scholarly journals F-type Pyocins are Diverse Non-Contractile Phage Tail-Like Weapons for Killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Senjuti Saha ◽  
Chidozie D. Ojobor ◽  
Erik Mackinnon ◽  
Olesia I. North ◽  
Joseph Bondy-Denomy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Bactericidal Activity ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Intraspecies Competition

ABSTRACTMost Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains produce bacteriocins derived from contractile or non-contractile phage tails known as R-type and F-type pyocins, respectively. These bacteriocins possess strain-specific bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa and likely increase evolutionary fitness through intraspecies competition. R-type pyocins have been studied extensively and show promise as alternatives to antibiotics. Although they have similar therapeutic potential, experimental studies on F-type pyocins are limited. Here, we provide a bioinformatic and experimental investigation of F-type pyocins. We introduce a systematic naming scheme for genes found in R- and F-type pyocin operons and identify 15 genes invariably found in strains producing F-type pyocins. Five proteins encoded at the 3’-end of the F-type pyocin cluster are divergent in sequence, and likely determine bactericidal specificity. We use sequence similarities among these proteins to define 11 distinct F-type pyocin groups, five of which had not been previously described. The five genes encoding the variable proteins associate in two modules that have clearly re-assorted independently during the evolution of these operons. These proteins are considerably more diverse than the specificity-determining tail fibers of R-type pyocins, suggesting that F-type pyocins emerged earlier or have been subject to distinct evolutionary pressures. Experimental studies on six F-type pyocin groups show that each displays a distinct spectrum of bactericidal activity. This activity is strongly influenced by the lipopolysaccharide O-antigen type, but other factors also play a role. F-type pyocins appear to kill as efficiently as R-type pyocins. These studies set the stage for the development of F-type pyocins as anti-bacterial therapeutics.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes a broad spectrum of antibiotic resistant infections with high mortality rates, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis patients. Due to the increasing frequency of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa infections, there is great interest in the development of alternative therapeutics. One alternative is protein-based antimicrobials called bacteriocins, which are produced by one strain of bacteria to kill other strains. In this study, we investigate F-type pyocins, bacteriocins naturally produced by P. aeruginosa that resemble non-contractile phage tails. We show that they are potent killers of P. aeruginosa, and distinct pyocin groups display different killing specificities. We have identified the probable specificity determinants of F-type pyocins, which opens up the potential to engineer them to precisely target strains of pathogenic bacteria. The resemblance of F-type pyocins to well characterized phage tails will greatly facilitate their development into effective antibacterials.

scholarly journals The Concerted Action of Two B3-Like Prophage Genes Excludes Superinfecting Bacteriophages by Blocking DNA Entry into Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Antonio Carballo-Ontiveros ◽  
Adrián Cazares ◽  
Pablo Vinuesa ◽  
Luis Kameyama ◽  
Gabriel Guarneros
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Alternative Therapy ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Secondary Infections ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACT In this study, we describe seven vegetative phage genomes homologous to the historic phage B3 that infect Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Like other phage groups, the B3-like group contains conserved (core) and variable (accessory) open reading frames (ORFs) grouped at fixed regions in their genomes; however, in either case, many ORFs remain without assigned functions. We constructed lysogens of the seven B3-like phages in strain Ps33 of P. aeruginosa, a novel clinical isolate, and assayed the exclusion phenotype against a variety of temperate and virulent superinfecting phages. In addition to the classic exclusion conferred by the phage immunity repressor, the phenotype observed in B3-like lysogens suggested the presence of other exclusion genes. We set out to identify the genes responsible for this exclusion phenotype. Phage Ps56 was chosen as the study subject since it excluded numerous temperate and virulent phages. Restriction of the Ps56 genome, cloning of several fragments, and resection of the fragments that retained the exclusion phenotype allowed us to identify two core ORFs, so far without any assigned function, as responsible for a type of exclusion. Neither gene expressed separately from plasmids showed activity, but the concurrent expression of both ORFs is needed for exclusion. Our data suggest that phage adsorption occurs but that phage genome translocation to the host’s cytoplasm is defective. To our knowledge, this is the first report on this type of exclusion mediated by a prophage in P. aeruginosa. IMPORTANCE Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacterium frequently isolated from infected immunocompromised patients, and the strains are resistant to a broad spectrum of antibiotics. Recently, the use of phages has been proposed as an alternative therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, this approach may present various hurdles. This work addresses the problem that pathogenic bacteria may be lysogenized by phages carrying genes encoding resistance against secondary infections, such as those used in phage therapy. Discovering phage genes that exclude superinfecting phages not only assigns novel functions to orphan genes in databases but also provides insight into selection of the proper phages for use in phage therapy.

scholarly journals Bacteriophages: the possible solution to treat infections caused by pathogenic bacteria

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 865-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman El-Shibiny ◽  
Salma El-Sahhar
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Western World ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Vaccine Production ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant

Since their discovery in 1915, bacteriophages have been used to treat bacterial infections in animals and humans because of their unique ability to infect their specific bacterial hosts without affecting other bacterial populations. The research carried out in this field throughout the 20th century, largely in Georgia, part of USSR and Poland, led to the establishment of phage therapy protocols. However, the discovery of penicillin and sulfonamide antibiotics in the Western World during the 1930s was a setback in the advancement of phage therapy. The misuse of antibiotics has reduced their efficacy in controlling pathogens and has led to an increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As an alternative to antibiotics, bacteriophages have become a topic of interest with the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which are a threat to public health. Recent studies have indicated that bacteriophages can be used indirectly to detect pathogenic bacteria or directly as biocontrol agents. Moreover, they can be used to develop new molecules for clinical applications, vaccine production, drug design, and in the nanomedicine field via phage display.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Activity of Ceftazidime-Avibactam Tested against Multidrug-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates from U.S. Medical Centers, 2013 to 2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helio S. Sader ◽  
Mariana Castanheira ◽  
Dee Shortridge ◽  
Rodrigo E. Mendes ◽  
Robert K. Flamm
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Large Collection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Extensively Drug Resistant ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACT The in vitro activity of ceftazidime-avibactam and many comparator agents was determined against various resistant subsets of organisms selected among 36,380 Enterobacteriaceae and 7,868 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. The isolates were consecutively collected from 94 U.S. hospitals, and all isolates were tested for susceptibility by reference broth microdilution methods in a central monitoring laboratory (JMI Laboratories). Enterobacteriaceae isolates resistant to carbapenems (CRE) and/or ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC ≥ 16 μg/ml) were evaluated for the presence of genes encoding extended-spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemases. Ceftazidime-avibactam inhibited >99.9% of all Enterobacteriaceae at the susceptible breakpoint of ≤8 μg/ml and was active against multidrug-resistant (MDR; n = 2,953; MIC50/90, 0.25/1 μg/ml; 99.2% susceptible), extensively drug-resistant (XDR; n = 448; MIC50/90, 0.5/2 μg/ml; 97.8% susceptible), and CRE (n = 513; MIC50/90, 0.5/2 μg/ml; 97.5% susceptible) isolates. Only 82.2% of MDR Enterobacteriaceae (n = 2,953) and 64.2% of ceftriaxone-nonsusceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1,063) isolates were meropenem susceptible. Among Enterobacter cloacae (22.2% ceftazidime nonsusceptible), 99.8% of the isolates, including 99.3% of the ceftazidime-nonsusceptible isolates, were ceftazidime-avibactam susceptible. Only 23 of 36,380 Enterobacteriaceae (0.06%) isolates were ceftazidime-avibactam nonsusceptible, including 9 metallo-β-lactamase producers and 2 KPC-producing strains with porin alteration; the remaining 12 strains showed negative results for all β-lactamases tested. Ceftazidime-avibactam showed potent activity against P. aeruginosa (MIC50/90, 2/4 μg/ml; 97.1% susceptible), including MDR (MIC50/90, 4/16 μg/ml; 86.5% susceptible) isolates, and inhibited 71.8% of isolates nonsusceptible to meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ceftazidime (n = 628). In summary, ceftazidime-avibactam demonstrated potent activity against a large collection (n = 44,248) of contemporary Gram-negative bacilli isolated from U.S. patients, including organisms resistant to most currently available agents, such as CRE and meropenem-nonsusceptible P. aeruginosa.

Reservoirs of resistance: polymyxin resistance in veterinary-associated companion animal isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2019 ◽  
Vol 185 (7) ◽  
pp. 206-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Scott ◽  
Sian Pottenger ◽  
Dorina Timofte ◽  
Matthew Moore ◽  
Laura Wright ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Polymyxin B ◽  
Potential Reservoir ◽  
Human Infections ◽  
Animal Isolates

BackgroundPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen and a major cause of infections. Widespread resistance in human infections are increasing the use of last resort antimicrobials such as polymyxins. However, these have been used for decades in veterinary medicine. Companion animals are an understudied source of antimicrobial resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. This study evaluated the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa veterinary isolates to polymyxins to determine whether the veterinary niche represents a potential reservoir of resistance genes for pathogenic bacteria in both animals and humans.Methods and resultsClinical P. aeruginosa isolates (n=24) from UK companion animals were compared for antimicrobial susceptibility to a panel of human-associated isolates (n=37). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for polymyxin B and colistin in the companion animals was significantly higher than in human isolates (P=0.033 and P=0.013, respectively). Genotyping revealed that the veterinary isolates were spread throughout the P. aeruginosa population, with shared array types from human infections such as keratitis and respiratory infections, suggesting the potential for zoonotic transmission. Whole genome sequencing revealed mutations in genes associated with polymyxin resistance and other antimicrobial resistance-related genes.ConclusionThe high levels of resistance to polymyxin shown here, along with genetic similarities between some human and animal isolates, together suggest a need for sustained surveillance of this veterinary niche as a potential reservoir for resistant, clinically relevant bacteria in both animals and humans.

A Critical Evaluation of Newer β-Lactam Antibiotics for Treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections

2020 ◽  
pp. 106002802097400
Author(s):  
Kathleen C. Blomquist ◽  
David E. Nix
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Study Selection

Objective: This article critically evaluates common Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance mechanisms and the properties newer β-lactam antimicrobials possess to evade these mechanisms. Data Sources: An extensive PubMed, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov search was conducted (January 1995 to July 2020) to identify relevant literature on epidemiology, resistance mechanisms, antipseudomonal agents, newer β-lactam agents, and clinical data available pertaining to P aeruginosa. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant published articles and package inserts were reviewed for inclusion. Data Synthesis: Therapeutic options to treat P aeruginosa infections are limited because of its intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms. The goal was to identify advances with newer β-lactams and characterize improvements in therapeutic potential for P aeruginosa infections. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) P aeruginosa isolates are increasingly encountered from a variety of infections. This review highlights potential activity gains of newer β-lactam antibacterial drugs and the current clinical data to support their use. Pharmacists will be asked to recommend or evaluate the use of these agents and need to be aware of information specific to P aeruginosa, which differs from experience derived from Enterobacterales infections. Conclusions: Newer agents, including ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, imipenem-relebactam, and cefiderocol, are useful for the treatment of MDR P aeruginosa infections. These agents offer improved efficacy and less toxicity compared with aminoglycosides and polymyxins and can be used for pathogens that are resistant to first-line antipseudomonal β-lactams. Selection of one agent over another should consider availability, turnaround of susceptibility testing, and product cost. Efficacy data specific for pseudomonal infections are limited, and there are no direct comparisons between the newer agents.

scholarly journals Identification of Novel Bacteriophages with Therapeutic Potential That TargetEnterococcus faecalis

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Al-Zubidi ◽  
M. Widziolek ◽  
E. K. Court ◽  
A. F. Gains ◽  
R. E. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Range ◽  
Root Canal ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Endodontic Infection ◽  
Tail Protein

ABSTRACTThe Gram-positive opportunistic pathogenEnterococcus faecalisis frequently responsible for nosocomial infections in humans and represents one of the most common bacteria isolated from recalcitrant endodontic (root canal) infections.E. faecalisis intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics routinely used in clinical settings (such as cephalosporins and aminoglycosides) and can acquire resistance to vancomycin (vancomycin-resistant enterococci). The resistance ofE. faecalisto several classes of antibiotics and its capacity to form biofilms cause serious therapeutic problems. Here, we report the isolation of several bacteriophages that targetE. faecalisstrains isolated from the oral cavity of patients suffering root canal infections. All phages isolated wereSiphoviridaewith similar tail lengths (200 to 250 nm) and icosahedral heads. The genome sequences of three isolated phages were highly conserved with the exception of predicted tail protein genes that diverge in sequence, potentially reflecting the host range. The properties of the phage with the broadest host range (SHEF2) were further characterized. We show that this phage requires interaction with components of the major and variant region enterococcal polysaccharide antigen to engage in lytic infection. Finally, we explored the therapeutic potential of this phage and show that it can eradicateE. faecalisbiofilms formedin vitroon a standard polystyrene surface but also on a cross-sectional tooth slice model of endodontic infection. We also show that SHEF2 cleared a lethal infection of zebrafish when applied in the circulation. We therefore propose that the phage described here could be used to treat a broad range of antibiotic-resistantE. faecalisinfections.

scholarly journals In Vitro Bactericidal Activity of Human β-Defensin 3 against Multidrug-Resistant Nosocomial Strains

2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 806-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppantonio Maisetta ◽  
Giovanna Batoni ◽  
Semih Esin ◽  
Walter Florio ◽  
Daria Bottai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Bactericidal Activity ◽  
Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia ◽  
Bactericidal Effect ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Gram Negative

ABSTRACT The antimicrobial activity of human β-defensin 3 (hBD-3) against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Acinetobacter baumannii was evaluated. A fast bactericidal effect (within 20 min) against all bacterial strains tested was observed. The presence of 20% human serum abolished the bactericidal activity of hBD-3 against gram-negative strains and reduced the activity of the peptide against gram-positive strains.

scholarly journals Problematic clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the university hospitals in Sofia, Bulgaria: current status of antimicrobial resistance and prevailing resistance mechanisms

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 956-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Strateva ◽  
Vessela Ouzounova-Raykova ◽  
Boyka Markova ◽  
Albena Todorova ◽  
Yulia Marteva-Proevska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Carbapenem Resistance ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Current Status ◽  
University Hospitals ◽  
Active Efflux ◽  
Genes Encoding

A total of 203 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was collected during 2001–2006 from five university hospitals in Sofia, Bulgaria, to assess the current levels of antimicrobial susceptibility and to evaluate resistance mechanisms to antipseudomonal antimicrobial agents. The antibiotic resistance rates against the following antimicrobials were: carbenicillin 93.1 %, azlocillin 91.6 %, piperacillin 86.2 %, piperacillin/tazobactam 56.8 %, ceftazidime 45.8 %, cefepime 48.9 %, cefpirome 58.2 %, aztreonam 49.8 %, imipenem 42.3 %, meropenem 45.5 %, amikacin 59.1 %, gentamicin 79.7 %, tobramycin 89.6 %, netilmicin 69.6 % and ciprofloxacin 80.3 %. A total of 101 of the studied P. aeruginosa isolates (49.8 %) were multidrug resistant. Structural genes encoding class A and class D β-lactamases showed the following frequencies: bla VEB-1 33.1 %, bla PSE-1 22.5 %, bla PER-1 0 %, bla OXA-groupI 41.3 % and bla OXA-groupII 8.8 %. IMP- and VIM-type carbapenemases were not detected. In conclusion, the studied clinical strains of P. aeruginosa were problematic nosocomial pathogens. VEB-1 extended-spectrum β-lactamases appear to have a significant presence among clinical P. aeruginosa isolates from Sofia. Carbapenem resistance was related to non-enzymic mechanisms such as a deficiency of OprD proteins and active efflux.

scholarly journals Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates in Nepal Coproducing Metallo-β-Lactamases and 16S rRNA Methyltransferases

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuya Tada ◽  
Kayo Shimada ◽  
Kazuhito Satou ◽  
Takashi Hirano ◽  
Bharat M. Pokhrel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
First Report ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACT A total of 11 multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates were obtained in Nepal. Four of these isolates harbored genes encoding one or more carbapenemases (DIM-1, NDM-1, and/or VIM-2), and five harbored genes encoding a 16S rRNA methyltransferase (RmtB4 or RmtF2). A novel RmtF variant, RmtF2, had a substitution (K65E) compared with the same gene in RmtF. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing carbapenemase- and 16S rRNA methyltransferase-coproducing P. aeruginosa clinical isolates in Nepal.

scholarly journals TheprrF-Encoded Small Regulatory RNAs Are Required for Iron Homeostasis and Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 863-875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria A. Reinhart ◽  
Daniel A. Powell ◽  
Angela T. Nguyen ◽  
Maura O'Neill ◽  
Louise Djapgne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Small Regulatory Rnas ◽  
Regulatory Rnas ◽  
Heme Regulation ◽  
Heme Binding Protein

Pseudomonas aeruginosais an opportunistic pathogen that requires iron to cause infection, but it also must regulate the uptake of iron to avoid iron toxicity. The iron-responsive PrrF1 and PrrF2 small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are part ofP. aeruginosa'siron regulatory network and affect the expression of at least 50 genes encoding iron-containing proteins. The genes encoding the PrrF1 and PrrF2 sRNAs are encoded in tandem inP. aeruginosa, allowing for the expression of a distinct, heme-responsive sRNA named PrrH that appears to regulate genes involved in heme metabolism. Using a combination of growth, mass spectrometry, and gene expression analysis, we showed that the ΔprrF1,2mutant, which lacks expression of the PrrF and PrrH sRNAs, is defective for both iron and heme homeostasis. We also identifiedphuS, encoding a heme binding protein involved in heme acquisition, andvreR, encoding a previously identified regulator ofP. aeruginosavirulence genes, as novel targets ofprrF-mediated heme regulation. Finally, we showed that theprrFlocus encoding the PrrF and PrrH sRNAs is required forP. aeruginosavirulence in a murine model of acute lung infection. Moreover, we showed that inoculation with a ΔprrF1,2deletion mutant protects against future challenge with wild-typeP. aeruginosa. Combined, these data demonstrate that theprrF-encoded sRNAs are critical regulators ofP. aeruginosavirulence.

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