scholarly journals Polymyxin B Induces Lysis of Marine Pseudoalteromonads

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 3908-3914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mart Krupovič ◽  
Rimantas Daugelavičius ◽  
Dennis H. Bamford

ABSTRACT Polymyxin B (PMB) is a cationic antibiotic that interacts with the envelopes of gram-negative bacterial cells. The therapeutic use of PMB was abandoned for a long time due to its undesirable side effects; however, the spread of resistance to currently used antibiotics has forced the reevaluation of PMB for clinical use. Previous studies have used enteric bacteria to examine the mode of PMB action, resulting in a somewhat limited understanding of this process. This study examined the effects of PMB on marine pseudoalteromonads and demonstrates that the frequently accepted view that “what is true for Escherichia coli is true for all bacteria” does not hold true. We show here that in contrast to the growth inhibition observed for enteric bacteria, PMB induces lysis of pseudoalteromonads, which is not prevented by high concentrations of divalent cations. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a high membrane voltage is required for the interaction of PMB with the cytoplasmic membranes of pseudoalteromonads, further elucidating the mechanisms by which PMB interacts with the cell envelopes of those gram-negative bacteria.

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (23) ◽  
pp. 6499-6507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena B. Tikhonova ◽  
Quiju Wang ◽  
Helen I. Zgurskaya

ABSTRACT Many multidrug transporters from gram-negative bacteria belong to the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) superfamily of transporters. RND-type multidrug transporters have an extremely broad substrate specificity and protect bacterial cells from the actions of antibiotics on both sides of the cytoplasmic membrane. They usually function as three-component assemblies spanning the outer and cytoplasmic membranes and the periplasmic space of gram-negative bacteria. The structural determinants of RND transporters responsible for multidrug recognition and complex assembly remain unknown. We constructed chimeric RND transporters composed of N-terminal residues of AcrB and C-terminal residues of MexB, the major RND-type transporters from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. The assembly of complexes and multidrug efflux activities of chimeric transporters were determined by coexpression of hybrid genes either with AcrA, the periplasmic component of the AcrAB transporter from E. coli, or with MexA and OprM, the accessory proteins of the MexAB-OprM pump from P. aeruginosa. We found that the specificity of interaction with the corresponding periplasmic component is encoded in the T60-V612 region of transporters. Our results also suggest that the large periplasmic loops of RND-type transporters are involved in multidrug recognition and efflux.


2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 3501-3504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Benincasa ◽  
Sabrina Pacor ◽  
Renato Gennaro ◽  
Marco Scocchi

ABSTRACT In this paper, we describe a rapid flow cytometry method to identify antimicrobial peptides that are internalized into bacterial cells and differentiate them from those that are membrane active. The method was applied to fluorescently labeled Bac71-35 and polymyxin B, whose mechanisms of action are, respectively, based on cell penetration and on membrane binding and permeabilization. Identification of peptides with the former mechanism is of considerable interest for the intracellular delivery of membrane-impermeant drugs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xudong Tian ◽  
Guillaume Manat ◽  
Elise Gasiorowski ◽  
Rodolphe Auger ◽  
Samia Hicham ◽  
...  

The cell surface of Gram-negative bacteria usually exhibits a net negative charge mostly conferred by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). This property sensitizes bacterial cells to cationic antimicrobial peptides, such as polymyxin B, by favoring their binding to the cell surface. Gram-negative bacteria can modify their surface to counteract these compounds such as the decoration of their LPS by positively charged groups. For example, in Escherichia coli and Salmonella, EptA and ArnT add amine-containing groups to the lipid A moiety. In contrast, LpxT enhances the net negative charge by catalyzing the synthesis of tri-phosphorylated lipid A, whose function is yet unknown. Here, we report that E. coli has the intrinsic ability to resist polymyxin B upon the simultaneous activation of the two component regulatory systems PhoPQ and PmrAB by intricate environmental cues. Among many LPS modifications, only EptA- and ArnT-dependent decorations were required for polymyxin B resistance. Conversely, the acquisition of polymyxin B resistance compromised the innate resistance of E. coli to deoxycholate, a major component of bile. The inhibition of LpxT by PmrR, under PmrAB-inducing conditions, specifically accounted for the acquired susceptibility to deoxycholate. We also report that the kinetics of intestinal colonization by the E. coli lpxT mutant was impaired as compared to wild-type in a mouse model of infection and that lpxT was upregulated at the temperature of the host. Together, these findings highlight an important function of LpxT and suggest that a tight equilibrium between EptA- and LpxT-dependent decorations, which occur at the same position of lipid A, is critical for the life style of E. coli.


2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 2361-2367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Campos ◽  
Pau Morey ◽  
José A. Bengoechea

ABSTRACT The treatment of infections caused by bacteria resistant to the vast majority of antibiotics is a challenge worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides (APs) make up the front line of defense in those areas exposed to microorganisms, and there is intensive research to explore their use as new antibacterial agents. On the other hand, it is known that subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics affect the expression of numerous bacterial traits. In this work we evaluated whether treatment of bacteria with subinhibitory concentrations of quinolones may alter the sensitivity to APs. A 1-h treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae with 0.25× the MIC of ciprofloxacin rendered bacteria more sensitive to polymyxins B and E, human neutrophil defensin 1, and β-defensin 1. Levofloxacin and nalidixic acid at 0.25× the MICs also increased the sensitivity of K. pneumoniae to polymyxin B, whereas gentamicin and ceftazidime at 0.25× the MICs did not have such an effect. Ciprofloxacin also increased the sensitivities of K. pneumoniae ciprofloxacin-resistant strains to polymyxin B. Two other pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus influenzae, also became more sensitive to polymyxins B and E after treatment with 0.25× the MIC of ciprofloxacin. Incubation with ciprofloxacin did not alter the expression of the K. pneumoniae loci involved in resistance to APs. A 1-N-phenyl-naphthylamine assay showed that ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin increased the permeabilities of the K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa outer membranes, while divalent cations antagonized this action. Finally, we demonstrated that ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin increased the binding of APs to the outer membrane by using dansylated polymyxin B.


1988 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Velez ◽  
J. D. Macmillan ◽  
L. Miller

Thirteen murine hybridomas capable of producing monoclonal antibodies to somatic antigens on Bradyrhizobium japonicum were developed and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test reactivity of the antibodies against 20 strains of B. japonicum. Although polyclonal antisera from mice immunized with strains of B. japonicum reacted with bacterial cells of all 20 strains, individual monoclonals were more specific. Some antibodies reacted with as few as 2 and one with as many as 11 strains. On the basis of reactivity with the set of 13 monoclonal antibodies, the 20 strains of B. japonicum could be divided arbitrarily into five groups. Three of five monoclonal antibodies tested reacted with bacteroids taken directly from soybean nodules. One monoclonal bound to cells of five species of Rhizobium, but none of the 13 reacted with gram-negative bacteria representing six other genera. Treatment of cells with reagents and heat indicated the chemical nature of the antigens to five of the monoclonals. Antigen reactive with one antibody was destroyed by periodate oxidation indicating that it was a polysaccharide. Two antigens were probably proteins as they could be digested by trypsin and denatured by heat. Two others were inactivated by all three treatments suggesting they were glycoproteins.


2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 2659-2662 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Ouderkirk ◽  
Jill A. Nord ◽  
Glenn S. Turett ◽  
Jay Ward Kislak

ABSTRACT Reported rates of nephrotoxicity associated with the systemic use of polymyxins have varied widely. The emergence of infections due to multiresistant gram-negative bacteria has necessitated the use of systemic polymyxin B once again for the treatment of such infections. We retrospectively investigated the rate of nephrotoxicity in patients receiving polymyxin B parenterally for the treatment of infections caused by multiresistant gram-negative bacteria from October 1999 to September 2000. Demographic and clinical information was obtained for 60 patients. Outcome measures of interest were renal toxicity and clinical and microbiologic efficacy. Renal failure developed in 14% of the patients, all of whom had normal baseline renal function. Development of renal failure was independent of the daily and cumulative doses of polymyxin B and the length of treatment but was significantly associated with older age (76 versus 59 years, P = 0.02). The overall mortality was 20%, but it increased to 57% in those who developed renal failure. The organism was cleared in 88% of the patients from whom repeat specimens were obtained. The use of polymyxin B to treat multiresistant gram-negative infections was highly effective and associated with a lower rate of nephrotoxicity than previously described.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonggang Yang ◽  
Zegao Wang ◽  
Cuifen Gan ◽  
Lasse Hyldgaard Klausen ◽  
Robin Bonné ◽  
...  

AbstractLong-distance extracellular electron transfer has been observed in Gram-negative bacteria and plays roles in both natural and engineering processes. The electron transfer can be mediated by conductive protein appendages (in short unicellular bacteria such as Geobacter species) or by conductive cell envelopes (in filamentous multicellular cable bacteria). Here we show that Lysinibacillus varians GY32, a filamentous unicellular Gram-positive bacterium, is capable of bidirectional extracellular electron transfer. In microbial fuel cells, L. varians can form centimetre-range conductive cellular networks and, when grown on graphite electrodes, the cells can reach a remarkable length of 1.08 mm. Atomic force microscopy and microelectrode analyses suggest that the conductivity is linked to pili-like protein appendages. Our results show that long-distance electron transfer is not limited to Gram-negative bacteria.


2006 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashish A. Sawant ◽  
Narasimha V. Hegde ◽  
Beth A. Straley ◽  
Sarah C. Donaldson ◽  
Brenda C. Love ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to understand the descriptive and molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative enteric bacteria in the feces of healthy lactating dairy cattle. Gram-negative enteric bacteria resistant to ampicillin, florfenicol, spectinomycin, and tetracycline were isolated from the feces of 35, 8, 5, and 42% of 213 lactating cattle on 74, 39, 9, 26, and 82% of 23 farms surveyed, respectively. Antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria accounted for 5 (florfenicol) to 14% (tetracycline) of total gram-negative enteric microflora. Nine bacterial species were isolated, of which Escherichia coli (87%) was the most predominant species. MICs showing reduced susceptibility to ampicillin, ceftiofur, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, spectinomycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline were observed in E. coli isolates. Isolates exhibited resistance to ampicillin (48%), ceftiofur (11%), chloramphenicol (20%), florfenicol (78%), spectinomycin (18%), and tetracycline (93%). Multidrug resistance (≥3 to 6 antimicrobials) was seen in 40% of E. coli isolates from healthy lactating cattle. Of 113 tetracycline-resistant E. coli isolates, tet(B) was the predominant resistance determinant and was detected in 93% of isolates, while the remaining 7% isolates carried the tet(A) determinant. DNA-DNA hybridization assays revealed that tet determinants were located on the chromosome. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that tetracycline-resistant E. coli isolates (n = 99 isolates) belonged to 60 subtypes, which is suggestive of a highly diverse population of tetracycline-resistant organisms. On most occasions, E. coli subtypes, although shared between cows within the herd, were confined mostly to a dairy herd. The findings of this study suggest that commensal enteric E. coli from healthy lactating cattle can be an important reservoir for tetracycline and perhaps other antimicrobial resistance determinants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ni Zhang ◽  
Lichong Zhu ◽  
Qiuhong Ouyang ◽  
Saisai Yue ◽  
Yichun Huang ◽  
...  

Polymyxin B (PMB) exert bactericidal effects on the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, leading to changes in the permeability of the cytoplasmic membrane and resulting in cell death, which is sensitive to the multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, the severe toxicity and adverse side effects largely hamper the clinical application of PMB. Although the molecular pathology of PMB neurotoxicity has been adequately studied at the cellular and molecular level. However, the impact of PMB on the physiological states of central nervous system in vivo may be quite different from that in vitro, which need to be further studied. Therefore, in the current study, the biocompatible ultra-uniform Fe3O4 nanoparticles were employed for noninvasively in vivo visualizing the potential impairment of PMB to the central nervous system. Systematic studies clearly reveal that the prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles can serve as an appropriate magnetic resonance contrast agent with high transverse relaxivity and outstanding biosafety, which thus enables the following in vivo susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) studies on the PMB-treated mice models. As a result, it is first found that the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of mice may be impaired by successive PMB administration, displaying by the discrete punctate SWI signals distributed asymmetrically across brain regions in brain parenchyma. This result may pave a noninvasive approach for in-depth studies of PMB medication strategy, monitoring the BBB changes during PMB treatment, and even assessing the risk after PMB successive medication in multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infected patients from the perspective of medical imaging.


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