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Lucidi M, Visaggio D, Migliaccio A, Capecchi G, Visca P, Imperi F, Zarrilli R. Pathogenicity and virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii: Factors contributing to the fitness in healthcare settings and the infected host. Virulence 2024; 15:2289769. [PMID: 38054753 PMCID: PMC10732645 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2289769] [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] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a common cause of healthcare-associated infections and hospital outbreaks, particularly in intensive care units. Much of the success of A. baumannii relies on its genomic plasticity, which allows rapid adaptation to adversity and stress. The capacity to acquire novel antibiotic resistance determinants and the tolerance to stresses encountered in the hospital environment promote A. baumannii spread among patients and long-term contamination of the healthcare setting. This review explores virulence factors and physiological traits contributing to A. baumannii infection and adaptation to the hospital environment. Several cell-associated and secreted virulence factors involved in A. baumannii biofilm formation, cell adhesion, invasion, and persistence in the host, as well as resistance to xeric stress imposed by the healthcare settings, are illustrated to give reasons for the success of A. baumannii as a hospital pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Lucidi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniela Visaggio
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Imperi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Zarrilli
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Costa TFR, Catta-Preta CMC, Goundry A, Carvalho DB, Rodrigues NS, Vivarini AC, de Abreu MF, Reis FCG, Lima APCA. The ecotin-like peptidase inhibitor of Trypanosoma cruzi prevents TMPRSS2-PAR2-TLR4 crosstalk downmodulating infection and inflammation. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23566. [PMID: 38526868 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302091rr] [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: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a chronic pathology that affects the heart and/or digestive system. This parasite invades and multiplies in virtually all nucleated cells, using a variety of host cell receptors for infection. T. cruzi has a gene that encodes an ecotin-like inhibitor of serine peptidases, ISP2. We generated ISP2-null mutants (Δisp2) in T. cruzi Dm28c using CRISPR/Cas9. Epimastigotes of Δisp2 grew normally in vitro but were more susceptible to lysis by human serum compared to parental and ISP2 add-back lines. Tissue culture trypomastigotes of Δisp2 were more infective to human muscle cells in vitro, which was reverted by the serine peptidase inhibitors aprotinin and camostat, suggesting that host cell epitheliasin/TMPRSS2 is the target of ISP2. Pretreatment of host cells with an antagonist to the protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) or an inhibitor of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) selectively counteracted the increased cell invasion by Δisp2, but did not affect invasion by parental and add-back lines. The same was observed following targeted gene silencing of PAR2, TLR4 or TMPRSS2 in host cells by siRNA. Furthermore, Δisp2 caused increased tissue edema in a BALB/c mouse footpad infection model after 3 h differently to that observed following infection with parental and add-back lines. We propose that ISP2 contributes to protect T. cruzi from the anti-microbial effects of human serum and to prevent triggering of PAR2 and TLR4 in host cells, resulting in the modulation of host cell invasion and contributing to decrease inflammation during acute infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana F R Costa
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolina M C Catta-Preta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amy Goundry
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Danielle B Carvalho
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nathalia S Rodrigues
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Aislan C Vivarini
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Insituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil
| | - Mayra Fonseca de Abreu
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavia C G Reis
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula C A Lima
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Proteases, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Lozano J, Cunha E, Almeida C, Nunes M, Dias R, Vicente E, Sebastião D, Henriques S, Madeira de Carvalho L, Paz-Silva A, Oliveira M. Analyzing the safety of the parasiticide fungus Mucor circinelloides: first insights on its virulence profile and interactions with the avian gut microbial community. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0407823. [PMID: 38534121 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04078-23] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Parasiticide fungi are considered an accurate, sustainable, and safe solution for the biocontrol of animal gastrointestinal (GI) parasites. This research provides an initial characterization of the virulence of the native parasiticide fungus Mucor circinelloides (FMV-FR1) and an assessment of its impact on birds' gut microbes. The genome of this fungus was sequenced to identify the genes coding for virulence factors. Also, this fungus was checked for the phenotypic expression of proteinase, lecithinase, DNase, gelatinase, hemolysin, and biofilm production. Finally, an in vivo trial was developed based on feeding M. circinelloides spores to laying hens and peacocks three times a week. Bird feces were collected for 3 months, with total genomic DNA being extracted and subjected to long-read 16S and 25S-28S sequencing. Genes coding for an iron permease (FTR1), iron receptors (FOB1 and FOB2), ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) (ARF2 and ARF6), and a GTPase (CDC42) were identified in this M. circinelloides genome. Also, this fungus was positive only for lecithinase activity. The field trial revealed a fecal microbiome dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in laying hens, and Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in peacocks, whereas the fecal mycobiome of both bird species was mainly composed of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes fungi. Bacterial and fungal alpha-diversities did not differ between sampling time points after M. circinelloides administrations (P = 0.62 and P = 0.15, respectively). Although findings from this research suggest the lack of virulence of this M. circinelloides parasiticide isolate, more complementary in vitro and in vivo research is needed to conclude about the safety of its administration to birds, aiming at controlling their GI parasites.IMPORTANCEA previous study revealed that the native Mucor circinelloides isolate (FMV-FR1) can develop parasiticide activity toward coccidia oocysts, one of the most pathogenic GI parasites in birds. However, ensuring its safety for birds is of utmost importance, namely by studying its virulence profile and potential effect on commensal gut microbes. This initial study revealed that although this M. circinelloides isolate had genes coding for four types of virulence factors-iron permease, iron receptors, ADP-ribosylation factors, and GTPase-and only expressed phenotypically the enzyme lecithinase, the administration of its spores to laying hens and peacocks did not interfere with the abundances and diversities of their gut commensal bacteria and fungi. Although overall results suggest the lack of virulence of this M. circinelloides isolate, more complementary research is needed to conclude about the safety of its administration to birds in the scope of parasite biocontrol programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Lozano
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eva Cunha
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristina Almeida
- Exoclinic - Clínica Veterinária de Aves e Exóticos, Miraflores, Portugal
| | - Mónica Nunes
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Dias
- Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Vicente
- Castelo de São Jorge, EGEAC - Empresa de Gestão de Equipamentos e Animação Cultural, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniela Sebastião
- Castelo de São Jorge, EGEAC - Empresa de Gestão de Equipamentos e Animação Cultural, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Luís Madeira de Carvalho
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Adolfo Paz-Silva
- Control of Parasites Research Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain
| | - Manuela Oliveira
- CIISA - Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Lisbon, Portugal
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Yang J, Hu D, Yin K, Li F, Shi D. Infectious Diarrhea Caused by Nocardia farcinica in a 19-Month-Old Child. Infect Drug Resist 2024; 17:1131-1134. [PMID: 38525476 PMCID: PMC10961017 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s446032] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Nocardia farcinica, a pathogen known for its strong pathogenicity, is frequently implicated in skin, central nervous system, and lung infections among immunosuppressed hosts, while intestinal nocardiosis is rare. We report the case of infectious diarrhea caused by N. farcinica in a child. Case Presentation A 19-month-old female child was admitted to the hospital with fever and diarrhea after the consumption of oranges. The etiological agent responsible for the diarrhea was identified through the examination of fecal smears using weak acid-fast staining and conducting fecal cultures. Whole-genome sequencing was employed to analyze the causative gene. Subsequent to a 5-day treatment regimen with amoxicillin-clavulanate at a dosage of 30 mg/kg every 12 hours, the child's condition improved significantly, leading to an uncomplicated discharge. Conclusion This case illustrates the presence of intestine virulence factors in N. farcinica capable of causing diarrhea. The utilization of weak acid-fast staining in the examination of fecal smears is crucial for the accurate diagnosis of infectious diarrhea caused by Nocardia spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- Hebei Provincial Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dixia Hu
- Department of Clinical Lab, Zhangjiakou First Hospital, Zhangjiakou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kaige Yin
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongyan Shi
- Department of Clinical Lab, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, People’s Republic of China
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Lima YP, Dias VC. Trichosporon spp.: what's new? Future Microbiol 2024. [PMID: 38497913 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yasmim Passos Lima
- Federal University of Juiz de Fora - UFJF Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036 900, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Cordeiro Dias
- Department of Parasitology, Microbiology & Immunology, Federal University of Juiz de Fora - UFJF Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, s/n, São Pedro, Juiz de Fora, MG 36036 900, Brazil
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Karampatakis T, Tsergouli K, Behzadi P. Pan-Genome Plasticity and Virulence Factors: A Natural Treasure Trove for Acinetobacter baumannii. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:257. [PMID: 38534692 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13030257] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative pathogen responsible for a variety of community- and hospital-acquired infections. It is recognized as a life-threatening pathogen among hospitalized individuals and, in particular, immunocompromised patients in many countries. A. baumannii, as a member of the ESKAPE group, encompasses high genomic plasticity and simultaneously is predisposed to receive and exchange the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) through horizontal genetic transfer (HGT). Indeed, A. baumannii is a treasure trove that contains a high number of virulence factors. In accordance with these unique pathogenic characteristics of A. baumannii, the authors aim to discuss the natural treasure trove of pan-genome and virulence factors pertaining to this bacterial monster and try to highlight the reasons why this bacterium is a great concern in the global public health system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katerina Tsergouli
- Microbiology Department, Agios Pavlos General Hospital, 55134 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Payam Behzadi
- Department of Microbiology, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 37541-374, Iran
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Hu DD, Weaver SD, Collars OA, Champion PA, Champion MM. N-terminal proteomics of Mycobacterium marinum using bottom-up label-free quantitative analysis in data-dependent acquisition mode on a timsTOF Pro mass spectrometer. Microbiol Resour Announc 2024:e0126323. [PMID: 38477461 DOI: 10.1128/mra.01263-23] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
N-terminal acetylation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is correlated with pathogenic activity. We used genomics and bottom-up proteomics to identify protein Emp1 as the sole acetyltransferase responsible for acetylation of EsxA, a known virulence factor. Using custom data analysis, we screened the proteome to identify 22 additional putative substrates of Emp1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Simon D Weaver
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Owen A Collars
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Patricia A Champion
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Matthew M Champion
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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Newcomer EP, Fishbein SRS, Zhang K, Hink T, Reske KA, Cass C, Iqbal ZH, Struttmann EL, Burnham CAD, Dubberke ER, Dantas G. Genomic surveillance of Clostridioides difficile transmission and virulence in a healthcare setting. mBio 2024; 15:e0330023. [PMID: 38329369 PMCID: PMC10936198 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03300-23] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea, despite the widespread implementation of contact precautions for patients with CDI. Here, we investigate strain contamination in a hospital setting and the genomic determinants of disease outcomes. Across two wards over 6 months, we selectively cultured C. difficile from patients (n = 384) and their environments. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 146 isolates revealed that most C. difficile isolates were from clade 1 (131/146, 89.7%), while only one isolate of the hypervirulent ST1 was recovered. Of culture-positive admissions (n = 79), 19 (24%) patients were colonized with toxigenic C. difficile on admission to the hospital. We defined 25 strain networks at ≤2 core gene single nucleotide polymorphisms; two of these networks contain strains from different patients. Strain networks were temporally linked (P < 0.0001). To understand the genomic correlates of the disease, we conducted WGS on an additional cohort of C. difficile (n = 102 isolates) from the same hospital and confirmed that clade 1 isolates are responsible for most CDI cases. We found that while toxigenic C. difficile isolates are associated with the presence of cdtR, nontoxigenic isolates have an increased abundance of prophages. Our pangenomic analysis of clade 1 isolates suggests that while toxin genes (tcdABER and cdtR) were associated with CDI symptoms, they are dispensable for patient colonization. These data indicate that toxigenic and nontoxigenic C. difficile contamination persist in a hospital setting and highlight further investigation into how accessory genomic repertoires contribute to C. difficile colonization and disease. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile infection remains a leading cause of hospital-associated diarrhea, despite increased antibiotic stewardship and transmission prevention strategies. This suggests a changing genomic landscape of C. difficile. Our study provides insight into the nature of prevalent C. difficile strains in a hospital setting and transmission patterns among carriers. Longitudinal sampling of surfaces and patient stool revealed that both toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains of C. difficile clade 1 dominate these two wards. Moreover, quantification of transmission in carriers of these clade 1 isolates underscores the need to revisit infection prevention measures in this patient group. We identified unique genetic signatures associated with virulence in this clade. Our data highlight the complexities of preventing transmission of this pathogen in a hospital setting and the need to investigate the mechanisms of in vivo persistence and virulence of prevalent lineages in the host gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin P. Newcomer
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Skye R. S. Fishbein
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kailun Zhang
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tiffany Hink
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Reske
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Candice Cass
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zainab H. Iqbal
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Emily L. Struttmann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Carey-Ann D. Burnham
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Erik R. Dubberke
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Gautam Dantas
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Dirr L, Cleeves S, Ramón Roth I, Li L, Fiebig T, Ve T, Häussler S, Braun A, von Itzstein M, Führing JI. Tetramerization is essential for the enzymatic function of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factor UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. mBio 2024:e0211423. [PMID: 38470050 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02114-23] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant bacteria such as the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes life-threatening infections especially in immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis patients, pose an increasing threat to public health. In the search for new treatment options, P. aeruginosa uridine diphosphate-glucose pyrophosphorylase (PaUGP) has been proposed as a novel drug target because it is required for the biosynthesis of important virulence factors and linked to pathogenicity in animal models. Here, we show that UGP-deficient P. aeruginosa exhibits severely reduced virulence against human lung tissue and cells, emphasizing the enzyme's suitability as a drug target. To establish a basis for the development of selective PaUGP inhibitors, we solved the product-bound crystal structure of tetrameric PaUGP and conducted a comprehensive structure-function analysis, identifying key residues at two different molecular interfaces that are essential for tetramer integrity and catalytic activity and demonstrating that tetramerization is pivotal for PaUGP function. Importantly, we show that part of the PaUGP oligomerization interface is uniquely conserved across bacterial UGPs but does not exist in the human enzyme, therefore representing an allosteric site that may be targeted to selectively inhibit bacterial UGPs.IMPORTANCEInfections with the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to multidrug resistance. Here, we show that the enzyme uridine diphosphate-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) is involved in P. aeruginosa virulence toward human lung tissue and cells, making it a potential target for the development of new antibacterial drugs. Our exploration of P. aeruginosa (Pa)UGP structure-function relationships reveals that the activity of PaUGP depends on the formation of a tetrameric enzyme complex. We found that a molecular interface involved in tetramer formation is conserved in all bacterial UGPs but not in the human enzyme, and therefore hypothesize that it provides an ideal point of attack to selectively inhibit bacterial UGPs and exploit them as drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Dirr
- Institute for Glycomics, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sven Cleeves
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Member of Fraunhofer International Consortium for Anti-Infective Research (iCAIR), Hannover, Germany
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Isabel Ramón Roth
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Linghui Li
- Institute for Glycomics, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Timm Fiebig
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Ve
- Institute for Glycomics, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Susanne Häussler
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Bacteriology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Armin Braun
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Member of Fraunhofer International Consortium for Anti-Infective Research (iCAIR), Hannover, Germany
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for Glycomics, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jana I Führing
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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10
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Mullally CA, Fahriani M, Mowlaboccus S, Coombs GW. Non- faecium non- faecalis enterococci: a review of clinical manifestations, virulence factors, and antimicrobial resistance. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024:e0012123. [PMID: 38466110 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00121-23] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYEnterococci are a diverse group of Gram-positive bacteria that are typically found as commensals in humans, animals, and the environment. Occasionally, they may cause clinically relevant diseases such as endocarditis, septicemia, urinary tract infections, and wound infections. The majority of clinical infections in humans are caused by two species: Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis. However, there is an increasing number of clinical infections caused by non-faecium non-faecalis (NFF) enterococci. Although NFF enterococcal species are often overlooked, studies have shown that they may harbor antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and virulence factors that are found in E. faecium and E. faecalis. In this review, we present an overview of the NFF enterococci with a particular focus on human clinical manifestations, epidemiology, virulence genes, and AMR genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Mullally
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
- The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Marhami Fahriani
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Shakeel Mowlaboccus
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
- The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- PathWest Laboratory Medicine-WA, Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Geoffrey W Coombs
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases (AMRID) Research Laboratory, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
- The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- PathWest Laboratory Medicine-WA, Department of Microbiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
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11
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Gelgie AE, Desai SE, Gelalcha BD, Kerro Dego O. Mycoplasma bovis mastitis in dairy cattle. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1322267. [PMID: 38515536 PMCID: PMC10956102 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1322267] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasma bovis has recently been identified increasingly in dairy cows causing huge economic losses to the dairy industry. M. bovis is a causative agent for mastitis, pneumonia, endometritis, endocarditis, arthritis, otitis media, and many other clinical symptoms in cattle. However, some infected cows are asymptomatic or may not shed the pathogen for weeks to years. This characteristic of M. bovis, along with the lack of adequate testing and identification methods in many parts of the world until recently, has allowed the M. bovis to be largely undetected despite its increased prevalence in dairy farms. Due to growing levels of antimicrobial resistance among wild-type M. bovis isolates and lack of cell walls in mycoplasmas that enable them to be intrinsically resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics that are widely used in dairy farms, there is no effective treatment for M. bovis mastitis. Similarly, there is no commercially available effective vaccine for M. bovis mastitis. The major constraint to developing effective intervention tools is limited knowledge of the virulence factors and mechanisms of the pathogenesis of M. bovis mastitis. There is lack of quick and reliable diagnostic methods with high specificity and sensitivity for M. bovis. This review is a summary of the current state of knowledge of the virulence factors, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and control of M. bovis mastitis in dairy cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aga E. Gelgie
- Department of Animal Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Sarah E. Desai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Benti D. Gelalcha
- Department of Animal Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Oudessa Kerro Dego
- Department of Animal Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
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12
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Filipić B, Ušjak D, Rambaher MH, Oljacic S, Milenković MT. Evaluation of novel compounds as anti-bacterial or anti-virulence agents. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1370062. [PMID: 38510964 PMCID: PMC10951914 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1370062] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, leading to an alarming increase in the prevalence of bacterial infections that can no longer be treated with available antibiotics. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050 up to 10 million deaths per year could be associated with antimicrobial resistance, which would equal the annual number of cancer deaths worldwide. To overcome this emerging crisis, novel anti-bacterial compounds are urgently needed. There are two possible approaches in the fight against bacterial infections: a) targeting structures within bacterial cells, similar to existing antibiotics; and/or b) targeting virulence factors rather than bacterial growth. Here, for the first time, we provide a comprehensive overview of the key steps in the evaluation of potential new anti-bacterial and/or anti-virulence compounds. The methods described in this review include: a) in silico methods for the evaluation of novel compounds; b) anti-bacterial assays (MIC, MBC, Time-kill); b) anti-virulence assays (anti-biofilm, anti-quorum sensing, anti-adhesion); and c) evaluation of safety aspects (cytotoxicity assay and Ames test). Overall, we provide a detailed description of the methods that are an essential tool for chemists, computational chemists, microbiologists, and toxicologists in the evaluation of potential novel antimicrobial compounds. These methods are cost-effective and have high predictive value. They are widely used in preclinical studies to identify new molecular candidates, for further investigation in animal and human trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brankica Filipić
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dušan Ušjak
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Martina Hrast Rambaher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Slavica Oljacic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marina T. Milenković
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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13
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Cortés-Cortés G, Arenas-Hernández MMP, Ballesteros-Monrreal MG, Rocha-Gracia RDC, Barrios-Villa E. Editorial: Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors of emerging and re-emerging bacteria. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1387087. [PMID: 38510958 PMCID: PMC10952027 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1387087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Cortés-Cortés
- Posgrado en Microbiología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
- Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Margarita M. P. Arenas-Hernández
- Posgrado en Microbiología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | | | - Rosa del Carmen Rocha-Gracia
- Posgrado en Microbiología, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Edwin Barrios-Villa
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Sonora, H. Caborca, Sonora, Mexico
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14
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Naseef Pathoor N, Viswanathan A, Wadhwa G, Ganesh PS. Understanding the biofilm development of Acinetobacter baumannii and novel strategies to combat infection. APMIS 2024. [PMID: 38444124 DOI: 10.1111/apm.13399] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a Gram-negative, nonmotile, and aerobic bacillus emerged as a superbug, due to increasing the possibility of infection and accelerating rates of antimicrobial agents. It is recognized as a nosocomial pathogen due to its ability to form biofilms. These biofilms serve as a defensive barrier, increase antibiotic resistance, and make treatment more difficult. As a result, the current situation necessitates the rapid emergence of novel therapeutic approaches to ensure successful treatment outcomes. This review explores the intricate relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii, emphasizing the role of key virulence factors and quorum sensing (QS) mechanisms that will lead to infections and facilitate insight into developing innovative method to control A. baumannii infections. Furthermore, the review article looks into promising approaches for preventing biofilm formation on medically important surfaces and potential therapeutic methods for eliminating preformed biofilms, which can address biofilm-associated A. baumannii infections. Modern advances in emerging therapeutic options such as antimicrobial peptide (AMPs), nanoparticles (NPs), bacteriophage therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and other biofilm inhibitors can assist readers understand the current landscape and future prospects for effectively treating A. baumannii biofilm infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naji Naseef Pathoor
- Department of Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Akshaya Viswanathan
- Department of Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Gulshan Wadhwa
- Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Pitchaipillai Sankar Ganesh
- Department of Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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15
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Fotopoulou ET, Jenkins C, Painset A, Amar C. Listeria monocytogenes: the silent assassin. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38506266 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001800] [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: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Listeriosis is a foodborne infection in humans caused by Listeria monocytogenes. Consumption of contaminated food can lead to severe infection in vulnerable patients, that can be fatal. Clinical manifestations include sepsis and meningitis, and in pregnancy-associated infection, miscarriage and stillbirth. Diagnosis is confirmed by culture and identification of the pathogen from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, vaginal swab, placenta or amniotic fluid. Treatment regimens recommend amoxicillin, ampicillin or an aminoglycoside. Virulence factors mediate bacterial adhesion and invasion of gut epithelial cells. Other factors mediate biofilm formation and tolerance to low temperatures and high salt concentrations facilitating persistence and survival in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily T Fotopoulou
- UK Health Security Agency, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
- National Institute of Health & Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L3 5TR, UK
- School of Life Sciences and Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Claire Jenkins
- UK Health Security Agency, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
- National Institute of Health & Care Research, Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L3 5TR, UK
| | - Anaïs Painset
- UK Health Security Agency, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Corinne Amar
- UK Health Security Agency, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
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16
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Mao Z, Li S, Li Y, Jia T. The bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, its epidemiology, virulence factors, vaccine development, and host-pathogen interactions. J Aquat Anim Health 2024. [PMID: 38402543 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10215] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pseudomoans plecoglossicida has been identified as a fish pathogen since 2000 and has caused serious infections in cultured Large Yellow Croakers Larimiththys crocea in coastal eastern China during recent years. METHODS Published literatures of this pathogen have been reviewed. RESULT Several strains with high genomic similarity have been isolated and identified; the bacteria induce natural infection at lower water temperatures (12.0-25.5°C) and induce numerous granulomas and nodules in the visceral organs of croakers. Researchers have investigated the epidemiology of P. plecoglossicida infection, identified major virulence factors, searched for pathogenic genes, analyzed host-pathogen interactions, and endeavored to develop efficient vaccines. CONCLUSION This paper provides an overview of these research advances to elucidate the virulence mechanisms of the pathogen and to promote vaccine development against infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijuan Mao
- Biological and Environmental College, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Biological and Environmental College, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yiying Li
- Biological and Environmental College, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Tingting Jia
- Biological and Environmental College, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
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17
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Bloch S, Hager-Mair FF, Andrukhov O, Schäffer C. Oral streptococci: modulators of health and disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1357631. [PMID: 38456080 PMCID: PMC10917908 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1357631] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococci are primary colonizers of the oral cavity where they are ubiquitously present and an integral part of the commensal oral biofilm microflora. The role oral streptococci play in the interaction with the host is ambivalent. On the one hand, they function as gatekeepers of homeostasis and are a prerequisite for the maintenance of oral health - they shape the oral microbiota, modulate the immune system to enable bacterial survival, and antagonize pathogenic species. On the other hand, also recognized pathogens, such as oral Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus, which trigger the onset of dental caries belong to the genus Streptococcus. In the context of periodontitis, oral streptococci as excellent initial biofilm formers have an accessory function, enabling late biofilm colonizers to inhabit gingival pockets and cause disease. The pathogenic potential of oral streptococci fully unfolds when their dissemination into the bloodstream occurs; streptococcal infection can cause extra-oral diseases, such as infective endocarditis and hemorrhagic stroke. In this review, the taxonomic diversity of oral streptococci, their role and prevalence in the oral cavity and their contribution to oral health and disease will be discussed, focusing on the virulence factors these species employ for interactions at the host interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Bloch
- Competence Center for Periodontal Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, NanoGlycobiology Research Group, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fiona F. Hager-Mair
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, NanoGlycobiology Research Group, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Oleh Andrukhov
- Competence Center for Periodontal Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Schäffer
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, NanoGlycobiology Research Group, Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Vienna, Austria
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18
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Ardissone S, Greub G. The Chlamydia-related Waddlia chondrophila encodes functional type II toxin-antitoxin systems. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0068123. [PMID: 38214519 PMCID: PMC10880633 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00681-23] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are widespread in chromosomes and plasmids of free-living microorganisms, but only a few have been identified in obligate intracellular species. We found seven putative type II TA modules in Waddlia chondrophila, a Chlamydia-related species that is able to infect a very broad series of eukaryotic hosts, ranging from protists to mammalian cells. The RNA levels of Waddlia TA systems are significantly upregulated by iron starvation and novobiocin, but they are not affected by antibiotics such as β-lactams and glycopeptides, which suggests different mechanisms underlying stress responses. Five of the identified TA modules, including HigBA1 and MazEF1, encoded on the Waddlia cryptic plasmid, proved to be functional when expressed in a heterologous host. TA systems have been associated with the maintenance of mobile genetic elements, bacterial defense against bacteriophages, and persistence upon exposure to adverse conditions. As their RNA levels are upregulated upon exposure to adverse conditions, Waddlia TA modules may be involved in survival to stress. Moreover, as Waddlia can infect a wide range of hosts including free-living amoebae, TA modules could also represent an innate immunity system to fight against bacteriophages and other microorganisms with which Waddlia has to share its replicative niche.IMPORTANCEThe response to adverse conditions, such as exposure to antibiotics, nutrient starvation and competition with other microorganisms, is essential for the survival of a bacterial population. TA systems are modules composed of two elements, a toxic protein and an antitoxin (protein or RNA) that counteracts the toxin. Although many aspects of TA biological functions still await to be elucidated, TAs have often been implicated in bacterial response to stress, including the response to nutrient starvation, antibiotic treatment and bacteriophage infection. TAs are ubiquitous in free-living bacteria but rare in obligate intracellular species such as chlamydiae. We identified functional TA systems in Waddlia chondrophila, a chlamydial species with a strikingly broad host range compared to other chlamydiae. Our work contributes to understand how obligate intracellular bacteria react to adverse conditions that might arise from competition with other viruses/bacteria for the same replicative niche and would threaten their ability to replicate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ardissone
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Wang L, Li H, Chen J, Wang Y, Gu Y, Jiu M. Antibacterial Mechanisms and Antivirulence Activities of Oridonin against Pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila AS 1.1801. Microorganisms 2024; 12:415. [PMID: 38399819 PMCID: PMC10891661 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020415] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Aeromonas hydrophila, a Gram-negative bacterium widely found in freshwater environments, acts as a common conditional pathogen affecting humans, livestock, and aquatic animals. In this study, the impact of oridonin, an ent-kaurane diterpenoid compound derived from Rabdosia rubescens, on the virulence factors of A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 and its antibacterial mechanism was elucidated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of oridonin against A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 was 100 μg/mL. Oridonin at inhibitory concentrations could significantly increase the electrical conductivity in the supernatant and escalate nucleic acid leakage (p < 0.01). This effect was concomitant with observed distortions in bacterial cells, the formation of cytoplasmic cavities, cellular damage, and pronounced inhibition of protein and nucleic acid synthesis. Additionally, oridonin at inhibitory levels exhibited a noteworthy suppressive impact on A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 across biofilm formation, motility, hemolytic activity, lipase activity, and protease activity (p < 0.05), demonstrating a dose-dependent enhancement. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the gene expression of luxR, qseB and omp were significantly downregulated after oridonin treatment in A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 (p < 0.05). Our results indicated that oridonin possessed significant antibacterial and anti-virulence effects on A. hydrophila AS 1.1801.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lunji Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Development and Utilization, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (L.W.); (J.C.)
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (Y.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Huijuan Li
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (Y.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Jinhao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Development and Utilization, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (L.W.); (J.C.)
| | - Yi Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (Y.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Yuqing Gu
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (H.L.); (Y.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Min Jiu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Development and Utilization, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China; (L.W.); (J.C.)
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Palma L, Frizzo L, Kaiser S, Berry C, Caballero P, Bode HB, Del Valle EE. Genome Sequence Analysis of Native Xenorhabdus Strains Isolated from Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Argentina. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:108. [PMID: 38393187 PMCID: PMC10892061 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16020108] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Entomopathogenic nematodes from the genus Steinernema (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) are capable of causing the rapid killing of insect hosts, facilitated by their association with symbiotic Gram-negative bacteria in the genus Xenorhabdus (Enterobacterales: Morganellaceae), positioning them as interesting candidate tools for the control of insect pests. In spite of this, only a limited number of species from this bacterial genus have been identified from their nematode hosts and their insecticidal properties documented. This study aimed to perform the genome sequence analysis of fourteen Xenorhabdus strains that were isolated from Steinernema nematodes in Argentina. All of the strains were found to be able of killing 7th instar larvae of Galleria mellonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Their sequenced genomes harbour 110 putative insecticidal proteins including Tc, Txp, Mcf, Pra/Prb and App homologs, plus other virulence factors such as putative nematocidal proteins, chitinases and secondary metabolite gene clusters for the synthesis of different bioactive compounds. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis plus average nucleotide identity calculations strongly suggested that three strains should be considered novel species. The species name for strains PSL and Reich (same species according to % ANI) is proposed as Xenorhabdus littoralis sp. nov., whereas strain 12 is proposed as Xenorhabdus santafensis sp. nov. In this work, we present a dual insight into the biocidal potential and diversity of the Xenorhabdus genus, demonstrated by different numbers of putative insecticidal genes and biosynthetic gene clusters, along with a fresh exploration of the species within this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leopoldo Palma
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biomedicina (BIOTECMED), Departamento de Genética, Universitat de València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria y Biotecnológica (IMITAB), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Villa María (UNVM), Villa María 1555, Argentina
| | - Laureano Frizzo
- ICIVET Litoral, CONICET-UNL, Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Esperanza S3080, Argentina;
| | - Sebastian Kaiser
- Department of Natural Products in Organismic Interactions, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (S.K.); (H.B.B.)
- Evolutionary Biochemistry Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Colin Berry
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK;
| | - Primitivo Caballero
- Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology, Universidad Pública de Navarra, 31006 Pamplona, Spain;
- Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo, Bioinsectis SL, Polígono Industrial Mocholi Plaza Cein 5, Nave A14, 31110 Noain, Spain
| | - Helge B. Bode
- Department of Natural Products in Organismic Interactions, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (S.K.); (H.B.B.)
- Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Goethe Universität Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Phillips University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Phillips University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eleodoro Eduardo Del Valle
- ICiagro Litoral, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Kreder 2805, Esperanza S3080, Argentina
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21
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Sousa AIDJ, Galvão CC, Pires PS, Salvarani FM. Blackleg: A Review of the Agent and Management of the Disease in Brazil. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:638. [PMID: 38396606 PMCID: PMC10886055 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040638] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The genus Clostridium is an important group of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria with a sporulation capacity and wide distribution in different environments, including the gastrointestinal tracts of healthy and diseased animals and humans. Among the pathogenic species of the genus, Clostridium chauvoei stands out as a histotoxic agent. It causes significant myonecrosis such as blackleg, a disease with high lethality, especially in young cattle, and is responsible for significant livestock losses worldwide. The pathogenicity of the disease is complex and has not yet been fully elucidated. Current hypotheses cover processes from the initial absorption to the transport and deposition of the agent in the affected tissues. The virulence factors of C. chauvoei have been divided into somatic and flagellar antigens and soluble antigens/toxins, which are the main antigens used in vaccines against blackleg in Brazil and worldwide. This review provides important information on the first and current approaches to the agent C. chauvoei and its virulence factors as well as a compilation of data on Brazilian studies related to blackleg.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cleideanny Cancela Galvão
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-900, RS, Brazil;
| | | | - Felipe Masiero Salvarani
- Instituto de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pará, Castanhal 68740-970, PA, Brazil;
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22
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Elgaml A, Elshazli R, Miyoshi SI. Editorial: The role of regulatory networks in virulence and antimicrobial resistance of microbial pathogens. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1370093. [PMID: 38410383 PMCID: PMC10896426 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1370093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Abdelaziz Elgaml
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
- Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University - Egypt, New Damietta, Egypt
| | - Rami Elshazli
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University - Egypt, New Damietta, Egypt
| | - Shin-Ichi Miyoshi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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23
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Luna-Pineda VM, Rodríguez-Martínez G, Salazar-García M, Romo-Castillo M. Plant-Origin Components: New Players to Combat Antibiotic Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2134. [PMID: 38396811 PMCID: PMC10888558 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042134] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn) is an opportunistic pathogen that causes intrahospital complications such as pneumonia, liver abscesses, soft tissue infections, urinary infections, bacteraemia, and, in some cases, death. Since this bacterium has a higher frequency than other Gram-negative pathogens, it has become an important pathogen to the health sector. The adaptative genome of Kpn likely facilitates increased survival of the pathogen in diverse situations. Therefore, several studies have been focused on developing new molecules, synergistic formulations, and biomaterials that make it possible to combat and control infections with and dispersion of this pathogen. Note that the uncontrolled antibiotic administration that occurred during the pandemic led to the emergence of new multidrug-resistant strains, and scientists were challenged to overcome them. This review aims to compile the latest information on Kpn that generates intrahospital infections, specifically their pathogenicity-associated factors. Furthermore, it explains the natural-product-based treatments (extracts and essential oils) developed for Kpn infection and dispersion control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor M. Luna-Pineda
- Laboratorio de Investigación en COVID-19, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico; (V.M.L.-P.); (G.R.-M.)
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunología y Proteómica, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico
| | - Griselda Rodríguez-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Investigación en COVID-19, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico; (V.M.L.-P.); (G.R.-M.)
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunología y Proteómica, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico
| | - Marcela Salazar-García
- Departamento de Investigación Biomédica, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico;
| | - Mariana Romo-Castillo
- IxM/CONAHCYT-HIMFG, Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunología y Proteómica, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ciudad de México 06720, Mexico
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24
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Sheng Q, Xu Q, Lan Z, Wu Z. Comparative Genome Analysis of Two Streptococcus suis Serotype 8 Strains Identifies Two New Virulence-Associated Genes. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:572. [PMID: 38396540 PMCID: PMC10886379 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040572] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis is an important zoonotic pathogen that can cause meningitis and septicemia in swine and humans. Among numerous pathogenic serotypes, S. suis serotype 8 has distinctive characteristics such as a high detection rate and causing multi-host infection. There is no complete genome of serotype 8 strains so far. In this study, the complete genome of two S. suis serotype 8 strains, virulent strain 2018WUSS151 and non-virulent strain WUSS030, were sequenced. Comparative genomic analysis showed that the homology of the two genomes reaches 99.68%, and the main difference is the distinctive prophages. There are 83 genes unique to virulent strain 2018WUSS151, including three putative virulence-associated genes (PVGs). Two PVGs, padR and marR, are passenger genes in ISSsu2 family transposons that are able to form circular DNA intermediates during transposition, indicating the possibility of horizontal transmission among S. suis strains. The deletion mutant of PVGs marR or atpase attenuated the virulence of serotype 2 virulent SC070731 in a mouse infection model, confirming their role in S. suis virulence. These findings contribute to clarifying the genomic characterization of S. suis serotype 8 and S. suis pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Sheng
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210014, China; (Q.S.); (Q.X.)
- Key Lab of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
- WOAH Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Qiuhua Xu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210014, China; (Q.S.); (Q.X.)
- Key Lab of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
- WOAH Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Zouran Lan
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210014, China; (Q.S.); (Q.X.)
- Shandong Provincial Center for Animal Disease Control, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Zongfu Wu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210014, China; (Q.S.); (Q.X.)
- Key Lab of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing 210014, China
- WOAH Reference Lab for Swine Streptococcosis, Nanjing 210014, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research on the Technology of Pig-Breeding and Pig-Disease Prevention, Guangzhou 511400, China
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25
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Kristensen R, Andersen JB, Rybtke M, Jansen CU, Fritz BG, Kiilerich RO, Uhd J, Bjarnsholt T, Qvortrup K, Tolker-Nielsen T, Givskov M, Jakobsen TH. Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing by chemical induction of the MexEF-oprN efflux pump. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0138723. [PMID: 38189278 PMCID: PMC10848761 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01387-23] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cell-to-cell communication system quorum sensing (QS), used by various pathogenic bacteria to synchronize gene expression and increase host invasion potentials, is studied as a potential target for persistent infection control. To search for novel molecules targeting the QS system in the Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a chemical library consisting of 3,280 small compounds from LifeArc was screened. A series of 10 conjugated phenones that have not previously been reported to target bacteria were identified as inhibitors of QS in P. aeruginosa. Two lead compounds (ethylthio enynone and propylthio enynone) were re-synthesized for verification of activity and further elucidation of the mode of action. The isomeric pure Z-ethylthio enynone was used for RNA sequencing, revealing a strong inhibitor of QS-regulated genes, and the QS-regulated virulence factors rhamnolipid and pyocyanin were significantly decreased by treatment with the compounds. A transposon mutagenesis screen performed in a newly constructed lasB-gfp monitor strain identified the target of Z-ethylthio enynone in P. aeruginosa to be the MexEF-OprN efflux pump, which was further established using defined mex knockout mutants. Our data indicate that the QS inhibitory capabilities of Z-ethylthio enynone were caused by the drainage of intracellular signal molecules as a response to chemical-induced stimulation of the MexEF-oprN efflux pump, thereby inhibiting the autogenerated positive feedback and its enhanced signal-molecule synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus Kristensen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Bo Andersen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Rybtke
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Blaine Gabriel Fritz
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rikke Overgaard Kiilerich
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper Uhd
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas Bjarnsholt
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katrine Qvortrup
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Tim Tolker-Nielsen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Givskov
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tim Holm Jakobsen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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26
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Mendoza Barker M, Saeger S, Campuzano A, Yu JJ, Hung CY. Galleria mellonella Model of Coccidioidomycosis for Drug Susceptibility Tests and Virulence Factor Identification. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:131. [PMID: 38392803 PMCID: PMC10890491 DOI: 10.3390/jof10020131] [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: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Coccidioidomycosis (CM) can manifest as respiratory and disseminated diseases that are caused by dimorphic fungal pathogens, such as Coccidioides species. The inhaled arthroconidia generated during the saprobic growth phase convert into multinucleated spherules in the lungs to complete the parasitic lifecycle. Research on coccidioidal virulence and pathogenesis primarily employs murine models typically associated with low lethal doses (LD100 < 100 spores). However, the Galleria model has recently garnered attention due to its immune system bearing both structural and functional similarities to the innate system of mammals. Our findings indicate that Coccidioides posadasii can convert and complete the parasitic cycle within the hemocoel of the Galleria larva. In Galleria, the LD100 is between 0.5 and 1.0 × 106 viable spores for the clinical isolate Coccidioides posadasii C735. Furthermore, we demonstrated the suitability of this model for in vivo antifungal susceptibility tests to validate the bioreactivity of newly discovered antifungals against Coccidioides. Additionally, we utilized this larva model to screen a Coccidioides posadasii mutant library showing attenuated virulence. Similarly, the identified attenuated coccidioidal mutants displayed a loss of virulence in a commonly used murine model of coccidioidomycosis. In this study, we demonstrated that Galleria larvae can be applied as a model for studying Coccidioides infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Mendoza Barker
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Sarah Saeger
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Althea Campuzano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Jieh-Juen Yu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
| | - Chiung-Yu Hung
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
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27
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Yang J, Wang Y, Hou Y, Sun M, Xia T, Wu X. Evasion of host defense by Brucella. Cell Insight 2024; 3:100143. [PMID: 38250017 PMCID: PMC10797155 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2023.100143] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Brucella , an adept intracellular pathogen, causes brucellosis, a zoonotic disease leading to significant global impacts on animal welfare and the economy. Regrettably, there is currently no approved and effective vaccine for human use. The ability of Brucella to evade host defenses is essential for establishing chronic infection and ensuring stable intracellular growth. Brucella employs various mechanisms to evade and undermine the innate and adaptive immune responses of the host through modulating the activation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), inflammatory responses, or the activation of immune cells like dendritic cells (DCs) to inhibit antigen presentation. Moreover, it regulates multiple cellular processes such as apoptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy to establish persistent infection within host cells. This review summarizes the recently discovered mechanisms employed by Brucella to subvert host immune responses and research progress on vaccines, with the aim of advancing our understanding of brucellosis and facilitating the development of more effective vaccines and therapeutic approaches against Brucella .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinke Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yuanpan Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Mengyao Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Tian Xia
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xin Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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28
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Güler MA, Çetin B, Albayrak B, Meral-Aktaş H, Tekgündüz KŞ, Kara M, Işlek A. Isolation, identification, and in vitro probiotic characterization of forty novel Bifidobacterium strains from neonatal feces in Erzurum province, Türkiye. J Sci Food Agric 2024. [PMID: 38299445 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.13298] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal feces are one of the most important sources for probiotic isolation. The purpose of this study was the isolation and identification of Bifidobacterium spp. from neonatal feces and the evaluation of in vitro probiotic properties of strains including safety tests. RESULTS A total of 40 isolates were obtained from 14 healthy newborns' feces in Erzurum province, Türkiye. By their rep-PCR patterns and 16S rRNA gene sequences, isolates were identified as 26 Bifidobacterium breve and 14 Bifidobacterium longum. Fifteen of the isolates tolerated bile salts and showed high resistance to simulated gastric juice. Isolates exhibited varying rates of auto-aggregation and hydrophobicity. In addition, most of the isolates displayed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Salmonella Typhimurium RSHMB 95091, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027. However, only one strain showed bile salt hydrolase activity and two strains showed the ability to produce H2 O2 . Bifidobacterium strains were generally sensitive to the tested antibiotics and lacked kanamycin, gentamicin, and streptomycin resistance genes, and hemolytic and DNAse activities. On the other hand, it was determined that five strains had various virulence genes including gelE, esp, efaAfs, hyl, and ace. CONCLUSION Results of the present study suggested that B. longum BH28, B. breve BH4 and B. breve BH5 strains have the potential as probiotic candidates for further studies. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammet Akif Güler
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, Atatürk University, Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Türkiye
| | - Bülent Çetin
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Türkiye
| | - Bülent Albayrak
- Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye
| | - Hacer Meral-Aktaş
- Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Türkiye
| | - Kadir Şerafettin Tekgündüz
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye
| | - Mustafa Kara
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye
| | - Ali Işlek
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Çukurova University, Adana, Türkiye
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29
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Krell T, Matilla MA. Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:216-218. [PMID: 38065787 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, 18008, Spain
| | - Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, 18008, Spain.
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30
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Benevides VP, Saraiva MMS, Nascimento CF, Delgado-Suárez EJ, Oliveira CJB, Silva SR, Miranda VFO, Christensen H, Olsen JE, Berchieri Junior A. Genomic Features and Phylogenetic Analysis of Antimicrobial-Resistant Salmonella Mbandaka ST413 Strains. Microorganisms 2024; 12:312. [PMID: 38399716 PMCID: PMC10893270 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020312] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Mbandaka (S. Mbandaka) has been increasingly isolated from laying hens and shell eggs around the world. Moreover, this serovar has been identified as the causative agent of several salmonellosis outbreaks in humans. Surprisingly, little is known about the characteristics of this emerging serovar, and therefore, we investigated antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and prophage genes of six selected Brazilian strains of Salmonella Mbandaka using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS). Multi-locus sequence typing revealed that the tested strains belong to Sequence Type 413 (ST413), which has been linked to recent multi-country salmonellosis outbreaks in Europe. A total of nine resistance genes were detected, and the most frequent ones were aac(6')-Iaa, sul1, qacE, blaOXA-129, tet(B), and aadA1. A point mutation in ParC at the 57th position (threonine → serine) associated with quinolone resistance was present in all investigated genomes. A 112,960 bp IncHI2A plasmid was mapped in 4/6 strains. This plasmid harboured tetracycline (tetACDR) and mercury (mer) resistance genes, genes contributing to conjugative transfer, and genes involved in plasmid maintenance. Most strains (four/six) carried Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1). All S. Mbandaka genomes carried seven pathogenicity islands (SPIs) involved in intracellular survival and virulence: SPIs 1-5, 9, and C63PI. The virulence genes csgC, fimY, tcfA, sscA, (two/six), and ssaS (one/six) were absent in some of the genomes; conversely, fimA, prgH, and mgtC were present in all of them. Five Salmonella bacteriophage sequences (with homology to Escherichia phage phiV10, Enterobacteria phage Fels-2, Enterobacteria phage HK542, Enterobacteria phage ST64T, Salmonella phage SW9) were identified, with protein counts between 31 and 54, genome lengths of 24.7 bp and 47.7 bp, and average GC content of 51.25%. In the phylogenetic analysis, the genomes of strains isolated from poultry in Brazil clustered into well-supported clades with a heterogeneous distribution, primarily associated with strains isolated from humans and food. The phylogenetic relationship of Brazilian S. Mbandaka suggests the presence of strains with high epidemiological significance and the potential to be linked to foodborne outbreaks. Overall, our results show that isolated strains of S. Mbandaka are multidrug-resistant and encode a rather conserved virulence machinery, which is an epidemiological hallmark of Salmonella strains that have successfully disseminated both regionally and globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valdinete P Benevides
- Postgraduate Program in Agricultural Microbiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Mauro M S Saraiva
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Camila F Nascimento
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Enrique J Delgado-Suárez
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Celso J B Oliveira
- Center for Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Paraiba (CCA/UFPB), Areia 58051-900, Brazil
- Global One Health Initiative (GOHi), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Saura R Silva
- Laboratory of Plant Systematics, Department of Biology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Vitor F O Miranda
- Laboratory of Plant Systematics, Department of Biology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Henrik Christensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - John E Olsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Angelo Berchieri Junior
- Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, Brazil
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31
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Lu L, Wang J, Wang C, Zhu J, Wang H, Liao L, Zhao Y, Wang X, Yang C, He Z, Li M. Plant-derived virulence arresting drugs as novel antimicrobial agents: Discovery, perspective, and challenges in clinical use. Phytother Res 2024; 38:727-754. [PMID: 38014754 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8072] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emerges as a severe crisis to public health and requires global action. The occurrence of bacterial pathogens with multi-drug resistance appeals to exploring alternative therapeutic strategies. Antivirulence treatment has been a positive substitute in seeking to circumvent AMR, which aims to target virulence factors directly to combat bacterial infections. Accumulated evidence suggests that plant-derived natural products, which have been utilized to treat infectious diseases for centuries, can be abundant sources for screening potential virulence-arresting drugs (VADs) to develop advanced therapeutics for infectious diseases. This review sums up some virulence factors and their actions in various species of bacteria, as well as recent advances pertaining to plant-derived natural products as VAD candidates. Furthermore, we also discuss natural VAD-related clinical trials and patents, the perspective of VAD-based advanced therapeutics for infectious diseases and critical challenges hampering clinical use of VADs, and genomics-guided identification for VAD therapeutic. These newly discovered natural VADs will be encouraging and optimistic candidates that may sustainably combat AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Jingya Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Chongrui Wang
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Hongping Wang
- Safety Evaluation Center, Sichuan Institute for Drug Control (Sichuan Testing Center of Medical Devices), Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Li Liao
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Yuting Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Langzhong People's Hospital, Langzhong, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Chen Yang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Zhengyou He
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal and Edible Plants Resources Development of Sichuan Education Department, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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32
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Sachan S, Dhawan A, Jangira V, Mahajan RK. Unrelenting Infection of Implanted Prosthetic Hip Joint by Corynebacterium striatum. Cureus 2024; 16:e54528. [PMID: 38516418 PMCID: PMC10956379 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54528] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-diphtherial Corynebacterial (NDC) species, while previously considered as culture contaminants, are increasingly being implicated in clinical disease and identified as causes of opportunistic infections. In cases where they grow in pure cultures, isolated from a sterile site or repeated isolations from the same patient, NDC may be labeled as clinically significant. We report here a case of non-healing infection of one of the implanted devices in a case of bilateral total hip replacement, caused by multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium striatum. Adherence to infection prevention strategies is essential for the prevention of prosthetic implant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya Sachan
- Microbiology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohla Hospital, New Delhi, IND
| | - Aayushi Dhawan
- Microbiology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohla Hospital, New Delhi, IND
| | - Vivek Jangira
- Orthopedics, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, IND
| | - Rakesh K Mahajan
- Microbiology, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohla Hospital, New Delhi, IND
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Lages MA, do Vale A, Lemos ML, Balado M. Remodulation of bacterial transcriptome after acquisition of foreign DNA: the case of irp-HPI high-pathogenicity island in Vibrio anguillarum. mSphere 2024; 9:e0059623. [PMID: 38078732 PMCID: PMC10826351 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00596-23] [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: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The high-pathogenicity island irp-HPI is widespread in Vibrionaceae and encodes the siderophore piscibactin, as well as the regulator PbtA that is essential for its expression. In this work, we aim to study whether PbtA directly interacts with irp-HPI promoters. Furthermore, we hypothesize that PbtA, and thereby the acquisition of irp-HPI island, may also influence the expression of other genes elsewhere in the bacterial genome. To address this question, an RNAseq analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes after pbtA deletion in Vibrio anguillarum RV22 genetic background. The results showed that PbtA not only modulates the irp-HPI genes but also modulates the expression of a plethora of V. anguillarum core genome genes, inducing nitrate, arginine, and sulfate metabolism, T6SS1, and quorum sensing, while repressing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production, MARTX toxin, and major porins such as OmpV and ChiP. The direct binding of the C-terminal domain of PbtA to piscibactin promoters (PfrpA and PfrpC), quorum sensing (vanT), LPS transporter wza, and T6SS structure- and effector-encoding genes was demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The results provide valuable insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying the expression of irp-HPI island and its impact on Vibrios transcriptome, with implications in pathogenesis.IMPORTANCEHorizontal gene transfer enables bacteria to acquire traits, such as virulence factors, thereby increasing the risk of the emergence of new pathogens. irp-HPI genomic island has a broad dissemination in Vibrionaceae and is present in numerous potentially pathogenic marine bacteria, some of which can infect humans. Previous works showed that certain V. anguillarum strains exhibit an expanded host range plasticity and heightened virulence, a phenomenon linked to the acquisition of the irp-HPI genomic island. The present work shows that this adaptive capability is likely achieved through comprehensive changes in the transcriptome of the bacteria and that these changes are mediated by the master regulator PbtA encoded within the irp-HPI element. Our results shed light on the broad implications of horizontal gene transfer in bacterial evolution, showing that the acquired DNA can directly mediate changes in the expression of the core genome, with profounds implications in pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta A. Lages
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana do Vale
- Fish Immunology and Vaccinology Group, i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuel L. Lemos
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Miguel Balado
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Wataradee S, Boonserm T, Samngamnim S, Ajariyakhajorn K. Characterization of Virulence Factors and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae Associated with Bovine Mastitis Cases in Thailand. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:447. [PMID: 38338090 PMCID: PMC10854646 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030447] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae is a contagious pathogen that causes bovine mastitis. The ability of S. agalactiae to cause widespread mastitis relies on bacterial virulence factors. In this study, we detected 10 virulence determinants associated with mastitis pathogenicity using conventional PCR. The antimicrobial susceptibility of 100 S. agalactiae isolates from 13 Thai dairy herds was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test. All strains had at least three virulence factors responsible for invasion, adhesion, and infection (fbsB, bibA, and cfb, respectively). The predominant virulent profile of S. agalactiae strains revealed the presence of fbsA, fbsB, bibA, cfb, and cyl (n = 96). Most strains were sensitive to penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefotaxime, ceftiofur, erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and vancomycin. However, all strains were resistant to aminoglycosides, including kanamycin and gentamicin attributed to the unnecessary antimicrobial use. Furthermore, we identified seven multidrug resistant (MDR) S. agalactiae strains among four dairy herds, of which, two were vancomycin resistant. Our study provides profiles for virulence factors and antimicrobial susceptibility, which are beneficial for the clinical monitoring, prevention, and control of bovine mastitis in dairy cattle in Thailand. Moreover, we emphasize the need for awareness regarding the judicious use of antimicrobials on dairy farms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kittisak Ajariyakhajorn
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (S.W.); (T.B.); (S.S.)
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Roach DJ, Sridhar S, Oliver E, Rao SR, Slater DM, Hwang W, Hutt Vater K, Dinesh A, Qadri F, Chisti MJ, Pierce VM, Turbett SE, Bhattacharyya RP, Worby CJ, Earl AM, LaRocque RC, Harris JB. Clinical and Genomic Characterization of a Cohort of Patients With Klebsiella pneumoniae Bloodstream Infection. Clin Infect Dis 2024; 78:31-39. [PMID: 37633257 PMCID: PMC10810715 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad507] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical and microbial factors associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections (BSIs) are not well characterized. Prior studies have focused on highly resistant or hypervirulent isolates, limiting our understanding of K. pneumoniae strains that commonly cause BSI. We performed a record review and whole-genome sequencing to investigate the clinical characteristics, bacterial diversity, determinants of antimicrobial resistance, and risk factors for in-hospital death in a cohort of patients with K. pneumoniae BSI. METHODS We identified 562 patients at Massachusetts General Hospital with K. pneumoniae BSIs between 2016 and 2022. We collected data on comorbid conditions, infection source, clinical outcomes, and antibiotic resistance and performed whole-genome sequencing on 108 sequential BSI isolates from 2021 to 2022. RESULTS Intra-abdominal infection was the most common source of infection accounting for 34% of all BSIs. A respiratory tract source accounted for 6% of BSIs but was associated with a higher in-hospital mortality rate (adjusted odds ratio, 5.4 [95% confidence interval, 2.2-12.8]; P < .001 for comparison with other sources). Resistance to the first antibiotic prescribed was also associated with a higher risk of death (adjusted odds ratio, 5.2 [95% confidence interval, 2.2-12.4]; P < .001). BSI isolates were genetically diverse, and no clusters of epidemiologically and genetically linked cases were observed. Virulence factors associated with invasiveness were observed at a low prevalence, although an unexpected association between O-antigen type and the source of infection was found. CONCLUSIONS These observations demonstrate the versatility of K. pneumoniae as an opportunistic pathogen and highlight the need for new approaches for surveillance and the rapid identification of patients with invasive antimicrobial-resistant K. pneumoniae infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Roach
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sushmita Sridhar
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth Oliver
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sowmya R Rao
- Department of Global Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Damien M Slater
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wontae Hwang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kian Hutt Vater
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anupama Dinesh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Firdausi Qadri
- Dhaka Hospital, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammod J Chisti
- Dhaka Hospital, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh
| | - Virginia M Pierce
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah E Turbett
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roby P Bhattacharyya
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Colin J Worby
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ashlee M Earl
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Regina C LaRocque
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jason B Harris
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Uruén C, Fernandez A, Arnal JL, Del Pozo M, Amoribieta MC, de Blas I, Jurado P, Calvo JH, Gottschalk M, González-Vázquez LD, Arenas M, Marín CM, Arenas J. Genomic and phenotypic analysis of invasive Streptococcus suis isolated in Spain reveals genetic diversification and associated virulence traits. Vet Res 2024; 55:11. [PMID: 38268053 PMCID: PMC10807230 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-024-01267-0] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that causes a major health problem in the pig production industry worldwide. Spain is one of the largest pig producers in the world. This work aimed to investigate the genetic and phenotypic features of invasive S. suis isolates recovered in Spain. A panel of 156 clinical isolates recovered from 13 Autonomous Communities, representing the major pig producers, were analysed. MLST and serotyping analysis revealed that most isolates (61.6%) were assigned to ST1 (26.3%), ST123 (18.6%), ST29 (9.6%), and ST3 (7.1%). Interestingly, 34 new STs were identified, indicating the emergence of novel genetic lineages. Serotypes 9 (27.6%) and 1 (21.8%) prevailed, followed by serotypes 7 (12.8%) and 2 (12.2%). Analysis of 13 virulence-associated genes showed significant associations between ST, serotype, virulence patterns, and clinical features, evidencing particular virulence traits associated with genetic clusters. The pangenome was generated, and the core genome was distributed in 7 Bayesian groups where each group included a variable set of over- and under-represented genes of different categories. The study provides comprehensive data and knowledge to improve the design of new vaccines, antimicrobial treatments, and bacterial typing approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Uruén
- Unit of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- Institute Agrofood of Aragón-IA2, University of Zaragoza-Center of Research and Technology of Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ana Fernandez
- Exopol. Veterinary Diagnostic and Autogenous Vaccine Laboratory, San Mateo de Gállego, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - José Luis Arnal
- Exopol. Veterinary Diagnostic and Autogenous Vaccine Laboratory, San Mateo de Gállego, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | | | - Ignacio de Blas
- Institute Agrofood of Aragón-IA2, University of Zaragoza-Center of Research and Technology of Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Paula Jurado
- Unit of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
- Institute Agrofood of Aragón-IA2, University of Zaragoza-Center of Research and Technology of Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jorge Hugo Calvo
- Department of Animal Science, Center of Research and Technology of Aragón CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
- ARAID, Saragossa, Spain
| | - Marcelo Gottschalk
- Research Group on Infectious Diseases in Production Animals and Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | | | - Miguel Arenas
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
- CINBIO, Vigo, Spain
| | - Clara M Marín
- Institute Agrofood of Aragón-IA2, University of Zaragoza-Center of Research and Technology of Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
- Department of Animal Science, Center of Research and Technology of Aragón CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jesús Arenas
- Unit of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
- Institute Agrofood of Aragón-IA2, University of Zaragoza-Center of Research and Technology of Aragón (CITA), Zaragoza, Spain.
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Ali A, AlHussaini KI. Helicobacter pylori: A Contemporary Perspective on Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies. Microorganisms 2024; 12:222. [PMID: 38276207 PMCID: PMC10818838 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010222] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa and is associated with various gastrointestinal disorders. H. pylori is a pervasive pathogen, infecting nearly 50% of the world's population, and presents a substantial concern due to its link with gastric cancer, ranking as the third most common cause of global cancer-related mortality. This review article provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the current understanding of H. pylori infection, focusing on its pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. The intricate mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis, including the virulence factors and host interactions, are discussed in detail. The diagnostic methods, ranging from the traditional techniques to the advanced molecular approaches, are explored, highlighting their strengths and limitations. The evolving landscape of treatment strategies, including antibiotic regimens and emerging therapeutic approaches, is thoroughly examined. Through a critical synthesis of the recent research findings, this article offers valuable insights into the contemporary knowledge of Helicobacter pylori infection, guiding both clinicians and researchers toward effective management and future directions in combating this global health challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asghar Ali
- Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Khalid I. AlHussaini
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 4233-13317, Saudi Arabia
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Gómez-Gaviria M, García-Carnero LC, Baruch-Martínez DA, Mora-Montes HM. The Emerging Pathogen Candida metapsilosis: Biological Aspects, Virulence Factors, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Infect Drug Resist 2024; 17:171-185. [PMID: 38268929 PMCID: PMC10807450 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s448213] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections represent a constant and growing menace to public health. This concern is due to the emergence of new fungal species and the increase in antifungal drug resistance. Mycoses caused by Candida species are among the most common nosocomial infections and are associated with high mortality rates when the infection affects deep-seated organs. Candida metapsilosis is part of the Candida parapsilosis complex and has been described as part of the oral microbiota of healthy individuals. Within the complex, this species is considered the least virulent; however, the prevalence has been increasing in recent years, as well as an increment in the resistance to some antifungal drugs. One of the main concerns of candidiasis caused by this species is the wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from tissue colonization to superficial infections, and in more severe cases it can spread, which makes diagnosis and treatment difficult. The study of virulence factors of this species is limited, however, proteomic comparisons between species indicate that virulence factors in this species could be similar to those already described for C. albicans. However, differences may exist, taking into account changes in the lifestyle of the species. Here, we provide a detailed review of the current literature about this organism, the caused disease, and some sharing aspects with other members of the complex, focusing on its biology, virulence factors, the host-fungus interaction, the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Gómez-Gaviria
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto., México
| | - Laura C García-Carnero
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto., México
| | - Dario A Baruch-Martínez
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto., México
| | - Héctor M Mora-Montes
- Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto., México
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Angiolella L, Rojas F, Giammarino A, Bellucci N, Giusiano G. Identification of Virulence Factors in Isolates of Candida haemulonii, Candida albicans and Clavispora lusitaniae with Low Susceptibility and Resistance to Fluconazole and Amphotericin B. Microorganisms 2024; 12:212. [PMID: 38276197 PMCID: PMC10819056 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010212] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging life-threatening multidrug-resistant (MDR) species such as the C. haemulonii species complex, Clavispora lusitaniae (sin. C. lusitaniae), and other Candida species are considered as an increasing risk for human health in the near future. (1) Background: Many studies have emphasized that the increase in drug resistance can be associated with several virulence factors in Candida and its knowledge is also essential in developing new antifungal strategies. (2) Methods: Hydrophobicity, adherence, biofilm formation, lipase activity, resistance to osmotic stress, and virulence 'in vivo' on G. mellonella larvae were studied in isolates of C. haemulonii, C. albicans, and C. lusitaniae with low susceptibility and resistance to fluconazole and amphotericin B. (3) Results: Intra- and interspecies variability were observed. C. haemulonii showed high hydrophobicity and the ability to adhere to and form biofilm. C. lusitaniae was less hydrophobic, was biofilm-formation-strain-dependent, and did not show lipase activity. Larvae inoculated with C. albicans isolates displayed significantly higher mortality rates than those infected with C. haemulonii and C. lusitaniae. (4) Conclusions: The ability to adhere to and form biofilms associated with their hydrophobic capacity, to adapt to stress, and to infect within an in vivo model, observed in these non-wild-type Candida and Clavispora isolates, shows their marked virulence features. Since factors that define virulence are related to the development of the resistance of these fungi to the few antifungals available for clinical use, differences in the physiology of these cells must be considered to develop new antifungal therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Angiolella
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases “Sapienza”, University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (N.B.)
| | - Florencia Rojas
- Departamento de Micología, Instituto de Medicina Regional, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, CONICET, Resistencia 3500, Argentina; (F.R.); (G.G.)
| | - Andrea Giammarino
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases “Sapienza”, University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (N.B.)
| | - Nicolò Bellucci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases “Sapienza”, University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (A.G.); (N.B.)
| | - Gustavo Giusiano
- Departamento de Micología, Instituto de Medicina Regional, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, CONICET, Resistencia 3500, Argentina; (F.R.); (G.G.)
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Alkuraythi DM, Alkhulaifi MM, Binjomah AZ, Alarwi M, Mujallad MI, Alharbi SA, Alshomrani M, Gojobori T, Alajel SM. Comparative genomic analysis of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients and retail meat. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 13:1339339. [PMID: 38282615 PMCID: PMC10811269 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1339339] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen that poses a threat to public health due to its association with foodborne contamination and a variety of infections. The factors contributing to the pathogenicity of S. aureus include virulence, drug resistance, and toxin production, making it essential to monitor their prevalence and genetic profiles. This study investigated and compared the genomic characteristics of S. aureus isolates from retail meat and patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods A total of 136 S. aureus isolates were obtained between October 2021 and June 2022:84 from patients and 53 from meat samples in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. S. aureus isolates were identified using conventional methods and MALDI-TOF MS, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was identified using VITEK2 and BD Phoenix systems. MRSA was confirmed phenotypically using chromogenic agar, and genotypically by detecting mecA. Genomic data were analyzed using BactopiaV2 pipeline, local BLAST, and MLST databases. Results Antibiotic resistance genes were prevalent in both meat and patient S. aureus isolates, with high prevalence of tet38, blaZ, and fosB. Notably, all S. aureus isolates from patients carried multidrug-resistant (MDR) genes, and a high percentage of S. aureus isolates from meat also harbored MDR genes. Phenotypically, 43% of the S. aureus isolates from meat and 100% of the patients' isolates were MDR. Enterotoxin genes, including selX, sem, and sei, exhibited high compatibility between meat and patient S. aureus isolates. Virulence genes such as cap, hly/hla, sbi, and isd were found in all S. aureus isolates from both sources. Conclusion Our study established a genetic connection between S. aureus isolates from meat and patients, showing shared antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. The presence of these genes in meat derived isolates underscores its role as a reservoir. Genomic relatedness also suggests potential transmission of resistance between different settings. These findings emphasize the necessity for a comprehensive approach to monitor and control S. aureus infections in both animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalal M. Alkuraythi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manal M. Alkhulaifi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulwahab Z. Binjomah
- Microbiology Department, Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Al-Faisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alarwi
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Saleh Ali Alharbi
- Microbiology Department, Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Alshomrani
- Microbiology Department, Riyadh Regional Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Takashi Gojobori
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sulaiman M. Alajel
- Reference Laboratory for Microbiology, Executive Department for Reference Laboratories, Research and Laboratories Sector, Food and Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Mangioni D, Fox V, Saltini P, Lombardi A, Bussini L, Carella F, Cariani L, Comelli A, Matinato C, Muscatello A, Teri A, Terranova L, Cento V, Carloni S, Bartoletti M, Alteri C, Bandera A. Increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections in Milan, Italy: a genomic and clinical characterization. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1287522. [PMID: 38274761 PMCID: PMC10808429 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1287522] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causes multiple clinical manifestations, including invasive (iGAS) or even life-threatening (severe-iGAS) infections. After the drop in cases during COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 a sharp increase of GAS was reported globally. Methods GAS strains collected in 09/2022-03/2023 in two university hospitals in Milan, Italy were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical/epidemiological data were combined with whole-genome sequencing to: (i) define resistome/virulome, (ii) identify putative transmission chains, (iii) explore associations between emm-types and clinical severity. Results Twenty-eight isolates were available, 19/28 (67.9%) from adults and 9/28 (32.1%) from pediatric population. The criteria for iGAS were met by 19/28 cases (67.9%), of which 11/19 (39.3%) met the further criteria for severe-iGAS. Pediatric cases were mainly non-invasive infections (8/9, 88.9%), adult cases were iGAS and severe-iGAS in 18/19 (94.7%) and 10/19 (52.6%), respectively. Thirteen emm-types were detected, the most prevalent being emm1 and emm12 (6/28 strains each, 21.4%). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of emm1.0 and emm12.0 strains revealed pairwise SNP distance always >10, inconsistent with unique transmission chains. Emm12.0-type, found to almost exclusively carry virulence factors speH and speI, was mainly detected in children and in no-iGAS infections (55.6 vs. 5.3%, p = 0.007 and 66.7 vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001, respectively), while emm1.0-type was mainly detected in severe-iGAS (0.0 vs. 45.5%, p = 0.045). Conclusions This study showed that multiple emm-types contributed to a 2022/2023 GAS infection increase in two hospitals in Milan, with no evidence of direct transmission chains. Specific emm-types could be associated with disease severity or invasiveness. Overall, these results support the integration of classical epidemiological studies with genomic investigation to appropriately manage severe infections and improve surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Mangioni
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Fox
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Saltini
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Lombardi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Linda Bussini
- Infectious Disease Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Carella
- Infectious Disease Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Lisa Cariani
- Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Pathology, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Agnese Comelli
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Matinato
- Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Pathology, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Muscatello
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Teri
- Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Pathology, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Leonardo Terranova
- Respiratory Unit and Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Cento
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- Microbiology and Virology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Carloni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy
| | - Michele Bartoletti
- Infectious Disease Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Alteri
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bandera
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Foundation Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
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Wang S, Pan J, Gu L, Wang W, Wei B, Zhang H, Chen J, Wang H. Review of treatment options for a multidrug-resistant fungus: Candida auris. Med Mycol 2024; 62:myad127. [PMID: 38066698 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myad127] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is a widely distributed, highly lethal, multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen. It was first identified in 2009 when it was isolated from fluid drained from the external ear canal of a patient in Japan. Since then, it has caused infectious outbreaks in over 45 countries, with mortality rates approaching 60%. Drug resistance is common in this species, with a large proportion of isolates displaying fluconazole resistance and nearly half are resistant to two or more antifungal drugs. In this review, we describe the drug resistance mechanism of C. auris and potential small-molecule drugs for treating C. auris infection. Among these antifungal agents, rezafungin was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis on March 22, 2023. Ibrexafungerp and fosmanogepix have entered phase III clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangwei Pan
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liting Gu
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Wei
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huawei Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianwei Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of TCM for Innovative R&D and Digital Intelligent Manufacturing of TCM Great Health Products, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
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Tendiuk N, Diakonova A, Petrova O, Mukhametzyanov T, Makshakova O, Gorshkov V. Svx Peptidases of Phytopathogenic Pectolytic Bacteria: Structural, Catalytic and Phytoimmune Properties. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:756. [PMID: 38255830 PMCID: PMC10815107 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020756] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Svx proteins are virulence factors secreted by phytopathogenic bacteria of the Pectobacterium genus into the host plant cell wall. Svx-encoding genes are present in almost all species of the soft rot Pectobacteriaceae (Pectobacterium and Dickeya genera). The Svx of P. atrosepticum (Pba) has been shown to be a gluzincin metallopeptidase that presumably targets plant extensins, proteins that contribute to plant cell wall rigidity and participate in cell signaling. However, the particular "output" of the Pba Svx action in terms of plant-pathogen interactions and plant immune responses remained unknown. The Svx proteins are largely unexplored in Dickeya species, even though some of them have genes encoding two Svx homologs. Therefore, our study aims to compare the structural and catalytic properties of the Svx proteins of Pba and D. solani (Dso) and to test the phytoimmune properties of these proteins. Two assayed Dso Svx proteins, similar to Pba Svx, were gluzincin metallopeptidases with conservative tertiary structures. The two domains of the Svx proteins form electronegative clefts where the active centers of the peptidase domains are located. All three assayed Svx proteins possessed phytoimmunosuppressory properties and induced ethylene-mediated plant susceptible responses that play a decisive role in Pba-caused disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Tendiuk
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia; (N.T.); (A.D.); (O.P.); (O.M.)
| | - Anastasiya Diakonova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia; (N.T.); (A.D.); (O.P.); (O.M.)
| | - Olga Petrova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia; (N.T.); (A.D.); (O.P.); (O.M.)
| | - Timur Mukhametzyanov
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Olga Makshakova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia; (N.T.); (A.D.); (O.P.); (O.M.)
| | - Vladimir Gorshkov
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 420111 Kazan, Russia; (N.T.); (A.D.); (O.P.); (O.M.)
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
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Heggi MT, Nour El-Din HT, Morsy DI, Abdelaziz NI, Attia AS. Microbial evasion of the complement system: a continuous and evolving story. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1281096. [PMID: 38239357 PMCID: PMC10794618 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1281096] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The complement system is a fundamental part of the innate immune system that plays a key role in the battle of the human body against invading pathogens. Through its three pathways, represented by the classical, alternative, and lectin pathways, the complement system forms a tightly regulated network of soluble proteins, membrane-expressed receptors, and regulators with versatile protective and killing mechanisms. However, ingenious pathogens have developed strategies over the years to protect themselves from this complex part of the immune system. This review briefly discusses the sequence of the complement activation pathways. Then, we present a comprehensive updated overview of how the major four pathogenic groups, namely, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, control, modulate, and block the complement attacks at different steps of the complement cascade. We shed more light on the ability of those pathogens to deploy more than one mechanism to tackle the complement system in their path to establish infection within the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam T. Heggi
- Clinical Pharmacy Undergraduate Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hanzada T. Nour El-Din
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | - Ahmed S. Attia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
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Han J, Aljahdali N, Zhao S, Tang H, Harbottle H, Hoffmann M, Frye JG, Foley SL. Infection biology of Salmonella enterica. EcoSal Plus 2024:eesp00012023. [PMID: 38415623 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0001-2023] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Salmonella enterica is the leading cause of bacterial foodborne illness in the USA, with an estimated 95% of salmonellosis cases due to the consumption of contaminated food products. Salmonella can cause several different disease syndromes, with the most common being gastroenteritis, followed by bacteremia and typhoid fever. Among the over 2,600 currently identified serotypes/serovars, some are mostly host-restricted and host-adapted, while the majority of serotypes can infect a broader range of host species and are associated with causing both livestock and human disease. Salmonella serotypes and strains within serovars can vary considerably in the severity of disease that may result from infection, with some serovars that are more highly associated with invasive disease in humans, while others predominantly cause mild gastroenteritis. These observed clinical differences may be caused by the genetic make-up and diversity of the serovars. Salmonella virulence systems are very complex containing several virulence-associated genes with different functions that contribute to its pathogenicity. The different clinical syndromes are associated with unique groups of virulence genes, and strains often differ in the array of virulence traits they display. On the chromosome, virulence genes are often clustered in regions known as Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPIs), which are scattered throughout different Salmonella genomes and encode factors essential for adhesion, invasion, survival, and replication within the host. Plasmids can also carry various genes that contribute to Salmonella pathogenicity. For example, strains from several serovars associated with significant human disease, including Choleraesuis, Dublin, Enteritidis, Newport, and Typhimurium, can carry virulence plasmids with genes contributing to attachment, immune system evasion, and other roles. The goal of this comprehensive review is to provide key information on the Salmonella virulence, including the contributions of genes encoded in SPIs and plasmids during Salmonella pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Han
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Nesreen Aljahdali
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
- Biological Science Department, College of Science, King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shaohua Zhao
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Hailin Tang
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
| | - Heather Harbottle
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Hoffmann
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan G Frye
- Agricutlutral Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Steven L Foley
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA
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Martínez-Trejo A, Ruiz-Ruiz JM, Gonzalez-Avila LU, Saldaña-Padilla A, Hernández-Cortez C, de Jesús Colmenero-Solís R, Bello-López JM, Castro-Escarpulli G. The CRISPR-Cas system in clinical strains of Acinetobacter baumannii: an in-silico analysis. Lett Appl Microbiol 2024; 77:ovae003. [PMID: 38211976 DOI: 10.1093/lambio/ovae003] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a relevant bacterium due to its high-resistance profile. It is well known that antimicrobial resistance is primarily linked to mutations and the acquisition of external genomic material, such as plasmids or phages, to which the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats associated with Cas proteins, or CRISPR-Cas, system is related. It is known that the system can influence the acquisition of foreign genetic material and play a role in various physiological pathways. In this study, we conducted an in-silico analysis using 91 fully assembled genomes of clinical strains obtained from the NCBI database. Among the analyzed genomes, the I-F1 subtype of the CRISPR-Cas system was detected showcasing variations in architecture and phylogeny. Using bioinformatic tools, we determined the presence, distribution, and specific characteristics of the CRISPR-Cas system. We found a possible association of the system with resistance genes but not with virulence determinants. Analysis of the system's components, including spacer sequences, suggests its potential role in protecting against phage infections, highlighting its protective function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Martínez-Trejo
- Laboratorio de Investigación Clínica y Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Juan Manuel Ruiz-Ruiz
- Laboratorio Clínico, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Pediatría Dr. Silvestre Frenk Freud, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
| | - Luis Uriel Gonzalez-Avila
- Laboratorio de Investigación Clínica y Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Andres Saldaña-Padilla
- Laboratorio de Investigación Clínica y Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Cecilia Hernández-Cortez
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Raúl de Jesús Colmenero-Solís
- Laboratorio de Investigación Clínica y Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | | | - Graciela Castro-Escarpulli
- Laboratorio de Investigación Clínica y Ambiental, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
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Jin X, Cai R, Wang R, Cao Y, Dai Z, Hu Z, Ge X, Tao L, Zhang L. Antibiotic Resistance Characterization and Molecular Characteristics of Enterococcus Species Isolated from Combination Probiotic Preparations in China. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2024; 21:36-43. [PMID: 37824752 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2023.0025] [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: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Enterococci can act as reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant genes that are potentially at risk of being transferred to other bacteria that inhabit in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to determine the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of antibiotic-resistant enterococci isolated from probiotic preparations. In total, we isolated 15 suspected Enterococcus species from 5 compound probiotics, which were identified by 16S rDNA as 12 Enterococcus faecium and 3 Enterococcus faecalis. Determination of antimicrobial susceptibility by the microdilution broth method showed widespread resistance to sulfamethoxazole (100%), norfloxacin (99.3%), azithromycin (99.3%), gentamicin (86.7%), and chloramphenicol (20%). Whole genome sequencing of five resistant strains revealed that all had circular DNA chromosomes and that E. faecium J-1-A to J-4-A contained a plasmid, while E. faecalis J-5-A did not. The results of the resistance gene analysis revealed that each strain contained approximately 30 resistance genes, with the antibiotic resistance genes and the multidrug resistance efflux pump genes mdtG, lmrC, and lmrD detected in all strains. The chloramphenicol resistance genes ykkC and ykkD were first identified in E. faecalis. And there were 21, 19, 21, 21, and 29 virulence factors involved in strains, respectively. Further analysis of the gene islands (GIs) revealed that each strain contained more than 10 GIs. The above results confirm the existence of hidden dangers in the safety of probiotics and remind us to carefully select probiotic preparations containing enterococcal strains to avoid the potential spread of resistance and pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jin
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Rui Cai
- Emergency Department, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruirong Wang
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhen Dai
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Ziyan Hu
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoming Ge
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Tao
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Jiangsu, Nanjing, China
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Sue CK, Cheung NA, Mahoney BJ, McConnell SA, Scully JM, Fu JY, Chang C, Ton-That H, Loo JA, Clubb RT. The basal and major pilins in the Corynebacterium diphtheriae SpaA pilus adopt similar structures that competitively react with the pilin polymerase. Biopolymers 2024; 115:e23539. [PMID: 37227047 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23539] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Many species of pathogenic gram-positive bacteria display covalently crosslinked protein polymers (called pili or fimbriae) that mediate microbial adhesion to host tissues. These structures are assembled by pilus-specific sortase enzymes that join the pilin components together via lysine-isopeptide bonds. The archetypal SpaA pilus from Corynebacterium diphtheriae is built by the Cd SrtA pilus-specific sortase, which crosslinks lysine residues within the SpaA and SpaB pilins to build the shaft and base of the pilus, respectively. Here, we show that Cd SrtA crosslinks SpaB to SpaA via a K139(SpaB)-T494(SpaA) lysine-isopeptide bond. Despite sharing only limited sequence homology, an NMR structure of SpaB reveals striking similarities with the N-terminal domain of SpaA (N SpaA) that is also crosslinked by Cd SrtA. In particular, both pilins contain similarly positioned reactive lysine residues and adjacent disordered AB loops that are predicted to be involved in the recently proposed "latch" mechanism of isopeptide bond formation. Competition experiments using an inactive SpaB variant and additional NMR studies suggest that SpaB terminates SpaA polymerization by outcompeting N SpaA for access to a shared thioester enzyme-substrate reaction intermediate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher K Sue
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nicole A Cheung
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Brendan J Mahoney
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Scott A McConnell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jack M Scully
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Janine Y Fu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chungyu Chang
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Hung Ton-That
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Division of Oral and Systemic Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Joseph A Loo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Robert T Clubb
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Bellinzona G, Merla C, Corbella M, Iskandar EN, Seminari E, Di Matteo A, Gaiarsa S, Petazzoni G, Sassera D, Baldanti F, Piazza A, Cambieri P. Concomitant Resistance to Cefiderocol and Ceftazidime/Avibactam in Two Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Two Lung Transplant Patients. Microb Drug Resist 2024; 30:21-26. [PMID: 37870558 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2023.0054] [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: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we present two cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae, one KPC-33- and one NDM-1-producing, showing resistance to cefiderocol and ceftazidime/avibactam, collected in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Northern Italy from two patients who had recently undergone lung transplantation. Whole-genome sequencing was performed to investigate the molecular features of these strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Bellinzona
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cristina Merla
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marta Corbella
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elizabeth Nagy Iskandar
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Specialization School of Microbiology and Virology, Microbiology and Virology Department, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Seminari
- Division of Infectious Diseases I, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Angela Di Matteo
- Division of Infectious Diseases I, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefano Gaiarsa
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Greta Petazzoni
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Davide Sassera
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Fausto Baldanti
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Aurora Piazza
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic, and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Patrizia Cambieri
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
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Pandova M, Kizheva Y, Tsenova M, Rusinova M, Borisova T, Hristova P. Pathogenic Potential and Antibiotic Susceptibility: A Comprehensive Study of Enterococci from Different Ecological Settings. Pathogens 2023; 13:36. [PMID: 38251343 PMCID: PMC10818344 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010036] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathway and the lifestyle of known enterococcus species are too complicated. The aim of the present study is to trace the path of pathogenicity of enterococci isolated from seven habitats (Cornu aspersum intestine; Bulgarian yoghurt; goat and cow feta cheese-mature and young, respectively; Arabian street food-doner kebab; cow milk; and human breast milk) by comparing their pathogenic potential. In total, 72 enterococcal strains were isolated and identified by MALDI-TOF, sequencing, and PCR. Hemolytic and gelatinase activity were biochemically determined. PCR was carried out for detection of virulence factors (cylB, esp, gls24, nucl, psaA, agg, gelE, and ace) and antibiotic resistance (erm, ermB, blaZ, vanA, aphA, mefA, gyrA, catpIP501, and aac6'-aph2″). Phenotypic antibiotic resistance was assigned according to EUCAST. Eleven representatives of the genus Enterococcus were identified: E. mundtii, E. casseliflavus, E. gilvus, E. pseudoavium, E. pallens, E. malodoratus, E. devriesei, E. gallinarum, E. durans, E. faecium, and E. faecalis. Twenty-two strains expressed α-hemolysis. Thirteen strains had the cylB gene. Only two strains expressed α-hemolysis and possessed the cylB gene simultaneously. Positive amplification for gelE was found in 35% of the isolates, but phenotypic gelatinase activity was observed only in three strains. All isolates showed varying antibiotic resistance. Only E. faecalis BM15 showed multiple resistance (AMP-HLSR-RP). Correlation between genotypic and phenotypic macrolide resistance was revealed for two E. faecalis strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pandova
- Department of General and Industrial Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (M.P.); (M.T.); (P.H.)
| | - Yoana Kizheva
- Department of General and Industrial Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (M.P.); (M.T.); (P.H.)
| | - Margarita Tsenova
- Department of General and Industrial Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (M.P.); (M.T.); (P.H.)
| | - Mariya Rusinova
- Human Milk Bank Bulgaria, 1309 Sofia, Bulgaria; (M.R.); (T.B.)
| | | | - Petya Hristova
- Department of General and Industrial Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (M.P.); (M.T.); (P.H.)
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