Oxidative stress drives the selection of quorum sensing mutants in the Staphylococcus aureus population

Quorum sensing (QS) is the central mechanism by which social interactions within the bacterial community control bacterial behavior. QS-negative cells benefit by exploiting public goods produced by the QS-proficient population. Mechanisms to keep the balance between producers and nonproducers within the population are expected but have not been elucidated for peptide-based QS systems in gram-positive pathogens. The Agr system of Staphylococcus aureus comprises the secretion and sensing of an autoinducing peptide to activate its own expression via the response regulator AgrA as well as the expression of a regulatory RNAIII and psmα/psmß coding for phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs). Agr mutants can be monitored on blood agar due to their nonhemolytic phenotype. In vitro evolution and competition experiments show that they readily accumulate in a process that is accelerated by ciprofloxacin, while the wild type (WT) is retained in the population at low numbers. However, agr mutants possess a fitness advantage only under aerobic conditions. Under hypoxia, Agr activity is increased but without the expected fitness cost. The Agr-imposed oxygen-dependent fitness cost is not due to a metabolic burden but due to the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inducing capacity of the PSMs and RNAIII-regulated factors. Thus, selection of mutants is dictated by the QS system itself. Under aerobic conditions, emergence of agr-negative mutants may provide the population with a fitness advantage while hypoxia favors QS maintenance and even affords increased toxin production. The oxygen-driven tuning of the Agr system might be of importance to provide the pathogen with capabilities crucial for disease progression.

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Candida albicans Impacts Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin Production via Extracellular Alkalinization

mSphere ◽

10.1128/msphere.00780-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Olivia A. Todd ◽

Mairi C. Noverr ◽

Brian M. Peters

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Candida Albicans ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Bacterial Pathogen ◽

Toxin Production ◽

Extracellular Ph ◽

Morbidity And Mortality ◽

Alpha Toxin ◽

Content Type

ABSTRACT Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are common causes of nosocomial infections with severe morbidity and mortality. Murine polymicrobial intra-abdominal infection (IAI) with C. albicans and S. aureus results in acute mortality dependent on the secreted cytolytic effector alpha-toxin. Here, we confirmed that alpha-toxin is elevated during polymicrobial growth compared to monomicrobial growth in vitro. Therefore, this study sought to unravel the mechanism by which C. albicans drives enhanced staphylococcal alpha-toxin production. Using a combination of functional and genetic approaches, we determined that an intact agr quorum sensing regulon is necessary for enhanced alpha-toxin production during coculture and that a secreted candidal factor likely is not implicated in elevating agr activation. As the agr system is pH sensitive, we observed that C. albicans raises the pH during polymicrobial growth and that this correlates with increased agr activity and alpha-toxin production. Modulation of the pH could predictably attenuate or activate agr activity during coculture. By using a C. albicans mutant deficient in alkalinization (stp2Δ/Δ), we confirmed that modulation of the extracellular pH by C. albicans can drive agr expression and toxin production. Additionally, the use of various Candida species (C. glabrata, C. dubliniensis, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. krusei) demonstrated that those capable of raising the extracellular pH correlated with elevated agr activity and alpha-toxin production during coculture. Overall, we demonstrate that alkalinization of the extracellular pH by the Candida species leads to sustained activation of the staphylococcal agr system. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus are commonly coisolated from central venous catheters and deep-seated infections, including intra-abdominal sepsis. Thus, they represent a significant cause of nosocomial morbidity and mortality. Yet how these organisms behave in the context of polymicrobial growth remains poorly understood. In this work, we set out to determine the mechanism by which activation of the staphylococcal agr quorum sensing system and production of its major virulence effector alpha-toxin is enhanced during coculture with C. albicans. Surprisingly, we likely ruled out that a secreted candidal factor drives this process. Instead, we demonstrated that alkalinization of the extracellular milieu by C. albicans and other Candida species correlated with elevated agr activity. Thus, we propose a mechanism where modulation of the extracellular pH by fungal opportunists can indirectly alter virulence of a bacterial pathogen. Uncovering molecular events that drive interkingdom pathogenicity mechanisms may enhance surveillance and treatment for devastating polymicrobial infections.

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The 5′ NAD Cap of RNAIII Modulates Toxin Production in Staphylococcus aureus Isolates

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.00591-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 202 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hector Gabriel Morales-Filloy ◽

Yaqing Zhang ◽

Gabriele Nübel ◽

Shilpa Elizabeth George ◽

Natalya Korn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Secondary Structure ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Toxin Production ◽

Dual Function ◽

Content Type ◽

The Stability

ABSTRACT Nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD) has been found to be covalently attached to the 5′ ends of specific RNAs in many different organisms, but the physiological consequences of this modification are largely unknown. Here, we report the occurrence of several NAD-RNAs in the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Most prominently, RNAIII, a central quorum-sensing regulator of this bacterium’s physiology, was found to be 5′ NAD capped in a range from 10 to 35%. NAD incorporation efficiency into RNAIII was found to depend in vivo on the −1 position of the P3 promoter. An increase in RNAIII’s NAD content led to a decreased expression of alpha- and delta-toxins, resulting in reduced cytotoxicity of the modified strains. These effects seem to be caused neither by changes in RNAIII’s secondary structure nor by a different translatability upon NAD attachment, as indicated by unaltered patterns in in vitro chemical probing and toeprinting experiments. Even though we did not observe any effect of this modification on RNAIII’s secondary structure or translatability in vitro, additional unidentified factors might account for the modulation of exotoxins in vivo. Ultimately, the study constitutes a step forward in the discovery of new roles of the NAD molecule in bacteria. IMPORTANCE Numerous organisms, including bacteria, are endowed with a 5′ NAD cap in specific RNAs. While the presence of the 5′ NAD cap modulates the stability of the modified RNA species, a significant biological function and phenotype have not been assigned so far. Here, we show the presence of a 5′ NAD cap in RNAIII from S. aureus, a dual-function regulatory RNA involved in quorum-sensing processes and regulation of virulence factor expression. We also demonstrate that altering the natural NAD modification ratio of RNAIII leads to a decrease in exotoxin production, thereby modulating the bacterium’s virulence. Our work unveils a new layer of regulation of RNAIII and the agr system that might be linked to the redox state of the NAD molecule in the cell.

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ω-Hydroxyemodin Limits Staphylococcus aureus Quorum Sensing-Mediated Pathogenesis and Inflammation

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ◽

10.1128/aac.04564-14 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 59 (4) ◽

pp. 2223-2235 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Seth M. Daly ◽

Bradley O. Elmore ◽

Jeffrey S. Kavanaugh ◽

Kathleen D. Triplett ◽

Mario Figueroa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Response Regulator ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Accessory Gene ◽

Antibiotic Resistant ◽

Content Type

ABSTRACTAntibiotic-resistant pathogens are a global health threat. Small molecules that inhibit bacterial virulence have been suggested as alternatives or adjuncts to conventional antibiotics, as they may limit pathogenesis and increase bacterial susceptibility to host killing.Staphylococcus aureusis a major cause of invasive skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in both the hospital and community settings, and it is also becoming increasingly antibiotic resistant. Quorum sensing (QS) mediated by the accessory gene regulator (agr) controls virulence factor production essential for causing SSTIs. We recently identified ω-hydroxyemodin (OHM), a polyhydroxyanthraquinone isolated from solid-phase cultures ofPenicillium restrictum, as a suppressor of QS and a compound sought for the further characterization of the mechanism of action. At concentrations that are nontoxic to eukaryotic cells and subinhibitory to bacterial growth, OHM preventedagrsignaling by all fourS. aureus agralleles. OHM inhibited QS by direct binding to AgrA, the response regulator encoded by theagroperon, preventing the interaction of AgrA with theagrP2 promoter. Importantly, OHM was efficacious in a mouse model ofS. aureusSSTI. Decreased dermonecrosis with OHM treatment was associated with enhanced bacterial clearance and reductions in inflammatory cytokine transcription and expression at the site of infection. Furthermore, OHM treatment enhanced the immune cell killing ofS. aureusin vitroin anagr-dependent manner. These data suggest that bacterial disarmament through the suppression ofS. aureusQS may bolster the host innate immune response and limit inflammation.

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The 5’-NAD cap of RNAIII modulates toxin production in Staphylococcus aureus isolates

10.1101/778233 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Hector Gabriel Morales-Filloy ◽

Yaqing Zhang ◽

Gabriele Nübel ◽

Shilpa Elizabeth George ◽

Natalya Korn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Biological Function ◽

Toxin Production ◽

Dual Function ◽

Large Step ◽

Opportunistic Human Pathogen ◽

The Stability

1AbstractNicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD) has been found to be covalently attached to the 5’-ends of specific RNAs in many different organisms, but the physiological consequences of this modification are largely unknown. Here we report the occurrence of several NAD-RNAs in the opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Most prominently, RNAIII, a central quorum-sensing regulator of this bacterium’s physiology, was found to be 5’-NAD-capped to a significant extent. NAD incorporation efficiency into RNAIII was found to depend in vivo on the −1 position of the P3 promoter. Reduction of RNAIII’s NAD content led to a decreased expression of alpha- and delta-toxins, resulting in reduced cytotoxicity of the modified strains. These effects to not seem to be due to changes in RNAIII’s secondary structure upon NAD attachment, as indicated by largely unaltered patterns in in vitro chemical probing experiments. Our study represents a large step towards establishing a biological function of the 5’-NAD cap, which for RNAIII in S. aureus is to modulate the expression of virulence factors.2ImportanceNumerous organisms, including bacteria, are endowed with a 5’-NAD cap in specific RNAs. While the presence of the 5’-NAD cap modulates the stability of the modified RNA species, a significant biological function and phenotype have not been assigned so far. Here, we show the presence of a 5’-NAD cap in RNAIII from S. aureus, a dual-function regulatory RNA involved in quorum-sensing processes and regulation of virulence factor expression. We also demonstrate that altering the natural NAD modification ratio of RNAIII leads to a decrease in exotoxin production, thereby modulating bacterium’s virulence. Our work unveils a new layer of regulation of RNAIII and the agr system that might be linked to the redox state of the NAD molecule in the cell.

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Castaneroxy A From the Leaves of Castanea sativa Inhibits Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.640179 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Akram M. Salam ◽

Gina Porras ◽

Young-Saeng K. Cho ◽

Morgan M. Brown ◽

Caitlin J. Risener ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

High Performance ◽

Castanea Sativa ◽

Human Keratinocytes ◽

Toxin Production ◽

European Chestnut ◽

Development Of Resistance ◽

Promising Therapeutic Approach

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) represents one of the most serious infectious disease concerns worldwide, with the CDC labeling it a “serious threat” in 2019. The current arsenal of antibiotics works by targeting bacterial growth and survival, which exerts great selective pressure for the development of resistance. The development of novel anti-infectives that inhibit quorum sensing and thus virulence in MRSA has been recurrently proposed as a promising therapeutic approach. In a follow-up of a study examining the MRSA quorum sensing inhibitory activity of extracts of Italian plants used in local traditional medicine, 224C-F2 was reported as a bioactive fraction of a Castanea sativa (European chestnut) leaf extract. The fraction demonstrated high activity in vitro and effective attenuation of MRSA pathogenicity in a mouse model of skin infection. Through further bioassay-guided fractionation using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, a novel hydroperoxy cycloartane triterpenoid, castaneroxy A (1), was isolated. Its structure was established by nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction analyses. Isomers of 1 were also detected in an adjacent fraction. In a series of assays assessing inhibition of markers of MRSA virulence, 1 exerted activities in the low micromolar range. It inhibited agr::P3 activation (IC50 = 31.72 µM), δ-toxin production (IC50 = 31.72 µM in NRS385), supernatant cytotoxicity to HaCaT human keratinocytes (IC50 = 7.93 µM in NRS385), and rabbit erythrocyte hemolytic activity (IC50 = 7.93 µM in LAC). Compound 1 did not inhibit biofilm production, and at high concentrations it exerted cytotoxicity against human keratinocytes greater than that of 224C-F2. Finally, 1 reduced dermonecrosis in a murine model of MRSA infection. The results establish 1 as a promising antivirulence candidate for development against MRSA.

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The Effects of Shock Vancomycin Concentrations on the Formation of Heteroresistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Antibiotics and Chemotherapy ◽

10.37489/0235-2990-2020-65-9-10-3-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 65 (9-10) ◽

pp. 3-7

Author(s):

V. V. Gostev ◽

Yu. V. Sopova ◽

O. S. Kalinogorskaya ◽

M. E. Velizhanina ◽

I. V. Lazareva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

In Vitro Selection ◽

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

High Concentration ◽

Short Term ◽

High Concentrations ◽

Selection Of ◽

Selection Of Resistance ◽

Test Cultures

Glycopeptides are the basis of the treatment of infections caused by MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Previously, it was demonstrated that antibiotic tolerant phenotypes are formed during selection of resistance under the influence of high concentrations of antibiotics. The present study uses a similar in vitro selection model with vancomycin. Clinical isolates of MRSA belonging to genetic lines ST8 and ST239, as well as the MSSA (ATCC29213) strain, were included in the experiment. Test isolates were incubated for five hours in a medium with a high concentration of vancomycin (50 μg/ml). Test cultures were grown on the medium without antibiotic for 18 hours after each exposure. A total of ten exposure cycles were performed. Vancomycin was characterized by bacteriostatic action; the proportion of surviving cells after exposure was 70–100%. After selection, there was a slight increase in the MIC to vancomycin (MIC 2 μg/ml), teicoplanin (MIC 1.5–3 μg/ml) and daptomycin (MIC 0.25–2 μg/ml). According to the results of PAP analysis, all strains showed an increase in the area under curve depending on the concentration of vancomycin after selection, while a heteroresistant phenotype (with PAP/AUC 0.9) was detected in three isolates. All isolates showed walK mutations (T188S, D235N, E261V, V380I, and G223D). Exposure to short-term shock concentrations of vancomycin promotes the formation of heteroresistance in both MRSA and MSSA. Formation of VISA phenotypes is possible during therapy with vancomycin.

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Bacillus cereus Induces Permeability of an In Vitro Blood-Retina Barrier

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.01330-07 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 76 (4) ◽

pp. 1358-1367 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

A. L. Moyer ◽

R. T. Ramadan ◽

J. Thurman ◽

A. Burroughs ◽

M. C. Callegan

Keyword(s):

Quorum Sensing ◽

Bacillus Cereus ◽

Barrier Function ◽

Pigment Epithelium ◽

Retinal Pigment ◽

Toxin Production ◽

Global Regulator ◽

Barrier Permeability ◽

Cell Monolayers

ABSTRACT Most Bacillus cereus toxin production is controlled by the quorum-sensing-dependent, pleiotropic global regulator plcR, which contributes to the organism's virulence in the eye. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of B. cereus infection and plcR-regulated toxins on the barrier function of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, the primary cells of the blood-retina barrier. Human ARPE-19 cells were apically inoculated with wild-type or quorum-sensing-deficient B. cereus, and cytotoxicity was analyzed. plcR-regulated toxins were not required for B. cereus-induced RPE cytotoxicity, but these toxins did increase the rate of cell death, primarily by necrosis. B. cereus infection of polarized RPE cell monolayers resulted in increased barrier permeability, independent of plcR-regulated toxins. Loss of both occludin and ZO-1 expression occurred by 8 h postinfection, but alterations in tight junctions appeared to precede cytotoxicity. Of the several proinflammatory cytokines analyzed, only interleukin-6 was produced in response to B. cereus infection. These results demonstrate the deleterious effects of B. cereus infection on RPE barrier function and suggest that plcR-regulated toxins may not contribute significantly to RPE barrier permeability during infection.

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Canine Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media Affect Bacterial Growth, Biofilm-Associated Staphylococcus aureus and AHL-Dependent Quorum Sensing

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms8101478 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 1478 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dobroslava Bujňáková ◽

Anna Čuvalová ◽

Milan Čížek ◽

Filip Humenik ◽

Michel Salzet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Stem Cell ◽

Quorum Sensing ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cell ◽

Bacterial Growth ◽

Conditioned Media ◽

Amyloid Β Peptide

The present study investigated the in vitro antibacterial, antibiofilm and anti-Quorum Sensing (anti-QS) activities of canine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned media (cBM MSC CM) containing all secreted factors <30 K, using a disc diffusion test (DDT), spectrophotometric Crystal Violet Assay (SCVA) and Bioluminescence Assay (BA) with QS-reporter Escherichia coli JM109 pSB1142. The results show a sample-specific bacterial growth inhibition (zones varied between 7–30 mm), statistically significant modulation of biofilm-associated Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bioluminescence (0.391 ± 0.062 in the positive control to the lowest 0.150 ± 0.096 in the experimental group, cf. 11,714 ± 1362 to 7753 ± 700, given as average values of absorbance A550 ± SD versus average values of relative light units to growth RLU/A550 ± SD). The proteomic analysis performed in our previous experiment revealed the presence of several substances with documented antibacterial, antibiofilm and immunomodulatory properties (namely, apolipoprotein B and D; amyloid-β peptide; cathepsin B; protein S100-A4, galectin 3, CLEC3A, granulin, transferrin). This study highlights that cBM MSC CM may represent an important new approach to managing biofilm-associated and QS signal molecule-dependent bacterial infections. To the best of our knowledge, there is no previous documentation of canine BM MSC CM associated with in vitro antibiofilm and anti-QS activity.

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