scholarly journals Roles of Four Putative DEAD-Box RNA Helicase Genes in Growth of Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e under Heat, pH, Osmotic, Ethanol, and Oxidative Stress Conditions

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (19) ◽  
pp. 6875-6882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annukka Markkula ◽  
Miia Lindström ◽  
Per Johansson ◽  
Johanna Björkroth ◽  
Hannu Korkeala
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oxidative Stresses ◽  
Dead Box ◽  
Mutant Strains

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.

scholarly journals ThecopYAZOperon Functions in Copper Efflux, Biofilm Formation, Genetic Transformation, and Stress Tolerance in Streptococcus mutans

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (15) ◽  
pp. 2545-2557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamna Singh ◽  
Dilani B. Senadheera ◽  
Céline M. Lévesque ◽  
Dennis G. Cvitkovitch
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Genetic Transformation ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Copper Homeostasis ◽  
Copper Stress ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Genetic Competence ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTIn bacteria, copper homeostasis is closely monitored to ensure proper cellular functions while avoiding cell damage. Most Gram-positive bacteria utilize thecopYABZoperon for copper homeostasis, wherecopAandcopBencode copper-transporting P-type ATPases, whereascopYandcopZregulate the expression of thecopoperon.Streptococcus mutansis a biofilm-forming oral pathogen that harbors a putative copper-transportingcopYAZoperon. Here, we characterized the role ofcopYAZoperon in the physiology ofS. mutansand delineated the mechanisms of copper-induced toxicity in this bacterium. We observed that copper induced toxicity inS. mutanscells by generating oxidative stress and disrupting their membrane potential. Deletion of thecopYAZoperon inS. mutansstrain UA159 resulted in reduced cell viability under copper, acid, and oxidative stress relative to the viability of the wild type under these conditions. Furthermore, the ability ofS. mutansto form biofilms and develop genetic competence was impaired under copper stress. Briefly, copper stress significantly reduced cell adherence and total biofilm biomass, concomitantly repressing the transcription of thegtfB,gtfC,gtfD,gbpB, andgbpCgenes, whose products have roles in maintaining the structural and/or functional integrity of theS. mutansbiofilm. Furthermore, supplementation with copper or loss ofcopYAZresulted in significant reductions in transformability and in the transcription of competence-associated genes. Copper transport assays revealed that the ΔcopYAZstrain accrued significantly large amounts of intracellular copper compared with the amount of copper accumulation in the wild-type strain, thereby demonstrating a role for CopYAZ in the copper efflux ofS. mutans. The complementation of the CopYAZ system restored copper expulsion, membrane potential, and stress tolerance in thecopYAZ-null mutant. Taking these results collectively, we have established the function of theS. mutansCopYAZ system in copper export and have further expanded knowledge on the importance of copper homeostasis and the CopYAZ system in modulating streptococcal physiology, including stress tolerance, membrane potential, genetic competence, and biofilm formation.IMPORTANCES. mutansis best known for its role in the initiation and progression of human dental caries, one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide.S. mutansis also implicated in bacterial endocarditis, a life-threatening inflammation of the heart valve. The core virulence factors ofS. mutansinclude its ability to produce and sustain acidic conditions and to form a polysaccharide-encased biofilm that provides protection against environmental insults. Here, we demonstrate that the addition of copper and/or deletion ofcopYAZ(the copper homeostasis system) have serious implications in modulating biofilm formation, stress tolerance, and genetic transformation inS. mutans. Manipulating the pathways affected by copper and thecopYAZsystem may help to develop potential therapeutics to preventS. mutansinfection in and beyond the oral cavity.

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
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Lethal Effect ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Human Pathogen ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
And Oxidative Stress ◽  
Internal Production

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.

scholarly journals Stress Survival Islet 2, Predominantly Present in Listeria monocytogenes Strains of Sequence Type 121, Is Involved in the Alkaline and Oxidative Stress Responses

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Harter ◽  
Eva Maria Wagner ◽  
Andreas Zaiser ◽  
Sabrina Halecker ◽  
Martin Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Stress Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oxidative Stresses ◽  
Stress Survival ◽  
Oxidative Stress Responses ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

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.

scholarly journals A Novel DNA-Binding Protein Plays an Important Role in Helicobacter pylori Stress Tolerance and Survival in the Host

2014 ◽  
Vol 197 (5) ◽  
pp. 973-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ge Wang ◽  
Robert J. Maier
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Dna Binding Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
H Pylori

The gastric pathogenHelicobacter pylorimust combat chronic acid and oxidative stress. It does so via many mechanisms, including macromolecule repair and gene regulation. Mitomycin C-sensitive clones from a transposon mutagenesis library were screened. One sensitive strain contained the insertion element at the locus ofhp119, a hypothetical gene. No homologous gene exists in any (non-H. pylori) organism. Nevertheless, the predicted protein has some features characteristic of histone-like proteins, and we showed that purified HP119 protein is a DNA-binding protein. A Δhp119strain was markedly more sensitive (viability loss) to acid or to air exposure, and these phenotypes were restored to wild-type (WT) attributes upon complementation of the mutant with the wild-type version ofhp119at a separate chromosomal locus. The mutant strain was approximately10-fold more sensitive to macrophage-mediated killing than the parent or the complemented strain. Of 12 mice inoculated with the wild type, all containedH. pylori, whereas 5 of 12 mice contained the mutant strain; the mean colonization numbers were 158-fold less for the mutant strain. A proteomic (two-dimensional PAGE with mass spectrometric analysis) comparison between the Δhp119mutant and the WT strain under oxidative stress conditions revealed a number of important antioxidant protein differences; SodB, Tpx, TrxR, and NapA, as well as the peptidoglycan deacetylase PgdA, were significantly less expressed in the Δhp119mutant than in the WT strain. This study identified HP119 as a putative histone-like DNA-binding protein and showed that it plays an important role inHelicobacter pyloristress tolerance and survival in the host.

scholarly journals RNA Helicase Important for Listeria monocytogenes Hemolytic Activity and Virulence Factor Expression

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakura Netterling ◽  
Caroline Bäreclev ◽  
Karolis Vaitkevicius ◽  
Jörgen Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Hemolytic Activity ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Rna Helicases ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rna Molecules ◽  
Virulence Regulator

RNA helicases have been shown to be important for the function of RNA molecules at several levels, although their putative involvement in microbial pathogenesis has remained elusive. We have previously shown thatListeria monocytogenesDExD-box RNA helicases are important for bacterial growth, motility, ribosomal maturation, and rRNA processing. We assessed the importance of the RNA helicase Lmo0866 (here named CshA) for expression of virulence traits. We observed a reduction in hemolytic activity in a strain lacking CshA compared to the wild type. This phenomenon was less evident in strains lacking other RNA helicases. The reduced hemolysis was accompanied by lower expression of major listerial virulence factors in the ΔcshAstrain, mainly listeriolysin O, but also to some degree the actin polymerizing factor ActA. Reduced expression of these virulence factors in the strain lacking CshA did not, however, correlate with a decreased level of the virulence regulator PrfA. When combining the ΔcshAknockout with a mutation creating a constitutively active PrfA protein (PrfA*), the effect of the ΔcshAknockout on LLO expression was negated. These data suggest a role for the RNA helicase CshA in posttranslational activation of PrfA. Surprisingly, although the expression of several virulence factors was reduced, the ΔcshAstrain did not demonstrate any reduced ability to infect nonphagocytic cells compared to the wild-type strain.

scholarly journals Loss of SigB in Listeria monocytogenes Strains EGD-e and 10403S Confers Hyperresistance to Hydrogen Peroxide in Stationary Phase under Aerobic Conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (15) ◽  
pp. 4584-4591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Boura ◽  
Ciara Keating ◽  
Kevin Royet ◽  
Ranju Paudyal ◽  
Beth O'Donoghue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stress Genes ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Stress Gene

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.

scholarly journals N-3-Hydroxy Dodecanoyl-DL-homoserine Lactone (OH-dDHL) Triggers Apoptosis of Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages through the ER- and Mitochondria-Mediated Pathways

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7565
Author(s):  
Kyungho Woo ◽  
Dong Ho Kim ◽  
Man Hwan Oh ◽  
Ho Sung Park ◽  
Chul Hee Choi
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Host Responses ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mutant Strains

Quorum sensing of Acinetobacter nosocomialis for cell-to-cell communication produces N-3-hydroxy dodecanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (OH-dDHL) by an AnoR/I two-component system. However, OH-dDHL-driven apoptotic mechanisms in hosts have not been clearly defined. Here, we investigated the induction of apoptosis signaling pathways in bone marrow-derived macrophages treated with synthetic OH-dDHL. Moreover, the quorum-sensing system for virulence regulation was evaluated in vivo using wild-type and anoI-deletion mutant strains. OH-dDHL decreased the viability of macrophage and epithelial cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. OH-dDHL induced Ca2+ efflux and caspase-12 activation by ER stress transmembrane protein (IRE1 and ATF6a p50) aggregation and induced mitochondrial dysfunction through reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which caused cytochrome c to leak. Pretreatment with a pan-caspase inhibitor reduced caspase-3, -8, and -9, which were activated by OH-dDHL. Pro-inflammatory cytokine and paraoxonase-2 (PON2) gene expression were increased by OH-dDHL. We showed that the anoI-deletion mutant strains have less intracellular invasion compared to the wild-type strain, and their virulence, such as colonization and dissemination, was decreased in vivo. Consequently, these findings revealed that OH-dDHL, as a virulence factor, contributes to bacterial infection and survival as well as the modification of host responses in the early stages of infection.

scholarly journals Association of the Cold Shock DEAD-Box RNA Helicase RhlE to the RNA Degradosome in Caulobacter crescentus

2017 ◽  
Vol 199 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel A. Aguirre ◽  
Alexandre M. Vicente ◽  
Steven W. Hardwick ◽  
Daniela M. Alvelos ◽  
Ricardo R. Mazzon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Caulobacter Crescentus ◽  
Immunoblot Analysis ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Rnase E ◽  
Rna Helicases ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dead Box ◽  
Rna Degradosome ◽  
The Dead

ABSTRACT In diverse bacterial lineages, multienzyme assemblies have evolved that are central elements of RNA metabolism and RNA-mediated regulation. The aquatic Gram-negative bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, which has been a model system for studying the bacterial cell cycle, has an RNA degradosome assembly that is formed by the endoribonuclease RNase E and includes the DEAD-box RNA helicase RhlB. Immunoprecipitations of extracts from cells expressing an epitope-tagged RNase E reveal that RhlE, another member of the DEAD-box helicase family, associates with the degradosome at temperatures below those optimum for growth. Phenotype analyses of rhlE, rhlB, and rhlE rhlB mutant strains show that RhlE is important for cell fitness at low temperature and its role may not be substituted by RhlB. Transcriptional and translational fusions of rhlE to the lacZ reporter gene and immunoblot analysis of an epitope-tagged RhlE indicate that its expression is induced upon temperature decrease, mainly through posttranscriptional regulation. RNase E pulldown assays show that other proteins, including the transcription termination factor Rho, a second DEAD-box RNA helicase, and ribosomal protein S1, also associate with the degradosome at low temperature. The results suggest that the RNA degradosome assembly can be remodeled with environmental change to alter its repertoire of helicases and other accessory proteins. IMPORTANCE DEAD-box RNA helicases are often present in the RNA degradosome complex, helping unwind secondary structures to facilitate degradation. Caulobacter crescentus is an interesting organism to investigate degradosome remodeling with change in temperature, because it thrives in freshwater bodies and withstands low temperature. In this study, we show that at low temperature, the cold-induced DEAD-box RNA helicase RhlE is recruited to the RNA degradosome, along with other helicases and the Rho protein. RhlE is essential for bacterial fitness at low temperature, and its function may not be complemented by RhlB, although RhlE is able to complement for rhlB loss. These results suggest that RhlE has a specific role in the degradosome at low temperature, potentially improving adaptation to this condition.

scholarly journals The Type VI Secretion System Modulates Flagellar Gene Expression and Secretion in Citrobacter freundii and Contributes to Adhesion and Cytotoxicity to Host Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (7) ◽  
pp. 2596-2604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liyun Liu ◽  
Shuai Hao ◽  
Ruiting Lan ◽  
Guangxia Wang ◽  
Di Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secretion System ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Citrobacter Freundii ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Type Vi Secretion System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Type Vi Secretion ◽  
Mutant Strains

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) as a virulence factor-releasing system contributes to virulence development of various pathogens and is often activated upon contact with target cells.Citrobacter freundiistrain CF74 has a complete T6SS genomic island (GI) that containsclpV,hcp-2, andvgrT6SS genes. We constructedclpV,hcp-2,vgr, and T6SS GI deletion mutants in CF74 and analyzed their effects on the transcriptome overall and, specifically, on the flagellar system at the levels of transcription and translation. Deletion of the T6SS GI affected the transcription of 84 genes, with 15 and 69 genes exhibiting higher and lower levels of transcription, respectively. Members of the cell motility class of downregulated genes of the CF74ΔT6SS mutant were mainly flagellar genes, including effector proteins, chaperones, and regulators. Moreover, the production and secretion of FliC were also decreased inclpV,hcp-2,vgr, or T6SS GI deletion mutants in CF74 and were restored upon complementation. In swimming motility assays, the mutant strains were found to be less motile than the wild type, and motility was restored by complementation. The mutant strains were defective in adhesion to HEp-2 cells and were restored partially upon complementation. Further, the CF74ΔT6SS, CF74ΔclpV, and CF74Δhcp-2mutants induced lower cytotoxicity to HEp-2 cells than the wild type. These results suggested that the T6SS GI in CF74 regulates the flagellar system, enhances motility, is involved in adherence to host cells, and induces cytotoxicity to host cells. Thus, the T6SS plays a wide-ranging role inC. freundii.

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