versatile role in host interactions, coordination of cell division and environmental stress signaling.This chapter includes an updated description of the anatomy of staphylococcal cell walls, paying particular attention to information from the last decade, under four headings: high-resolution analysis of the Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan; variations in peptidoglycan composition; genetic determinants and enzymes in cell wall synthesis; and complex functions of cell walls. The latest contributions to a more precise picture of the staphylococcal cell envelope were possible due to recently developed state-of-the-art microscopy and spectroscopy techniques and to a wide combination of -omics approaches, that are allowing to obtain a more integrative view of this highly dynamic structure.

Comparative Proteomic and Morphological Change Analyses of Staphylococcus aureus During Resuscitation From Prolonged Freezing

When frozen, Staphylococcus aureus survives in a sublethally injured state. However, S. aureus can recover at a suitable temperature, which poses a threat to food safety. To elucidate the resuscitation mechanism of freezing survived S. aureus, we used cells stored at -18°C for 90 days as controls. After resuscitating the survived cells at 37°C, the viable cell numbers were determined on tryptic soy agar with 0.6% yeast extract (TSAYE), and the non-injured-cell numbers were determined on TSAYE supplemented with 10% NaCl. The results showed that the total viable cell number did not increase within the first 3 h of resuscitation, but the osmotic regulation ability of freezing survived cells gradually recovered to the level of healthy cells, which was evidenced by the lack of difference between the two samples seen by differential cell enumeration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that, compared to late exponential stage cells, some frozen survived cells underwent splitting and cell lysis due to deep distortion and membrane rupture. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that, in most of the frozen survived cells, the nucleoids (low electronic density area) were loose, and the cytoplasmic matrices (high electronic density area) were sparse. Additionally, a gap was seen to form between the cytoplasmic membranes and the cell walls in the frozen survived cells. The morphological changes were restored when the survived cells were resuscitated at 37°C. We also analyzed the differential proteome after resuscitation using non-labeled high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The results showed that, compared with freezing survived S. aureus cells, the cells resuscitated for 1 h had 45 upregulated and 73 downregulated proteins. The differentially expressed proteins were functionally categorized by gene ontology enrichment, KEGG pathway, and STRING analyses. Cell membrane synthesis-related proteins, oxidative stress resistance-related proteins, metabolism-related proteins, and virulence factors exhibited distinct expression patterns during resuscitation. These findings have implications in the understanding of the resuscitation mechanism of freezing survived S. aureus, which may facilitate the development of novel technologies for improved detection and control of foodborne pathogens in frozen food.

Luciferase Reporter Gene System to Detect Cell Wall Stress Stimulon Induction in Staphylococcus aureus

Luciferase reporter gene fusions provide an extremely rapid and sensitive tool for measuring the induction or repression of stress responses in bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus activates the expression of a cell wall stress stimulon (CWSS) in response to the inhibition or disruption of cell wall synthesis. The highly sensitive promoter-reporter gene fusion construct psas016 p-luc+ can be used to quantify and compare any changes in CWSS expression levels and induction kinetics. Potential uses of this system include identifying and characterizing novel cell wall-targeting antibacterial agents, identifying genomic loci influencing cell envelope synthesis and detecting changes in CWSS expression that could be linked to decreased antibiotic susceptibility profiles in clinical isolates.

The Role of Antibiotics in Modulating Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is often involved in severe infections, in which the effects of bacterial virulence factors have great importance. Antistaphylococcal regimens should take into account the different effects of antibacterial agents on the expression of virulence factors and on the host's immune response. A PubMed literature search was performed to select relevant articles on the effects of antibiotics on staphylococcal toxin production and on the host immune response. Information was sorted according to the methods used for data acquisition (bacterial strains, growth models, and antibiotic concentrations) and the assays used for readout generation. The reported mechanisms underlying S. aureus virulence modulation by antibiotics were reviewed. The relevance of in vitro observations is discussed in relation to animal model data and to clinical evidence extracted from case reports and recommendations on the management of toxin-related staphylococcal diseases. Most in vitro data point to a decreased level of virulence expression upon treatment with ribosomally active antibiotics (linezolid and clindamycin), while cell wall-active antibiotics (beta-lactams) mainly increase exotoxin production. In vivo studies confirmed the suppressive effect of clindamycin and linezolid on virulence expression, supporting their utilization as a valuable management strategy to improve patient outcomes in cases of toxin-associated staphylococcal disease.

Targeting cell membrane adaptation as a novel antimicrobial strategy

Emergence of antibiotic resistance is an example of the incredible plasticity of bacteria to survive in all environments. The search for new antibiotics active against traditional targets is more challenging due not only to the lack of novel natural products to fulfill the current clinical needs against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, but also for the possible 'collateral' effects on the human microbiota. Thus, non-traditional approaches to combat MDR bacteria have been proposed. Here, we discuss the possibility of targeting the membrane response to the antibiotic attack (cell membrane adaptation) as a viable strategy to increase the activity of current antimicrobials, enhance the activity of the innate immune system and prevent development of resistance during therapy using the three-component regulatory system LiaFSR of enterococci as a model.

Quantitative proteomic view associated with resistance to clinically important antibiotics in Gram-positive bacteria: a systematic review

The increase of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) poses a worldwide and serious health threat. Although new antibiotics, such as daptomycin and linezolid, have been developed for the treatment of infections of Gram-positive pathogens, the emergence of daptomycin-resistant and linezolid-resistant strains during therapy has now increased clinical treatment failures. In the past few years, studies using quantitative proteomic methods have provided a considerable progress in understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms. In this review, to understand the resistance mechanisms to four clinically important antibiotics (methicillin, vancomycin, linezolid, and daptomycin) used in the treatment of Gram-positive pathogens, we summarize recent advances in studies on resistance mechanisms using quantitative proteomic methods, and also examine proteins playing an important role in the bacterial mechanisms of resistance to the four antibiotics. Proteomic researches can identify proteins whose expression levels are changed in the resistance mechanism to only one antibiotic, such as LiaH in daptomycin resistance and PrsA in vancomycin resistance, and many proteins simultaneously involved in resistance mechanisms to various antibiotics. Most of resistance-related proteins, which are simultaneously associated with resistance mechanisms to several antibiotics, play important roles in regulating bacterial envelope biogenesis, or compensating for the fitness cost of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, proteomic data confirm that antibiotic resistance requires the fitness cost and the bacterial envelope is an important factor in antibiotic resistance.

Anticarcinogenic properties of medium chain fatty acids on human colorectal, skin and breast cancer cells in vitro

Colorectal cancer, breast cancer and skin cancer are commonly-reported cancer types in the U.S. Although radiation and chemotherapy are routinely used to treat cancer, they produce side effects in patients. Additionally, resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs has been noticed in cancers. Thus, there is a need for effective and safe bioprophylactics and biotherapeutics in cancer therapy. The medicinal value of goat milk has been recognized for centuries and is primarily attributed to three fatty acids, namely capric, caprylic and caproic acids. This research investigates the anticancer property of these fatty acids on human colorectal, skin and mammary gland cancer cells. The cancer cells were treated with various concentrations of fatty acids for 48 h, and cell viability was monitored by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. Additionally, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed to elucidate the potential anti-cancer mechanisms of the three fatty acids under investigation. Capric, caprylic and caproic acids reduced cancer cell viability by 70% to 90% (p < 0.05) compared to controls. RT-qPCR data indicated that these natural molecules produced anticancer effects by down-regulating cell cycle regulatory genes and up-regulating genes involved in apoptosis. Future research will validate the anticancer effect of these fatty acids in an appropriate in vivo model.

Genomic, Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Studies of Two Well-Characterized, Laboratory-Derived Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus Strains Derived from the Same Parent Strain

Complete genome comparisons, transcriptomic and metabolomic studies were performed on two laboratory-selected, well-characterized vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) derived from the same parent MRSA that have changes in cell wall composition and decreased autolysis. A variety of mutations were found in the VISA, with more in strain 13136p(-)m⁺V20 (vancomycin MIC = 16 µg/mL) than strain 13136p(-)m⁺V5 (MIC = 8 µg/mL). Most of the mutations have not previously been associated with the VISA phenotype; some were associated with cell wall metabolism and many with stress responses, notably relating to DNA damage. The genomes and transcriptomes of the two VISA support the importance of gene expression regulation to the VISA phenotype. Similarities in overall transcriptomic and metabolomic data indicated that the VISA physiologic state includes elements of the stringent response, such as downregulation of protein and nucleotide synthesis, the pentose phosphate pathway and nutrient transport systems. Gene expression for secreted virulence determinants was generally downregulated, but was more variable for surface-associated virulence determinants, although capsule formation was clearly inhibited. The importance of activated stress response elements could be seen across all three analyses, as in the accumulation of osmoprotectant metabolites such as proline and glutamate. Concentrations of potential cell wall precursor amino acids and glucosamine were increased in the VISA strains. Polyamines were decreased in the VISA, which may facilitate the accrual of mutations. Overall, the studies confirm the wide variability in mutations and gene expression patterns that can lead to the VISA phenotype.

Generation of a vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) strain by two amino acid exchanges in VraS

OBJECTIVES

Staphylococcus aureus is a notorious bacterial pathogen and antibiotic-resistant isolates complicate current treatment strategies. We characterized S. aureus VC40, a laboratory mutant that shows full resistance to glycopeptides (vancomycin and teicoplanin MICs ≥32 mg/L) and daptomycin (MIC = 4 mg/L), to gain deeper insights into the underlying resistance mechanisms.

METHODS

Genomics and transcriptomics were performed to characterize changes that might contribute to development of resistance. The mutations in vraS were reconstituted into a closely related parental background. In addition, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, growth analyses, transmission electron microscopy, lysostaphin-induced lysis and autolysis assays were performed to characterize the phenotype of resistant strains.

RESULTS

Genome sequencing of strain VC40 revealed 79 mutations in 75 gene loci including genes encoding the histidine kinases VraS and WalK that control cell envelope-related processes. Transcriptomics indicated the increased expression of their respective regulons. Although not reaching the measured MIC for VC40, reconstitution of the L114S and D242G exchanges in VraS(VC40) into the susceptible parental background (S. aureus NCTC 8325) resulted in increased resistance to glycopeptides and daptomycin. The expression of VraS(VC40) led to increased transcription of the cell wall stress stimulon, a thickened cell wall, a decreased growth rate, reduced autolytic activity and increased resistance to lysostaphin-induced lysis in the generated mutant.

CONCLUSIONS

We show that a double mutation of a single gene locus, namely vraS, is sufficient to convert the vancomycin-susceptible strain S. aureus NCTC 8325 into a vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus.

Mutations in mmpL and in the cell wall stress stimulon contribute to resistance to oxadiazole antibiotics in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of hospital- and community-acquired infections, which exhibit broad resistance to various antibiotics. We recently disclosed the discovery of the oxadiazole class of antibiotics, which has in vitro and in vivo activities against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). We report herein that MmpL, a putative member of the resistance, nodulation, and cell division (RND) family of proteins, contributes to oxadiazole resistance in the S. aureus strain COL. Through serial passages, we generated two S. aureus COL variants that showed diminished susceptibilities to an oxadiazole antibiotic. The MICs for the oxadiazole against one strain (designated S. aureus COL(I)) increased reproducibly 2-fold (to 4 μg/ml), while against the other strain (S. aureus COL(R)), they increased >4-fold (to >8 μg/ml, the limit of solubility). The COL(R) strain was derived from the COL(I) strain. Whole-genome sequencing revealed 31 mutations in S. aureus COL(R), of which 29 were shared with COL(I). Consistent with our previous finding that oxadiazole antibiotics inhibit cell wall biosynthesis, we found 13 mutations that occurred either in structural genes or in promoters of the genes of the cell wall stress stimulon. Two unique mutations in S. aureus COL(R) were substitutions in two genes that encode the putative thioredoxin (SACOL1794) and MmpL (SACOL2566). A role for mmpL in resistance to oxadiazoles was discerned from gene deletion and complementation experiments. To our knowledge, this is the first report that a cell wall-acting antibiotic selects for mutations in the cell wall stress stimulon and the first to implicate MmpL in resistance to antibiotics in S. aureus.

Sub-inhibitory concentrations of trans-cinnamaldehyde attenuate virulence in Cronobacter sakazakii in vitro

Cronobacter sakazakii is a foodborne pathogen, which causes a life-threatening form of meningitis, necrotizing colitis and meningoencephalitis in neonates and children. Epidemiological studies implicate dried infant formula as the principal source of C. sakazakii. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of sub-inhibitory concentrations (SIC) of trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), an ingredient in cinnamon, for reducing C. sakazakii virulence in vitro using cell culture, microscopy and gene expression assays. TC significantly (p ≤ 0.05) suppressed C. sakazakii adhesion to and invasion of human and rat intestinal epithelial cells, and human brain microvascular endothelial cells. In addition, TC inhibited C. sakazakii survival and replication in human macrophages. We also observed that TC reduced the ability of C. sakazakii to cause cell death in rat intestinal cells, by inhibiting nitric oxide production. Results from gene expression studies revealed that TC significantly downregulated the virulence genes critical for motility, host tissue adhesion and invasion, macrophage survival, and LPS (Lipopolysaccharide) synthesis in C. sakazakii. The efficacy of TC in attenuating these major virulence factors in C. sakazakii underscores its potential use in the prevention and/or control of infection caused by this pathogen.

Two small (p)ppGpp synthases in Staphylococcus aureus mediate tolerance against cell envelope stress conditions

The stringent response is a conserved global regulatory mechanism that is related to the synthesis of (p)ppGpp nucleotides. Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, possess three (p)ppGpp synthases: the bifunctional RSH (RelA/SpoT homolog) protein, which consists of a (p)ppGpp synthase and a (p)ppGpp hydrolase domain, and two truncated (p)ppGpp synthases, designated RelP and RelQ. Here, we characterized these two small (p)ppGpp synthases. Biochemical analyses of purified proteins and in vivo studies revealed a stronger synthetic activity for RelP than for RelQ. However, both enzymes prefer GDP over GTP as the pyrophosphate recipient to synthesize ppGpp. Each of the enzymes was shown to be responsible for the essentiality of the (p)ppGpp hydrolase domain of the RSH protein. The staphylococcal RSH-hydrolase is an efficient enzyme that prevents the toxic accumulation of (p)ppGpp. Expression of (p)ppGpp synthases in a hydrolase-negative background leads not only to growth arrest but also to cell death. Transcriptional analyses showed that relP and relQ are strongly induced upon vancomycin and ampicillin treatments. Accordingly, mutants lacking relP and relQ showed a significantly reduced survival rate upon treatments with cell wall-active antibiotics. Thus, RelP and RelQ are active (p)ppGpp synthases in S. aureus that are induced under cell envelope stress to mediate tolerance against these conditions.

Bacillus cereus cell response upon exposure to acid environment: toward the identification of potential biomarkers

Microorganisms are able to adapt to different environments and evolve rapidly, allowing them to cope with their new environments. Such adaptive response and associated protections toward other lethal stresses, is a crucial survival strategy for a wide spectrum of microorganisms, including food spoilage bacteria, pathogens, and organisms used in functional food applications. The growing demand for minimal processed food yields to an increasing use of combination of hurdles or mild preservation factors in the food industry. A commonly used hurdle is low pH which allows the decrease in bacterial growth rate but also the inactivation of pathogens or spoilage microorganisms. Bacillus cereus is a well-known food-borne pathogen leading to economical and safety issues in food industry. Because survival mechanisms implemented will allow bacteria to cope with environmental changes, it is important to provide understanding of B. cereus stress response. Thus this review deals with the adaptive traits of B. cereus cells facing to acid stress conditions. The acid stress response of B. cereus could be divided into four groups (i) general stress response (ii) pH homeostasis, (iii) metabolic modifications and alkali production and (iv) secondary oxidative stress response. This current knowledge may be useful to understand how B. cereus cells may cope to acid environment such as encountered in food products and thus to find some molecular biomarkers of the bacterial behavior. These biomarkers could be furthermore used to develop new microbial behavior prediction tools which can provide insights into underlying molecular physiological states which govern the behavior of microorganisms and thus opening the avenue toward the detection of stress adaptive behavior at an early stage and the control of stress-induced resistance throughout the food chain.

Mutation in the C-di-AMP cyclase dacA affects fitness and resistance of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Faster growing and more virulent strains of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are increasingly displacing highly resistant MRSA. Elevated fitness in these MRSA is often accompanied by decreased and heterogeneous levels of methicillin resistance; however, the mechanisms for this phenomenon are not yet fully understood. Whole genome sequencing was used to investigate the genetic basis of this apparent correlation, in an isogenic MRSA strain pair that differed in methicillin resistance levels and fitness, with respect to growth rate. Sequencing revealed only one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the diadenylate cyclase gene dacA in the faster growing but less resistant strain. Diadenylate cyclases were recently discovered to synthesize the new second messenger cyclic diadenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP). Introduction of this mutation into the highly resistant but slower growing strain reduced resistance and increased its growth rate, suggesting a direct connection between the dacA mutation and the phenotypic differences of these strains. Quantification of cellular c-di-AMP revealed that the dacA mutation decreased c-di-AMP levels resulting in reduced autolysis, increased salt tolerance and a reduction in the basal expression of the cell wall stress stimulon. These results indicate that c-di-AMP affects cell envelope-related signalling in S. aureus. The influence of c-di-AMP on growth rate and methicillin resistance in MRSA indicate that altering c-di-AMP levels could be a mechanism by which MRSA strains can increase their fitness levels by reducing their methicillin resistance levels.

IruO is a reductase for heme degradation by IsdI and IsdG proteins in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a common hospital- and community-acquired bacterium that can cause devastating infections and is often multidrug-resistant. Iron acquisition is required by S. aureus during an infection, and iron acquisition pathways are potential targets for therapies. The gene NWMN2274 in S. aureus strain Newman is annotated as an oxidoreductase of the diverse pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase (PNDO) family. We show that NWMN2274 is an electron donor to IsdG and IsdI catalyzing the degradation of heme, and we have renamed this protein IruO. Recombinant IruO is a FAD-containing NADPH-dependent reductase. In the presence of NADPH and IruO, either IsdI or IsdG degraded bound heme 10-fold more rapidly than with the chemical reductant ascorbic acid. Varying IsdI-heme substrate and monitoring loss of the heme Soret band gave a K(m) of 15 ± 4 μM, a k(cat) of 5.2 ± 0.7 min(-1), and a k(cat)/K(m) of 5.8 × 10(3) M(-1) s(-1). From HPLC and electronic spectra, the major heme degradation products are 5-oxo-δ-bilirubin and 15-oxo-β-bilirubin (staphylobilins), as observed with ascorbic acid. Although heme degradation by IsdI or IsdG can occur in the presence of H2O2, the addition of catalase and superoxide dismutase did not disrupt NADPH/IruO heme degradation reactions. The degree of electron coupling between IruO and IsdI or IsdG remains to be determined. Homologs of IruO were identified by sequence similarity in the genomes of Gram-positive bacteria that possess IsdG-family heme oxygenases. A phylogeny of these homologs identifies a distinct clade of pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductases likely involved in iron uptake systems. IruO is the likely in vivo reductant required for heme degradation by S. aureus.

Auxiliary factors: a chink in the armor of MRSA resistance to β-lactam antibiotics

Combination agents provide an important orthogonal approach to treat infectious diseases, particularly those caused by drug resistant pathogens. Indeed, applying a biologically 'rational' and systems-level paradigm to discover potent, selective, and synergistic agents would augment current (and arguably overly relied upon) empirical and serendipitous approaches to such discovery efforts. Here, we review the cellular mechanisms of β-lactam drug resistance and tolerance achieved amongst methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as well as their molecular targets and strategies to identify cognate inhibitors as potential combination agents to restore β-lactam efficacy against MRSA.

Phosphorylation-dependent conformational changes and domain rearrangements in Staphylococcus aureus VraR activation

Staphylococcus aureus VraR, a vancomycin-resistance-associated response regulator, activates a cell-wall-stress stimulon in response to antibiotics that inhibit cell wall formation. X-ray crystal structures of VraR in both unphosphorylated and beryllofluoride-activated states have been determined, revealing a mechanism of phosphorylation-induced dimerization that features a deep hydrophobic pocket at the center of the receiver domain interface. Unphosphorylated VraR exists in a closed conformation that inhibits dimer formation. Phosphorylation at the active site promotes conformational changes that are propagated throughout the receiver domain, promoting the opening of a hydrophobic pocket that is essential for homodimer formation and enhanced DNA-binding activity. This prominent feature in the VraR dimer can potentially be exploited for the development of novel therapeutics to counteract antibiotic resistance in this important pathogen.

Epigallocatechin gallate induces upregulation of the two-component VraSR system by evoking a cell wall stress response in Staphylococcus aureus

We previously found that a short exposure of Staphylococcus aureus to subinhibitory (SI) doses of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) results in increased cell wall thickness, adaptation, and enhanced tolerance to cell-wall-targeted antibiotics. In this study, the response to EGCG of sigB and vraSR transcription factor mutants was characterized. We show that in contrast to the results observed for wild-type (WT) strains, an S. aureus 315 vraSR null mutant exposed to SI doses of EGCG did not exhibit increased tolerance to EGCG and oxacillin. A diminished increase in tolerance to ampicillin (from 16-fold to 4-fold) and no change in the magnitude of resistance to vancomycin were observed. Preexposure to EGCG enhanced the tolerance of wild-type and sigB null mutant cells to lysostaphin, but this enhancement was much weaker in the vraSR null mutant. Marked upregulation (about 60-fold) of vraR and upregulation of the peptidoglycan biosynthesis-associated genes murA, murF, and pbp2 (2-, 5-, and 6-fold, respectively) in response to SI doses of EGCG were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). EGCG also induced the promoter of sas016 (encoding a cell wall stress protein of unknown function which is not induced in vraSR null mutants) in a concentration-dependent manner, showing kinetics comparable to those of cell-wall-targeting antibiotics. Taken together, our results suggest that the two-component VraSR system is involved in modulating the cell response to SI doses of EGCG.

Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistance factor fmtA is regulated by the global regulator SarA

fmtA encodes a low-affinity penicillin binding protein in Staphylococcus aureus. It is part of the core cell wall stimulon and is involved in methicillin resistance in S. aureus. Here, we report that the transcription factor, SarA, a pleiotropic regulator of virulence genes in S. aureus, regulates the expression of fmtA. In vitro binding studies with purified SarA revealed that it binds to specific sites within the 541-bp promoter region of fmtA. Mutation of a key residue of the regulatory activity of SarA (Arg90) abolished binding of SarA to the fmtA promoter, suggesting that SarA binds specifically to the fmtA promoter region. In vivo analysis of the fmtA promoter using a lux operon reporter fusion show high level expression following oxacillin induction, which was abrogated in a sarA mutant strain. These data suggest that SarA is essential for the induction of fmtA expression by cell wall-specific antibiotics. Further, in vitro transcription studies show that SarA enhances fmtA transcription and suggest that regulation of fmtA could be via a SigA-dependent mechanism. Overall, our results show that SarA plays a direct role in the regulation of fmtA expression via binding to the fmtA promoter.

Dual roles of FmtA in Staphylococcus aureus cell wall biosynthesis and autolysis

The fmtA gene is a member of the Staphylococcus aureus core cell wall stimulon. The FmtA protein interacts with β-lactams through formation of covalent species. Here, we show that FmtA has weak D-Ala-D-Ala-carboxypeptidase activity and is capable of covalently incorporating C14-Gly into cell walls. The fluorescence microscopy study showed that the protein is localized to the cell division septum. Furthermore, we show that wall teichoic acids interact specifically with FmtA and mediate recruitment of FmtA to the S. aureus cell wall. Subjection of S. aureus to FmtA concentrations of 0.1 μM or less induces autolysis and biofilm production. This effect requires the presence of wall teichoic acids. At FmtA concentrations greater than 0.2 μM, autolysis and biofilm formation in S. aureus are repressed and growth is enhanced. Our findings indicate dual roles of FmtA in S. aureus growth, whereby at low concentrations, FmtA may modulate the activity of the major autolysin (AtlA) of S. aureus and, at high concentrations, may participate in synthesis of cell wall peptidoglycan. These two roles of FmtA may reflect dual functions of FmtA in the absence and presence of cell wall stress, respectively.

Deletion of hypothetical wall teichoic acid ligases in Staphylococcus aureus activates the cell wall stress response

The Staphylococcus aureus cell wall stress stimulon (CWSS) is activated by cell envelope-targeting antibiotics or depletion of essential cell wall biosynthesis enzymes. The functionally uncharacterized S. aureus LytR-CpsA-Psr (LCP) proteins, MsrR, SA0908 and SA2103, all belong to the CWSS. Although not essential, deletion of all three LCP proteins severely impairs cell division. We show here that VraSR-dependent CWSS expression was up to 250-fold higher in single, double and triple LCP mutants than in wild type S. aureus in the absence of external stress. The LCP triple mutant was virtually depleted of wall teichoic acids (WTA), which could be restored to different degrees by any of the single LCP proteins. Subinhibitory concentrations of tunicamycin, which inhibits the first WTA synthesis enzyme TarO (TagO), could partially complement the severe growth defect of the LCP triple mutant. Both of the latter findings support a role for S. aureus LCP proteins in late WTA synthesis, as in Bacillus subtilis where LCP proteins were recently proposed to transfer WTA from lipid carriers to the cell wall peptidoglycan. Intrinsic activation of the CWSS upon LCP deletion and the fact that LCP proteins were essential for WTA-loading of the cell wall, highlight their important role(s) in S. aureus cell envelope biogenesis.

Further insights into the mode of action of the lipoglycopeptide telavancin through global gene expression studies

Telavancin is a novel semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide derivative of vancomycin with a decylaminoethyl side chain that is active against Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus strains resistant to methicillin or vancomycin. A dual mechanism of action has been proposed for telavancin involving inhibition of peptidoglycan biosynthesis and membrane depolarization. Here we report the results of genome-wide transcriptional profiling of the response of S. aureus to telavancin using microarrays. Short (15-min) challenge of S. aureus with telavancin revealed strong expression of the cell wall stress stimulon, a characteristic response to inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis. In the transcriptome obtained after 60-min telavancin challenge, in addition to induction of the cell wall stress stimulon, there was induction of various genes, including lrgA and lrgB, lysine biosynthesis operon (dap) genes, vraD and vraE, and hlgC, that have been reported to be induced by known membrane-depolarizing and active agents, including carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, daptomycin, bacitracin, and other antimicrobial peptides These genes were either not induced or only weakly induced by the parent molecule vancomycin. We suggest that expression of these genes is a response of the cell to mitigate and detoxify such molecules and is diagnostic of a membrane-depolarizing or membrane-active molecule. The results indicate that telavancin causes early and significant induction of the cell wall stress stimulon due to strong inhibition of peptidoglycan biosynthesis, with evidence in support of membrane depolarization and membrane activity that is expressed after a longer duration of drug treatment.

The posttranslocational chaperone lipoprotein PrsA is involved in both glycopeptide and oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Understanding in detail the factors which permit Staphylococcus aureus to counteract cell wall-active antibiotics is a prerequisite to elaborating effective strategies to prolong the usefulness of these drugs and define new targets for pharmacological intervention. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains are major pathogens of hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections and are most often treated with glycopeptides (vancomycin and teicoplanin) because of their resistance to most penicillins and a limited arsenal of clinically proven alternatives. In this study, we examined PrsA, a lipid-anchored protein of the parvulin PPIase family (peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase) found ubiquitously in all Gram-positive species, in which it assists posttranslocational folding at the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. We show by both genetic and biochemical assays that prsA is directly regulated by the VraRS two-component sentinel system of cell wall stress. Disruption of prsA is tolerated by S. aureus, and its loss results in no detectable overt macroscopic changes in cell wall architecture or growth rate under nonstressed growth conditions. Disruption of prsA leads, however, to notable alterations in the sensitivity to glycopeptides and dramatically decreases the resistance of COL (MRSA) to oxacillin. Quantitative transcriptional analysis reveals that prsA and vraR are coordinately upregulated in a panel of stable laboratory and clinical glycopeptide-intermediate S. aureus (GISA) strains compared to their susceptible parents. Collectively, our results point to a role for prsA as a facultative facilitator of protein secretion or extracellular folding and provide a framework for understanding why prsA is a key element of the VraRS-mediated cell wall stress response.

Antimicrobial effect and mode of action of terpeneless cold-pressed Valencia orange essential oil on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

AIMS

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antistaphylococcal effect and elucidate the mechanism of action of orange essential oil against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The inhibitory effect of commercial orange essential oil (EO) against six Staph. aureus strains was tested using disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. The mechanism of EO action on MRSA was analysed by transcriptional profiling. Morphological changes of EO-treated Staph. aureus were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that 0·1% of terpeneless cold-pressed Valencia orange oil (CPV) induced the cell wall stress stimulon consistent with the inhibition of cell wall synthesis. Transmission electron microscopic observation revealed cell lysis and suggested a cell wall lysis-related mechanism of CPV.

CONCLUSIONS

CPV inhibits the growth of Staph. aureus, causes gene expression changes consistent with the inhibition of cell wall synthesis, and triggers cell lysis.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Multiple antibiotics resistance is becoming a serious problem in the management of Staph. aureus infections. In this study, the altered expression of cell wall-associated genes and subsequent cell lysis in MRSA caused by CPV suggest that it may be a potential antimicrobial agent to control antibiotic-resistant Staph. aureus.

Evolution of multidrug resistance during Staphylococcus aureus infection involves mutation of the essential two component regulator WalKR

Antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is a major public health threat, compounded by emergence of strains with resistance to vancomycin and daptomycin, both last line antimicrobials. Here we have performed high throughput DNA sequencing and comparative genomics for five clinical pairs of vancomycin-susceptible (VSSA) and vancomycin-intermediate ST239 S. aureus (VISA); each pair isolated before and after vancomycin treatment failure. These comparisons revealed a frequent pattern of mutation among the VISA strains within the essential walKR two-component regulatory locus involved in control of cell wall metabolism. We then conducted bi-directional allelic exchange experiments in our clinical VSSA and VISA strains and showed that single nucleotide substitutions within either walK or walR lead to co-resistance to vancomycin and daptomycin, and caused the typical cell wall thickening observed in resistant clinical isolates. Ion Torrent genome sequencing confirmed no additional regulatory mutations had been introduced into either the walR or walK VISA mutants during the allelic exchange process. However, two potential compensatory mutations were detected within putative transport genes for the walK mutant. The minimal genetic changes in either walK or walR also attenuated virulence, reduced biofilm formation, and led to consistent transcriptional changes that suggest an important role for this regulator in control of central metabolism. This study highlights the dramatic impacts of single mutations that arise during persistent S. aureus infections and demonstrates the role played by walKR to increase drug resistance, control metabolism and alter the virulence potential of this pathogen.

A PBP 2 mutant devoid of the transpeptidase domain abolishes spermine-β-lactam synergy in Staphylococcus aureus Mu50

Exogenous spermine was reported to enhance the killing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by β-lactams through a strong synergistic effect of unknown nature. Spermine alone also exerts an antimicrobial activity against S. aureus in a pH-dependent manner. MIC measurements revealed stronger effects of spermine under alkaline conditions, suggesting the nucleophilic property of spermine instead of its positive charge as the cause of adverse effects. A spontaneous suppressor mutant (MuM) of MRSA Mu50 was selected for spermine resistance and conferred complete abolishment of spermine-β-lactam synergy. In comparison to that in Mu50, the spermine MIC in MuM remained constant (64 mM) at pH 6 to 8; however, MuM, a heat-sensitive mutant, also grew in a very narrow pH range. Furthermore, MuM acquired a unique phenotype of vancomycin-spermine synergy. Genome resequencing revealed a 7-bp deletion in pbpB, which results in a truncated penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP 2) without the transpeptidase domain at the C terminus while the N-terminal transglycosidase domain remains intact. The results of fluorescent Bocillin labeling experiments confirmed the presence of this defective PBP 2 in MuM. All the aforementioned phenotypes of MuM were reverted to those of Mu50 after complementation by the wild-type pbpB carried on a recombinant plasmid. The anticipated changes in cell wall metabolism and composition in MuM were evidenced by observations that the cell wall of MuM was more susceptible to enzyme hydrolysis and that MuM exhibited a lower level of autolytic activities. Pleiotropic alterations in gene expression were revealed by microarray analysis, suggesting a remarkable flexibility of MuM to circumvent cell wall damage by triggering adaptations that are complex but completely different from that of the cell wall stress stimulon. In summary, these results reveal phenotypic changes and transcriptome adaptations in a unique pbpB mutant and provide evidence to support the idea that exogenous spermine may perturb normal cell wall formation through its interactions with PBP 2.

Trans-cinnamaldehyde decreases attachment and invasion of uropathogenic Escherichia coli in urinary tract epithelial cells by modulating virulence gene expression

PURPOSE

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is the primary bacterium causing urinary tract infection in humans. Attachment and invasion of urinary tract epithelial cells by UPEC is the first critical step in establishing a successful urinary tract infection. We investigated the efficacy of subinhibitory concentrations of trans-cinnamaldehyde to inhibit uropathogenic E. coli attachment and invasion of human uroepithelial cells. We also determined the trans-cinnamaldehyde effect on uropathogenic E. coli genes encoding virulence factors critical for uroepithelial cell bacterial attachment and invasion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Polystyrene 24-well plates seeded with uroepithelial cells were inoculated with uropathogenic E. coli (about 6.0 log cfu) and subinhibitory concentrations of trans-cinnamaldehyde (0, 325, 560 and 750 μM), and incubated for 60 minutes at 37C. Uroepithelial cells were washed and lysed to enumerate adhered uropathogenic E. coli populations. For the invasion assay uroepithelial cells were treated with gentamicin after incubation and lysed to enumerate invaded uropathogenic E. coli. Also, the trans-cinnamaldehyde effect on uropathogenic E. coli genes encoding attachment and invasion associated virulence factors was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Trans-cinnamaldehyde significantly decreased uroepithelial cell attachment and invasion by uropathogenic E. coli (p <0.05). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that trans-cinnamaldehyde significantly decreased the expression of major genes involved in uropathogenic E. coli attachment and invasion of host tissue (p <0.05). The down-regulating effect of trans-cinnamaldehyde on these genes potentially translated into decreased ability of uropathogenic E. coli to attach and invade bladder cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Trans-cinnamaldehyde may potentially be used as a safe, effective antimicrobial to control uropathogenic E. coli infection. Followup studies in animal models are warranted.

Effect of trans-cinnamaldehyde on inhibition and inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii biofilm on abiotic surfaces

The efficacy of trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), an ingredient in cinnamon oil, for inhibiting biofilm synthesis (560 and 750 μM TC) and inactivating mature biofilms (23 and 38 mM TC) of Cronobacter sakazakii was investigated at 24 and 12 °C in the presence and absence of reconstituted infant formula on polystyrene plates, stainless steel coupons, feeding bottle coupons, and enteral feeding tube coupons. Additionally, TC's effect on the expression of genes critical for biofilm formation in C. sakazakii was determined by reverse transcription quantitative PCR. TC inhibited and inactivated C. sakazakii biofilms on all matrices tested at both temperatures. C. sakazakii was reduced by >4.0 and 3.0 log CFU/ml after 96 h of exposure to 38 mM and 750 μM TC, respectively. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR results revealed that TC significantly (P≤0.05) down-regulated biofilm-associated genes in C. sakazakii. TC could potentially be used to control C. sakazakii biofilms on infant formula feeding equipment and preparatory areas.

Induction kinetics of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall stress stimulon in response to different cell wall active antibiotics

BACKGROUND

Staphylococcus aureus activates a protective cell wall stress stimulon (CWSS) in response to the inhibition of cell wall synthesis or cell envelope damage caused by several structurally and functionally different antibiotics. CWSS induction is coordinated by the VraSR two-component system, which senses an unknown signal triggered by diverse cell wall active agents.

RESULTS

We have constructed a highly sensitive luciferase reporter gene system, using the promoter of sas016 (S. aureus N315), which detects very subtle differences in expression as well as measuring > 4 log-fold changes in CWSS activity, to compare the concentration dependence of CWSS induction kinetics of antibiotics with different cell envelope targets. We compared the effects of subinhibitory up to suprainhibitory concentrations of fosfomycin, D-cycloserine, tunicamycin, bacitracin, flavomycin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, oxacillin, lysostaphin and daptomycin. Induction kinetics were both strongly antibiotic- and concentration-dependent. Most antibiotics triggered an immediate response with induction beginning within 10 min, except for tunicamycin, D-cycloserine and fosfomycin which showed lags of up to one generation before induction commenced. Induction characteristics, such as the rate of CWSS induction once initiated and maximal induction reached, were strongly antibiotic dependent. We observed a clear correlation between the inhibitory effects of specific antibiotic concentrations on growth and corresponding increases in CWSS induction kinetics. Inactivation of VraR increased susceptibility to the antibiotics tested from 2- to 16-fold, with the exceptions of oxacillin and D-cycloserine, where no differences were detected in the methicillin susceptible S. aureus strain background analysed. There was no apparent correlation between the induction capacity of the various antibiotics and the relative importance of the CWSS for the corresponding resistance phenotypes.

CONCLUSION

CWSS induction profiles were unique for each antibiotic. Differences observed in optimal induction conditions for specific antibiotics should be determined and taken into account when designing and interpreting CWSS induction studies.

Mutational analyses of open reading frames within the vraSR operon and their roles in the cell wall stress response of Staphylococcus aureus

The exposure of Staphylococcus aureus to a broad range of cell wall-damaging agents triggers the induction of a cell wall stress stimulon (CWSS) controlled by the VraSR two-component system. The vraSR genes form part of the four-cistron autoregulatory operon orf1-yvqF-vraS-vraR. The markerless inactivation of each of the genes within this operon revealed that orf1 played no observable role in CWSS induction and had no influence on resistance phenotypes for any of the cell envelope stress-inducing agents tested. The remaining three genes were all essential for the induction of the CWSS, and mutants showed various degrees of increased susceptibility to cell wall-active antibiotics. Therefore, the role of YvqF in S. aureus appears to be opposite that in other Gram-positive bacteria, where YvqF homologs have all been shown to inhibit signal transduction. This role, as an activator rather than repressor of signal transduction, corresponds well with resistance phenotypes of ΔYvqF mutants, which were similar to those of ΔVraR mutants in which CWSS induction also was completely abolished. Resistance profiles of ΔVraS mutants differed phenotypically from those of ΔYvqF and ΔVraR mutants on many non-ß-lactam antibiotics. ΔVraS mutants still became more susceptible than wild-type strains at low antibiotic concentrations, but they retained larger subpopulations that were able to grow on higher antibiotic concentrations than ΔYvqF and ΔVraR mutants. Subpopulations of ΔVraS mutants could grow on even higher glycopeptide concentrations than wild-type strains. The expression of a highly sensitive CWSS-luciferase reporter gene fusion was up to 2.6-fold higher in a ΔVraS than a ΔVraR mutant, which could be linked to differences in their respective antibiotic resistance phenotypes. Bacterial two-hybrid analysis indicated that the integral membrane protein YvqF interacted directly with VraS but not VraR, suggesting that it plays an essential role in sensing the as-yet unknown trigger of CWSS induction.

Revealing fosfomycin primary effect on Staphylococcus aureus transcriptome: modulation of cell envelope biosynthesis and phosphoenolpyruvate induced starvation

Background

Staphylococcus aureus is a highly adaptable human pathogen and there is a constant search for effective antibiotics. Fosfomycin is a potent irreversible inhibitor of MurA, an enolpyruvyl transferase that uses phosphoenolpyruvate as substrate. The goal of this study was to identify the pathways and processes primarily affected by fosfomycin at the genome-wide transcriptome level to aid development of new drugs.

Results

S. aureus ATCC 29213 cells were treated with sub-MIC concentrations of fosfomycin and harvested at 10, 20 and 40 minutes after treatment. S. aureus GeneChip statistical data analysis was complemented by gene set enrichment analysis. A visualization tool for mapping gene expression data into biological pathways was developed in order to identify the metabolic processes affected by fosfomycin. We have shown that the number of significantly differentially expressed genes in treated cultures increased with time and with increasing fosfomycin concentration. The target pathway - peptidoglycan biosynthesis - was upregulated following fosfomycin treatment. Modulation of transport processes, cofactor biosynthesis, energy metabolism and nucleic acid biosynthesis was also observed.

Conclusions

Several pathways and genes downregulated by fosfomycin have been identified, in contrast to previously described cell wall active antibiotics, and was explained by starvation response induced by phosphoenolpyruvate accumulation. Transcriptomic profiling, in combination with meta-analysis, has been shown to be a valuable tool in determining bacterial response to a specific antibiotic.

Reduced vancomycin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus, including vancomycin-intermediate and heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate strains: resistance mechanisms, laboratory detection, and clinical implications

The emergence of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) over the past decade has provided a challenge to diagnostic microbiologists to detect these strains, clinicians treating patients with infections due to these strains, and researchers attempting to understand the resistance mechanisms. Recent data show that these strains have been detected globally and in many cases are associated with glycopeptide treatment failure; however, more rigorous clinical studies are required to clearly define the contribution of hVISA to glycopeptide treatment outcomes. It is now becoming clear that sequential point mutations in key global regulatory genes contribute to the hVISA and VISA phenotypes, which are associated predominately with cell wall thickening and restricted vancomycin access to its site of activity in the division septum; however, the phenotypic features of these strains can vary because the mutations leading to resistance can vary. Interestingly, changes in the staphylococcal surface and expression of agr are likely to impact host-pathogen interactions in hVISA and VISA infections. Given the subtleties of vancomycin susceptibility testing against S. aureus, it is imperative that diagnostic laboratories use well-standardized methods and have a framework for detecting reduced vancomycin susceptibility in S. aureus.

cwrA, a gene that specifically responds to cell wall damage in Staphylococcus aureus

Transcriptional profiling data accumulated in recent years for the clinically relevant pathogen Staphylococcus aureus have established a cell wall stress stimulon, which comprises a coordinately regulated set of genes that are upregulated in response to blockage of cell wall biogenesis. In particular, the expression of cwrA (SA2343, N315 notation), which encodes a putative 63 amino acid polypeptide of unknown biological function, increases over 100-fold in response to cell wall inhibition. Herein, we seek to understand the biological role that this gene plays in S. aureus. cwrA was found to be robustly induced by all cell wall-targeting antibiotics tested - vancomycin, oxacillin, penicillin G, phosphomycin, imipenem, hymeglusin and bacitracin - but not by antibiotics with other mechanisms of action, including ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, triclosan, rifampicin, novobiocin and carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone. Although a DeltacwrA S. aureus strain had no appreciable shift in MICs for cell wall-targeting antibiotics, the knockout was shown to have reduced cell wall integrity in a variety of other assays. Additionally, the gene was shown to be important for virulence in a mouse sepsis model of infection.

The pneumococcal cell envelope stress-sensing system LiaFSR is activated by murein hydrolases and lipid II-interacting antibiotics

In the Firmicutes, two-component regulatory systems of the LiaSR type sense and orchestrate the response to various agents that perturb cell envelope functions, in particular lipid II cycle inhibitors. In the current study, we found that the corresponding system in Streptococcus pneumoniae displays similar properties but, in addition, responds to cell envelope stress elicited by murein hydrolases. During competence for genetic transformation, pneumococci attack and lyse noncompetent siblings present in the same environment. This phenomenon, termed fratricide, increases the efficiency of horizontal gene transfer in vitro and is believed to stimulate gene exchange also under natural conditions. Lysis of noncompetent target cells is mediated by the putative murein hydrolase CbpD, the key effector of the fratricide mechanism, and the autolysins LytA and LytC. To avoid succumbing to their own lysins, competent attacker cells must possess a protective mechanism rendering them immune. The most important component of this mechanism is ComM, an integral membrane protein of unknown function that is expressed only in competent cells. Here, we show that a second layer of self-protection is provided by the pneumococcal LiaFSR system, which senses the damage inflicted to the cell wall by CbpD, LytA, and LytC. Two members of the LiaFSR regulon, spr0810 and PcpC (spr0351), were shown to contribute to the LiaFSR-coordinated protection against fratricide-induced self-lysis.

Regulation of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus has a formidable ability to adapt to varying environmental conditions and an extraordinary capacity to rapidly become resistant to virtually all antibiotics. Resistance develops either through mutations and rearrangements within the staphylococcal genome, or by the acquisition of resistance determinants. Antibiotic resistances often impose a fitness burden on the host. Such biological costs can be reduced by tight regulation and antibiotic-inducible expression of resistance genes, or by compensatory mutations. Resistance induction by antibiotics can be mediated by dedicated, antibiotic-recognizing signal transducers or by mechanisms relieving translational attenuation. Antibiotic tolerance and the expression of resistance phenotypes can also be strongly influenced by the genetic backgrounds of strains and several other factors. Modification and indirect regulation of resistance levels can occur by mutations that alter gene expression or substrate specificity of genes contributing to resistance. Insertion elements can alter resistance profiles by turning relevant genes on or off. Environmental conditions and stress response mechanisms triggered by perturbation of the cell envelope, DNA damage, or faulty intermediary metabolism can also have an impact on resistance development and expression. Clinically relevant resistance is often built up through multiple steps, each of which contributes to an increase in resistance. The driving force behind resistance formation is antibiotic stress, and under clinical conditions selection for resistance is continuously competing with selection for bacterial fitness.