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Reuter J, Otten C, Jacquier N, Lee J, Mengin-Lecreulx D, Löckener I, Kluj R, Mayer C, Corona F, Dannenberg J, Aeby S, Bühl H, Greub G, Vollmer W, Ouellette SP, Schneider T, Henrichfreise B. An NlpC/P60 protein catalyzes a key step in peptidoglycan recycling at the intersection of energy recovery, cell division and immune evasion in the intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011047. [PMID: 36730465 PMCID: PMC9928106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular Chlamydiaceae do not need to resist osmotic challenges and thus lost their cell wall in the course of evolution. Nevertheless, these pathogens maintain a rudimentary peptidoglycan machinery for cell division. They build a transient peptidoglycan ring, which is remodeled during the process of cell division and degraded afterwards. Uncontrolled degradation of peptidoglycan poses risks to the chlamydial cell, as essential building blocks might get lost or trigger host immune response upon release into the host cell. Here, we provide evidence that a primordial enzyme class prevents energy intensive de novo synthesis and uncontrolled release of immunogenic peptidoglycan subunits in Chlamydia trachomatis. Our data indicate that the homolog of a Bacillus NlpC/P60 protein is widely conserved among Chlamydiales. We show that the enzyme is tailored to hydrolyze peptidoglycan-derived peptides, does not interfere with peptidoglycan precursor biosynthesis, and is targeted by cysteine protease inhibitors in vitro and in cell culture. The peptidase plays a key role in the underexplored process of chlamydial peptidoglycan recycling. Our study suggests that chlamydiae orchestrate a closed-loop system of peptidoglycan ring biosynthesis, remodeling, and recycling to support cell division and maintain long-term residence inside the host. Operating at the intersection of energy recovery, cell division and immune evasion, the peptidoglycan recycling NlpC/P60 peptidase could be a promising target for the development of drugs that combine features of classical antibiotics and anti-virulence drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jula Reuter
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Otten
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Nicolas Jacquier
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Junghoon Lee
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Iris Löckener
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Robert Kluj
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Organismic Interactions/Glycobiology, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Mayer
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Organismic Interactions/Glycobiology, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Federico Corona
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Dannenberg
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sébastien Aeby
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Henrike Bühl
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gilbert Greub
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Scot P. Ouellette
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Tanja Schneider
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Beate Henrichfreise
- Institute for Pharmaceutical Microbiology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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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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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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