scholarly journals The AcrAB-TolC Efflux Pump Impacts Persistence and Resistance Development in Stationary-Phase Escherichia coli Following Delafloxacin Treatment

Author(s):  
Brandon A. Byrd ◽  
Blesing Zenick ◽  
Maria C. Rocha-Granados ◽  
Hanna E. Englander ◽  
Patricia J. Hare ◽  
...  

Bacteria have a repertoire of strategies to overcome antibiotics in clinical use, complicating our ability to treat and cure infectious diseases. In addition to evolving resistance, bacteria within genetically clonal cultures can undergo transient phenotypic changes and tolerate high doses of antibiotics. These cells, termed persisters, exhibit heterogeneous phenotypes: the strategies that a bacterial population deploys to overcome one class of antibiotics can be distinct from those needed to survive treatment with drugs with another mode of action. It was previously reported that fluoroquinolones, which target DNA topoisomerases, retain the capacity to kill non-growing bacteria that tolerate other classes of antibiotics. Here, we show that in Escherichia coli stationary-phase cultures and colony biofilms, persisters that survive treatment with the anionic fluoroquinolone Delafloxacin depend on the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump. In contrast, we did not detect this dependence on AcrAB-TolC in E. coli persisters that survive treatment with three other fluroquinolone compounds. We found that the loss of AcrAB-TolC activity via genetic mutations or chemical inhibition not only reduces Delafloxacin persistence in non-growing E. coli MG1655 or EDL933 (an E. coli O157:H7 strain), it limits resistance development in progenies derived from Delafloxacin persisters that were given the opportunity to recover in nutritive media following antibiotic treatment. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity in defense mechanisms that persisters use to overcome different compounds within the same class of antibiotics. They further indicate that efflux pump inhibitors can potentiate the activity of Delafloxacin against stationary-phase E. coli and block resistance development in Delafloxacin persister progenies.

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 2438-2441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Baharoglu ◽  
Didier Mazel

ABSTRACTAntibiotic resistance development has been linked to the bacterial SOS stress response. InEscherichia coli, fluoroquinolones are known to induce SOS, whereas other antibiotics, such as aminoglycosides, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol, do not. Here we address whether various antibiotics induce SOS inVibrio cholerae. Reporter green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions were used to measure the response of SOS-regulated promoters to subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. We show that unlike the situation withE. coli, all these antibiotics induce SOS inV. cholerae.


1980 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-424
Author(s):  
Zvi Bar-Shavit ◽  
Rachel Goldman ◽  
Itzhak Ofek ◽  
Nathan Sharon ◽  
David Mirelman

Recently, it was suggested that a mannose-specific lectin on the bacterial cell surface is responsible for the recognition by phagocytic cells of certain nonopsonized Escherichia coli strains. In this study we assessed the interaction of two strains of E. coli at different phases of growth with a monolayer of mouse peritoneal macrophages and developed a direct method with [ 14 C]mannan to quantitate the bacterial mannose-binding activity. Normal-sized bacteria were obtained from logarithmic and stationary phases of growth. Nonseptated filamentous cells were formed by growing the organisms in the presence of cephalexin or at a restrictive temperature. Attachment to macrophages of all bacterial forms was inhibited by methyl α- d -mannoside and mannan but not by other sugars tested. The attachment of stationary phase and filamentous bacteria to macrophages, as well as their mannose-binding activity, was similar, whereas in the exponential-phase bacteria they were markedly reduced. The results show a linear relation between the two parameters ( R = 0.98, P < 0.001). The internalization of the filamentous cells attached to macrophages during 45 min of incubation was much less efficient (20%) compared to that of exponential-phase, stationary-phase, or antibody-coated filamentous bacteria (90%). The results indicate that the mannose-binding activity of E. coli determines the recognition of the organisms by phagocytes. They further suggest that administration of β-lactam antibiotics may impair elimination of certain pathogenic bacteria by inducing the formation of filaments which are inefficiently internalized by the host's phagocytic cells.


1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (10) ◽  
pp. 2623-2629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan E. Visick ◽  
Hui Cai ◽  
Steven Clarke

ABSTRACT Like its homologs throughout the biological world, thel-isoaspartyl protein repair methyltransferase ofEscherichia coli, encoded by the pcm gene, can convert abnormal l-isoaspartyl residues in proteins (which form spontaneously from asparaginyl or aspartyl residues) to normal aspartyl residues. Mutations in pcm were reported to greatly reduce survival in stationary phase and when cells were subjected to heat or osmotic stresses (C. Li and S. Clarke, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:9885–9889, 1992). However, we subsequently demonstrated that those strains had a secondary mutation inrpoS, which encodes a stationary-phase-specific sigma factor (J. E. Visick and S. Clarke, J. Bacteriol. 179:4158–4163, 1997). We now show that the rpoS mutation, resulting in a 90% decrease in HPII catalase activity, can account for the previously observed phenotypes. We further demonstrate that a new pcmmutant lacks these phenotypes. Interestingly, the newly constructedpcm mutant, when maintained in stationary phase for extended periods, is susceptible to environmental stresses, including exposure to methanol, oxygen radical generation by paraquat, high salt concentrations, and repeated heating to 42°C. The pcmmutation also results in a competitive disadvantage in stationary-phase cells. All of these phenotypes can be complemented by a functionalpcm gene integrated elsewhere in the chromosome. These data suggest that protein denaturation and isoaspartyl formation may act synergistically to the detriment of aging E. coli and that the repair methyltransferase can play a role in limiting the accumulation of the potentially disruptive isoaspartyl residues in vivo.


2018 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten F. de Jong ◽  
Neal M. Alto

ABSTRACT The enteric attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and the invasive pathogens enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and Shigella encode type III secretion systems (T3SS) used to inject effector proteins into human host cells during infection. Among these are a group of effectors required for NF-κB-mediated host immune evasion. Recent studies have identified several effector proteins from A/E pathogens and EIEC/ Shigella that are involved in suppression of NF-κB and have uncovered their cellular and molecular functions. A novel mechanism among these effectors from both groups of pathogens is to coordinate effector function during infection. This cooperativity among effector proteins explains how bacterial pathogens are able to effectively suppress innate immune defense mechanisms in response to diverse classes of immune receptor signaling complexes (RSCs) stimulated during infection.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitar Plamenov Petrov ◽  
Steffen Kaiser ◽  
Stefanie Kaiser ◽  
Kirsten Jung

mRNA methylation is an important regulator of many physiological processes in eukaryotes but has not been studied in depth in prokaryotes. In contrast to the large number of eukaryotic mRNA modifications that have been described, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the only modification of bacterial mRNA identified to date. Here, we used a gel electrophoresis-based RNA separation method and quantitatively analyzed the mRNA-specific modification profile of Escherichia coli using mass spectrometry. In addition to m6A, we provide evidence for the presence of 7-methylguanosine (m7G), and we found first hints for 5-methylcytidine (m5C), N6,N6-dimethyladenosine (m6,6A), 1-methylguanosine (m1G), 5-methyluridine (m5U), and pseudouridine (Ψ) in the mRNA of E. coli, which implies that E. coli has a complex mRNA modification pattern. Furthermore, we observed changes in the abundance of some mRNA modifications during the transition of E. coli from the exponential growth to the stationary phase as well as upon exposure to stress. This study reveals a previously underestimated level of regulation between transcription and translation in bacteria.


Author(s):  
Shuaiyang Wang ◽  
Chunbo You ◽  
Fareed Qumar Memon ◽  
Geyin Zhang ◽  
Yawei Sun ◽  
...  

Abstract The two-component system BaeSR participates in antibiotics resistance of Escherichia coli. To know whether the outer membrane proteins involve in the antibiotics resistance mediated by BaeSR, deletion of acrB was constructed and the recombined plasmid p-baeR was introduced into E. coli K12 and K12△acrB. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibacterial agents were determined by 2-fold broth micro-dilution method. Gene expressions related with major outer membrane proteins and multidrug efflux pump-related genes were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that the MICs of K12ΔacrB to the tested drugs except for gentamycin and amikacin decreased 2- to 16.75-folds compared with those of K12. When BaeR was overexpressed, the MICs of K12ΔacrB/p-baeR to ceftiofur and cefotaxime increased 2.5- and 2-fold, respectively, compared with their corresponding that of K12△acrB. At the same time, the expression levels of ompC, ompF, ompW, ompA and ompX showed significant reduction in K12ΔacrB/p-baeR as compared with K12△acrB. Moreover, the expression levels of ompR, marA, rob and tolC also significantly ‘decreased’ in K12ΔacrB/p-baeR. These findings indicated that BaeR overproduction can decrease cephalosporins susceptibility in acrB-free E. coli by decreasing the expression level of outer membrane proteins.


mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanyu Zhu ◽  
Mainak Mustafi ◽  
James C. Weisshaar

ABSTRACT In nature, bacteria must survive long periods of nutrient deprivation while maintaining the ability to recover and grow when conditions improve. This quiescent state is called stationary phase. The biochemistry of Escherichia coli in stationary phase is reasonably well understood. Much less is known about the biophysical state of the cytoplasm. Earlier studies of harvested nucleoids concluded that the stationary-phase nucleoid is “compacted” or “supercompacted,” and there are suggestions that the cytoplasm is “glass-like.” Nevertheless, stationary-phase bacteria support active transcription and translation. Here, we present results of a quantitative superresolution fluorescence study comparing the spatial distributions and diffusive properties of key components of the transcription-translation machinery in intact E. coli cells that were either maintained in 2-day stationary phase or undergoing moderately fast exponential growth. Stationary-phase cells are shorter and exhibit strong heterogeneity in cell length, nucleoid volume, and biopolymer diffusive properties. As in exponential growth, the nucleoid and ribosomes are strongly segregated. The chromosomal DNA is locally more rigid in stationary phase. The population-weighted average of diffusion coefficients estimated from mean-square displacement plots is 2-fold higher in stationary phase for both RNA polymerase (RNAP) and ribosomal species. The average DNA density is roughly twice as high as that in cells undergoing slow exponential growth. The data indicate that the stationary-phase nucleoid is permeable to RNAP and suggest that it is permeable to ribosomal subunits. There appears to be no need to postulate migration of actively transcribed genes to the nucleoid periphery. IMPORTANCE Bacteria in nature usually lack sufficient nutrients to enable growth and replication. Such starved bacteria adapt into a quiescent state known as the stationary phase. The chromosomal DNA is protected against oxidative damage, and ribosomes are stored in a dimeric structure impervious to digestion. Stationary-phase bacteria can recover and grow quickly when better nutrient conditions arise. The biochemistry of stationary-phase E. coli is reasonably well understood. Here, we present results from a study of the biophysical state of starved E. coli. Superresolution fluorescence microscopy enables high-resolution location and tracking of a DNA locus and of single copies of RNA polymerase (the transcription machine) and ribosomes (the translation machine) in intact E. coli cells maintained in stationary phase. Evidently, the chromosomal DNA remains sufficiently permeable to enable transcription and translation to occur. This description contrasts with the usual picture of a rigid stationary-phase cytoplasm with highly condensed DNA.


Antibiotics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Chockalingam ◽  
Sharron Stewart ◽  
Lin Xu ◽  
Adarsh Gandhi ◽  
Murali K. Matta ◽  
...  

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are common worldwide and are becoming increasingly difficult to treat because of the development of antibiotic resistance. Immunocompetent murine models of human UTI have been used to study pathogenesis and treatment but not for investigating resistance development after treatment with antibiotics. In this study, intravesical inoculation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli CFT073 in immunocompetent Balb/c mice was used as a model of human UTI. The value of the model in investigating antibiotic exposure on in vivo emergence of antibiotic resistance was examined. Experimentally infected mice were treated with 20 or 200 mg/kg ampicillin, 5 or 50 mg/kg ciprofloxacin, or 100 or 1000 mg/kg of fosfomycin. Ampicillin and ciprofloxacin were given twice daily at 8 h intervals, and fosfomycin was given once daily. Antibiotic treatment began 24 h after bacterial inoculation and ended after 72 h following the initial treatment. Although minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for the experimental strain of E. coli were exceeded at peak concentrations in tissues and consistently in urine, low levels of bacteria persisted in tissues in all experiments. E. coli from bladder tissue, kidney, and urine grew on plates containing 1× MIC of antibiotic, but none grew at 3× MIC. This model is not suitable for studying emergent resistance but might serve to examine bacterial persistence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanisha Teelucksingh ◽  
Laura K. Thompson ◽  
Georgina Cox

ABSTRACT Bacteria harness an impressive repertoire of resistance mechanisms to evade the inhibitory action of antibiotics. One such mechanism involves efflux pump-mediated extrusion of drugs from the bacterial cell, which significantly contributes to multidrug resistance. Intriguingly, most drug efflux pumps are chromosomally encoded components of the intrinsic antibiotic resistome. In addition, in terms of xenobiotic detoxification, bacterial efflux systems often exhibit significant levels of functional redundancy. Efflux pumps are also considered to be highly conserved; however, the extent of conservation in many bacterial species has not been reported and the majority of genes that encode efflux pumps appear to be dispensable for growth. These observations, in combination with an increasing body of experimental evidence, imply alternative roles in bacterial physiology. Indeed, the ability of efflux pumps to facilitate antibiotic resistance could be a fortuitous by-product of ancient physiological functions. Using Escherichia coli as a model organism, we here evaluated the evolutionary conservation of drug efflux pumps and we provide phylogenetic analysis of the major efflux families. We show the E. coli drug efflux system has remained relatively stable and the majority (∼80%) of pumps are encoded in the core genome. This analysis further supports the importance of drug efflux pumps in E. coli physiology. In this review, we also provide an update on the roles of drug efflux pumps in the detoxification of endogenously synthesized substrates and pH homeostasis. Overall, gaining insight into drug efflux pump conservation, common evolutionary ancestors, and physiological functions could enable strategies to combat these intrinsic and ancient elements.


mSphere ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Savita Chib ◽  
Farhan Ali ◽  
Aswin Sai Narain Seshasayee

ABSTRACT Prolonged stationary phase in bacteria, contrary to its name, is highly dynamic, with extreme nutrient limitation as a predominant stress. Stationary-phase cultures adapt by rapidly selecting a mutation(s) that confers a growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP). The phenotypic diversity of starving E. coli populations has been studied in detail; however, only a few mutations that accumulate in prolonged stationary phase have been described. This study documented the spectrum of mutations appearing in Escherichia coli during 28 days of prolonged starvation. The genetic diversity of the population increases over time in stationary phase to an extent that cannot be explained by random, neutral drift. This suggests that prolonged stationary phase offers a great model system to study adaptive evolution by natural selection. Prolonged stationary phase is an approximation of natural environments presenting a range of stresses. Survival in prolonged stationary phase requires alternative metabolic pathways for survival. This study describes the repertoire of mutations accumulating in starving Escherichia coli populations in lysogeny broth. A wide range of mutations accumulates over the course of 1 month in stationary phase. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) constitute 64% of all mutations. A majority of these mutations are nonsynonymous and are located at conserved loci. There is an increase in genetic diversity in the evolving populations over time. Computer simulations of evolution in stationary phase suggest that the maximum frequency of mutations observed in our experimental populations cannot be explained by neutral drift. Moreover, there is frequent genetic parallelism across populations, suggesting that these mutations are under positive selection. Finally, functional analysis of mutations suggests that regulatory mutations are frequent targets of selection. IMPORTANCE Prolonged stationary phase in bacteria, contrary to its name, is highly dynamic, with extreme nutrient limitation as a predominant stress. Stationary-phase cultures adapt by rapidly selecting a mutation(s) that confers a growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP). The phenotypic diversity of starving E. coli populations has been studied in detail; however, only a few mutations that accumulate in prolonged stationary phase have been described. This study documented the spectrum of mutations appearing in Escherichia coli during 28 days of prolonged starvation. The genetic diversity of the population increases over time in stationary phase to an extent that cannot be explained by random, neutral drift. This suggests that prolonged stationary phase offers a great model system to study adaptive evolution by natural selection.


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