scholarly journals A conserved protein, BcmA, mediates motility, biofilm formation, and host colonisation in Adherent InvasiveEscherichia coli

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Cogger-Ward ◽  
Adam Collins ◽  
Denise McLean ◽  
Jacob Dehinsilu ◽  
Alan Huett
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Flagellar Motility ◽  
C Elegans

AbstractAdherent InvasiveEscherichia coli(AIEC) is a non-diarrhoeagenic intestinalE. colipathotype associated with Crohn’s Disease. AIEC pathogenesis is characterised by biofilm formation, adhesion to and invasion of intestinal epithelial cells, and intracellular replication within epithelial cells and macrophages. Here, we identify and characterise a protein in the prototypical AIEC strain LF82 which is required for efficient biofilm formation and dispersal – LF82_p314. LF82 ΔLF82_314have defective swimming and swarming motility, indicating LF82_p314 is important for flagellar-mediated motility, and thus surface colonisation and biofilm dispersal. Flagellar morphology and chemotaxis in liquid appear unaffected by deletion ofLF82_314, suggesting LF82_p314 does not elicit an effect on flagella biogenesis or environmental sensing. Flagellar motility has been implicated in AIEC virulence, therefore we assessed the role of LF82_p314 in host colonisation using aCaenorhabditis elegansmodel. We found that LF82 ΔLF82_314have an impaired ability to colonise theC. eleganscompared to wild-type LF82. Phylogenetic analysis showed thatLF82_314is conserved in several major enterobacterial pathogens, and suggests the gene may have been acquired horizontally in several genera. Our data suggests LF82_p314 may be a novel component in the flagellar motility pathway and is a novel determinant of AIEC colonisation. Our findings have potential implications not only for the pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease, but also for the course of infection in several major bacterial pathogens. We propose a new designation forLF82_314,biofilmcoupled tomotilityA, orbcmA.Author summaryAdherent InvasiveEscherichia coli(AIEC) are a group of bacteria implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with no cure. Critical to the process of many bacterial infections is the ability of bacteria to swim towards and colonise the host surface using specialised, propeller-like appendages called flagella. In this paper, we describe a novel protein – LF82_p314 (BcmA) – which is required for efficient flagella-mediated motility and surface colonisation in AIEC. Using a nematode worm (Caenorhabditis elegans) infection model, we show that LF82_p314 enables effective colonisation of theC. elegansgut, suggesting a role for the protein during human infection. These findings indicate BcmA is significant for initial colonisation of the human gut by AIEC, and therefore the onset of Crohn’s Disease.

scholarly journals Iron Acquisition of Urinary Tract Infection Escherichia coli Involves Pathogenicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 310
Author(s):  
Masayuki Hashimoto ◽  
Yi-Fen Ma ◽  
Sin-Tian Wang ◽  
Chang-Shi Chen ◽  
Ching-Hao Teng
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Iron Acquisition ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
High Throughput Analysis ◽  
E Coli ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Tract Infections

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a major bacterial pathogen that causes urinary tract infections (UTIs). The mouse is an available UTI model for studying the pathogenicity; however, Caenorhabditis elegans represents as an alternative surrogate host with the capacity for high-throughput analysis. Then, we established a simple assay for a UPEC infection model with C. elegans for large-scale screening. A total of 133 clinically isolated E. coli strains, which included UTI-associated and fecal isolates, were applied to demonstrate the simple pathogenicity assay. From the screening, several virulence factors (VFs) involved with iron acquisition (chuA, fyuA, and irp2) were significantly associated with high pathogenicity. We then evaluated whether the VFs in UPEC were involved in the pathogenicity. Mutants of E. coli UTI89 with defective iron acquisition systems were applied to a solid killing assay with C. elegans. As a result, the survival rate of C. elegans fed with the mutants significantly increased compared to when fed with the parent strain. The results demonstrated, the simple assay with C. elegans was useful as a UPEC infectious model. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the involvement of iron acquisition in the pathogenicity of UPEC in a C. elegans model.

scholarly journals A Pathoadaptive Deletion in an Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Outbreak Strain Enhances Virulence in a Caenorhabditis elegans Model

2010 ◽  
Vol 78 (9) ◽  
pp. 4068-4076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Hwang ◽  
Lisa M. Mattei ◽  
Laura G. VanArendonk ◽  
Philip M. Meneely ◽  
Iruka N. Okeke
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Decarboxylase Activity ◽  
Multicopy Plasmid ◽  
Lysine Decarboxylase ◽  
Outbreak Strain ◽  
E Coli ◽  
C Elegans

ABSTRACT Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) strains are important diarrheal pathogens. EAEC strains are defined by their characteristic stacked-brick pattern of adherence to epithelial cells but show heterogeneous virulence and have different combinations of adhesin and toxin genes. Pathoadaptive deletions in the lysine decarboxylase (cad) genes have been noted among hypervirulent E. coli subtypes of Shigella and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. To test the hypothesis that cad deletions might account for heterogeneity in EAEC virulence, we developed a Caenorhabditis elegans pathogenesis model. Well-characterized EAEC strains were shown to colonize and kill C. elegans, and differences in virulence could be measured quantitatively. Of 49 EAEC strains screened for lysine decarboxylase activity, 3 tested negative. Most notable is isolate 101-1, which was recovered in Japan, from the largest documented EAEC outbreak. EAEC strain 101-1 was unable to decarboxylate lysine in vitro due to deletions in cadA and cadC, which, respectively, encode lysine decarboxylase and a transcriptional activator of the cadAB genes. Strain 101-1 was significantly more lethal to C. elegans than control strain OP50. Lethality was attenuated when the lysine decarboxylase defect was complemented from a multicopy plasmid and in single copy. In addition, restoring lysine decarboxylase function produced derivatives of 101-1 deficient in aggregative adherence to cultured human epithelial cells. Lysine decarboxylase inactivation is pathoadapative in an important EAEC outbreak strain, and deletion of cad genes could produce hypervirulent EAEC lineages in the future. These results suggest that loss, as well as gain, of genetic material can account for heterogeneous virulence among EAEC strains.

scholarly journals The Oxidoreductase DsbA Plays a Key Role in the Ability of the Crohn's Disease-Associated Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli Strain LF82 To Resist Macrophage Killing

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (13) ◽  
pp. 4860-4871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Agnès Bringer ◽  
Nathalie Rolhion ◽  
Anne-Lise Glasser ◽  
Arlette Darfeuille-Michaud
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial Cells ◽  
Coli Strain ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Type 1 Pili ◽  
K 12

ABSTRACT Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) isolated from Crohn's disease patients is able to adhere to and invade intestinal epithelial cells and to replicate in mature phagolysosomes within macrophages. Here, we show that the dsbA gene, encoding a periplasmic oxidoreductase, was required for AIEC strain LF82 to adhere to intestinal epithelial cells and to survive within macrophages. The LF82-ΔdsbA mutant did not express flagella and, probably as a consequence of this, did not express type 1 pili. The role of DsbA in adhesion is restricted to the loss of flagella and type 1 pili, as forced contact between bacteria and cells and induced expression of type 1 pili restored the wild-type phenotype. In contrast, the dsbA gene is essential for AIEC LF82 bacteria to survive within macrophages, irrespective of the loss of flagella and type 1 pilus expression, and the survival ability of LF82-ΔdsbA was as low as that of the nonpathogenic E. coli K-12, which was efficiently killed by macrophages. We also provide evidence that the dsbA gene is needed for LF82 bacteria to grow and survive in an acidic and nutrient-poor medium that partly mimics the harsh environment of the phagocytic vacuole. In addition, under such stress conditions dsbA transcription is highly up-regulated. Finally, the CpxRA signaling pathway does not play a role in regulation of dsbA expression in AIEC LF82 bacteria under conditions similar to those of mature phagolysosomes.

scholarly journals Distinct Elevation of Levels of Anti-Caenorhabditis elegans Antibody in Sera of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 856-861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuhide Oshitani ◽  
Fumihiko Hato ◽  
Seiichi Kitagawa ◽  
Kenji Watanabe ◽  
Yasuhiro Fujiwara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Antibody Titers ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel

ABSTRACT Dysregulation of immune responses to intestinal exogenous antigens contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, but the specific antigen responsible for the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease is unknown. We measured serum antibody titers against Caenorhabditis elegans antigens. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG subclass anti-C. elegans antibodies in serum samples from 29 patients with ulcerative colitis, 30 patients with Crohn's disease, 7 patients with intestinal Behçet's disease, and 11 healthy controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum IgG and IgG2 antibody titers against C. elegans were significantly higher in patients with inflammatory bowel disease than in controls. Antibody levels were not affected by age, gender, disease activity, extent of disease, or small bowel involvement. The anti-C. elegans antibody titer was significantly lower in patients with Crohn's disease taking mesalazine or sulfasalazine than in patients not taking these drugs. The increased immune responses to C. elegans found in patients with inflammatory bowel disease reflect dysregulated immune responses to enteric antigens, which might play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.

scholarly journals Adherent-Invasive and Non-Invasive Escherichia coli Isolates Differ in Their Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans’ Lifespan

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1823
Author(s):  
Maria Beatriz de Sousa de Sousa Figueiredo ◽  
Elizabeth Pradel ◽  
Fanny George ◽  
Séverine Mahieux ◽  
Isabelle Houcke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial Cells ◽  
Host Bacterium ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Barrier Dysfunction ◽  
E Coli ◽  
C Elegans

The adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) pathotype has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases in general and in Crohn’s disease (CD) in particular. AIEC strains are primarily characterized by their ability to adhere to and invade intestinal epithelial cells. However, the genetic and phenotypic features of AIEC isolates vary greatly as a function of the strain’s clonality, host factors, and the gut microenvironment. It is thus essential to identify the determinants of AIEC pathogenicity and understand their role in intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction and inflammation. We reasoned that soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (a simple but powerful model of host-bacterium interactions) could be used to study the virulence of AIEC vs. non- AIEC E. coli strains. Indeed, we found that the colonization of C. elegans (strain N2) by E. coli impacted survival in a strain-specific manner. Moreover, the AIEC strains’ ability to invade cells in vitro was linked to the median lifespan in C. elegans (strain PX627). However, neither the E. coli intrinsic invasiveness (i.e., the fact for an individual strain to be characterized as invasive or not) nor AIEC’s virulence levels (i.e., the intensity of invasion, established in % from the infectious inoculum) in intestinal epithelial cells was correlated with C. elegans’ lifespan in the killing assay. Nevertheless, AIEC longevity of C. elegans might be a relevant model for screening anti-adhesion drugs and anti-invasive probiotics.

scholarly journals Propionic acid promotes the virulent phenotype of Crohn’s disease-associated adherent-invasive Escherichia coli

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Ormsby ◽  
Síle A. Johnson ◽  
Lynsey M. Meikle ◽  
Robert J. Goldstone ◽  
Anne McIntosh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Propionic Acid ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Phenotypic Changes

AbstractThe short chain fatty acid propionic acid (PA) is a bacteria-derived human intestinal antimicrobial and immune modulator used widely in Western food production and agriculture. Here we examine the effect of PA on the pathogenicity of the Crohn’s disease-associated microbe, adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC). Passage of AIEC through a murine model, where the low intestinal PA levels were increased to replicate those of the human intestine, led to the recovery of AIEC post-infection that had significantly increased virulence. These phenotypic changes, including increased adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells and biofilm formation, could be replicated in AIEC in vitro through exposure to PA alone. This in vitro exposure of AIEC to PA fundamentally changed AIEC virulence, with strains exposed to PA in vitro subsequently persisting at 20-fold higher levels in a murine model compared to non-exposed strains. RNA-sequencing identified the transcriptional changes in AIEC in response to PA with upregulation of genes involved in biofilm formation, stress responses, metabolism, membrane integrity and alternative carbon source utilisation. These PA induced changes in virulence could be replicated in a number of E. coli isolates from Crohn’s disease patients. Finally, removal of the PA selective pressure was sufficient to reverse these phenotypic changes. Our data indicate that exposure of AIEC to PA evolves bacteria that are both resistant to this natural human intestinal antimicrobial and increasingly virulent in its presence.ImportanceExposure to propionic acid, an intestinal short chain fatty acid and commonly used antimicrobial in Western food production, induces significant virulence associated phenotypic changes in adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC).

scholarly journals Role of Decreased Levels of Fis Histone-Like Protein in Crohn's Disease-Associated Adherent Invasive Escherichia coli LF82 Bacteria Interacting with Intestinal Epithelial Cells

2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (7) ◽  
pp. 1832-1843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Miquel ◽  
Laurent Claret ◽  
Richard Bonnet ◽  
Imen Dorboz ◽  
Nicolas Barnich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial Cells ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Type 1 Pili

ABSTRACT The interaction of Crohn's disease (CD)-associated adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) strain LF82 with intestinal epithelial cells depends on surface appendages, such as type 1 pili and flagella. Histone-like proteins operate as global regulators to control the expression of these virulence factors. We evaluated the role of histone-like proteins in AIEC reference strain LF82 during infection of intestinal epithelial cells, Intestine-407, and observed that the fis mRNA level was decreased. The role of Fis in AIEC LF82 was determined by studying the phenotype of an LF82 fis::Km mutant. This was the first mutant of strain LF82 that has been described thus far that is unable to express flagellin but still able to produce type 1 pili. The cyclic-di-GMP pathway linking flagella and type 1 pilus expression is not involved in Fis-mediated regulation, and we identified in the present study Fis-binding sites located upstream of the fimE gene and in the intergenic region between fimB and nanC of the fim operon encoding type 1 pili. The major consequence of decreased Fis expression in AIEC bacteria in contact with host cells is a direct downregulation of fimE expression, leading to the preferential ON phase of the fimS element. Thus, by maintaining type 1 pilus expression, AIEC bacteria, which interact with the gut mucosa, have greater ability to colonize and to induce inflammation in CD patients.

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