scholarly journals Bactericidal Antibiotics Do Not Appear To Cause Oxidative Stress in Listeria monocytogenes

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 4353-4357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Feld ◽  
Gitte M. Knudsen ◽  
Lone Gram

ABSTRACTOxidative stress can be an important contributor to the lethal effect of bactericidal antibiotics in some bacteria, such asEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureus. Thus, despite the different target-specific actions of bactericidal antibiotics, they have a common mechanism leading to bacterial self-destruction by internal production of hydroxyl radicals. The purpose of the present study was to determine if a similar mechanism is involved in antibiotic killing of the infectious human pathogen,Listeria monocytogenes. We treated wild-typeL. monocytogenesand oxidative stress mutants (Δsodand Δfri) with three different bactericidal antibiotics and found no difference in killing kinetics. In contrast, wild-typeE. coliand an oxidative stress mutant (ΔsodAΔsodB) differed significantly in their sensitivity to bactericidal antibiotics. We conclude that bactericidal antibiotics did not appear to cause oxidative stress inL. monocytogenesand propose that this is caused by its noncyclic tricarboxylic acid (TCA) pathway. Hence, in this noncyclic metabolism, there is a decoupling between the antibiotic-mediated cellular requirement for NADH and the induction of TCA enzyme activity, which is believed to mediate the oxidative stress reaction.

mBio ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Hryckowian ◽  
Rodney A. Welch

ABSTRACTUropathogenicEscherichia coli(UPEC) is the most common causative agent of community-acquired urinary tract infection (UTI). In order to cause UTI, UPEC must endure stresses ranging from nutrient limitation to host immune components. RpoS (σS), the general stress response sigma factor, directs gene expression under a variety of inhibitory conditions. Our study ofrpoSin UPEC strain CFT073 began after we discovered anrpoS-frameshift mutation in one of our laboratory stocks of “wild-type” CFT073. We demonstrate that anrpoS-deletion mutation in CFT073 leads to a colonization defect during UTI of CBA/J mice at 48 hours postinfection (hpi). There is no difference between the growth rates of CFT073 and CFT073rpoSin urine. This indicates thatrpoSis needed for replication and survival in the host rather than being needed to address limitations imposed by urine nutrients. Consistent with previous observations inE. coliK-12, CFT073rpoSis more sensitive to oxidative stress than the wild type. We demonstrate that peroxide levels are elevated in voided urine from CFT073-infected mice compared to urine from mock-infected mice, which supports the notion that oxidative stress is generated by the host in response to UPEC. In mice that lack phagocyte oxidase, the enzyme complex expressed by phagocytes that produces superoxide, the competitive defect of CFT073rpoSin bladder colonization is lost. These results demonstrate that σSis important for UPEC survival under conditions of phagocyte oxidase-generated stress during UTI. Though σSaffects the pathogenesis of other bacterial species, this is the first work that directly implicates σSas important for UPEC pathogenesis.IMPORTANCEUPEC must cope with a variety of stressful conditions in the urinary tract during infection. RpoS (σS), the general stress response sigma factor, is known to direct the expression of many genes under a variety of stressful conditions in laboratory-adaptedE. coliK-12. Here, we show that σSis needed by the model UPEC strain CFT073 to cope with oxidative stress provided by phagocytes during infection. These findings represent the first report that implicates σSin the fitness of UPEC during infection and support the idea of the need for a better understanding of the effects of this global regulator of gene expression during UTI.


2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (19) ◽  
pp. 6875-6882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annukka Markkula ◽  
Miia Lindström ◽  
Per Johansson ◽  
Johanna Björkroth ◽  
Hannu Korkeala

ABSTRACTTo examine the role of the four putative DEAD-box RNA helicase genes ofListeria monocytogenesEGD-e in stress tolerance, the growth of the Δlmo0866, Δlmo1246, Δlmo1450, and Δlmo1722deletion mutant strains at 42.5°C, at pH 5.6 or pH 9.4, in 6% NaCl, in 3.5% ethanol, and in 5 mM H2O2was studied. Restricted growth of the Δlmo0866deletion mutant strain in 3.5% ethanol suggests that Lmo0866 contributes to ethanol stress tolerance ofL. monocytogenesEGD-e. The Δlmo1450mutant strain showed negligible growth at 42.5°C, at pH 9.4, and in 5 mM H2O2and a lower maximum growth temperature than the wild-type EGD-e, suggesting that Lmo1450 is involved in the tolerance ofL. monocytogenesEGD-e to heat, alkali, and oxidative stresses. The altered stress tolerance of the Δlmo0866and Δlmo1450deletion mutant strains did not correlate with changes in relative expression levels oflmo0866andlmo1450genes under corresponding stresses, suggesting that Lmo0866- and Lmo1450-dependent tolerance to heat, alkali, ethanol, or oxidative stress is not regulated at the transcriptional level. Growth of the Δlmo1246and Δlmo1722deletion mutant strains did not differ from that of the wild-type EGD-e under any of the conditions tested, suggesting that Lmo1246 and Lmo1722 have no roles in the growth ofL. monocytogenesEGD-e under heat, pH, osmotic, ethanol, or oxidative stress. This study shows that the putative DEAD-box RNA helicase geneslmo0866andlmo1450play important roles in tolerance ofL. monocytogenesEGD-e to ethanol, heat, alkali, and oxidative stresses.


2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Harter ◽  
Eva Maria Wagner ◽  
Andreas Zaiser ◽  
Sabrina Halecker ◽  
Martin Wagner ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is able to survive a variety of stress conditions leading to the colonization of different niches like the food processing environment. This study focuses on the hypervariable genetic hot spot lmo0443 to lmo0449 haboring three inserts: the stress survival islet 1 (SSI-1), the single-gene insert LMOf2365_0481, and two homologous genes of the nonpathogenic species Listeria innocua: lin0464, coding for a putative transcriptional regulator, and lin0465, encoding an intracellular PfpI protease. Our prevalence study revealed a different distribution of the inserts between human and food-associated isolates. The lin0464-lin0465 insert was predominantly found in food-associated strains of sequence type 121 (ST121). Functional characterization of this insert showed that the putative PfpI protease Lin0465 is involved in alkaline and oxidative stress responses but not in acidic, gastric, heat, cold, osmotic, and antibiotic stresses. In parallel, deletion of lin0464 decreased survival under alkaline and oxidative stresses. The expression of both genes increased significantly under oxidative stress conditions independently of the alternative sigma factor σB. Furthermore, we showed that the expression of the protease gene lin0465 is regulated by the transcription factor lin0464 under stress conditions, suggesting that lin0464 and lin0465 form a functional unit. In conclusion, we identified a novel stress survival islet 2 (SSI-2), predominantly present in L. monocytogenes ST121 strains, beneficial for survival under alkaline and oxidative stresses, potentially supporting adaptation and persistence of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes strains of ST121 are known to persist for months and even years in food processing environments, thereby increasing the risk of food contamination and listeriosis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this remarkable niche-specific adaptation is still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the genomic islet SSI-2, predominantly present in L. monocytogenes ST121 strains, is beneficial for survival under alkaline and oxidative stress conditions, which are routinely encountered in food processing environments. Our findings suggest that SSI-2 is part of a diverse set of molecular determinants contributing to niche-specific adaptation and persistence of L. monocytogenes ST121 strains in food processing environments.


2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Macario Osorio-Concepción ◽  
Gema Rosa Cristóbal-Mondragón ◽  
Braulio Gutiérrez-Medina ◽  
Sergio Casas-Flores

ABSTRACT Fungal blue-light photoreceptors have been proposed as integrators of light and oxidative stress. However, additional elements participating in the integrative pathway remain to be identified. In Trichoderma atroviride, the blue-light regulator (BLR) proteins BLR-1 and -2 are known to regulate gene transcription, mycelial growth, and asexual development upon illumination, and recent global transcriptional analysis revealed that the histone deacetylase-encoding gene hda-2 is induced by light. Here, by assessing responses to stimuli in wild-type and Δhda-2 backgrounds, we evaluate the role of HDA-2 in the regulation of genes responsive to light and oxidative stress. Δhda-2 strains present reduced growth, misregulation of the con-1 gene, and absence of conidia in response to light and mechanical injury. We found that the expression of hda-2 is BLR-1 dependent and HDA-2 in turn is essential for the transcription of early and late light-responsive genes that include blr-1, indicating a regulatory feedback loop. When subjected to reactive oxygen species (ROS), Δhda-2 mutants display high sensitivity whereas Δblr strains exhibit the opposite phenotype. Consistently, in the presence of ROS, ROS-related genes show high transcription levels in wild-type and Δblr strains but misregulation in Δhda-2 mutants. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitations of histone H3 acetylated at Lys9/Lys14 on cat-3 and gst-1 promoters display low accumulation of H3K9K14ac in Δblr and Δhda-2 strains, suggesting indirect regulation of ROS-related genes by HDA-2. Our results point to a mutual dependence between HDA-2 and BLR proteins and reveal the role of these proteins in an intricate gene regulation landscape in response to blue light and ROS. IMPORTANCE Trichoderma atroviride is a free-living fungus commonly found in soil or colonizing plant roots and is widely used as an agent in biocontrol as it parasitizes other fungi, stimulates plant growth, and induces the plant defense system. To survive in various environments, fungi constantly sense and respond to potentially threatening external factors, such as light. In particular, UV light can damage biomolecules by producing free-radical reactions, in most cases involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). In T. atroviride, conidiation is essential for its survival, which is induced by light and mechanical injury. Notably, conidia are typically used as the inoculum in the field during biocontrol. Therefore, understanding the linkages between responses to light and exposure to ROS in T. atroviride is of major basic and practical relevance. Here, the histone deacetylase-encoding gene hda-2 is induced by light and ROS, and its product regulates growth, conidiation, blue light perception, and oxidative stress responses.


Microbiology ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 148 (2) ◽  
pp. 559-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Gong ◽  
Kathy Takayama ◽  
Staffan Kjelleberg

In bacteria, cytoplasmic levels of the effector nucleotide ppGpp are regulated in response to changes in growth conditions. This study describes the involvement of SpoT-mediated ppGpp accumulation in the survival of light-exposed bacteria during fatty acid starvation. In contrast to isogenic wild-type strains and relA mutants, the ‘Vibrio angustum’ S14 spoT and Escherichia coli relA spoT mutants displayed significant losses in viability in response to cerulenin-induced fatty acid starvation under cool-white fluorescent light. However, when starvation experiments were performed in complete darkness, or under light filtered through a UV-resistant perspex sheet, only a minor decline in viability was observed for the wild-type and mutant strains. This finding indicated that the lethal effect was mediated by weak UV emission. In contrast to the E. coli relA spoT mutant, which lacks ppGpp, the ‘V. angustum’ S14 spoT mutant exhibited higher ppGpp levels and lower RNA synthesis rates during fatty acid starvation, features that might be correlated with its lethality. In agreement with this finding, fatty acid starvation lethality also occurred upon induction of ppGpp overaccumulation in E. coli. These data suggest that the precise regulation of ppGpp levels in the stressed cell is crucial, and that both the absence and the overaccumulation of ppGpp impair fatty acid starvation survival of light-exposed cells. Moreover, the UV-induced lethal effect during fatty acid starvation was also observed for E. coli strains mutated in rpoS and dps, which, in the wild-type, are regulated directly or indirectly by ppGpp, respectively. The restoration of viability of fatty-acid-starved spoT mutant cells through the addition of exogenous catalase suggested that the observed light-dependent lethal effect was, at least in part, caused by UV-imposed oxidative stress. Based on these results, it is proposed that fatty acid starvation adaptation of light-exposed bacterial cells depends on the development of resistance to UV-induced oxidative stress. This stress resistance was found to require appropriate ppGpp levels, ppGpp-induced RpoS expression and, hence, upregulation of RpoS-regulated stress-defending genes, such as dps.


2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (12) ◽  
pp. 5056-5068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaëlle Porcheron ◽  
Rima Habib ◽  
Sébastien Houle ◽  
Mélissa Caza ◽  
François Lépine ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTInEscherichia coli, the small regulatory noncoding RNA (sRNA) RyhB and the global ferric uptake regulator (Fur) mediate iron acquisition and storage control. Iron is both essential and potentially toxic for most living organisms, making the precise maintenance of iron homeostasis necessary for survival. While the roles of these regulators in iron homeostasis have been well studied in a nonpathogenicE. colistrain, their impact on the production of virulence-associated factors is still unknown for a pathogenicE. colistrain. We thus investigated the roles of RyhB and Fur in iron homeostasis and virulence of the uropathogenicE. coli(UPEC) strain CFT073. In a murine model of urinary tract infection (UTI), deletion offuralone did not attenuate virulence, whereas a ΔryhBmutant and a ΔfurΔryhBdouble mutant showed significantly reduced bladder colonization. The Δfurmutant was more sensitive to oxidative stress and produced more of the siderophores enterobactin, salmochelins, and aerobactin than the wild-type strain. In contrast, while RyhB was not implicated in oxidative stress resistance, the ΔryhBmutant produced lower levels of siderophores. This decrease was correlated with the downregulation ofshiA(encoding a transporter of shikimate, a precursor of enterobactin and salmochelin biosynthesis) andiucD(involved in aerobactin biosynthesis) in this mutant grown in minimal medium or in human urine.iucDwas also downregulated in bladders infected with the ΔryhBmutant compared to those infected with the wild-type strain. Our results thus demonstrate that the sRNA RyhB is involved in production of iron acquisition systems and colonization of the urinary tract by pathogenicE. coli.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (15) ◽  
pp. 4584-4591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Boura ◽  
Ciara Keating ◽  
Kevin Royet ◽  
Ranju Paudyal ◽  
Beth O'Donoghue ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTSigB is the main stress gene regulator inListeria monocytogenesaffecting the expression of more than 150 genes and thus contributing to multiple-stress resistance. Despite its clear role in most stresses, its role in oxidative stress is uncertain, as results accompanying the loss ofsigBrange from hyperresistance to hypersensitivity. Previously, these differences have been attributed to strain variation. In this study, we show conclusively that unlike for all other stresses, loss ofsigBresults in hyperresistance to H2O2(more than 8 log CFU ml−1compared to the wild type) in aerobically grown stationary-phase cultures ofL. monocytogenesstrains 10403S and EGD-e. Furthermore, growth at 30°C resulted in higher resistance to oxidative stress than that at 37°C. Oxidative stress resistance seemed to be higher with higher levels of oxygen. Under anaerobic conditions, the loss of SigB in 10403S did not affect survival against H2O2, while in EGD-e, it resulted in a sensitive phenotype. During exponential phase, minor differences occurred, and this result was expected due to the absence ofsigBtranscription. Catalase tests were performed under all conditions, and stronger catalase results corresponded well with a higher survival rate, underpinning the important role of catalase in this phenotype. Furthermore, we assessed the catalase activity in protein lysates, which corresponded with the catalase tests and survival. In addition, reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) showed no differences in transcription between the wild type and the ΔsigBmutant in various oxidative stress genes. Further investigation of the molecular mechanism behind this phenotype and its possible consequences for the overall phenotype ofL. monocytogenesare under way.IMPORTANCESigB is the most important stress gene regulator inL. monocytogenesand other Gram-positive bacteria. Its increased expression during stationary phase results in resistance to multiple stresses. However, despite its important role in general stress resistance, its expression is detrimental for the cell in the presence of oxidative stress, as it promotes hypersensitivity against hydrogen peroxide. This peculiar phenotype is an important element of the physiology ofL. monocytogenes, and it might help us explain the behavior of this organism in environments where oxidative stress is present.


2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiying Wang ◽  
Yuan Fang ◽  
Shuai Zhi ◽  
David J. Simpson ◽  
Alexander Gill ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Some chlorine-resistant Escherichia coli isolates harbor the locus of heat resistance (LHR), a genomic island conferring heat resistance. In this study, the protective effect of the LHR for cells challenged by chlorine and oxidative stress was quantified. Cloning of the LHR protected against NaClO (32 mM; 5 min), H2O2 (120 mM; 5 min), and peroxyacetic acid (105 mg/liter; 5 min) but not against 5.8 mM KIO4, 10 mM acrolein, or 75 mg/liter allyl isothiocyanate. The lethality of oxidizing treatments for LHR-negative strains of E. coli was about 2 log10 CFU/ml higher than that for LHR-positive strains of E. coli. The oxidation of cytoplasmic proteins and membrane lipids was quantified with the fusion probe roGFP2-Orp1 and the fluorescent probe BODIPY581/591, respectively. The fragment of the LHR coding for heat shock proteins protected cytoplasmic proteins but not membrane lipids against oxidation. The middle fragment of the LHR protected against the oxidation of membrane lipids but not of cytoplasmic proteins. The addition of H2O2, NaClO, and peroxyacetic acid also induced green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in the oxidation-sensitive reporter strain E. coli O104:H4 Δstx2::gfp::amp. Cloning of pLHR reduced phage induction in E. coli O104:H4 Δstx2::gfp::amp after treatment with oxidizing chemicals. Screening of 160 strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) revealed that none of them harbors the LHR, additionally suggesting that the LHR and Stx prophages are mutually exclusive. Taking our findings together, the contribution of the LHR to resistance to chlorine and oxidative stress is based on the protection of multiple cellular targets by different proteins encoded by the genetic island. IMPORTANCE Chlorine treatments are used in water and wastewater sanitation; the resistance of Escherichia coli to chlorine is thus of concern to public health. We show that a genetic island termed the locus of heat resistance (LHR) protects E. coli not only against heat but also against chlorine and other oxidizing chemicals, adding to our knowledge of the tools used by E. coli to resist stress. Specific detection of the oxidation of different cellular targets in combination with the cloning of fragments of the LHR provided insight into mechanisms of protection and demonstrated that different fragments of the LHR protect different cellular targets. In E. coli, the presence of the LHR virtually always excluded other virulence factors. It is tempting to speculate that the LHR is maintained by strains of E. coli with an environmental lifestyle but is excluded by pathogenic strains that adapted to interact with vertebrate hosts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Smriti Shringi ◽  
Haiqing Sheng ◽  
Andrew A. Potter ◽  
Scott A. Minnich ◽  
Carolyn J. Hovde ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Subcutaneous vaccination of cattle for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 reduces the magnitude and duration of fecal shedding, but the often-required, repeated cattle restraint can increase costs, deterring adoption by producers. In contrast, live oral vaccines may be repeatedly administered in feed, without animal restraint. We investigated whether oral immunization with live stx-negative LEE+ E. coli O157:H7 reduced rectoanal junction (RAJ) colonization by wild-type (WT) E. coli O157:H7 strains after challenge. Two groups of cattle were orally dosed twice weekly for 6 weeks with 3 × 109 CFU of a pool of three stx-negative LEE+ E. coli O157:H7 strains (vaccine group) or three stx-negative LEE− non-O157:H7 E. coli strains (control group). Three weeks following the final oral dose, animals in both groups were orally challenged with a cocktail of four stx+ LEE+ E. coli O157:H7 WT strains. Subsequently, WT strains at the RAJ were enumerated weekly for 4 weeks. Serum antibodies against type III secretion protein (TTSP), the translocated intimin receptor (Tir), and EspA were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at day 0 (preimmunization), day 61 (postimmunization, prechallenge), and day 89 (postchallenge). Vaccine group cattle had lower numbers of WT strains at the RAJ than control group cattle on postchallenge days 3 and 7 (P ≤ 0.05). Also, vaccine group cattle shed WT strains for a shorter duration than control group cattle. All cattle seroconverted to TTSP, Tir, and EspA, either following immunization (vaccine group) or following challenge (control group). Increased antibody titers against Tir and TTSP postimmunization were associated with decreased numbers of WT E. coli O157:H7 organisms at the RAJ. IMPORTANCE The bacterium E. coli O157:H7 causes foodborne disease in humans that can lead to bloody diarrhea, kidney failure, vascular damage, and death. Healthy cattle are the main source of this human pathogen. Reducing E. coli O157:H7 in cattle will reduce human disease. Using a randomized comparison, a bovine vaccine to reduce carriage of the human pathogen was tested. A detoxified E. coli O157:H7 strain, missing genes that cause disease, was fed to cattle as an oral vaccine to reduce carriage of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7. After vaccination, the cattle were challenged with disease-causing E. coli O157:H7. The vaccinated cattle had decreased E. coli O157:H7 during the first 7 days postchallenge and shed the bacteria for a shorter duration than the nonvaccinated control cattle. The results support optimization of the approach to cattle vaccination that would reduce human disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Huang ◽  
Gang Wang ◽  
Zhan Zhou ◽  
Zhengshan Tang ◽  
Ningning Zhang ◽  
...  

The gasotransmitter H2S is involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological functions of H2S in the lungs. In the model of mouse with genetic deficiency in a H2S natural synthesis enzyme cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), we found that arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) was decreased compared with wild type mice. Hypoxyprobe test showed that mild hypoxia occurred in the tissues of heart, lungs and kidneys in Cse-/- mice. H2S donor GYY4137 treatment increased SaO2 and ameliorated hypoxia state in cardiac and renal tissues. Further, we revealed that lung blood perfusion and airway responsiveness were not linked to reduced SaO2 level. Lung injury was found in Cse-/- mice as evidenced by alveolar wall thickening, diffuse interstitial edema and leukocyte infiltration in pulmonary tissues. IL-8, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels were markedly increased and oxidative stress levels were also significantly higher with increased levels of the pro-oxidative biomarker, MDA, decreased levels of the anti-oxidative biomarkers, T-AOC and GSH/GSSG, and reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in lung tissues of Cse-/- mice compared with those of wild type mice. GYY4137 treatment ameliorated lung injury and suppressed inflammatory state and oxidative stress in lung tissues of Cse-/- mice. A decrease in SaO2 was found in normal mice under hypoxia. These mice displayed lung injury as evidenced by alveolar wall thickening, interstitial edema and leukocyte infiltration. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress were also found in lung tissues of the mice with hypoxia insult. GYY4137 treatment increased SaO2 and ameliorated lung injury, inflammation and oxidative stress. Our data indicate that endogenous H2S is an important factor in maintaining normal SaO2 by preventing oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs.


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