1
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Tonkin RL, Klöckner A, Najer A, Simoes da Silva CJ, Echalier C, Dionne MS, Edwards AM, Stevens MM. Bacterial Toxin-Triggered Release of Antibiotics from Capsosomes Protects a Fly Model from Lethal Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infection. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200036. [PMID: 35481905 PMCID: PMC7615487 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a severe global health threat and hence demands rapid action to develop novel therapies, including microscale drug delivery systems. Herein, a hierarchical microparticle system is developed to achieve bacteria-activated single- and dual-antibiotic drug delivery for preventing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterial infections. The designed system is based on a capsosome structure, which consists of a mesoporous silica microparticle coated in alternating layers of oppositely charged polymers and antibiotic-loaded liposomes. The capsosomes are engineered and shown to release their drug payloads in the presence of MRSA toxins controlled by the Agr quorum sensing system. MRSA-activated single drug delivery of vancomycin and synergistic dual delivery of vancomycin together with an antibacterial peptide successfully kills MRSA in vitro. The capability of capsosomes to selectively deliver their cargo in the presence of bacteria, producing a bactericidal effect to protect the host organism, is confirmed in vivo using a Drosophila melanogaster MRSA infection model. Thus, the capsosomes serve as a versatile multidrug, subcompartmentalized microparticle system for preventing antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, with potential applications to protect wounds or medical device implants from infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée L. Tonkin
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Adrian Najer
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Carolina J. Simoes da Silva
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Cécile Echalier
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Hybrid Technology Hub-Centre of Excellence, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0315, Norway
| | - Marc S. Dionne
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Andrew M. Edwards
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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2
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Becce M, Klöckner A, Higgins SG, Penders J, Hachim D, Bashor CJ, Edwards AM, Stevens MM. Assessing the impact of silicon nanowires on bacterial transformation and viability of Escherichia coli. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:4906-4914. [PMID: 34100486 PMCID: PMC8221286 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb02762f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the biomaterial interface between the bacteria Escherichia coli DH5α and silicon nanowire patterned surfaces. We optimised the engineering of silicon nanowire coated surfaces using metal-assisted chemical etching. Using a combination of focussed ion beam scanning electron microscopy, and cell viability and transformation assays, we found that with increasing interfacing force, cell viability decreases, as a result of increasing cell rupture. However, despite this aggressive interfacing regime, a proportion of the bacterial cell population remains viable. We found that the silicon nanowires neither resulted in complete loss of cell viability nor partial membrane disruption and corresponding DNA plasmid transformation. Critically, assay choice was observed to be important, as a reduction-based metabolic reagent was found to yield false-positive results on the silicon nanowire substrate. We discuss the implications of these results for the future design and assessment of bacteria-nanostructure interfacing experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Becce
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Stuart G. Higgins
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel Hachim
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Caleb J. Bashor
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Andrew M. Edwards
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUK
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3
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Sabnis A, Hagart KLH, Klöckner A, Becce M, Evans LE, Furniss RCD, Mavridou DAI, Murphy R, Stevens MM, Davies JC, Larrouy-Maumus GJ, Clarke TB, Edwards AM. Colistin kills bacteria by targeting lipopolysaccharide in the cytoplasmic membrane. eLife 2021; 10:e65836. [PMID: 33821795 PMCID: PMC8096433 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Colistin is an antibiotic of last resort, but has poor efficacy and resistance is a growing problem. Whilst it is well established that colistin disrupts the bacterial outer membrane (OM) by selectively targeting lipopolysaccharide (LPS), it was unclear how this led to bacterial killing. We discovered that MCR-1 mediated colistin resistance in Escherichia coli is due to modified LPS at the cytoplasmic rather than OM. In doing so, we also demonstrated that colistin exerts bactericidal activity by targeting LPS in the cytoplasmic membrane (CM). We then exploited this information to devise a new therapeutic approach. Using the LPS transport inhibitor murepavadin, we were able to cause LPS accumulation in the CM of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which resulted in increased susceptibility to colistin in vitro and improved treatment efficacy in vivo. These findings reveal new insight into the mechanism by which colistin kills bacteria, providing the foundations for novel approaches to enhance therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Sabnis
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Katheryn LH Hagart
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Anna Klöckner
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Michele Becce
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lindsay E Evans
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research HubLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - R Christopher D Furniss
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Despoina AI Mavridou
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | - Ronan Murphy
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton HospitalLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Molly M Stevens
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Materials, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jane C Davies
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton HospitalLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Gérald J Larrouy-Maumus
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas B Clarke
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Andrew M Edwards
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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4
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Potter M, Najer A, Klöckner A, Zhang S, Holme MN, Nele V, Che J, Massi L, Penders J, Saunders C, Doutch JJ, Edwards AM, Ces O, Stevens MM. Controlled Dendrimersome Nanoreactor System for Localized Hypochlorite-Induced Killing of Bacteria. ACS Nano 2020; 14:17333-17353. [PMID: 33290039 PMCID: PMC7760217 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c07459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a serious global health problem necessitating new bactericidal approaches such as nanomedicines. Dendrimersomes (DSs) have recently become a valuable alternative nanocarrier to polymersomes and liposomes due to their molecular definition and synthetic versatility. Despite this, their biomedical application is still in its infancy. Inspired by the localized antimicrobial function of neutrophil phagosomes and the versatility of DSs, a simple three-component DS-based nanoreactor with broad-spectrum bactericidal activity is presented. This was achieved by encapsulation of glucose oxidase (GOX) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) within DSs (GOX-MPO-DSs), self-assembled from an amphiphilic Janus dendrimer, that possesses a semipermeable membrane. By external addition of glucose to GOX-MPO-DS, the production of hypochlorite (-OCl), a highly potent antimicrobial, by the enzymatic cascade was demonstrated. This cascade nanoreactor yielded a potent bactericidal effect against two important multidrug resistant pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), not observed for H2O2 producing nanoreactors, GOX-DS. The production of highly reactive species such as -OCl represents a harsh bactericidal approach that could also be cytotoxic to mammalian cells. This necessitates the development of strategies for activating -OCl production in a localized manner in response to a bacterial stimulus. One option of locally releasing sufficient amounts of substrate using a bacterial trigger (released toxins) was demonstrated with lipidic glucose-loaded giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), envisioning, e.g., implant surface modification with nanoreactors and GUVs for localized production of bactericidal agents in the presence of bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Potter
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Adrian Najer
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- MRC
Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Valeria Nele
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Junyi Che
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Lucia Massi
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Catherine Saunders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - James J. Doutch
- Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron and Muon
Source, STFC, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K.
| | - Andrew M. Edwards
- MRC
Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Harms H, Klöckner A, Schrör J, Josten M, Kehraus S, Crüsemann M, Hanke W, Schneider T, Schäberle TF, König GM. Antimicrobial Dialkylresorcins from Marine-Derived Microorganisms: Insights into Their Mode of Action and Putative Ecological Relevance. Planta Med 2018; 84:1363-1371. [PMID: 29991081 DOI: 10.1055/a-0653-7451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Zobellia galactanivorans has been reported as a seaweed-associated or marine-derived species with largely unknown secondary metabolites. The combination of bioinformatic analysis and MS- and bioactivity guided separation led to the isolation of a new antibiotically active dialkylresorcin from the marine bacterium Z. galactanivorans. The antibiotic profile of the new dialkylresorcin zobelliphol (1: ) was investigated and compared with related and naturally occurring dialkyresorcins (i.e., stemphol (2: ) and 4-butyl-3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3: )) from the marine-derived fungus Stemphylium globuliferum. Bacterial reporter strain assays provided insights into the mode of action of this antibiotic compound class. We identified an interference with bacterial DNA biosynthesis for the dialkylresorcin derivative 1: . In addition, the putative biosynthetic gene cluster corresponding to production of 1: was identified and a biosynthetic hypothesis was deduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Harms
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Cologne/Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Klöckner
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Cologne/Bonn, Germany
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Schrör
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Michaele Josten
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Cologne/Bonn, Germany
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefan Kehraus
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Max Crüsemann
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Wiebke Hanke
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Cologne/Bonn, Germany
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - Till F Schäberle
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Cologne/Bonn, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Gabriele M König
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Cologne/Bonn, Germany
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6
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Klöckner A, Nagel M, Greub G, Aeby S, Hoffmann K, Liégeois F, Rouet F, De Benedetti S, Borel N, Henrichfreise B. Chlamydia-Related Bacteria in Free-Living and Captive Great Apes, Gabon. Emerg Infect Dis 2018; 22:2199-2201. [PMID: 27869611 PMCID: PMC5189123 DOI: 10.3201/eid2212.150893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
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7
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Bühl H, Eibach D, Nagel M, Greub G, Borel N, Sarpong N, Rettig T, Pesch T, Aeby S, Klöckner A, Brunke M, Krannich S, Kreuels B, Owusu-Dabo E, Hogan B, May J, Henrichfreise B. Chlamydiae in febrile children with respiratory tract symptoms and age-matched controls, Ghana. New Microbes New Infect 2018; 22:44-48. [PMID: 29511568 PMCID: PMC5832669 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Chlamydiales order are obligate intracellular pathogens causing acute and chronic infectious diseases. Chlamydiaceae are established agents of community- and zoonotically acquired respiratory tract infections, and emerging pathogens among the Chlamydia-related bacteria have been implicated in airway infections. The role of both in airway infections in Africa is underexplored. We performed a case -control study on the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia-related emerging pathogens in children with febrile respiratory tract infections in West Africa, Ghana. Using a pan-Chlamydiales broad-range real-time PCR, we detected chlamydial DNA in 11 (1.9%) of 572 hospitalized febrile children with respiratory tract symptoms and in 24 (4.3%) of 560 asymptomatic age-matched controls (p 0.03). Chlamydiaceae were found to be common among both symptomatic and healthy Ghanaian children, with Chlamydia pneumoniae being the most prevalent species. Parachlamydiaceae were detected in two children without symptoms but not in the symptomatic group. We identified neither Chlamydia psittaci nor Simkania negevensis but a member of a new chlamydial family that shared 90.2% sequence identity with the 16S rRNA gene of the zoonotic pathogen Chlamydia pecorum. In addition, we found a new Chlamydia-related species that belonged to a novel family sharing 91.3% 16S rRNA sequence identity with Candidatus Syngnamydia venezia. The prevalence and spectrum of chlamydial species differed from previous results obtained from children of other geographic regions and our study indicates that both, Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia-related bacteria, are not clearly linked to clinical symptoms in Ghanaian children.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Bühl
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Clinic, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - D Eibach
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck, Germany
| | - M Nagel
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - G Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - N Borel
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - N Sarpong
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck, Germany.,Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Department of Child Health, Agogo, Ghana
| | - T Rettig
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - T Pesch
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - S Aeby
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - A Klöckner
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Clinic, University of Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Bonn, Germany
| | - M Brunke
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Clinic, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - S Krannich
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Clinic, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - B Kreuels
- Division of Tropical Medicine, I. Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - E Owusu-Dabo
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana.,Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - B Hogan
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck, Germany
| | - J May
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck, Germany
| | - B Henrichfreise
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Clinic, University of Bonn, Germany
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8
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Abstract
Covering: up to 2017History points to the bacterial cell wall biosynthetic network as a very effective target for antibiotic intervention, and numerous natural product inhibitors have been discovered. In addition to the inhibition of enzymes involved in the multistep synthesis of the macromolecular layer, in particular, interference with membrane-bound substrates and intermediates essential for the biosynthetic reactions has proven a valuable antibacterial strategy. A prominent target within the peptidoglycan biosynthetic pathway is lipid II, which represents a particular "Achilles' heel" for antibiotic attack, as it is readily accessible on the outside of the cytoplasmic membrane. Lipid II is a unique non-protein target that is one of the structurally most conserved molecules in bacterial cells. Notably, lipid II is more than just a target molecule, since sequestration of the cell wall precursor may be combined with additional antibiotic activities, such as the disruption of membrane integrity or disintegration of membrane-bound multi-enzyme machineries. Within the membrane bilayer lipid II is likely organized in specific anionic phospholipid patches that form a particular "landing platform" for antibiotics. Nature has invented a variety of different "lipid II binders" of at least 5 chemical classes, and their antibiotic activities can vary substantially depending on the compounds' physicochemical properties, such as amphiphilicity and charge, and thus trigger diverse cellular effects that are decisive for antibiotic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Müller
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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9
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Wilmes M, Meier K, Schiefer A, Josten M, Otten CF, Klöckner A, Henrichfreise B, Vollmer W, Hoerauf A, Pfarr K. AmiD Is a Novel Peptidoglycan Amidase in Wolbachia Endosymbionts of Drosophila melanogaster. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:353. [PMID: 28824885 PMCID: PMC5543032 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia endobacteria are obligate intracellular bacteria with a highly reduced genome infecting many arthropod and filarial species, in which they manipulate arthropod reproduction to increase their transmission and are essential for nematode development and survival. The Wolbachia genome encodes all enzymes required for the synthesis of the cell wall building block lipid II, although a peptidoglycan-like structure has not been detected. Despite the ability to synthesize lipid II, Wolbachia from arthropods and nematodes have only a subset of genes encoding enzymes involved in the periplasmic processing of lipid II and peptidoglycan recycling, with arthropods having two more than nematodes. We functionally analyzed the activity of the putative cell wall hydrolase AmiD from the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila melanogaster, an enzyme not encoded by the nematode endobacteria. Wolbachia AmiD has Zn2+-dependent amidase activity and cleaves intact peptidoglycan, monomeric lipid II and anhydromuropeptides, substrates that are generated during bacterial growth. AmiD may have been maintained in arthropod Wolbachia to avoid host immune recognition by degrading cell wall fragments in the periplasm. This is the first description of a wolbachial lipid II processing enzyme putatively expressed in the periplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Wilmes
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital BonnBonn, Germany
| | - Kirstin Meier
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital BonnBonn, Germany
| | - Andrea Schiefer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital BonnBonn, Germany
| | - Michaele Josten
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital BonnBonn, Germany
| | - Christian F Otten
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Bioscience, Newcastle UniversityNewcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of BonnBonn, Germany
| | | | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Bioscience, Newcastle UniversityNewcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital BonnBonn, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-CologneBonn, Germany
| | - Kenneth Pfarr
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital BonnBonn, Germany
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10
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Otten C, De Benedetti S, Gaballah A, Bühl H, Klöckner A, Brauner J, Sahl HG, Henrichfreise B. Co-solvents as stabilizing agents during heterologous overexpression in Escherichia coli - application to chlamydial penicillin-binding protein 6. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122110. [PMID: 25849314 PMCID: PMC4388811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterologous overexpression of foreign proteins in Escherichia coli often leads to insoluble aggregates of misfolded inactive proteins, so-called inclusion bodies. To solve this problem use of chaperones or in vitro refolding procedures are the means of choice. These methods are time consuming and cost intensive, due to additional purification steps to get rid of the chaperons or the process of refolding itself. We describe an easy to use lab-scale method to avoid formation of inclusion bodies. The method systematically combines use of co-solvents, usually applied for in vitro stabilization of biologicals in biopharmaceutical formulation, and periplasmic expression and can be completed in one week using standard equipment in any life science laboratory. Demonstrating the unique power of our method, we overproduced and purified for the first time an active chlamydial penicillin-binding protein, demonstrated its function as penicillin sensitive DD-carboxypeptidase and took a major leap towards understanding the "chlamydial anomaly."
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Otten
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- * E-mail: (BH); (CO)
| | | | - Ahmed Gaballah
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Henrike Bühl
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jarryd Brauner
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Sahl
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Beate Henrichfreise
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- * E-mail: (BH); (CO)
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Klöckner A, Otten C, Derouaux A, Vollmer W, Bühl H, De Benedetti S, Münch D, Josten M, Mölleken K, Sahl HG, Henrichfreise B. AmiA is a penicillin target enzyme with dual activity in the intracellular pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae. Nat Commun 2014; 5:4201. [PMID: 24953137 PMCID: PMC4083426 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular Chlamydiaceae do not need to resist osmotic challenges and a functional cell wall was not detected in these pathogens. Nevertheless, a recent study revealed evidence for circular peptidoglycan-like structures in Chlamydiaceae and penicillin inhibits cytokinesis, a phenomenon known as the chlamydial anomaly. Here, by characterizing a cell wall precursor-processing enzyme, we provide insights into the mechanisms underlying this mystery. We show that AmiA from Chlamydia pneumoniae separates daughter cells in an Escherichia coli amidase mutant. Contrary to homologues from free-living bacteria, chlamydial AmiA uses lipid II as a substrate and has dual activity, acting as an amidase and a carboxypeptidase. The latter function is penicillin sensitive and assigned to a penicillin-binding protein motif. Consistent with the lack of a regulatory domain in AmiA, chlamydial CPn0902, annotated as NlpD, is a carboxypeptidase, rather than an amidase activator, which is the case for E. coli NlpD. Functional conservation of AmiA implicates a role in cytokinesis and host response modulation. Penicillin inhibits growth of chlamydial pathogens despite their lack of a conventional peptidoglycan cell wall. Here the authors report that the chlamydial amidase, AmiA, which can rescue cell division defects of an E. coli amiA mutant, has dual activity as a penicillin sensitive, lipid II-targetting carboxypeptidase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Klöckner
- 1] Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany [2]
| | - Christian Otten
- 1] Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany [2]
| | - Adeline Derouaux
- 1] The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK [2]
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK
| | - Henrike Bühl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefania De Benedetti
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniela Münch
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Michaele Josten
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Katja Mölleken
- Institute of Functional Microbial Genomics, University of Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Sahl
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Beate Henrichfreise
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
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De Benedetti S, Bühl H, Gaballah A, Klöckner A, Otten C, Schneider T, Sahl HG, Henrichfreise B. Characterization of serine hydroxymethyltransferase GlyA as a potential source of D-alanine in Chlamydia pneumoniae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:19. [PMID: 24616885 PMCID: PMC3935232 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [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: 10/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
For intracellular Chlamydiaceae, there is no need to withstand osmotic challenges, and a functional cell wall has not been detected in these pathogens so far. Nevertheless, penicillin inhibits cell division in Chlamydiaceae resulting in enlarged aberrant bodies, a phenomenon known as chlamydial anomaly. D-alanine is a unique and essential component in the biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls. In free-living bacteria like Escherichia coli, penicillin-binding proteins such as monofunctional transpeptidases PBP2 and PBP3, the putative targets of penicillin in Chlamydiaceae, cross-link adjacent peptidoglycan strands via meso-diaminopimelic acid and D-Ala-D-Ala moieties of pentapeptide side chains. In the absence of genes coding for alanine racemase Alr and DadX homologs, the source of D-Ala and thus the presence of substrates for PBP2 and PBP3 activity in Chlamydiaceae has puzzled researchers for years. Interestingly, Chlamydiaceae genomes encode GlyA, a serine hydroxymethyltransferase that has been shown to exhibit slow racemization of D- and L-alanine as a side reaction in E. coli. We show that GlyA from Chlamydia pneumoniae can serve as a source of D-Ala. GlyA partially reversed the D-Ala auxotrophic phenotype of an E. coli racemase double mutant. Moreover, purified chlamydial GlyA had racemase activity on L-Ala in vitro and was inhibited by D-cycloserine, identifying GlyA, besides D-Ala ligase MurC/Ddl, as an additional target of this competitive inhibitor in Chlamydiaceae. Proof of D-Ala biosynthesis in Chlamydiaceae helps to clarify the structure of cell wall precursor lipid II and the role of chlamydial penicillin-binding proteins in the development of non-dividing aberrant chlamydial bodies and persistence in the presence of penicillin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania De Benedetti
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Henrike Bühl
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Ahmed Gaballah
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Otten
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Sahl
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
| | - Beate Henrichfreise
- Pharmaceutical Microbiology Section, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn Bonn, Germany
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Abstract
In lymph node diagnosis, difficulties are frequently encountered with the differential diagnosis of reactive and neoplastic T-cell proliferations. Immunohistochemistry is of limited use, and fresh frozen material for DNA studies is not available in many cases. We have established a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to amplify rearranged T-cell receptor (TCR)-gamma sequences from paraffin-embedded material. Our method differs from other techniques previously described in that it uses four sets of family-specific variable (V)gamma primers. Clonality of the investigated T cells is reflected not only by the varying lengths of amplified products but also by differences in the relative amount of rearranged V gamma families. Preliminary studies indicate that this approach can provide information about the presence of predominant T-cell clones within the sample and thus help to classify the lymph node lesion. With this technique we were able to confirm clonality in seven of 12 T-cell lymphomas in paraffin-embedded tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lorenzen
- Department of Pathology, University of Cologne, Germany
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Deffner G, Grieve P, Klöckner A, Kurme A. [Allergic symptoms in children and the environment--a pilot project for the assessment of an empirical approach]. Offentl Gesundheitswes 1988; 50:666-9. [PMID: 2976921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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