scholarly journals Identification of a novel LysR-type transcriptional regulator in Staphylococcus aureus that is crucial for secondary tissue colonization during metastatic bloodstream infection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Groma ◽  
Sarah Horst ◽  
Sudip Das ◽  
Bruno Huettel ◽  
Maximilian Klepsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Copper Ions ◽  
Bacterial Colonization ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Pyrimidine Nucleotides ◽  
Copper Transporter

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bacteremia that can lead to severe complications once the bacteria exit the bloodstream and establish infection into secondary organs. Despite its clinical relevance, little is known about the bacterial factors facilitating the development of these metastatic infections. Here, we used a S. aureus transposon mutant library coupled to transposon insertion sequencing (Tn-Seq) to identify genes that are critical for efficient bacterial colonization of secondary organs in a murine model of metastatic bloodstream infection. Our transposon screen identified a LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR), which was required for efficient colonization of secondary organs such as the kidneys in infected mice. The critical role of LTTR in secondary organ colonization was confirmed using an isogenic mutant deficient in the expression of LTTR. To identify the set of genes controlled by LTTR, we used a S. aureus strain carrying the LTTR gene in an inducible expression plasmid. Gene expression analysis upon induction of LTTR showed increased transcription of genes involved in branched chain amino-acid biosynthesis, a methionine sulfoxide reductase and a copper transporter as wells as decreased transcription of genes coding for urease and components of pyrimidine nucleotides. Furthermore, we show that transcription of LTTR is repressed by glucose, induced under microaerobic conditions, and required trace amounts of copper ions. Our data thus pinpoints LTTR as an important element that enable a rapid adaptation of S. aureus to the changing host microenvironment.

scholarly journals Identification of a Novel LysR-Type Transcriptional Regulator in Staphylococcus aureus That Is Crucial for Secondary Tissue Colonization during Metastatic Bloodstream Infection

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Groma ◽  
Sarah A. Horst ◽  
Sudip Das ◽  
Bruno Huettel ◽  
Maximilian Klepsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Murine Model ◽  
Bacterial Colonization ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Metabolic Adaptation ◽  
Mutant Library ◽  
Copper Transporter ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bacteremia that can lead to severe complications once the bacteria exit the bloodstream and establish infection in secondary organs. Despite its clinical relevance, little is known about the bacterial factors facilitating the development of these metastatic infections. Here, we used an S. aureus transposon mutant library coupled to transposon insertion sequencing (Tn-Seq) to identify genes that are critical for efficient bacterial colonization of secondary organs in a murine model of metastatic bloodstream infection. Our transposon screen identified a LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR), which was required for efficient colonization of secondary organs such as the kidneys in infected mice. The critical role of LTTR in secondary organ colonization was confirmed using an isogenic mutant deficient in the expression of LTTR. To identify the set of genes controlled by LTTR, we used an S. aureus strain carrying the LTTR gene in an inducible expression plasmid. Gene expression analysis upon induction of LTTR showed increased transcription of genes involved in branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, a methionine sulfoxide reductase, and a copper transporter as well as decreased transcription of genes coding for urease and components of pyrimidine nucleotides. Furthermore, we show that transcription of LTTR is repressed by glucose, is induced under microaerobic conditions, and required trace amounts of copper ions. Our data thus pinpoints LTTR as an important element that enables a rapid adaptation of S. aureus to the changing host microenvironment. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that can disseminate via the bloodstream and establish metastatic infections in distant organs. To achieve a better understanding of the bacterial factors facilitating the development of these metastatic infections, we used in this study a Staphylococcus aureus transposon mutant library in a murine model of intravenous infection, where bacteria first colonize the liver as the primary infection site and subsequently progress to secondary sites such as the kidney and bones. We identified a novel LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR), which was specifically required by S. aureus for efficient colonization of secondary organs. We also determined the transcriptional activation as well as the regulon of LTTR, which suggests that this regulator is involved in the metabolic adaptation of S. aureus to the host microenvironment found in secondary infection sites.

scholarly journals GSDMD contributes to host defence against Staphylococcus aureus skin infection by suppressing the Cxcl1–Cxcr2 axis

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen-Zhen Liu ◽  
Yong-Jun Yang ◽  
Feng-Hua Zhou ◽  
Ke Ma ◽  
Xiao-Qi Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Skin Infection ◽  
Bacterial Colonization ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Host Defence ◽  
Skin Damage ◽  
Microbial Infection ◽  
Caspase 1 ◽  
Deficient Mice

AbstractGasdermin D (GSDMD), a member of the gasdermin protein family, is a caspase substrate, and its cleavage is required for pyroptosis and IL-1β secretion. To date, the role and regulatory mechanism of GSDMD during cutaneous microbial infection remain unclear. Here, we showed that GSDMD protected against Staphylococcus aureus skin infection by suppressing Cxcl1–Cxcr2 signalling. GSDMD deficiency resulted in larger abscesses, more bacterial colonization, exacerbated skin damage, and increased inflammatory cell infiltration. Although GSDMD deficiency resulted in defective IL-1β production, the critical role of IL-1β was counteracted by the fact that Caspase-1/11 deficiency also resulted in less IL-1β production but did not aggravate disease severity during S. aureus skin infection. Interestingly, GSDMD-deficient mice had increased Cxcl1 secretion accompanied by increased recruitment of neutrophils, whereas Caspase-1/11-deficient mice presented similar levels of Cxcl1 and neutrophils as wild-type mice. Moreover, the absence of GSDMD promoted Cxcl1 secretion in bone marrow-derived macrophages induced by live, dead, or different strains of S. aureus. Corresponding to higher transcription and secretion of Cxcl1, enhanced NF-κB activation was shown in vitro and in vivo in the absence of GSDMD. Importantly, inhibiting the Cxcl1–Cxcr2 axis with a Cxcr2 inhibitor or anti-Cxcl1 blocking antibody rescued host defence defects in the GSDMD-deficient mice. Hence, these results revealed an important role of GSDMD in suppressing the Cxcl1–Cxcr2 axis to facilitate pathogen control and prevent tissue damage during cutaneous S. aureus infection.

scholarly journals Staphylococcus aureus peptide methionine sulfoxide reductases protect from human whole blood killing.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
William N. Beavers ◽  
Ashley L. DuMont ◽  
Andrew J. Monteith ◽  
K. Nichole Maloney ◽  
Keri A. Tallman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Protein Oxidation ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Human Whole Blood ◽  
Infection Models ◽  
Intraperitoneal Infection ◽  
Peptide Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase

The generation of oxidative stress is a host strategy used to control Staphylococcus aureus infections. Sulfur containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, are particularly susceptible to oxidation because of the inherent reactivity of sulfur. Due to the constant threat of protein oxidation, many systems evolved to protect S. aureus from protein oxidation or to repair protein oxidation after it occurs. The S. aureus peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) system reduces methionine sulfoxide to methionine. Staphylococci have four Msr enzymes, which all perform this reaction. Deleting all four msr genes in USA300 LAC (Δmsr) sensitizes S. aureus to hypochlorous acid (HOCl) killing, however, Δmsr does not exhibit increased sensitivity to H2O2 stress or superoxide anion stress generated by paraquat or pyocyanin. Consistent with increased susceptibility to HOCl killing, Δmsr is slower to recover following co-culture with both murine and human neutrophils than USA300 wildtype. Δmsr is attenuated for dissemination to the spleen following murine intraperitoneal infection and exhibits reduced bacterial burdens in a murine skin infection model. Notably, no differences in bacterial burdens were observed in any organ following murine intravenous infection. Consistent with these observations, USA300 wildtype and Δmsr have similar survival phenotypes when incubated with murine whole blood. However, Δmsr is killed more efficiently by human whole blood. These findings indicate that species-specific immune cell composition of the blood may influence the importance of Msr enzymes during S. aureus infection of the human host. IMPORTANCE Oxidative stress is a host defense strategy to control bacterial infections, and bacteria have evolved systems to counteract this innate immune defense. Here we investigate the peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase system in Staphylococcus aureus that repairs oxidized methionine residues in proteins, preventing the need to resynthesize damaged proteins de novo. Most organisms have an Msr system, and in S. aureus these enzymes are protective against HOCl killing, the major oxidant produced by neutrophils. The S. aureus Msr system does not have a significant contribution to pathogenesis in bacteremia murine infection models but does protect S. aureus in both skin and intraperitoneal infection models. Strains lacking Msr activity are killed equivalently to wildtype by murine whole blood, and Δmsr is more sensitive to killing by human whole blood than the wildtype strain. These data identify the Msr enzymes as important and potentially specific factors for S. aureus pathogenesis in the human host.

Multiple methionine sulfoxide reductase genes in Staphylococcus aureus: expression of activity and roles in tolerance of oxidative stress

Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (10) ◽  
pp. 2739-2747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vineet K. Singh ◽  
Jackob Moskovitz
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Oxidative Stress Response ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Activity Data

Staphylococcus aureus contains three genes encoding MsrA-specific methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) activity (msrA1, msrA2 and msrA3) and an additional gene that encodes MsrB-specific Msr activity. Data presented here suggest that MsrA1 is the major contributor of the MsrA activity in S. aureus. In mutational analysis, while the total Msr activity in msrA2 mutant was comparable to that of the parent, Msr activity was significantly up-regulated in the msrA1 or msrA1 msrA2 double mutant. Assessment of substrate specificity together with increased reactivity of the cell-free protein extracts of the msrA1 mutants to anti-MsrB polyclonal antibodies in Western analysis provided evidence that increased Msr activity was due to elevated synthesis of MsrB in the MsrA1 mutants. Previously, it was reported that oxacillin treatment of S. aureus cells led to induced synthesis of MsrA1 and a mutation in msrA1 increased the susceptibility of the organism to H2O2. A mutation in the msrA2 gene, however, was not significant for the bacterial oxidative stress response. In complementation assays, while the msrA2 gene was unable to complement the msrA1 msrA2 double mutant for H2O2 resistance, the same gene restored H2O2 tolerance in the double mutant when placed under the control of the msrA1 promoter. However, msrA1 which was able to complement the oxidative stress response in msrA1 mutants could not restore the tolerance of the msrA1 msrA2 mutants to H2O2 when placed under the control of the msrA2 promoter. Additionally, although the oxacillin minimum inhibitory concentration of the msrA1 mutant was comparable to that of the wild-type parent, in shaking liquid culture, the msrA1 mutant responded more efficiently to sublethal doses of oxacillin. The data suggest complex regulation of Msr proteins and a more significant physiological role for msrA1/msrB in S. aureus.

scholarly journals Staphylococcus aureus Strain Newman Photoinactivation and Cellular Response to Sunlight Exposure

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill S. McClary ◽  
Lauren M. Sassoubre ◽  
Alexandria B. Boehm
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Human Health Risk ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Sunlight Exposure ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Skin Infections ◽  
Recreational Waters ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Sunlight influences microbial water quality of surface waters. Previous studies have investigated photoinactivation mechanisms and cellular photostress responses of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), including Escherichia coli and enterococci, but further work is needed to characterize photostress responses of bacterial pathogens. Here we investigate the photoinactivation of Staphylococcus aureus (strain Newman), a pigmented, waterborne pathogen of emerging concern. We measured photodecay using standard culture-based assays and cellular membrane integrity and investigated photostress response by measuring the relative number of mRNA transcripts of select oxidative stress, DNA repair, and metabolism genes. Photoinactivation experiments were performed in both oxic and anoxic systems to further investigate the role of oxygen-mediated and non-oxygen-mediated photoinactivation mechanisms. S. aureus lost culturability much faster in oxic systems than in anoxic systems, indicating an important role for oxygen in photodecay mechanisms. S. aureus cell membranes were damaged by sunlight exposure in anoxic systems but not in oxic systems, as measured by cell membrane permeability to propidium iodide. After sunlight exposure, S. aureus increased expression of a gene coding for methionine sulfoxide reductase after 12 h of sunlight exposure in the oxic system and after 6 h of sunlight exposure in the anoxic system, suggesting that methionine sulfoxide reductase is an important enzyme for defense against both oxygen-dependent and oxygen-independent photostresses. This research highlights the importance of oxygen in bacterial photoinactivation in environmentally relevant systems and the complexity of the bacterial photostress response with respect to cell structure and transcriptional regulation. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium that causes gastrointestinal, respiratory, and skin infections. In severe cases, S. aureus infection can lead to life-threatening diseases, including pneumonia and sepsis. Cases of community-acquired S. aureus infection have been increasing in recent years, pointing to the importance of considering S. aureus transmission pathways outside the hospital environment. Associations have been observed between recreational water contact and staphylococcal skin infections, suggesting that recreational waters may be an important environmental transmission pathway for S. aureus. However, prediction of human health risk in recreational waters is hindered by incomplete knowledge of pathogen sources, fate, and transport in this environment. This study is an in-depth investigation of the inactivation of a representative strain of S. aureus by sunlight exposure, one of the most important factors controlling the fate of microbial contaminants in clear waters, which will improve our ability to predict water quality changes and human health risk in recreational waters.

Lack of a functional methionine sulfoxide reductase (MsrB) increases oxacillin and H2O2 stress resistance and enhances pigmentation in Staphylococcus aureus

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 625-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vineet K. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Mutant Cells

Staphylococcus aureus produces 3 MsrA enzymes (MsrA1, MsrA2, and MsrA3) and 1 MsrB enzyme. The genes encoding MsrA1 and MsrB are the first and second genes of a 4-gene operon in S. aureus. In a previous study, MsrA1-deficient S. aureus cells showed increased sensitivity to oxidative stress conditions in spite of a higher production of MsrB. In this study, an msrB mutant of S. aureus was created by site-directed mutagenesis that left the first gene of this locus, msrA1, intact. Studies with this mutant suggest that a deletion of MsrB increases resistance of S. aureus to H2O2 and oxacillin and that the mutant cells produce a higher level of carotenoids relative to wild-type S. aureus cells.

Impact of immunosuppressive agents on clinical manifestations and outcome of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection – A propensity score matched analysis in two large, prospectively evaluated cohorts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Camp ◽  
Lina Glaubitz ◽  
Tim Filla ◽  
Achim J Kaasch ◽  
Frieder Fuchs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Immunosuppressive Agents ◽  
Late Complications ◽  
Competing Risk ◽  
Immunosuppressed Patients ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Baseline Characteristics

Abstract Background Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (SAB) is a common, life-threatening infection. The impact of immunosuppressive agents on the outcome of patients with SAB is incompletely understood. Methods Data from two large prospective, international, multicenter cohort studies (INSTINCT and ISAC) between 2006 and 2015 were analyzed. Patients receiving immunosuppressive agents were identified and a 1:1 propensity score (PS) matched analysis was performed to adjust for baseline characteristics of patients. Overall survival and time to SAB-related late complications (SAB relapse, infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, or other deep-seated manifestations) were analyzed by Cox regression and competing risk analyses, respectively. This approach was then repeated for specific immunosuppressive agents (corticosteroids [CSMT] and immunosuppressive agents other than steroids [IMOTS]). Results Of 3,188 analyzed patients, 309 were receiving immunosuppressive treatment according to our definitions and were matched to 309 non-immunosuppressed patients. After PS matching, baseline characteristics were well balanced. In the Cox regression analysis, we observed no significant difference in survival between the two groups (death during follow-up: 105/309 (33.9 %) immunosuppressed patients vs. 94/309 (30.4 %) non-immunosuppressed, hazard ratio 1.20 (95% CI 0.84–1.71). Competing risk analysis showed a cause-specific hazard ratio (CSHR) of 1.81 (95% CI 0.85–3.87) for SAB-related late-complications in patients receiving immunosuppressive agents. CSHR was higher in patients taking IMOTS (3.69; 95% CI 1.41–9.68). Conclusions Immunosuppressive agents were not associated with an overall higher mortality. The risk for SAB-related late complications in patients receiving specific immunosuppressive agents such as IMOTs warrants further investigations.

scholarly journals The Function of Selenium in Central Nervous System: Lessons from MsrB1 Knockout Mouse Models

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1372
Author(s):  
Tengrui Shi ◽  
Jianxi Song ◽  
Guanying You ◽  
Yujie Yang ◽  
Qiong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
Knockout Mouse ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Knockout Mouse Model ◽  
The Central Nervous System

MsrB1 used to be named selenoprotein R, for it was first identified as a selenocysteine containing protein by searching for the selenocysteine insert sequence (SECIS) in the human genome. Later, it was found that MsrB1 is homologous to PilB in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which is a methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr), specifically reducing L-methionine sulfoxide (L-Met-O) in proteins. In humans and mice, four members constitute the Msr family, which are MsrA, MsrB1, MsrB2, and MsrB3. MsrA can reduce free or protein-containing L-Met-O (S), whereas MsrBs can only function on the L-Met-O (R) epimer in proteins. Though there are isomerases existent that could transfer L-Met-O (S) to L-Met-O (R) and vice-versa, the loss of Msr individually results in different phenotypes in mice models. These observations indicate that the function of one Msr cannot be totally complemented by another. Among the mammalian Msrs, MsrB1 is the only selenocysteine-containing protein, and we recently found that loss of MsrB1 perturbs the synaptic plasticity in mice, along with the astrogliosis in their brains. In this review, we summarized the effects resulting from Msr deficiency and the bioactivity of selenium in the central nervous system, especially those that we learned from the MsrB1 knockout mouse model. We hope it will be helpful in better understanding how the trace element selenium participates in the reduction of L-Met-O and becomes involved in neurobiology.

scholarly journals An unusual thioredoxin system in the facultative parasite Acanthamoeba castellanii

2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 3673-3689
Author(s):  
David Leitsch ◽  
Alvie Loufouma Mbouaka ◽  
Martina Köhsler ◽  
Norbert Müller ◽  
Julia Walochnik
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Redox System ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase A ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Thioredoxin System ◽  
Facultative Parasite

AbstractThe free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii occurs worldwide in soil and water and feeds on bacteria and other microorganisms. It is, however, also a facultative parasite and can cause serious infections in humans. The annotated genome of A. castellanii (strain Neff) suggests the presence of two different thioredoxin reductases (TrxR), of which one is of the small bacterial type and the other of the large vertebrate type. This combination is highly unusual. Similar to vertebrate TrxRases, the gene coding for the large TrxR in A. castellanii contains a UGA stop codon at the C-terminal active site, suggesting the presence of selenocysteine. We characterized the thioredoxin system in A. castellanii in conjunction with glutathione reductase (GR), to obtain a more complete understanding of the redox system in A. castellanii and the roles of its components in the response to oxidative stress. Both TrxRases localize to the cytoplasm, whereas GR localizes to the cytoplasm and the large organelle fraction. We could only identify one thioredoxin (Trx-1) to be indeed reduced by one of the TrxRases, i.e., by the small TrxR. This thioredoxin, in turn, could reduce one of the two peroxiredoxins tested and also methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA). Upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide and diamide, only the small TrxR was upregulated in expression at the mRNA and protein levels, but not the large TrxR. Our results show that the small TrxR is involved in the A. castellanii’s response to oxidative stress. The role of the large TrxR, however, remains elusive.

scholarly journals The Role of Prophage for Genome Diversification within a Clonal Lineage of Lactobacillus johnsonii: Characterization of the Defective Prophage LJ771

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (17) ◽  
pp. 5806-5813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Denou ◽  
Raymond David Pridmore ◽  
Marco Ventura ◽  
Anne-Cécile Pittet ◽  
Marie-Camille Zwahlen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Methionine Sulfoxide ◽  
Gene Cassette ◽  
Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase ◽  
Toxin Gene ◽  
Clonal Lineage ◽  
Lactobacillus Johnsonii ◽  
Reductase Gene ◽  
Phage Dna

ABSTRACT Two independent isolates of the gut commensal Lactobacillus johnsonii were sequenced. These isolates belonged to the same clonal lineage and differed mainly by a 40.8-kb prophage, LJ771, belonging to the Sfi11 phage lineage. LJ771 shares close DNA sequence identity with Lactobacillus gasseri prophages. LJ771 coexists as an integrated prophage and excised circular phage DNA, but phage DNA packaged into extracellular phage particles was not detected. Between the phage lysin gene and attR a likely mazE (“antitoxin”)/pemK (“toxin”) gene cassette was detected in LJ771 but not in the L. gasseri prophages. Expressed pemK could be cloned in Escherichia coli only together with the mazE gene. LJ771 was shown to be highly stable and could be cured only by coexpression of mazE from a plasmid. The prophage was integrated into the methionine sulfoxide reductase gene (msrA) and complemented the 5′ end of this gene, creating a protein with a slightly altered N-terminal sequence. The two L. johnsonii strains had identical in vitro growth and in vivo gut persistence phenotypes. Also, in an isogenic background, the presence of the prophage resulted in no growth disadvantage.

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