scholarly journals A Novel Mobilizing Tool Based on the Conjugative Transfer System of the IncM Plasmid pCTX-M3

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Dmowski ◽  
Izabela Kern-Zdanowicz
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Lactococcus Lactis ◽  
Conjugative Transfer ◽  
Conjugation System ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Mobilizable Plasmid

ABSTRACT Conjugative plasmids are the main players in horizontal gene transfer in Gram-negative bacteria. DNA transfer tools constructed on the basis of such plasmids enable gene manipulation even in strains of clinical or environmental origin, which are often difficult to work with. The conjugation system of the IncM plasmid pCTX-M3 isolated from a clinical strain of Citrobacter freundii has been shown to enable efficient mobilization of oriTpCTX-M3-bearing plasmids into a broad range of hosts comprising Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria. We constructed a helper plasmid, pMOBS, mediating such mobilization with an efficiency up to 1,000-fold higher than that achieved with native pCTX-M3. We also constructed Escherichia coli donor strains with chromosome-integrated conjugative transfer genes: S14 and S15, devoid of one putative regulator (orf35) of the pCTX-M3 tra genes, and S25 and S26, devoid of two putative regulators (orf35 and orf36) of the pCTX-M3 tra genes. Strains S14 and S15 and strains S25 and S26 are, respectively, up to 100 and 1,000 times more efficient in mobilization than pCTX-M3. Moreover, they also enable plasmid mobilization into the Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Lactococcus lactis. Additionally, the constructed E. coli strains carried no antibiotic resistance genes that are present in pCTX-M3 to facilitate manipulations with antibiotic-resistant recipient strains, such as those of clinical origin. To demonstrate possible application of the constructed tool, an antibacterial conjugation-based system was designed. Strain S26 was used for introduction of a mobilizable plasmid coding for a toxin, resulting in the elimination of over 90% of recipient E. coli cells. IMPORTANCE The conjugation of donor and recipient bacterial cells resulting in conjugative transfer of mobilizable plasmids is the preferred method enabling the introduction of DNA into strains for which other transfer methods are difficult to establish (e.g., clinical strains). We have constructed E. coli strains carrying the conjugation system of the IncM plasmid pCTX-M3 integrated into the chromosome. To increase the mobilization efficiency up to 1,000-fold, two putative regulators of this system, orf35 and orf36, were disabled. The constructed strains broaden the repertoire of tools for the introduction of DNA into the Gram-negative Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria, as well as into Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Lactococcus lactis. The antibacterial procedure based on conjugation with the use of the orf35- and orf36-deficient strain lowered the recipient cell number by over 90% owing to the mobilizable plasmid-encoded toxin.

scholarly journals Organization of the Flagellar Switch Complex ofBacillus subtilis

2018 ◽  
Vol 201 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Ward ◽  
Eun A Kim ◽  
Joseph Panushka ◽  
Tayson Botelho ◽  
Trevor Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Protein Interaction ◽  
Protein Complex ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Middle Domain ◽  
Flagellar Rotation

ABSTRACTWhile the protein complex responsible for controlling the direction (clockwise [CW] or counterclockwise [CCW]) of flagellar rotation has been fairly well studied inEscherichia coliandSalmonella, less is known about the switch complex inBacillus subtilisor other Gram-positive species. Two component proteins (FliG and FliM) are shared betweenE. coliandB. subtilis, but in place of the protein FliN found inE. coli, theB. subtiliscomplex contains the larger protein FliY. Notably, inB. subtilisthe signaling protein CheY-phosphate induces a switch from CW to CCW rotation, opposite to its action inE. coli. Here, we have examined the architecture and function of the switch complex inB. subtilisusing targeted cross-linking, bacterial two-hybrid protein interaction experiments, and characterization of mutant phenotypes. In major respects, theB. subtilisswitch complex appears to be organized similarly to that inE. coli. The complex is organized around a ring built from the large middle domain of FliM; this ring supports an array of FliG subunits organized in a similar way to that ofE. coli, with the FliG C-terminal domain functioning in the generation of torque via conserved charged residues. Key differences fromE. coliinvolve the middle domain of FliY, which forms an additional, more outboard array, and the C-terminal domains of FliM and FliY, which are organized into both FliY homodimers and FliM heterodimers. Together, the results suggest that the CW and CCW conformational states are similar in the Gram-negative and Gram-positive switches but that CheY-phosphate drives oppositely directed movements in the two cases.IMPORTANCEFlagellar motility plays key roles in the survival of many bacteria and in the harmful action of many pathogens. Bacterial flagella rotate; the direction of flagellar rotation is controlled by a multisubunit protein complex termed the switch complex. This complex has been extensively studied in Gram-negative model species, but little is known about the complex inBacillus subtilisor other Gram-positive species. Notably, the switch complex in Gram-positive species responds to its effector CheY-phosphate (CheY-P) by switching to CCW rotation, whereas inE. coliorSalmonellaCheY-P acts in the opposite way, promoting CW rotation. In the work here, the architecture of theB. subtilisswitch complex has been probed using cross-linking, protein interaction measurements, and mutational approaches. The results cast light on the organization of the complex and provide a framework for understanding the mechanism of flagellar direction control inB. subtilisand other Gram-positive species.

scholarly journals Control of Bacillus subtilis Replication Initiation during Physiological Transitions and Perturbations

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. Sauls ◽  
Sarah E. Cox ◽  
Quynh Do ◽  
Victoria Castillo ◽  
Zulfar Ghulam-Jelani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Steady State ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Cell Size ◽  
Physiological Parameters ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACT Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli are evolutionarily divergent model organisms whose analysis has enabled elucidation of fundamental differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. Despite their differences in cell cycle control at the molecular level, the two organisms follow the same phenomenological principle, known as the adder principle, for cell size homeostasis. We thus asked to what extent B. subtilis and E. coli share common physiological principles in coordinating growth and the cell cycle. We measured physiological parameters of B. subtilis under various steady-state growth conditions with and without translation inhibition at both the population and single-cell levels. These experiments revealed core physiological principles shared between B. subtilis and E. coli. Specifically, both organisms maintain an invariant cell size per replication origin at initiation, under all steady-state conditions, and even during nutrient shifts at the single-cell level. Furthermore, the two organisms also inherit the same “hierarchy” of physiological parameters. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that the basic principles of coordination between growth and the cell cycle in bacteria may have been established early in evolutionary history. IMPORTANCE High-throughput, quantitative approaches have enabled the discovery of fundamental principles describing bacterial physiology. These principles provide a foundation for predicting the behavior of biological systems, a widely held aspiration. However, these approaches are often exclusively applied to the best-known model organism, E. coli. In this report, we investigate to what extent quantitative principles discovered in Gram-negative E. coli are applicable to Gram-positive B. subtilis. We found that these two extremely divergent bacterial species employ deeply similar strategies in order to coordinate growth, cell size, and the cell cycle. These similarities mean that the quantitative physiological principles described here can likely provide a beachhead for others who wish to understand additional, less-studied prokaryotes.

Synthesis of Chalcones and Nucleosides Incorporating [1, 3, 4]Oxadiazolenone Core and Evaluation of their Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 665-679
Author(s):  
Alok K. Srivastava ◽  
Lokesh K. Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Antibacterial Activity ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Aspergillus Niger ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Good Antibacterial Activity

Background: [1, 3, 4]oxadiazolenone core containing chalcones and nucleosides were synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation of a variety of benzaldehyde derivatives, obtained from oxidation of substituted 5-(3/6 substituted-4-Methylphenyl)-1, 3, 4-oxadiazole-2(3H)-one and various substituted acetophenone. The resultant chalcones were coupled with penta-O-acetylglucopyranose followed by deacetylation to get [1, 3, 4] oxadiazolenone core containing chalcones and nucleosides. Various analytical techniques viz IR, NMR, LC-MS and elemental analysis were used to confirm the structure of the synthesised compounds.The compounds were targeted against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli for antibacterial activity and Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum for antifungal activity. Methods: A mixture of Acid hydrazides (3.0 mmol) and N, Nʹ- carbonyl diimidazole (3.3 mmol) in 15 mL of dioxane was refluxed to afford substituted [1, 3, 4]-oxadiazole-2(3H)-one. The resulted [1, 3, 4]- oxadiazole-2(3H)-one (1.42 mmol) was oxidized with Chromyl chloride (1.5 mL) in 20 mL of carbon tetra chloride and condensed with acetophenones (1.42 mmol) to get chalcones 4. The equimolar ratio of obtained chalcones 4 and β -D-1,2,3,4,6- penta-O-acetylglucopyranose in presence of iodine was refluxed to get nucleosides 5. The [1, 3, 4] oxadiazolenone core containing chalcones 4 and nucleosides 5 were tested to determined minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value with the experimental procedure of Benson using disc-diffusion method. All compounds were tested at concentration of 5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL, 1.25 mg/mL, 0.62 mg/mL, 0.31 mg/mL and 0.15 mg/mL for antifungal activity against three strains of pathogenic fungi Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus), Aspergillus niger (A. niger) and Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum) and for antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacterium: Escherichia coli (E. coli), and two Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Bacillus subtilis(B. subtilis). Result: The chalcones 4 and nucleosides 5 were screened for antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. aureus and B. subtilis whereas antifungal activity against A. flavus, A. niger and F. oxysporum. Compounds 4a-t showed good antibacterial activity whereas compounds 5a-t containing glucose moiety showed better activity against fungi. The glucose moiety of compounds 5 helps to enter into the cell wall of fungi and control the cell growth. Conclusion: Chalcones 4 and nucleosides 5 incorporating [1, 3, 4] oxadiazolenone core were synthesized and characterized by various spectral techniques and elemental analysis. These compounds were evaluated for their antifungal activity against three fungi; viz. A. flavus, A. niger and F. oxysporum. In addition to this, synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against gram negative bacteria E. Coli and gram positive bacteria S. aureus, B. subtilis. Compounds 4a-t showed good antibacterial activity whereas 5a-t showed better activity against fungi.

scholarly journals Construction of Leaderless-Bacteriocin-Producing Bacteriophage Targeting E. coli and Neighboring Gram-Positive Pathogens

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshimitsu Masuda ◽  
Shun Kawabata ◽  
Tatsuya Uedoi ◽  
Ken-ichi Honjoh ◽  
Takahisa Miyamoto
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Host Strain ◽  
Phage Resistance ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
T7 Phage

We demonstrated that we could combine LLB and phage to construct promising novel antimicrobial agents, LLB-phage. The first LLB-phage, lnqQ -T7 phage, can control the growth of both the Gram-negative host strain and neighboring Gram-positive bacteria while preventing the emergence of phage resistance in the host strain.

scholarly journals Water-dispersible glycosylated poly(2,5′-thienylene)porphyrin-based nanoparticles for antibacterial photodynamic therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1147-1155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rehan Khan ◽  
Melis Özkan ◽  
Aisan Khaligh ◽  
Dönüs Tuncel
Keyword(s):  
Antibacterial Activity ◽  
Photodynamic Therapy ◽  
Singlet Oxygen ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Water Dispersible ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
High Yields

Water-dispersible glycosylated poly(2,5′-thienylene)porphyrin-based nanoparticles have the ability to generate singlet oxygen in high yields and exhibit light-triggered antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria, E. coli as well as Gram positive bacteria, B. subtilis.

scholarly journals Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Chalcones and Pyrimidine-2-ones

2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-112
Author(s):  
A. K. Parekh ◽  
K. K. Desai
Keyword(s):  
Antibacterial Activity ◽  
Spectral Data ◽  
Elemental Analysis ◽  
Aromatic Aldehydes ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
H Nmr

Some new chalcones have been prepared by Claisen-schmidt condensation of ketone and different aromatic aldehydes. These chalcones on condensation with urea in presence of acid gave Pyrimidine-2-ones. The synthesized compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR and1H NMR spectral data. They have been screened for their antibacterial activity against Gram positive bacteria B. subtillis & S. aureus and Gram negative bacteria E. coli & S. typhi.

scholarly journals Recognition of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Muramyl Dipeptide by NOD2 Results in Potent Induction of MMP-9, Which Can Be Controlled by Lipopolysaccharide Stimulation

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (12) ◽  
pp. 4952-4958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marloes Vissers ◽  
Yvonne Hartman ◽  
Laszlo Groh ◽  
Dirk J. de Jong ◽  
Marien I. de Jonge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Muramyl Dipeptide ◽  
Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinase ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Potent Inducer ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria

ABSTRACTMatrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) is a protease involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix collagen. Evidence suggests that MMP-9 is involved in pathogenesis duringStreptococcus pneumoniaeinfection. However, not much is known about the induction of MMP-9 and the regulatory processes involved. We show here that the Gram-positive bacteria used in this study induced large amounts of MMP-9, in contrast to the Gram-negative bacteria that were used. An important pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) for Gram-positive bacteria is muramyl dipeptide (MDP). MDP is a very potent inducer of MMP-9 and showed a dose-dependent MMP-9 induction. Experiments using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Crohn's disease patients with nonfunctional NOD2 showed that MMP-9 induction byStreptococcus pneumoniaeand MDP is NOD2 dependent. Increasing amounts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an important PAMP for Gram-negative bacteria, resulted in decreasing amounts of MMP-9. Moreover, the induction of MMP-9 by MDP could be counteracted by simultaneously adding LPS. The inhibition of MMP-9 expression by LPS was found to be regulated posttranscriptionally, independently of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), an endogenous inhibitor of MMP-9. Collectively, these data show thatStreptococcus pneumoniaeis able to induce large amounts of MMP-9. These high MMP-9 levels are potentially involved inStreptococcus pneumoniaepathogenesis.

scholarly journals Distinctive Binding of Avibactam to Penicillin-Binding Proteins of Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 752-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelhamid Asli ◽  
Eric Brouillette ◽  
Kevin M. Krause ◽  
Wright W. Nichols ◽  
François Malouin
Keyword(s):  
Binding Proteins ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Penicillin Binding Proteins ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Fixed Concentration ◽  
Competition Assays

ABSTRACTAvibactam is a novel non-β-lactam β-lactamase inhibitor that covalently acylates a variety of β-lactamases, causing inhibition. Although avibactam presents limited antibacterial activity, its acylation ability toward bacterial penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) was investigated.Staphylococcus aureuswas of particular interest due to the reported β-lactamase activity of PBP4. The binding of avibactam to PBPs was measured by adding increasing concentrations to membrane preparations of a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria prior to addition of the fluorescent reagent Bocillin FL. Relative binding (measured here as the 50% inhibitory concentration [IC50]) to PBPs was estimated by quantification of fluorescence after gel electrophoresis. Avibactam was found to selectively bind to some PBPs. InEscherichia coli,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Haemophilus influenzae, andS. aureus, avibactam primarily bound to PBP2, with IC50s of 0.92, 1.1, 3.0, and 51 μg/ml, respectively, whereas binding to PBP3 was observed inStreptococcus pneumoniae(IC50, 8.1 μg/ml). Interestingly, avibactam was able to significantly enhance labeling ofS. aureusPBP4 by Bocillin FL. In PBP competition assays withS. aureus, where avibactam was used at a fixed concentration in combination with varied amounts of ceftazidime, the apparent IC50of ceftazidime was found to be very similar to that determined for ceftazidime when used alone. In conclusion, avibactam is able to covalently bind to some bacterial PBPs. Identification of those PBP targets may allow the development of new diazabicyclooctane derivatives with improved affinity for PBPs or new combination therapies that act on multiple PBP targets.

scholarly journals A Conserved Class II Type Thioester Domain-Containing Adhesin Is Required for Efficient Conjugation in Bacillus subtilis

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
César Gago-Córdoba ◽  
Jorge Val-Calvo ◽  
David Abia ◽  
Alberto Díaz-Talavera ◽  
Andrés Miguel-Arribas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Recipient Cell ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Mating Pair ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria

ABSTRACT Conjugation, the process by which a DNA element is transferred from a donor to a recipient cell, is the main horizontal gene transfer route responsible for the spread of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Contact between a donor and a recipient cell is a prerequisite for conjugation, because conjugative DNA is transferred into the recipient via a channel connecting the two cells. Conjugative elements encode proteins dedicated to facilitating the recognition and attachment to recipient cells, also known as mating pair formation. A subgroup of the conjugative elements is able to mediate efficient conjugation during planktonic growth, and mechanisms facilitating mating pair formation will be particularly important in these cases. Conjugative elements of Gram-negative bacteria encode conjugative pili, also known as sex pili, some of which are retractile. Far less is known about mechanisms that promote mating pair formation in Gram-positive bacteria. The conjugative plasmid pLS20 of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis allows efficient conjugation in liquid medium. Here, we report the identification of an adhesin gene in the pLS20 conjugation operon. The N-terminal region of the adhesin contains a class II type thioester domain (TED) that is essential for efficient conjugation, particularly in liquid medium. We show that TED-containing adhesins are widely conserved in Gram-positive bacteria, including pathogens where they often play crucial roles in pathogenesis. Our study is the first to demonstrate the involvement of a class II type TED-containing adhesin in conjugation. IMPORTANCE Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a serious health care problem. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria of the same or different species is often mediated by a process named conjugation, where a donor cell transfers DNA to a recipient cell through a connecting channel. The first step in conjugation is recognition and attachment of the donor to a recipient cell. Little is known about this first step, particularly in Gram-positive bacteria. Here, we show that the conjugative plasmid pLS20 of Bacillus subtilis encodes an adhesin protein that is essential for effective conjugation. This adhesin protein has a structural organization similar to adhesins produced by other Gram-positive bacteria, including major pathogens, where the adhesins serve in attachment to host tissues during colonization and infection. Our findings may thus also open novel avenues to design drugs that inhibit the spread of antibiotic resistance by blocking the first recipient-attachment step in conjugation.

scholarly journals Effect of Lactose Monolaurate on Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Bacteria

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (9) ◽  
pp. 3465-3468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwini Wagh ◽  
Shujie Shen ◽  
Fen Ann Shen ◽  
Charles D. Miller ◽  
Marie K. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Antimicrobial Activities ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Lactose Monolaurate

ABSTRACTThe antimicrobial activities of sucrose monolaurate and a novel ester, lactose monolaurate (LML), were tested. Gram-positive bacteria were more susceptible than Gram-negative bacteria to both esters. The minimal bactericidal concentrations of LML were 5 to 9.5 mM forListeria monocytogenesisolates and 0.2 to 2 mM forMycobacteriumisolates.

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