scholarly journals Role of Adhesin Release for Mucosal Colonization by a Bacterial Pathogen

2003 ◽  
Vol 197 (6) ◽  
pp. 735-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loïc Coutte ◽  
Sylvie Alonso ◽  
Nathalie Reveneau ◽  
Eve Willery ◽  
Brigitte Quatannens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Early Step ◽  
Bacterial Surface ◽  
Extracellular Milieu ◽  
Wild Type Parent

Pathogen attachment is a crucial early step in mucosal infections. This step is mediated by important virulence factors called adhesins. To exert these functions, adhesins are typically surface-exposed, although, surprisingly, some are also released into the extracellular milieu, the relevance of which has previously not been studied. To address the role of adhesin release in pathogenesis, we used Bordetella pertussis as a model, since its major adhesin, filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), partitions between the bacterial surface and the extracellular milieu. FHA release depends on its maturation by the specific B. pertussis protease SphB1. We constructed SphB1-deficient mutants and found that they were strongly affected in their ability to colonize the mouse respiratory tract, although they adhered even better to host cells in vitro than their wild-type parent strain. The defect in colonization could be overcome by prior nasal instillation of purified FHA or by coinfection with FHA-releasing B. pertussis strains, but not with SphB1-producing FHA-deficient strains, ruling out a nonspecific effect of SphB1. These results indicate that the release of FHA is important for colonization, as it may facilitate the dispersal of bacteria from microcolonies and the binding to new sites in the respiratory tract.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Role of the Bvg Intermediate Phase in Bordetella pertussis during Experimental Respiratory Infection

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 748-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Vergara-Irigaray ◽  
Alberto Chávarri-Martínez ◽  
Juan Rodríguez-Cuesta ◽  
Jeff F. Miller ◽  
Peggy A. Cotter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Intermediate Phase ◽  
Transcriptional Level ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Environmental Signals ◽  
Time Point

ABSTRACT The BvgAS system of Bordetella pertussis was traditionally considered to mediate a transition between two phenotypic phases (Bvg+ and Bvg−) in response to environmental signals. We characterized a third state, the intermediate (Bvgi) phase, which can be induced by introducing a 1-bp substitution into bvgS (the bvgS-I1 mutation) or by growing B. pertussis under conditions intermediate between those leading to the Bvg+ and Bvg− phases. Like B. bronchiseptica, B. pertussis displays in its Bvgi phase a characteristic colony morphology and hemolytic activity and expresses a Bvgi-phase-specific polypeptide called BipA, whose synthesis is regulated by bvgAS at the transcriptional level. Based on our results, we hypothesize that the Bvgi phase of B. pertussis may be involved in facilitating transmission between hosts. Thus, a B. pertussis mutant carrying the bvgS-I1 mutation (GMT1i) persisted at wild-type levels only in the upper murine respiratory tract. Interestingly, a bipA deletion derivative of GMT1i displayed a reduced ability to colonize the nasal cavity of mice compared with GMT1i. However, in experimental mixed infections GMT1i expressing the Bvgi phase could establish an initial colonization in the nose and trachea of mice as efficiently as GMT1, but the wild-type strain outcompeted GMT1i at a later time point at all sites of the respiratory tract, suggesting that the Bvgi phase does not serve as a phenotypic phase specialized in colonization. Finally, even though B. pertussis expresses in vitro the Bvgi phase at the human nasal temperature, anti-BipA antibodies were undetectable in a large collection of sera from pertussis patients.

scholarly journals Differential Requirements for VirB1 and VirB2 during Brucella abortus Infection

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 5143-5149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas B. den Hartigh ◽  
Yao-Hui Sun ◽  
David Sondervan ◽  
Niki Heuvelmans ◽  
Marjolein O. Reinders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Brucella Abortus ◽  
Persistent Infection ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Intracellular Replication ◽  
Bacterial Surface ◽  
Type Iv

ABSTRACT The Brucella abortus virB operon, encoding a type IV secretion system (T4SS), is required for intracellular replication and persistent infection in the mouse model. The products of the first two genes of the virB operon, virB1 and virB2, are predicted to be localized at the bacterial surface, where they could potentially interact with host cells. Studies to date have focused on characterization of transposon mutations in these genes, which are expected to exert polar effects on downstream genes in the operon. In order to determine whether VirB1 and VirB2 are required for the function of the T4SS apparatus, we constructed and characterized nonpolar deletion mutations of virB1 and virB2. Both mutants were shown to be nonpolar, as demonstrated by their ability to express the downstream gene virB5 during stationary phase of growth in vitro. Both VirB1 and VirB2 were essential for intracellular replication in J774 macrophages. The nonpolar virB2 mutant was unable to cause persistent infection in the mouse model, demonstrating the essential role of VirB2 in the function of the T4SS apparatus during infection. In contrast, the nonpolar virB1 mutant persisted at wild-type levels, showing that the function of VirB1 is dispensable in the mouse model of persistent infection.

scholarly journals Role of Aspergillus fumigatus DvrA in Host Cell Interactions and Virulence

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1432-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele E. Ejzykowicz ◽  
Norma V. Solis ◽  
Fabrice N. Gravelat ◽  
Josee Chabot ◽  
Xuexian Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Epithelial Cell ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Epithelial Cell Line ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pulmonary Epithelial Cell

ABSTRACT The transcription factors that regulate Aspergillus fumigatus interactions with host cells and virulence are incompletely defined. We investigated the role of the putative C2H2 transcription factor DvrA in governing these processes. Although DvrA was identified by its limited homology to Candida albicans Bcr1, a ΔdvrA mutant strain of A. fumigatus had wild-type adherence to host constituents in vitro. However, it had increased capacity to damage both endothelial cells and a pulmonary epithelial cell line compared to the ability of the wild-type strain and a ΔdvrA::dvrA-complemented strain. This increase in damage required direct contact between the mutant and host cells. The ΔdvrA mutant also stimulated greater CCL20, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor mRNA expression in a pulmonary epithelial cell line compared to levels induced by the control strains. Also, it was resistant to nikkomycin Z, suggesting an altered cell wall composition. As predicted by these in vitro results, the ΔdvrA mutant had increased virulence and stimulated a greater pulmonary inflammatory response than the wild-type strain and ΔdvrA::dvrA-complemented strains in the nonneutropenic mouse model of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. These results indicate that DvrA influences A. fumigatus virulence as well as its capacity to damage host cells and stimulate a proinflammatory response.

scholarly journals Role of Hcp, a type 6 secretion system effector, of Aeromonas hydrophila in modulating activation of host immune cells

Microbiology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 156 (12) ◽  
pp. 3678-3688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Suarez ◽  
Johanna C. Sierra ◽  
Michelle L. Kirtley ◽  
Ashok K. Chopra
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Aeromonas Hydrophila ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Interleukin 10 ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Bacterial Virulence ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Extracellular Milieu

Recently, we reported that the type 6 secretion system (T6SS) of Aeromonas hydrophila SSU plays an important role in bacterial virulence in a mouse model, and immunization of animals with the T6SS effector haemolysin co-regulated protein (Hcp) protected them against lethal infections with wild-type bacteria. Additionally, we showed that the mutant bacteria deleted for the vasH gene within the T6SS gene cluster did not express the hcp gene, while the vasK mutant could express and translocate Hcp, but was unable to secrete it into the extracellular milieu. Both of these A. hydrophila SSU mutants were readily phagocytosed by murine macrophages, pointing to the possible role of the secreted form of Hcp in the evasion of the host innate immunity. By using the ΔvasH mutant of A. hydrophila, our in vitro data showed that the addition of exogenous recombinant Hcp (rHcp) reduced bacterial uptake by macrophages. These results were substantiated by increased bacterial virulence when rHcp was added along with the ΔvasH mutant in a septicaemic mouse model of infection. Analysis of the cytokine profiling in the intraperitoneal lavage as well as activation of host cells after 4 h of infection with the ΔvasH mutant supplemented with rHcp indicated that this T6SS effector inhibited production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and induced immunosuppressive cytokines, such as interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β, which could circumvent macrophage activation and maturation. This mechanism of innate immune evasion by Hcp possibly inhibited the recruitment of cellular immune components, which allowed bacterial multiplication and dissemination in animals, thereby leading to their mortality.

scholarly journals LYT1 Protein Is Required for Efficient In Vitro Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 3916-3923 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebeca Manning-Cela ◽  
Arantxa Cortés ◽  
Elena González-Rey ◽  
Wesley C. Van Voorhis ◽  
John Swindle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trypanosoma Cruzi ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Parasitophorous Vacuole ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Stage Transition

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma cruzi invasion of host cells involves several discrete steps: attachment, parasite internalization mediated by recruitment and fusion of host cell lysosomes, and escape from the parasitophorous vacuole to liberate amastigotes to multiply freely in the cytosol. This report describes the initial characterization of theLYT1 gene and the demonstration that the gene product is involved in cell lysis and infectivity. Mutational analysis demonstrated that deletion of LYT1 resulted in attenuation of infection, which was associated with diminished hemolytic activity. Reintroduction of LYT1 restored infectivity in null mutants, confirming the critical role of LYT1 in infection. Additionally, in vitro stage transition experiments withLYT1-deficient lines showed that these parasites converted to extracellular amastigote-like cells and metacyclic trypomastigotes more rapidly than wild-type parasites, suggesting that the diminished infectivity was not a result of the LYT1 deficiency that affected the parasite's ability to complete the life cycle.

Role of type III secretion in Edwardsiella tarda virulence

Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (7) ◽  
pp. 2301-2313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. P. Tan ◽  
J. Zheng ◽  
S. L. Tung ◽  
I. Rosenshine ◽  
K. Y. Leung
Keyword(s):  
Type Iii Secretion ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Edwardsiella Tarda ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
Cell Functions ◽  
Survival And Growth

Edwardsiella tarda is a Gram-negative enteric bacterium affecting both animals and humans. Recently, a type III secretion system (TTSS) was found in Ed. tarda. Such systems are generally used by bacterial pathogens to deliver virulence factors into host cells to subvert normal cell functions. Genome-walking was performed from the eseB and esrB genes (homologues of Salmonella sseB and ssrB, respectively) identified in previous studies, to determine the sequences of the TTSS. Thirty-five ORFs were identified which encode the TTSS apparatus, chaperones, effectors and regulators. Mutants affected in genes representing each category were generated and found to have decreased survival and growth in fish phagocytes. LD50 values of the mutants were increased by at least 10-fold in comparison to those of the wild-type strain. The adherence and invasion rates of the esrA and esrB mutants were enhanced while those of the other mutants remained similar to the wild-type. The eseC and eseD mutants showed slight autoaggregation in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium, whereas the rest of the mutants failed to autoaggregate. Regulation of the TTSS was found to involve the two-component regulatory system esrA–esrB. This study showed that the TTSS is important for Ed. tarda pathogenesis. An understanding of this system will provide greater insight into the virulence mechanisms of this bacterial pathogen.

scholarly journals Strain-Dependent Role of BrkA during Bordetella pertussis Infection of the Murine Respiratory Tract

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 5919-5924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly D. Elder ◽  
Eric T. Harvill
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Pertussis Infection ◽  
Redundant Functions

ABSTRACT Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, expresses many virulence factors believed to be involved in infection and disease progression. While these factors as a group are required for infection, deletion of individual virulence factor genes generally has limited effects on the ability of B. pertussis to efficiently infect the respiratory tract of mice, suggesting they may perform noncritical or redundant functions. We have recently observed that a B. pertussis strain, putatively with a mutation of a single gene, brkA, results in a severe defect in vivo. Although BrkA has been shown to be required for B. pertussis to resist complement-mediated killing in vitro, the relevance of these findings to the in vivo role of BrkA during infection has not been examined. Transducing this mutation into multiple wild-type B. pertussis strains allowed us to confirm the in vitro phenotype of reduced resistance to serum complement. All ΔbrkA mutants were increased in their sensitivity to complement in vitro, both in the presence and absence of antibodies. However, these strains differed substantially in their phenotypes in vivo. ΔbrkA mutants of recent clinical isolates were indistinguishable from wild-type strains in their efficient infection of respiratory organs, suggesting that the function of BrkA in these strains is noncritical or redundant. In contrast, multiple ΔbrkA strains derived from Tohama I were severely defective during the first week postinoculation compared to their wild-type parent. This defect was present even in complement-deficient mice, revealing a complement-independent phenotype for the ΔbrkA mutant in respiratory tract infection.

scholarly journals Arabidopsis Disulfide Reductase, Trx-h2, Functions as an RNA Chaperone under Cold Stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6865
Author(s):  
Eun Seon Lee ◽  
Joung Hun Park ◽  
Seong Dong Wi ◽  
Ho Byoung Chae ◽  
Seol Ki Paeng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cold Stress ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Rna Chaperone ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Cold Sensitive ◽  
Thioredoxin H ◽  
Functional Rnas

The thioredoxin-h (Trx-h) family of Arabidopsis thaliana comprises cytosolic disulfide reductases. However, the physiological function of Trx-h2, which contains an additional 19 amino acids at its N-terminus, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the molecular function of Trx-h2 both in vitro and in vivo and found that Arabidopsis Trx-h2 overexpression (Trx-h2OE) lines showed significantly longer roots than wild-type plants under cold stress. Therefore, we further investigated the role of Trx-h2 under cold stress. Our results revealed that Trx-h2 functions as an RNA chaperone by melting misfolded and non-functional RNAs, and by facilitating their correct folding into active forms with native conformation. We showed that Trx-h2 binds to and efficiently melts nucleic acids (ssDNA, dsDNA, and RNA), and facilitates the export of mRNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm under cold stress. Moreover, overexpression of Trx-h2 increased the survival rate of the cold-sensitive E. coli BX04 cells under low temperature. Thus, our data show that Trx-h2 performs function as an RNA chaperone under cold stress, thus increasing plant cold tolerance.

scholarly journals Oxidative Stress as a Possible Target in the Treatment of Toxoplasmosis: Perspectives and Ambiguities

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5705
Author(s):  
Karolina Szewczyk-Golec ◽  
Marta Pawłowska ◽  
Roland Wesołowski ◽  
Marcin Wróblewski ◽  
Celestyna Mila-Kierzenkowska
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Natural Antioxidants ◽  
Redox Status ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Common Disease ◽  
Parasite Viability

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite causing toxoplasmosis, a common disease, which is most typically asymptomatic. However, toxoplasmosis can be severe and even fatal in immunocompromised patients and fetuses. Available treatment options are limited, so there is a strong impetus to develop novel therapeutics. This review focuses on the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology and treatment of T. gondii infection. Chemical compounds that modify redox status can reduce the parasite viability and thus be potential anti-Toxoplasma drugs. On the other hand, oxidative stress caused by the activation of the inflammatory response may have some deleterious consequences in host cells. In this respect, the potential use of natural antioxidants is worth considering, including melatonin and some vitamins, as possible novel anti-Toxoplasma therapeutics. Results of in vitro and animal studies are promising. However, supplementation with some antioxidants was found to promote the increase in parasitemia, and the disease was then characterized by a milder course. Undoubtedly, research in this area may have a significant impact on the future prospects of toxoplasmosis therapy.

scholarly journals Suppressive Role of Bam32/DAPP1 in Chemokine-Induced Neutrophil Recruitment

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1825
Author(s):  
Li Hao ◽  
Aaron J. Marshall ◽  
Lixin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Small Gtpases ◽  
Neutrophil Recruitment ◽  
Neutrophil Chemotaxis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Adaptor Molecule ◽  
Geranylgeranyltransferase I ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Rap1 Activation

Bam32 (B cell adaptor molecule of 32 kDa) functions in the immune responses of various leukocytes. However, the role of neutrophil Bam32 in inflammation is entirely unknown. Here, we determined the role of Bam32 in chemokine CXCL2-induced neutrophil chemotaxis in three mouse models of neutrophil recruitment. By using intravital microscopy in the mouse cremaster muscle, we found that transmigrated neutrophil number, neutrophil chemotaxis velocity, and total neutrophil chemotaxis distance were increased in Bam32−/− mice when compared with wild-type (WT) mice. In CXCL2-induced mouse peritonitis, the total emigrated neutrophils were increased in Bam32−/− mice at 2 but not 4 h. The CXCL2-induced chemotaxis distance and migration velocity of isolated Bam32−/− neutrophils in vitro were increased. We examined the activation of small GTPases Rac1, Rac2, and Rap1; the levels of phospho-Akt2 and total Akt2; and their crosstalk with Bam32 in neutrophils. The deficiency of Bam32 suppressed Rap1 activation without changing the activation of Rac1 and Rac2. The pharmacological inhibition of Rap1 by geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitor (GGTI298) increased WT neutrophil chemotaxis. In addition, the deficiency of Bam32, as well as the inhibition of Rap1 activation, increased the levels of CXCL2-induced Akt1/2 phosphorylation at Thr308/309 in neutrophils. The inhibition of Akt by SH-5 attenuated CXCL2-induced adhesion and emigration in Bam32−/− mice. Together, our results reveal that Bam32 has a suppressive role in chemokine-induced neutrophil chemotaxis by regulating Rap1 activation and that this role of Bam32 in chemokine-induced neutrophil recruitment relies on the activation of PI3K effector Akt.

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