scholarly journals Three orphan histidine kinases inhibit Clostridioides difficile sporulation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shonna M McBride ◽  
Adrianne N Edwards ◽  
Daniela Wetzel ◽  
Michael A DiCandia
Keyword(s):  
Parent Strain ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Spore Formation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Genetic Pathway ◽  
Histidine Kinases ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Gastrointestinal Pathogen ◽  
Sporulation Initiation

The ability of the anaerobic gastrointestinal pathogen, Clostridioides difficile, to survive outside the host relies on the formation of dormant endospores. Spore formation is contingent on the activation of a conserved transcription factor, Spo0A, by phosphorylation. Multiple kinases and phosphatases regulate Spo0A activity in other spore-forming organisms; however, these factors are not well conserved in C. difficile. Previously, we discovered that deletion of a conserved phosphotransfer protein, CD1492, increases sporulation, indicating that CD1492 inhibits C. difficile spore formation. In this study, we investigate the functions of additional conserved orphan phosphotransfer proteins, CD2492, CD1579, and CD1949 which are hypothesized to regulate Spo0A phosphorylation. Disruption of the conserved phosphotransfer protein, CD2492, also increased sporulation frequency, similarly to the CD1492 mutant, and in contrast to a previous study. A CD1492 CD2492 mutant phenocopied the sporulation and gene expression patterns of the single mutants, suggesting that these proteins function in the same genetic pathway to repress sporulation. Deletion of the conserved CD1579 phosphotransfer protein also variably increased sporulation frequency; however, knockdown of CD1949 expression did not influence sporulation. We provide evidence that CD1492, CD2492 and CD1579 function as phosphatases, as mutation of the conserved histidine residue for phosphate transfer abolished CD2492 function, and expression of the CD1492 or CD2492 histidine site-directed mutants or the wild-type CD1579 allele in a parent strain resulted in a dominant negative hypersporulation phenotype. Altogether, at least three phosphotransfer proteins, CD1492, CD2492 and CD1579 (herein, PtpA, PtpB and PtpC) repress C. difficile sporulation initiation by regulating activity of Spo0A.

scholarly journals The Role of Alcohol, LPS Toxicity, and ALDH2 in Dental Bony Defects

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 651
Author(s):  
Hsiao-Cheng Tsai ◽  
Che-Hong Chen ◽  
Daria Mochly-Rosen ◽  
Yi-Chen Ethan Li ◽  
Min-Huey Chen
Keyword(s):  
Bone Loss ◽  
Bacterial Infection ◽  
Bone Regeneration ◽  
Alcohol Drinking ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Enzyme Inactivation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Micro Computed Tomography ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutation

It is estimated that 560 million people carry an East Asian-specific ALDH2*2 dominant-negative mutation which leads to enzyme inactivation. This common ALDH2 polymorphism has a significant association with osteoporosis. We hypothesized that the ALDH2*2 mutation in conjunction with periodontal Porphyromonas gingivalis bacterial infection and alcohol drinking had an inhibitory effect on osteoblasts and bone regeneration. We examined the prospective association of ALDH2 activity with the proliferation and mineralization potential of human osteoblasts in vitro. The ALDH2 knockdown experiments showed that the ALDH2 knockdown osteoblasts lost their proliferation and mineralization capability. To mimic dental bacterial infection, we compared the dental bony defects in wild-type mice and ALDH2*2 knockin mice after injection with purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS), derived from P. gingivalis which is a bacterial species known to cause periodontitis. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scan results indicated that bone regeneration was significantly affected in the ALDH2*2 knockin mice with about 20% more dental bony defects after LPS injection than the wild-type mice. Moreover, the ALDH2*2 knockin mutant mice had decreased osteoblast growth and more dental bone loss in the upper left jaw region after LPS injection. In conclusion, these results indicated that the ALDH2*2 mutation with alcohol drinking and chronic exposure to dental bacterial-derived toxin increased the risk of dental bone loss.

scholarly journals CD25890, a conserved protein that modulates sporulation initiation in Clostridioides difficile

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo Martins ◽  
Michael A. DiCandia ◽  
Aristides L. Mendes ◽  
Daniela Wetzel ◽  
Shonna M. McBride ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Intestine ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Nutritional Conditions ◽  
Sporulation Initiation

AbstractBacteria that reside in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy humans are essential for our health, sustenance and well-being. About 50–60% of those bacteria have the ability to produce resilient spores that are important for the life cycle in the gut and for host-to-host transmission. A genomic signature for sporulation in the human intestine was recently described, which spans both commensals and pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile and contains several genes of unknown function. We report on the characterization of a signature gene, CD25890, which, as we show is involved in the control of sporulation initiation in C. difficile under certain nutritional conditions. Spo0A is the main regulatory protein controlling entry into sporulation and we show that an in-frame deletion of CD25890 results in increased expression of spo0A per cell and increased sporulation. The effect of CD25890 on spo0A is likely indirect and mediated through repression of the sinRR´ operon. Deletion of the CD25890 gene, however, does not alter the expression of the genes coding for the cytotoxins or the genes involved in biofilm formation. Our results suggest that CD25890 acts to modulate sporulation in response to the nutrients present in the environment.

scholarly journals Analysis of maxillopedia Expression Pattern and Larval Cuticular Phenotype in Wild-Type and Mutant Tribolium

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 721-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa D Shippy ◽  
Jianhua Guo ◽  
Susan J Brown ◽  
Richard W Beeman ◽  
Robin E Denell
Keyword(s):  
Rna Interference ◽  
Expression Pattern ◽  
Tribolium Castaneum ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Homeotic Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Double Stranded Rna ◽  
Similar Expression ◽  
Mutant Phenotypes

Abstract The Tribolium castaneum homeotic gene maxillopedia (mxp) is the ortholog of Drosophila proboscipedia (pb). Here we describe and classify available mxp alleles. Larvae lacking all mxp function die soon after hatching, exhibiting strong transformations of maxillary and labial palps to legs. Hypomorphic mxp alleles produce less severe transformations to leg. RNA interference with maxillopedia double-stranded RNA results in phenocopies of mxp mutant phenotypes ranging from partial to complete transformations. A number of gain-of-function (GOF) mxp alleles have been isolated based on transformations of adult antennae and/or legs toward palps. Finally, we have characterized the mxp expression pattern in wild-type and mutant embryos. In normal embryos, mxp is expressed in the maxillary and labial segments, whereas ectopic expression is observed in some GOF variants. Although mxp and Pb display very similar expression patterns, pb null embryos develop normally. The mxp mutant larval phenotype in Tribolium is consistent with the hypothesis that an ancestral pb-like gene had an embryonic function that was lost in the lineage leading to Drosophila.

scholarly journals A network of Rab GTPases controls phagosome maturation and is modulated by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

2007 ◽  
Vol 176 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam C. Smith ◽  
Won Do Heo ◽  
Virginie Braun ◽  
Xiuju Jiang ◽  
Chloe Macrae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Rab Gtpases ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Intracellular Growth ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Serovar Typhimurium ◽  
Guanosine Triphosphatase ◽  
Kinetics Of

Members of the Rab guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) family are key regulators of membrane traffic. Here we examined the association of 48 Rabs with model phagosomes containing a non-invasive mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). This mutant traffics to lysosomes and allowed us to determine which Rabs localize to a maturing phagosome. In total, 18 Rabs associated with maturing phagosomes, each with its own kinetics of association. Dominant-negative mutants of Rab23 and 35 inhibited phagosome–lysosome fusion. A large number of Rab GTPases localized to wild-type Salmonella-containing vacuoles (SCVs), which do not fuse with lysosomes. However, some Rabs (8B, 13, 23, 32, and 35) were excluded from wild-type SCVs whereas others (5A, 5B, 5C, 7A, 11A, and 11B) were enriched on this compartment. Our studies demonstrate that a complex network of Rab GTPases controls endocytic progression to lysosomes and that this is modulated by S. Typhimurium to allow its intracellular growth.

A novel PAX5-ELN fusion protein identified in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia acts as a dominant negative on wild-type PAX5

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 109 (8) ◽  
pp. 3417-3423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Bousquet ◽  
Cyril Broccardo ◽  
Cathy Quelen ◽  
Fabienne Meggetto ◽  
Emilienne Kuhlein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Leukemic Cells ◽  
Dominant Negative Effect ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract We report a novel t(7;9)(q11;p13) translocation in 2 patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). By fluorescent in situ hybridization and 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends, we showed that the paired box domain of PAX5 was fused with the elastin (ELN) gene. After cloning the full-length cDNA of the chimeric gene, confocal microscopy of transfected NIH3T3 cells and Burkitt lymphoma cells (DG75) demonstrated that PAX5-ELN was localized in the nucleus. Chromatin immunoprecipitation clearly indicated that PAX5-ELN retained the capability to bind CD19 and BLK promoter sequences. To analyze the functions of the chimeric protein, HeLa cells were cotransfected with a luc-CD19 construct, pcDNA3-PAX5, and with increasing amounts of pcDNA3-PAX5-ELN. Thus, in vitro, PAX5-ELN was able to block CD19 transcription. Furthermore, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) experiments showed that PAX5-ELN was able to affect the transcription of endogenous PAX5 target genes. Since PAX5 is essential for B-cell differentiation, this translocation may account for the blockage of leukemic cells at the pre–B-cell stage. The mechanism involved in this process appears to be, at least in part, through a dominant-negative effect of PAX5-ELN on the wild-type PAX5 in a setting ofPAX5 haploinsufficiency.

scholarly journals Differential Processing of Propeptide Inhibitors of Rap Phosphatases in Bacillus subtilis

2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Jiang ◽  
Roberto Grau ◽  
Marta Perego
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Phosphatase Activity ◽  
Response Regulators ◽  
Histidine Kinases ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Carboxy Terminal Domain ◽  
Activation Level ◽  
Sporulation Initiation ◽  
Carboxy Terminal

ABSTRACT In the phosphorelay signal transduction system for sporulation initiation in Bacillus subtilis, the opposing activities of histidine kinases and aspartyl phosphate phosphatases determine the cell's decision whether to continue with vegetative growth or to initiate the differentiation process. Regulated dephosphorylation of the Spo0A and Spo0F response regulators allows a variety of negative signals from physiological processes that are antithetical to sporulation to impact on the activation level of the phosphorelay. Spo0F∼P is the known target of two related phosphatases, RapA and RapB. In addition to RapA and RapB, a third member of the Rap family of phosphatases, RapE, specifically dephosphorylated the Spo0F∼P intermediate in response to competence development. RapE phosphatase activity was found to be controlled by a pentapeptide (SRNVT) generated from within the carboxy-terminal domain of the phrE gene product. A synthetic PhrE pentapeptide could (i) complement the sporulation deficiency caused by deregulated RapE activity of aphrE mutant and (ii) inhibit RapE-dependent dephosphorylation of Spo0F∼P in in vitro experiments. The PhrE pentapeptide did not inhibit the phosphatase activity of RapA and RapB. These results confirm previous conclusions that the specificity for recognition of the target phosphatase is contained within the amino acid sequence of the pentapeptide inhibitor.

scholarly journals Development of Resistance in Wild-Type and Hypermutable Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains Exposed to Clinical Pharmacokinetic Profiles of Meropenem and Ceftazidime Simulated In Vitro

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 3642-3649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beate Henrichfreise ◽  
Irith Wiegand ◽  
Ingeborg Luhmer-Becker ◽  
Bernd Wiedemann
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Parent Strain ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Resistance Development ◽  
Development Of Resistance ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Profiles ◽  
Mutant Prevention Concentration

ABSTRACT In this study we investigated the interplay of antibiotic pharmacokinetic profiles and the development of mutation-mediated resistance in wild-type and hypermutable Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. We used in vitro models simulating profiles of the commonly used therapeutic drugs meropenem and ceftazidime, two agents with high levels of antipseudomonal activity said to have different potentials for stimulating resistance development. During ceftazidime treatment of the wild-type strain (PAO1), fully resistant mutants overproducing AmpC were selected rapidly and they completely replaced wild-type cells in the population. During treatment with meropenem, mutants of PAO1 were not selected as rapidly and showed only intermediate resistance due to the loss of OprD. These mutants also replaced the parent strain in the population. During the treatment of the mutator P. aeruginosa strain with meropenem, the slowly selected mutants did not accumulate several resistance mechanisms but only lost OprD and did not completely replace the parent strain in the population. Our results indicate that the commonly used dosing regimens for meropenem and ceftazidime cannot avoid the selection of mutants of wild-type and hypermutable P. aeruginosa strains. For the treatment outcome, including the prevention of resistance development, it would be beneficial for the antibiotic concentration to remain above the mutant prevention concentration for a longer period of time than it does in present regimens.

scholarly journals Suppressor Mutations Bypass the Requirement of fluG for Asexual Sporulation and Sterigmatocystin Production in Aspergillus nidulans

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 165 (3) ◽  
pp. 1083-1093
Author(s):  
Jeong-Ah Seo ◽  
Yajun Guan ◽  
Jae-Hyuk Yu
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Nidulans ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Dominant Mutation ◽  
Site Mutation ◽  
Asexual Sporulation ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutation ◽  
Suppressor Mutations ◽  
Early Developmental

Abstract Asexual sporulation (conidiation) in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans requires the early developmental activator fluG. Loss of fluG results in the blockage of both conidiation and production of the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (ST). To investigate molecular mechanisms of fluG-dependent developmental activation, 40 suppressors of fluG (SFGs) that conidiate without fluG have been isolated and characterized. Genetic analyses showed that an individual suppression is caused by a single second-site mutation, and that all sfg mutations but one are recessive. Pairwise meiotic crosses grouped mutations to four loci, 31 of them to sfgA, 6 of them to sfgB, and 1 each to sfgC and sfgD, respectively. The only dominant mutation, sfgA38, also mapped to the sfgA locus, suggesting a dominant negative mutation. Thirteen sfgA and 1 sfgC mutants elaborated conidiophores in liquid submerged culture, indicating that loss of either of these gene functions not only bypasses fluG function but also results in hyperactive conidiation. While sfg mutants show varying levels of restored conidiation, all recovered the ability to produce ST at near wild-type levels. The fact that at least four loci are defined by recessive sfg mutations indicates that multiple genes negatively regulate conidiation downstream of fluG and that the activity of fluG is required to remove such repressive effects.

Novel REST Truncation Mutations Causing Hereditary Gingival Fibromatosis

2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452199662
Author(s):  
J.T. Chen ◽  
C.H. Lin ◽  
H.W. Huang ◽  
Y.P. Wang ◽  
P.C. Kao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Effect ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Localization Signal ◽  
Gingival Fibromatosis

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) is a rare genetic disorder featured by nonsyndromic pathological overgrowth of gingiva. The excessive gingival tissues can cause dental, masticatory, and phonetic problems, which impose severe functional and esthetic burdens on affected individuals. Due to its high recurrent rate, patients with HGF have to undergo repeated surgical procedures of gingival resection, from childhood to adulthood, which significantly compromises their quality of life. Unraveling the genetic etiology and molecular pathogenesis of HGF not only gains insight into gingival physiology and homeostasis but also opens avenues for developing potential therapeutic strategies for this disorder. Recently, mutations in REST (OMIM *600571), encoding a transcription repressor, were reported to cause HGF (GINGF5; OMIM #617626) in 3 Turkish families. However, the functions of REST in gingival homeostasis and pathogenesis of REST-associated HGF remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized 2 HGF families and identified 2 novel REST mutations, c.2449C>T (p.Arg817*) and c.2771_2793dup (p.Glu932Lysfs*3). All 5 mutations reported to date are nonsenses or frameshifts in the last exon of REST and would presumably truncate the protein. In vitro reporter gene assays demonstrated a partial or complete loss of repressor activity for these truncated RESTs. When coexpressed with the full-length protein, the truncated RESTs impaired the repressive ability of wild-type REST, suggesting a dominant negative effect. Immunofluorescent studies showed nuclear localization of overexpressed wild-type and truncated RESTs in vitro, indicating preservation of the nuclear localization signal in shortened proteins. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a comparable pattern of ubiquitous REST expression in both epithelium and lamina propria of normal and HGF gingival tissues despite a reduced reactivity in HGF gingiva. Results of this study confirm the pathogenicity of REST truncation mutations occurring in the last exon causing HGF and suggest the pathosis is caused by an antimorphic (dominant negative) disease mechanism.

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