scholarly journals A PhoPQ-Regulated ABC Transporter System Exports Tetracycline in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 3016-3024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Chen ◽  
Kangmin Duan

ABSTRACTPseudomonas aeruginosais an important human pathogen whose infections are difficult to treat due to its high intrinsic resistance to many antibiotics. Here, we show that the disruption of PA4456, encoding the ATP binding component of a putative ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, increased the bacterium's susceptible to tetracycline and other antibiotics or toxic chemicals. Fluorescence spectroscopy and antibiotic accumulation tests showed that the interruption of the ABC transporter caused increased intracellular accumulation of tetracycline, demonstrating a role of the ABC transporter in tetracycline expulsion. Site-directed mutagenesis proved that the conserved residues of E170 in the Walker B motif and H203 in the H-loop, which are important for ATP hydrolysis, were essential for the function of PA4456. Through a genome-wide search, the PhoPQ two-component system was identified as a regulator of the computationally predicted PA4456-4452 operon that encodes the ABC transporter system. A >5-fold increase of the expression of this operon was observed in thephoQmutant. The results obtained also show that the expression of thephzA1B1C1D1E1operon and the production of pyocyanin were significantly higher in the ABC transporter mutant, signifying a connection between the ABC transporter and pyocyanin production. These results indicated that the PhoPQ-regulated ABC transporter is associated with intrinsic resistance to antibiotics and other adverse compounds inP. aeruginosa, probably by extruding them out of the cell.

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (21) ◽  
pp. 6647-6655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Ishibashi ◽  
Kohei Himeno ◽  
Yoshimitsu Masuda ◽  
Rodney Honrada Perez ◽  
Shun Iwatani ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTEnterococcus faeciumNKR-5-3, isolated from Thai fermented fish, is characterized by the unique ability to produce five bacteriocins, namely, enterocins NKR-5-3A, -B, -C, -D, and -Z (Ent53A, Ent53B, Ent53C, Ent53D, and Ent53Z). Genetic analysis with a genome library revealed that the bacteriocin structural genes (enkA[ent53A],enkC[ent53C],enkD[ent53D], andenkZ[ent53Z]) that encode these peptides (except for Ent53B) are located in close proximity to each other. This NKR-5-3ACDZ (Ent53ACDZ) enterocin gene cluster (approximately 13 kb long) includes certain bacteriocin biosynthetic genes such as an ABC transporter gene (enkT), two immunity genes (enkIazandenkIc), a response regulator (enkR), and a histidine protein kinase (enkK). Heterologous-expression studies ofenkTand ΔenkTmutant strains showed thatenkTis responsible for the secretion of Ent53A, Ent53C, Ent53D, and Ent53Z, suggesting that EnkT is a wide-range ABC transporter that contributes to the effective production of these bacteriocins. In addition, EnkIaz and EnkIc were found to confer self-immunity to the respective bacteriocins. Furthermore, bacteriocin induction assays performed with the ΔenkRKmutant strain showed that EnkR and EnkK are regulatory proteins responsible for bacteriocin production and that, together with Ent53D, they constitute a three-component regulatory system. Thus, the Ent53ACDZ gene cluster is essential for the biosynthesis and regulation of NKR-5-3 enterocins, and this is, to our knowledge, the first report that demonstrates the secretion of multiple bacteriocins by an ABC transporter.


2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitesh Kumar Khandelwal ◽  
Mohd Wasi ◽  
Remya Nair ◽  
Meghna Gupta ◽  
Mohit Kumar ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Target alteration and overproduction and drug efflux through overexpression of multidrug transporters localized in the plasma membrane represent the conventional mechanisms of azole antifungal resistance. Here, we identify a novel conserved mechanism of azole resistance not only in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae but also in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. We observed that the vacuolar-membrane-localized, multidrug resistance protein (MRP) subfamily, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter of S. cerevisiae, Ybt1, could import azoles into vacuoles. Interestingly, the Ybt1 homologue in C. albicans, Mlt1p, could also fulfill this function. Evidence that the process is energy dependent comes from the finding that a Mlt1p mutant version made by converting a critical lysine residue in the Walker A motif of nucleotide-binding domain 1 (required for ATP hydrolysis) to alanine (K710A) was not able to transport azoles. Additionally, we have shown that, as for other eukaryotic MRP subfamily members, deletion of the conserved phenylalanine amino acid at position 765 (F765Δ) results in mislocalization of the Mlt1 protein; this mislocalized protein was devoid of the azole-resistant attribute. This finding suggests that the presence of this protein on vacuolar membranes is an important factor in azole resistance. Further, we report the importance of conserved residues, because conversion of two serines (positions 973 and 976, in the regulatory domain and in the casein kinase I [CKI] consensus sequence, respectively) to alanine severely affected the drug resistance. Hence, the present study reveals vacuolar sequestration of azoles by the ABC transporter Ybt1 and its homologue Mlt1 as an alternative strategy to circumvent drug toxicity among pathogenic and nonpathogenic yeasts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 202 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Rundell ◽  
N. Commodore ◽  
A. L. Goodman ◽  
B. I. Kazmierczak

ABSTRACT The intrinsic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to many antibiotics limits treatment options for pseudomonal infections. P. aeruginosa’s outer membrane is highly impermeable and decreases antibiotic entry into the cell. We used an unbiased high-throughput approach to examine mechanisms underlying outer membrane-mediated antibiotic exclusion. Insertion sequencing (INSeq) identified genes that altered fitness in the presence of linezolid, rifampin, and vancomycin, antibiotics to which P. aeruginosa is intrinsically resistant. We reasoned that resistance to at least one of these antibiotics would depend on outer membrane barrier function, as previously demonstrated in Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae. This approach demonstrated a critical role of the outer membrane barrier in vancomycin fitness, while efflux pumps were primary contributors to fitness in the presence of linezolid and rifampin. Disruption of flagellar assembly or function was sufficient to confer a fitness advantage to bacteria exposed to vancomycin. These findings clearly show that loss of flagellar function alone can confer a fitness advantage in the presence of an antibiotic. IMPORTANCE The cell envelopes of Gram-negative bacteria render them intrinsically resistant to many classes of antibiotics. We used insertion sequencing to identify genes whose disruption altered the fitness of a highly antibiotic-resistant pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in the presence of antibiotics usually excluded by the cell envelope. This screen identified gene products involved in outer membrane biogenesis and homeostasis, respiration, and efflux as important contributors to fitness. An unanticipated fitness cost of flagellar assembly and function in the presence of the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin was further characterized. These findings have clinical relevance for individuals with cystic fibrosis who are infected with P. aeruginosa and undergo treatment with vancomycin for a concurrent Staphylococcus aureus infection.


2007 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 735-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Pei ◽  
Carlos A. Del Carpio ◽  
Hideyuki Tsuboi ◽  
Michihisa Koyama ◽  
Akira Endou ◽  
...  

mBio ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry A. Gallagher ◽  
Jay Shendure ◽  
Colin Manoil

ABSTRACT We describe a deep-sequencing procedure for tracking large numbers of transposon mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The procedure employs a new Tn-seq methodology based on the generation and amplification of single-strand circles carrying transposon junction sequences (the Tn-seq circle method), a method which can be used with virtually any transposon. The procedure reliably identified more than 100,000 transposon insertions in a single experiment, providing near-saturation coverage of the genome. To test the effectiveness of the procedure for mutant identification, we screened for mutations reducing intrinsic resistance to the aminoglycoside antibiotic tobramycin. Intrinsic tobramycin resistance had been previously analyzed at genome scale using mutant-by-mutant screening and thus provided a benchmark for evaluating the new method. The new Tn-seq procedure identified 117 tobramycin resistance genes, the majority of which were then verified with individual mutants. The group of genes with the strongest mutant phenotypes included nearly all (13 of 14) of those with strong mutant phenotypes identified in the previous screening, as well as a nearly equal number of new genes. The results thus show the effectiveness of the Tn-seq method in defining the genetic basis of a complex resistance trait of P. aeruginosa and indicate that it can be used to analyze a variety of growth-related processes. IMPORTANCE Research progress in microbiology is technology limited in the sense that the analytical methods available dictate how questions are experimentally addressed and, to some extent, what questions are asked. This report describes a new transposon tracking procedure for defining the genetic basis of growth-related processes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important bacterial pathogen. The method employs next-generation sequencing to monitor the makeup of mutant populations (Tn-seq) and has several potential advantages over other Tn-seq methodologies. The new method was validated through the analysis of a clinically relevant antibiotic resistance trait.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1619-1628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjoy Paul ◽  
Daniel Diekema ◽  
W. Scott Moye-Rowley

ABSTRACTIn yeast cells such as those ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae, expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter proteins has been found to be increased and correlates with a concomitant elevation in azole drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the roles of twoAspergillus fumigatusproteins that share high sequence similarity withS. cerevisiaePdr5, an ABC transporter protein that is commonly overproduced in azole-resistant isolates in this yeast. The twoA. fumigatusgenes encoding the ABC transporters sharing the highest sequence similarity toS. cerevisiaePdr5 are calledabcAandabcBhere. We constructed deletion alleles of these two different ABC transporter-encoding genes in three different strains ofA. fumigatus. Loss ofabcBinvariably elicited increased azole susceptibility, whileabcAdisruption alleles had variable phenotypes. Specific antibodies were raised to both AbcA and AbcB proteins. These antisera allowed detection of AbcB in wild-type cells, while AbcA could be visualized only when overproduced from thehspApromoter inA. fumigatus. Overproduction of AbcA also yielded increased azole resistance. Green fluorescent protein fusions were used to provide evidence that both AbcA and AbcB are localized to the plasma membrane inA. fumigatus. Promoter fusions to firefly luciferase suggested that expression of both ABC transporter-encoding genes is inducible by azole challenge. Virulence assays implicated AbcB as a possible factor required for normal pathogenesis. This work provides important new insights into the physiological roles of ABC transporters in this major fungal pathogen.


Microbiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 151 (3) ◽  
pp. 835-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Fleischer ◽  
Antje Wengner ◽  
Frank Scheffel ◽  
Heidi Landmesser ◽  
Erwin Schneider

A single gene cluster encoding components of a putative ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter for basic amino acids was identified in the incomplete genome sequence of the thermophilic Gram-positive bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus by blast searches. The cluster comprises three genes, and these were amplified from chromosomal DNA of G. stearothermophilus, ligated into plasmid vectors and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified solute-binding protein (designated ArtJ) was demonstrated to bind l-arginine with high affinity (K d=0·39±0·06 μM). Competition experiments revealed only partial inhibition by excess l-lysine (38 %) and l-ornithine (46 %), while no inhibition was observed with l-histidine or other amino acids tested. The membrane-associated transport complex, composed of a permease (designated ArtM) and an ATPase component (designated ArtP), was solubilized from E. coli membranes by decanoylsucrose and purified by metal-affinity chromatography. The ArtMP complex, when incorporated into liposomes formed from a crude extract of G. stearothermophilus lipids, displayed ATPase activity in the presence of ArtJ only. Addition of l-arginine further stimulated the activity twofold. ATP hydrolysis was optimal at 60 °C and sensitive to the specific inhibitor vanadate. Analysis of kinetic parameters revealed a maximal velocity of ATP hydrolysis of 0·71 μmol Pi min−1 (mg protein)−1 and a K m (ATP) of 1·59 mM. Together, these results identify the ArtJMP complex as a high-affinity arginine ABC transporter.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erich Stefan ◽  
Susanne Hofmann ◽  
Robert Tampé

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters constitute the largest family of primary active transporters, responsible for many physiological processes and human maladies. However, the mechanism how chemical energy of ATP facilitates translocation of chemically diverse compounds across membranes is poorly understood. Here, we advance the quantitative mechanistic understanding of the heterodimeric ABC transporter TmrAB, a functional homolog of the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) by single-turnover analyses at single-liposome resolution. We reveal that a single conformational switch by ATP binding drives unidirectional substrate translocation. After this power stroke, ATP hydrolysis and phosphate release launch the return to the resting state, which facilitates nucleotide exchange and a new round of substrate binding and translocation. In contrast to hitherto existing steady-state assays, our single-turnover approach uncovers the power stroke in substrate translocation and the tight chemomechanical coupling in these molecular machines.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélène Puja ◽  
Arnaud Bolard ◽  
Aurélie Noguès ◽  
Patrick Plésiat ◽  
Katy Jeannot

ABSTRACT The intrinsic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to polymyxins in part relies on the addition of 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose (Ara4N) molecules to the lipid A of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), through induction of operon arnBCADTEF-ugd (arn) expression. As demonstrated previously, at least three two-component regulatory systems (PmrAB, ParRS, and CprRS) are able to upregulate this operon when bacteria are exposed to colistin. In the present study, gene deletion experiments with the bioluminescent strain PAO1::lux showed that ParRS is a key element in the tolerance of P. aeruginosa to this last-resort antibiotic (i.e., resistance to early drug killing). Other loci of the ParR regulon, such as those encoding the efflux proteins MexXY (mexXY), the polyamine biosynthetic pathway PA4773-PA4774-PA4775, and Ara4N LPS modification process (arnBCADTEF-ugd), also contribute to the bacterial tolerance in an intricate way with ParRS. Furthermore, we found that both stable upregulation of the arn operon and drug-induced ParRS-dependent overexpression of the mexXY genes accounted for the elevated resistance of pmrB mutants to colistin. Deletion of the mexXY genes in a constitutively activated ParR mutant of PAO1 was associated with significantly increased expression of the genes arnA, PA4773, and pmrA in the absence of colistin exposure, thereby highlighting a functional link between the MexXY/OprM pump, the PA4773-PA4774-PA4775 pathway, and Ara4N-based modification of LPS. The role played by MexXY/OprM in the adaptation of P. aeruginosa to polymyxins opens new perspectives for restoring the susceptibility of resistant mutants through the use of efflux inhibitors.


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