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Rhodes KA, Rendón MA, Ma MC, Agellon A, Johnson AC, So M. Type IV pilus retraction is required for Neisseria musculi colonization and persistence in a natural mouse model of infection. mBio 2024; 15:e0279223. [PMID: 38084997 PMCID: PMC10790696 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02792-23] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE We describe the importance of Type IV pilus retraction to colonization and persistence by a mouse commensal Neisseria, N. musculi, in its native host. Our findings have implications for the role of Tfp retraction in mediating interactions of human-adapted pathogenic and commensal Neisseria with their human host due to the relatedness of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Rhodes
- Immunobiology Department, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - María A. Rendón
- Immunobiology Department, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Man Cheong Ma
- Immunobiology Department, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Al Agellon
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Andrew C.E. Johnson
- Immunobiology Department, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Magdalene So
- Immunobiology Department, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Geiger CJ, O’Toole GA. Evidence for the Type IV Pilus Retraction Motor PilT as a Component of the Surface Sensing System in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0017923. [PMID: 37382531 PMCID: PMC10367593 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00179-23] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilm formation begins when bacteria contacting a surface induce cellular changes to become better adapted for surface growth. One of the first changes to occur for Pseudomonas aeruginosa after surface contact is an increase in the nucleotide second messenger 3',5'-cyclic AMP (cAMP). It has been demonstrated that this increase in intracellular cAMP is dependent on functional type IV pili (T4P) relaying a signal to the Pil-Chp system, but the mechanism by which this signal is transduced remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of the type IV pilus retraction motor PilT in sensing a surface and relaying that signal to cAMP production. We show that mutations in PilT, and in particular those impacting the ATPase activity of this motor protein, reduce surface-dependent cAMP production. We identify a novel interaction between PilT and PilJ, a member of the Pil-Chp system, and propose a new model whereby P. aeruginosa uses its PilT retraction motor to sense a surface and to relay that signal via PilJ to increased production of cAMP. We discuss these findings in light of current T4P-dependent surface sensing models for P. aeruginosa. IMPORTANCE T4P are cellular appendages that allow P. aeruginosa to sense a surface, leading to the production of cAMP. This second messenger not only activates virulence pathways but leads to further surface adaptation and irreversible attachment of cells. Here, we demonstrate the importance of the retraction motor PilT in surface sensing. We also present a new surface sensing model in P. aeruginosa whereby the T4P retraction motor PilT senses and transmits the surface signal, likely via its ATPase domain and interaction with PilJ, to mediate production of the second messenger cAMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. J. Geiger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - G. A. O’Toole
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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Wang L, Wong YC, Correira JM, Wancura M, Geiger CJ, Webster SS, Butler BJ, O’Toole GA, Langford RM, Brown KA, Dortdivanlioglu B, Webb L, Cosgriff-Hernandez E, Gordon VD. Bacterial mechanosensing of surface stiffness promotes signaling and growth leading to biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. bioRxiv 2023:2023.01.26.525810. [PMID: 36747833 PMCID: PMC9900894 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.26.525810] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The attachment of bacteria onto a surface, consequent signaling, and the accumulation and growth of the surface-bound bacterial population are key initial steps in the formation of pathogenic biofilms. While recent reports have hinted that the stiffness of a surface may affect the accumulation of bacteria on that surface, the processes that underlie bacterial perception of and response to surface stiffness are unknown. Furthermore, whether, and how, the surface stiffness impacts biofilm development, after initial accumulation, is not known. We use thin and thick hydrogels to create stiff and soft composite materials, respectively, with the same surface chemistry. Using quantitative microscopy, we find that the accumulation, motility, and growth of the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa respond to surface stiffness, and that these are linked through cyclic-di-GMP signaling that depends on surface stiffness. The mechanical cue stemming from surface stiffness is elucidated using finite-element modeling combined with experiments - adhesion to stiffer surfaces results in greater changes in mechanical stress and strain in the bacterial envelope than does adhesion to softer surfaces with identical surface chemistry. The cell-surface-exposed protein PilY1 acts as a mechanosensor, that upon surface engagement, results in higher cyclic-di-GMP levels, lower motility, and greater accumulation on stiffer surfaces. PilY1 impacts the biofilm lag phase, which is extended for bacteria attaching to stiffer surfaces. This study shows clear evidence that bacteria actively respond to different stiffness of surfaces where they adhere via perceiving varied mechanical stress and strain upon surface engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyun Wang
- Department of Physics, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Present address: Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, 35043, Germany
| | - Yu-Chern Wong
- Department of Physics, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Joshua M. Correira
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Megan Wancura
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Chris J Geiger
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | | | - Benjamin J. Butler
- Surfaces, Microstructure and Fracture Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | | | - Richard M. Langford
- Surfaces, Microstructure and Fracture Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine A. Brown
- Surfaces, Microstructure and Fracture Group, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering & Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Berkin Dortdivanlioglu
- Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Lauren Webb
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | | | - Vernita D. Gordon
- Department of Physics, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Ota C, Morisaki H, Nakata M, Arimoto T, Fukamachi H, Kataoka H, Masuda Y, Suzuki N, Miyazaki T, Okahashi N, Kuwata H. Streptococcus sanguinis Noncoding cia-Dependent Small RNAs Negatively Regulate Expression of Type IV Pilus Retraction ATPase PilT and Biofilm Formation. Infect Immun 2018; 86:e00894-17. [PMID: 29263111 DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00894-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) have been identified as important regulators of gene expression in various cellular processes. cia-dependent small RNAs (csRNAs), a group of sRNAs that are controlled by the two-component regulatory system CiaRH, are widely conserved in streptococci, but their targets have been identified only in Streptococcus pneumoniaeStreptococcus sanguinis, a pioneer colonizer of teeth and one of the most predominant bacteria in the early oral biofilm, has been shown to have six csRNAs. Using computational target prediction and the luciferase reporter assay, we identified pilT, a constituent of the type IV pilus operon, as a negative regulatory target for one of the csRNAs, namely, csRNA1-1, in S. sanguinis RNA-RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assay using a nucleotide exchange mutant of csRNA1-1 revealed that csRNA1-1 binds directly to pilT mRNA. In addition, csRNA1-1 and csRNA1-2, a putative gene duplication product of csRNA1-1 that is tandemly located in the S. sanguinis genome, negatively regulated S. sanguinis biofilm formation. These results suggest the involvement of csRNAs in the colonization step of S. sanguinis.
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Shikata M, Hayashi N, Fujimoto A, Nakamura T, Matsui N, Ishiyama A, Maekawa Y, Gotoh N. The pilT gene contributes to type III ExoS effector injection into epithelial cells in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Infect Chemother 2016; 22:216-20. [PMID: 26809217 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2015.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A type IV pilus filament, mainly composed of PilA, is retracted by the driving power generated by PilT and PilU ATPases. pilA is required for injection of type III ExoS effectors into epithelial cells thereby facilitating Pseudomonas aeruginosa penetration through the epithelial barrier by impairing the defense function of tight junctions. Here, we examined whether the pilT and pilU of the P. aeruginosa PAO1 strain are required for ExoS injection into epithelial cells. We measured the quantity of ExoS injected into epithelial cells, and found that within such cells its quantity decreased by 80% (ΔpilA strain), 75% (ΔpilT strain), and 30% (ΔpilU strain) compared with the wild-type strain. pilT deficiency decreased the disruption of human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell monolayers to the same extent as that of pilA and exoS deficiency, whereas pilU deficiency decreased disruption of the monolayers less than deficiency of the other genes. pilT and pilU deficiency decreased bacterial penetration of the Caco-2 cell monolayers to the same level as pilA and exoS deficiency. Our data showed that the pilU gene expression level was reduced in the PAO1 strain after adhesion to Caco-2 cell surfaces, but the expression levels of the pilA and pilT genes did not change. We conclude that P. aeruginosa injects ExoS into cells through the function of type IV pilus retraction, and that pilT makes a greater contribution to this process than pilU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mototsugu Shikata
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Naoki Hayashi
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Akiyo Fujimoto
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Takano Nakamura
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Matsui
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Ayana Ishiyama
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Yui Maekawa
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Naomasa Gotoh
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control Science, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Yamashina, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan.
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