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Puls JS, Winnerling B, Power JJ, Krüger AM, Brajtenbach D, Johnson M, Bilici K, Camus L, Fließwasser T, Schneider T, Sahl HG, Ghosal D, Kubitscheck U, Heilbronner S, Grein F. Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteriocin A37 kills natural competitors with a unique mechanism of action. ISME J 2024; 18:wrae044. [PMID: 38470311 PMCID: PMC10988021 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae044] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Many bacteria produce antimicrobial compounds such as lantibiotics to gain advantage in the competitive natural environments of microbiomes. Epilancins constitute an until now underexplored family of lantibiotics with an unknown ecological role and unresolved mode of action. We discovered production of an epilancin in the nasal isolate Staphylococcus epidermidis A37. Using bioinformatic tools, we found that epilancins are frequently encoded within staphylococcal genomes, highlighting their ecological relevance. We demonstrate that production of epilancin A37 contributes to Staphylococcus epidermidis competition specifically against natural corynebacterial competitors. Combining microbiological approaches with quantitative in vivo and in vitro fluorescence microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, we show that A37 enters the corynebacterial cytoplasm through a partially transmembrane-potential-driven uptake without impairing the cell membrane function. Upon intracellular aggregation, A37 induces the formation of intracellular membrane vesicles, which are heavily loaded with the compound and are essential for the antibacterial activity of the epilancin. Our work sheds light on the ecological role of epilancins for staphylococci mediated by a mode of action previously unknown for lantibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Samuel Puls
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin Winnerling
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeffrey J Power
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annika M Krüger
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dominik Brajtenbach
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthew Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Kevser Bilici
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Laura Camus
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Fließwasser
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Sahl
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Debnath Ghosal
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ulrich Kubitscheck
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Heilbronner
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Department of Infection Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Present address: Faculty of Biology, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, 82152 München, Germany
| | - Fabian Grein
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Puls JS, Brajtenbach D, Schneider T, Kubitscheck U, Grein F. Inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis is sufficient for total arrest of staphylococcal cell division. Sci Adv 2023; 9:eade9023. [PMID: 36947615 PMCID: PMC10032595 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade9023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial cell wall biosynthesis is the target of many important antibiotics. Its spatiotemporal organization is closely coordinated with cell division. However, the role of peptidoglycan synthesis within cell division is not fully understood. Even less is known about the impact of antibiotics on the coordination of these two essential processes. Visualizing the essential cell division protein FtsZ and other key proteins in Staphylococcus aureus, we show that antibiotics targeting peptidoglycan synthesis arrest cell division within minutes of treatment. The glycopeptides vancomycin and telavancin completely inhibit septum constriction in all phases of cell division. The beta-lactam oxacillin stops division progress by preventing recruitment of the major peptidoglycan synthase PBP2 to the septum, revealing PBP2 as crucial for septum closure. Our work identifies cell division as key cellular target of these antibiotics and provides evidence that peptidoglycan synthesis is the essential driving force of septum constriction throughout cell division of S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Samuel Puls
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dominik Brajtenbach
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kubitscheck
- Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstr. 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Fabian Grein
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Bonn-Cologne, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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Brajtenbach D, Puls JS, Matos de Opitz CL, Sass P, Kubitscheck U, Grein F. Quantitative Analysis of Microscopy Data to Evaluate Bacterial Responses to Antibiotic Treatment. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2601:231-257. [PMID: 36445587 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2855-3_12] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microscopy is a powerful method to evaluate the direct effects of antibiotic action on the single cell level. As with other methodologies, microscopy data is obtained through sufficient biological and technical replicate experiments, where evaluation of the sample is generally followed over time. Even if a single antibiotic is tested for a defined time, the most certain outcome is large amounts of raw data that requires systematic analysis. Although microscopy is a helpful qualitative method, the recorded information is stored as defined quantifiable units, the pixels. When this information is transferred to diverse bioinformatic tools, it is possible to analyze the microscopy data while avoiding the inherent bias associated to manual quantification. Here, we briefly describe methods for the analysis of microscopy images using open-source programs, with a special focus on bacteria exposed to antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Brajtenbach
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan-Samuel Puls
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Cruz L Matos de Opitz
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Microbial Bioactive Compounds, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Sass
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Microbial Bioactive Compounds, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Kubitscheck
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Fabian Grein
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Bonn, Germany.
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Lemke C, Benýšek J, Brajtenbach D, Breuer C, Jílková A, Horn M, Buša M, Ulrychová L, Illies A, Kubatzky KF, Bartz U, Mareš M, Gütschow M. An Activity-Based Probe for Cathepsin K Imaging with Excellent Potency and Selectivity. J Med Chem 2021; 64:13793-13806. [PMID: 34473502 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The cysteine protease cathepsin K is a target for the treatment of diseases associated with high bone turnover. Cathepsin K is mainly expressed in osteoclasts and responsible for the destruction of the proteinaceous components of the bone matrix. We designed various fluorescent activity-based probes (ABPs) and their precursors that bind to and inactivate cathepsin K. ABP 25 exhibited extraordinary potency (kinac/Ki = 35,300 M-1s-1) and selectivity for human cathepsin K. Crystal structures of cathepsin K in complex with ABP 25 and its nonfluorescent precursor 21 were determined to characterize the binding mode of this new type of acrylamide-based Michael acceptor with the particular orientation of the dibenzylamine moiety to the primed subsite region. The cyanine-5 containing probe 25 allowed for sensitive detection of cathepsin K, selective visualization in complex proteomes, and live cell imaging of a human osteosarcoma cell line, underlining its applicability in a pathophysiological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Lemke
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Jakub Benýšek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic.,First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Kateřinská 32, Prague 12108, Czech Republic
| | - Dominik Brajtenbach
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Christian Breuer
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn 53121, Germany.,Department of Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, von-Liebig-Str. 20, Rheinbach 53359, Germany
| | - Adéla Jílková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Horn
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Buša
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, Prague 12800, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Ulrychová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
| | - Annika Illies
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Katharina F Kubatzky
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Ulrike Bartz
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, von-Liebig-Str. 20, Rheinbach 53359, Germany
| | - Michael Mareš
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, Bonn 53121, Germany
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Wuebben C, Blume S, Abdullin D, Brajtenbach D, Haege F, Kath-Schorr S, Schiemann O. Site-Directed Spin Labeling of RNA with a Gem-Diethylisoindoline Spin Label: PELDOR, Relaxation, and Reduction Stability. Molecules 2019; 24:E4482. [PMID: 31817785 PMCID: PMC6943706 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribonucleic acid function is governed by its structure, dynamics, and interaction with other biomolecules and influenced by the local environment. Thus, methods are needed that enable one to study RNA under conditions as natural as possible, possibly within cells. Site-directed spin-labeling of RNA with nitroxides in combination with, for example, pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR or DEER) spectroscopy has been shown to provide such information. However, for in-cell measurements, the usually used gem-dimethyl nitroxides are less suited, because they are quickly reduced under in-cell conditions. In contrast, gem-diethyl nitroxides turned out to be more stable, but labeling protocols for binding these to RNA have been sparsely reported. Therefore, we describe here the bioconjugation of an azide functionalized gem-diethyl isoindoline nitroxide to RNA using a copper (I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition ("click"-chemistry). The labeling protocol provides high yields and site selectivity. The analysis of the orientation selective PELDOR data show that the gem-diethyl and gem-dimethyl labels adopt similar conformations. Interestingly, in deuterated buffer, both labels attached to RNA yield TM relaxation times that are considerably longer than observed for the same type of label attached to proteins, enabling PELDOR time windows of up to 20 microseconds. Together with the increased stability in reducing environments, this label is very promising for in-cell Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Wuebben
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstraße 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany; (C.W.); (S.B.); (D.A.); (D.B.); (F.H.)
| | - Simon Blume
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstraße 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany; (C.W.); (S.B.); (D.A.); (D.B.); (F.H.)
| | - Dinar Abdullin
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstraße 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany; (C.W.); (S.B.); (D.A.); (D.B.); (F.H.)
| | - Dominik Brajtenbach
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstraße 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany; (C.W.); (S.B.); (D.A.); (D.B.); (F.H.)
| | - Florian Haege
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstraße 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany; (C.W.); (S.B.); (D.A.); (D.B.); (F.H.)
| | - Stephanie Kath-Schorr
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute Chemical Biology & Medicinal Chemistry Unit, University of Bonn, Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Olav Schiemann
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstraße 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany; (C.W.); (S.B.); (D.A.); (D.B.); (F.H.)
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