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Sharon BM, Arute AP, Nguyen A, Tiwari S, Reddy Bonthu SS, Hulyalkar NV, Neugent ML, Palacios Araya D, Dillon NA, Zimmern PE, Palmer KL, De Nisco NJ. Genetic and functional enrichments associated with Enterococcus faecalis isolated from the urinary tract. mBio 2023; 14:e0251523. [PMID: 37962362 PMCID: PMC10746210 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02515-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a global health issue that imposes a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Women are disproportionately affected by UTI, with >60% of women experiencing at least one UTI in their lifetime. UTIs can recur, particularly in postmenopausal women, leading to diminished quality of life and potentially life-threatening complications. Understanding how pathogens colonize and survive in the urinary tract is necessary to identify new therapeutic targets that are urgently needed due to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance. How Enterococcus faecalis, a bacterium commonly associated with UTI, adapts to the urinary tract remains understudied. Here, we generated a collection of high-quality closed genome assemblies of clinical urinary E. faecalis isolated from the urine of postmenopausal women that we used alongside detailed clinical metadata to perform a robust comparative genomic investigation of genetic factors that may be involved in E. faecalis survival in the urinary tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belle M. Sharon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Amanda P. Arute
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Amber Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Suman Tiwari
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | | | - Neha V. Hulyalkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Michael L. Neugent
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Dennise Palacios Araya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Philippe E. Zimmern
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Kelli L. Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Nicole J. De Nisco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Sharon BM, Arute AP, Nguyen A, Tiwari S, Bonthu SSR, Hulyalkar NV, Neugent ML, Araya DP, Dillon NA, Zimmern PE, Palmer KL, De Nisco NJ. Functional and genetic adaptations contributing to Enterococcus faecalis persistence in the female urinary tract. bioRxiv 2023:2023.05.18.541374. [PMID: 37293065 PMCID: PMC10245761 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.18.541374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis is the leading Gram-positive bacterial species implicated in urinary tract infection (UTI). An opportunistic pathogen, E. faecalis is a commensal of the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its presence in the GIT is a predisposing factor for UTI. The mechanisms by which E. faecalis colonizes and survives in the urinary tract (UT) are poorly understood, especially in uncomplicated or recurrent UTI. The UT is distinct from the GIT and is characterized by a sparse nutrient landscape and unique environmental stressors. In this study, we isolated and sequenced a collection of 37 clinical E. faecalis strains from the urine of primarily postmenopausal women. We generated 33 closed genome assemblies and four highly contiguous draft assemblies and conducted a comparative genomics to identify genetic features enriched in urinary E. faecalis with respect to E. faecalis isolated from the human GIT and blood. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high diversity among urinary strains and a closer relatedness between urine and gut isolates than blood isolates. Plasmid replicon (rep) typing further underscored possible UT-GIT interconnection identifying nine shared rep types between urine and gut E. faecalis . Both genotypic and phenotypic analysis of antimicrobial resistance among urinary E. faecalis revealed infrequent resistance to front-line UTI antibiotics nitrofurantoin and fluoroquinolones and no vancomycin resistance. Finally, we identified 19 candidate genes enriched among urinary strains that may play a role in adaptation to the UT. These genes are involved in the core processes of sugar transport, cobalamin import, glucose metabolism, and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. IMPORTANCE Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a global health issue that imposes substantial burden on healthcare systems. Women are disproportionately affected by UTI with >60% of women experiencing at least one UTI in their lifetime. UTIs can recur, particularly in postmenopausal women, leading to diminished quality of life and potentially life-threatening complications. Understanding how pathogens colonize and survive in the urinary tract is necessary to identify new therapeutic targets that are urgently needed due to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance. How Enterococcus faecalis , a bacterium commonly associated with UTI, adapts to the urinary tract remains understudied. Here, we generated a collection of high-quality closed genome assemblies of clinical urinary E. faecalis isolated from the urine of postmenopausal women that we used alongside detailed clinical metadata to perform a robust comparative genomic investigation of genetic factors that may mediate urinary E. faecalis adaptation to the female urinary tract.
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Johnson CN, Palacios Araya D, Schink V, Islam M, Mangalea MR, Decurtis EK, Ngo TC, Palmer KL, Duerkop BA. Genetically distant bacteriophages select for unique genomic changes in
Enterococcus faecalis. Microbiologyopen 2022; 11:e1273. [PMID: 35478284 PMCID: PMC8924694 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The human microbiota harbors diverse bacterial and bacteriophage (phage) communities. Bacteria evolve to overcome phage infection, thereby driving phage evolution to counter bacterial resistance. Understanding how phages select for genetic alterations in medically relevant bacteria is important as phages become established biologics for the treatment of multidrug‐resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. Before phages can be widely used as standalone or combination antibacterial therapies, we must obtain a deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms of phage infection and how host bacteria alter their genomes to become resistant. We performed coevolution experiments using a single Enterococcus faecalis strain and two distantly related phages to determine how phage pressure impacts the evolution of the E. faecalis genome. Whole‐genome sequencing of E. faecalis following continuous exposure to these two phages revealed mutations previously demonstrated to be essential for phage infection. We also identified mutations in genes previously unreported to be associated with phage infection in E. faecalis. Intriguingly, there was only one shared mutation in the E. faecalis genome that was selected by both phages tested, demonstrating that infection by two genetically distinct phages selects for diverse variants. This knowledge serves as the basis for the continued study of E. faecalis genome evolution during phage infection and can be used to inform the design of future therapeutics, such as phage cocktails, intended to target MDR E. faecalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cydney N. Johnson
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora Colorado USA
| | | | - Viviane Schink
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora Colorado USA
| | - Moutusee Islam
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas USA
| | - Mihnea R. Mangalea
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora Colorado USA
| | - Emily K. Decurtis
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas USA
| | - Tuong‐Vi C. Ngo
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas USA
| | - Kelli L. Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas USA
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora Colorado USA
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Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009672.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennise Palacios Araya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kelli L. Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KLP); (BAD)
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail: (KLP); (BAD)
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Ping S, Mayorga-Reyes N, Price VJ, Onuoha M, Bhardwaj P, Rodrigues M, Owen J, Palacios Araya D, Akins RL, Palmer KL. Characterization of presumptive vancomycin-resistant enterococci recovered during infection control surveillance in Dallas, Texas, USA. Access Microbiol 2021; 3:000214. [PMID: 34151166 PMCID: PMC8209702 DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium are Gram-positive bacteria that normally inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract. They are also opportunistic pathogens and can cause nosocomial infection outbreaks. To prevent the spread of nosocomial infections, hospitals may rely on screening methods to identify patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms including vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Spectra VRE agar (Remel) contains vancomycin and other medium components that select for VRE and phenotypically differentiate between E. faecalis and E. faecium by colony colour. We obtained 66 de-identified rectal swab cultures on Spectra VRE agar that were obtained during routine patient admission surveillance at a hospital system in Dallas, Texas, USA. We analysed 90 presumptive VRE from 61 of the Spectra VRE agar cultures using molecular and culture methods. Using ddl typing, 55 were found to be E. faecium and 32 were found to be E. faecalis . While most of the E. faecium were positive for the vanA gene by PCR (52 of 55 strains), few of the E. faecalis were positive for either vanA or vanB (five of 32 strains). The 27 E. faecalis vanA- and vanB-negative strains could not be recultured on Spectra VRE agar. Overall, we found that Spectra VRE agar performed robustly for the identification of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium , but presumptive false positives were obtained for vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis .
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ping
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Nancy Mayorga-Reyes
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Valerie J. Price
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Michelle Onuoha
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Pooja Bhardwaj
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Marinelle Rodrigues
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Jordan Owen
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Dennise Palacios Araya
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | | | - Kelli L. Palmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
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