scholarly journals Analysis of thexplAB-Containing Gene Cluster Involved in the Bacterial Degradation of the Explosive Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-Triazine

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (21) ◽  
pp. 6601-6610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun Shiong Chong ◽  
Dana Khdr Sabir ◽  
Astrid Lorenz ◽  
Cyril Bontemps ◽  
Peter Andeer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Contaminated Soils ◽  
Genomic Island ◽  
Bacterial Degradation ◽  
Ring Cleavage ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Redox Partner ◽  
Repeated Use ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic

ABSTRACTRepeated use of the explosive compound hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) on military land has resulted in significant soil and groundwater pollution. Rates of degradation of RDX in the environment are low, and accumulated RDX, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined is a possible human carcinogen, is now threatening drinking water supplies. RDX-degrading microorganisms have been isolated from RDX-contaminated land; however, despite the presence of these species in contaminated soils, RDX pollution persists. To further understand this problem, we studied RDX-degrading species belonging to four different genera (Rhodococcus,Microbacterium,Gordonia, andWilliamsia) isolated from geographically distinct locations and established that thexplAandxplB(xplAB) genes, which encode a cytochrome P450 and a flavodoxin redox partner, respectively, are nearly identical in all these species. Together, thexplABsystem catalyzes the reductive denitration of RDX and subsequent ring cleavage under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In addition toxplAB, theRhodococcusspecies studied here share a 14-kb region flankingxplAB; thus, it appears likely that the RDX-metabolizing ability was transferred as a genomic island within a transposable element. The conservation and transfer ofxplAB-flanking genes suggest a role in RDX metabolism. We therefore independently knocked out genes within this cluster in the RDX-degrading speciesRhodococcus rhodochrous11Y. Analysis of the resulting mutants revealed that XplA is essential for RDX degradation and that XplB is not the sole contributor of reducing equivalents to XplA. While XplA expression is induced under nitrogen-limiting conditions and further enhanced by the presence of RDX, MarR is not regulated by RDX.

scholarly journals Pseudomonas aeruginosa Regulatory Protein AnvM Controls Pathogenicity in Anaerobic Environments and Impacts Host Defense

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingchao Zhang ◽  
Chuan-min Zhou ◽  
Qinqin Pu ◽  
Qun Wu ◽  
Shirui Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sensing System ◽  
Quorum Sensing System ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the most common pathogens in hospital-acquired infections, is tightly controlled by a multilayered regulatory network, including the quorum sensing system (QS), the type VI secretion system (T6SS), and resistance to host immunity. We found that the P. aeruginosa 3880 (PA3880) gene, which encodes an unknown protein, acts as a regulator of anaerobic metabolism in response to oxidative stress and virulence in P. aeruginosa. More than 30 PA3880 homologs were found in other bacterial genomes, indicating that PA3880 is widely distributed in the Bacteria kingdom as a highly conserved gene. Deletion of the PA3880 gene changed the expression levels of more than 700 genes, including a group of virulence genes, under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. To further study the mechanisms of PA3880-mediated regulation in virulence, we utilized a bacterial two-hybrid assay and found that the PA3880 protein interacted directly with QS regulator MvfR and anaerobic regulator Anr. Loss of the PA3880 protein significantly blunted the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa, resulting in increased host survival, decreased bacterial burdens, reduced inflammatory responses, and fewer lung injuries in challenged mice hosts. Mechanistically, we found that Cys44 was a critical site for the full function of PA3880 in influencing alveolar macrophage phagocytosis and bacterial clearance. We also found that AnvM directly interacted with host receptors Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR5, which might lead to activation of the host immune response. Hence, we gave the name AnvM (anaerobic and virulence modulator) to the PA3880 protein. This characterization of AnvM could help to uncover new targets and strategies to treat P. aeruginosa infections. IMPORTANCE Infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the most frequently isolated human pathogens, can create huge financial burdens. However, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa remains elusive. We identified AnvM as a novel regulator of virulence in P. aeruginosa. Deletion of anvM altered the expression levels of more than 700 genes under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, including quorum sensing system genes and oxidative stress resistance genes. AnvM directly interacted with MvfR and Anr, thus regulating their downstream genes. More importantly, AnvM directly bound to TLR2 and TLR5, which turn on the host immune response. These findings provide insights into the significance of AnvM homologs in pathogenic bacteria and suggest a potential drug target against bacterial infection.

scholarly journals HipH Catalyzes the Hydroxylation of 4-Hydroxyisophthalate to Protocatechuate in 2,4-Xylenol Catabolism by Pseudomonas putida NCIMB 9866

2015 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 724-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Jun Chao ◽  
Yan-Fei Chen ◽  
Ti Fang ◽  
Ying Xu ◽  
Wei E. Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Putida ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Transcriptional Analysis ◽  
Ring Cleavage ◽  
Protection Agency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Priority Pollutant

ABSTRACTIn addition to growing onp-cresol,Pseudomonas putidaNCIMB 9866 is the only reported strain capable of aerobically growing on 2,4-xylenol, which is listed as a priority pollutant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Several enzymes involved in the oxidation of thepara-methyl group, as well as the corresponding genes, have previously been reported. The enzyme catalyzing oxidation of the catabolic intermediate 4-hydroxyisophthalate to the ring cleavage substrate protocatechuate was also purified from strain NCIMB 9866, but its genetic determinant is still unavailable. In this study, the genehipH, encoding 4-hydroxyisophthalate hydroxylase, from strain NCIMB 9866 was cloned by transposon mutagenesis. Purified recombinant HipH-His6was found to be a dimer protein with a molecular mass of approximately 110 kDa. HipH-His6catalyzed the hydroxylation of 4-hydroxyisophthalate to protocatechuate with a specific activity of 1.54 U mg−1and showed apparentKmvalues of 11.40 ± 3.05 μM for 4-hydroxyisophthalate with NADPH and 11.23 ± 2.43 μM with NADH and similarKmvalues for NADPH and NADH (64.31 ± 13.16 and 72.76 ± 12.06 μM, respectively). The identity of protocatechuate generated from 4-hydroxyisophthalate hydroxylation by HipH-His6has also been confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Gene transcriptional analysis, gene knockout, and complementation indicated thathipHis essential for 2,4-xylenol catabolism but not forp-cresol catabolism in this strain. This fills a gap in our understanding of the gene that encodes a critical step in 2,4-xylenol catabolism and also provides another example of biochemical and genetic diversity of microbial catabolism of structurally similar compounds.

scholarly journals Identification and Characterization of a Tetramethylpyrazine Catabolic Pathway in Rhodococcus jostii TMP1

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 3649-3657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simonas Kutanovas ◽  
Jonita Stankeviciute ◽  
Gintaras Urbelis ◽  
Daiva Tauraite ◽  
Rasa Rutkiene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Bacterial Degradation ◽  
Ring Cleavage ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Catabolic Pathway ◽  
Genome Database ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intermediate Metabolites ◽  
Inducible Protein ◽  
Rhodococcus Jostii

ABSTRACTAt present, there are no published data on catabolic pathways ofN-heterocyclic compounds, in which all carbon atoms carry a substituent. We identified the genetic locus and characterized key reactions in the aerobic degradation of tetramethylpyrazine inRhodococcus jostiistrain TMP1. By comparing protein expression profiles, we identified a tetramethylpyrazine-inducible protein of 40 kDa and determined its identity by tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS)de novosequencing. Searches against anR. jostiiTMP1 genome database allowed the identification of the tetramethylpyrazine-inducible protein-coding gene. The tetramethylpyrazine-inducible gene was located within a 13-kb genome cluster, denominated the tetramethylpyrazine degradation (tpd) locus, that encoded eight proteins involved in tetramethylpyrazine catabolism. The genes from this cluster were cloned and transferred into tetramethylpyrazine-nondegradingRhodococcus erythropolisstrain SQ1. This allowed us to verify the function of thetpdlocus, to isolate intermediate metabolites, and to reconstruct the catabolic pathway of tetramethylpyrazine. We report that the degradation of tetramethylpyrazine is a multistep process that includes initial oxidative aromatic-ring cleavage by tetramethylpyrazine oxygenase, TpdAB; subsequent hydrolysis by (Z)-N,N′-(but-2-ene-2,3-diyl)diacetamide hydrolase, TpdC; and further intermediate metabolite reduction by aminoalcohol dehydrogenase, TpdE. Thus, the genes responsible for bacterial degradation of pyrazines have been identified, and intermediate metabolites of tetramethylpyrazine degradation have been isolated for the first time.

scholarly journals Comparison of Sterol Import under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions in Three Fungal Species, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 725-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Zavrel ◽  
Sam J. Hoot ◽  
Theodore C. White
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Exponential Growth ◽  
Candida Glabrata ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Growth Phases ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions

ABSTRACTSterol import has been characterized under various conditions in three distinct fungal species, the model organismSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand two human fungal pathogensCandida glabrataandCandida albicans, employing cholesterol, the sterol of higher eukaryotes, as well as its fungal equivalent, ergosterol. Import was confirmed by the detection of esterified cholesterol within the cells. Comparing the three fungal species, we observe sterol import under three different conditions. First, as previously well characterized, we observe sterol import under low oxygen levels inS. cerevisiaeandC. glabrata, which is dependent on the transcription factor Upc2 and/or its orthologs or paralogs. Second, we observe sterol import under aerobic conditions exclusively in the two pathogenic fungiC. glabrataandC. albicans. Uptake emerges during post-exponential-growth phases, is independent of the characterized Upc2-pathway and is slower compared to the anaerobic uptake inS. cerevisiaeandC. glabrata. Third, we observe under normoxic conditions inC. glabratathat Upc2-dependent sterol import can be induced in the presence of fetal bovine serum together with fluconazole. In summary,C. glabrataimports sterols both in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and the limited aerobic uptake can be further stimulated by the presence of serum together with fluconazole.S. cerevisiaeimports sterols only in anaerobic conditions, demonstrating aerobic sterol exclusion. Finally,C. albicansimports sterols exclusively aerobically in post-exponential-growth phases, independent of Upc2. For the first time, we provide direct evidence of sterol import into the human fungal pathogenC. albicans, which until now was believed to be incapable of active sterol import.

scholarly journals Effect of Intracellular Expression of Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37 on Growth of Escherichia coli Strain TOP10 under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (10) ◽  
pp. 4707-4716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Liu ◽  
Shi Lei Dong ◽  
Fei Xu ◽  
Xue Qin Wang ◽  
T. Ryan Withers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Anaerobic Growth ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Intracellular Expression ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Growth ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions

ABSTRACTAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can cause lysis of target bacteria by directly inserting themselves into the lipid bilayer. This killing mechanism confounds the identification of the intracellular targets of AMPs. To circumvent this, we used a shuttle vector containing the inducible expression of a human cathelicidin-related AMP, LL-37, to examine its effect onEscherichia coliTOP10 under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Induction of LL-37 caused growth inhibition and alteration in cell morphology to a filamentous phenotype. Further examination of theE. colicell division protein FtsZ revealed that LL-37 did not interact with FtsZ. Moreover, intracellular expression of LL-37 results in the enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing lethal membrane depolarization under aerobic conditions. Additionally, the membrane permeability was increased after intracellular expression of LL37 under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that intracellular LL-37 mainly affected the expression of genes related to energy production and carbohydrate metabolism. More specifically, genes related to oxidative phosphorylation under both aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions were affected. Collectively, our current study demonstrates that intracellular expression of LL-37 inE. colican inhibit growth under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. While we confirmed that the generation of ROS is a bactericidal mechanism for LL-37 under aerobic growth conditions, we also found that the intracellular accumulation of cationic LL-37 influences the redox and ion status of the cells under both growth conditions. These data suggest that there is a new AMP-mediated bacterial killing mechanism that targets energy metabolism.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Activity of Fosfomycin-Tobramycin Combination against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Assessed by Time-Kill Assays and Mutant Prevention Concentrations

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (10) ◽  
pp. 6039-6045 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Díez-Aguilar ◽  
María Isabel Morosini ◽  
Ana P. Tedim ◽  
Irene Rodríguez ◽  
Zerrin Aktaş ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Mutant Selection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mutant Prevention Concentration ◽  
Fosfomycin Resistance ◽  
Time Kill ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions

ABSTRACTThe antibacterial activity of fosfomycin-tobramycin combination was studied by time-kill assay in eightPseudomonas aeruginosaclinical isolates belonging to the fosfomycin wild-type population (MIC = 64 μg/ml) but with different tobramycin susceptibilities (MIC range, 1 to 64 μg/ml). The mutant prevention concentration (MPC) and mutant selection window (MSW) were determined in five of these strains (tobramycin MIC range, 1 to 64 μg/ml) in aerobic and anaerobic conditions simulating environments that are present in biofilm-mediated infections. Fosfomycin-tobramycin was synergistic and bactericidal for the isolates with mutations in themexZrepressor gene, with a tobramycin MIC of 4 μg/ml. This effect was not observed in strains displaying tobramycin MICs of 1 to 2 μg/ml due to the strong bactericidal effect of tobramycin alone. Fosfomycin presented higher MPC values (range, 2,048 to >2,048 μg/ml) in aerobic and anaerobic conditions than did tobramycin (range, 16 to 256 μg/ml). Interestingly, the association rendered narrow or even null MSWs in the two conditions. However, for isolates with high-level tobramycin resistance that harbored aminoglycoside nucleotidyltransferases, time-kill assays showed no synergy, with wide MSWs in the two environments.glpTgene mutations responsible for fosfomycin resistance inP. aeruginosawere determined in fosfomycin-susceptible wild-type strains and mutant derivatives recovered from MPC studies. All mutant derivatives had changes in the GlpT amino acid sequence, which resulted in a truncated permease responsible for fosfomycin resistance. These results suggest that fosfomycin-tobramycin can be an alternative for infections due toP. aeruginosasince it has demonstrated synergistic and bactericidal activity in susceptible isolates and those with low-level tobramycin resistance. It also prevents the emergence of resistant mutants in either aerobic or anaerobic environments.

scholarly journals Role of IncP-1β Plasmids pWDL7::rfpand pNB8c in Chloroaniline Catabolism as Determined by Genomic and Functional Analyses

2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 828-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Król ◽  
J. T. Penrod ◽  
H. McCaslin ◽  
L. M. Rogers ◽  
H. Yano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Copy ◽  
Degradation Pathway ◽  
Bacterial Degradation ◽  
Ring Cleavage ◽  
Close Relative ◽  
Broad Host Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aromatic Ring Cleavage ◽  
Functional Analyses

ABSTRACTBroad-host-range catabolic plasmids play an important role in bacterial degradation of man-made compounds. To gain insight into the role of these plasmids in chloroaniline degradation, we determined the first complete nucleotide sequences of an IncP-1 chloroaniline degradation plasmid, pWDL7::rfpand its close relative pNB8c, as well as the expression pattern, function, and bioaugmentation potential of the putative 3-chloroaniline (3-CA) oxidation genes. Based on phylogenetic analysis of backbone proteins, both plasmids are members of a distinct clade within the IncP-1β subgroup. The plasmids are almost identical, but whereas pWDL7::rfpcarries a duplicate inverted catabolic transposon, Tn6063, containing a putative 3-CA oxidation gene cluster,dcaQTA1A2BR, pNB8c contains only a single copy of the transposon. No genes for an aromatic ring cleavage pathway were detected on either plasmid, suggesting that only the upper 3-CA degradation pathway was present. ThedcaA1A2Bgene products expressed from a high-copy-number vector were shown to convert 3-CA to 4-chlorocatechol inEscherichia coli. Slight differences in thedcapromoter region between the plasmids and lack of induction of transcription of the pNB8cdcagenes by 3-CA may explain previous findings that pNB8C does not confer 3-CA transformation. Bioaugmentation of activated sludge with pWDL7::rfpaccelerated removal of 3-CA, but only in the presence of an additional carbon source. Successful bioaugmentation requires complementation of the upper pathway genes with chlorocatechol cleavage genes in indigenous bacteria. The genome sequences of these plasmids thus help explain the molecular basis of their catabolic activities.

scholarly journals Antibacterial Action of Nitric Oxide-Releasing Chitosan Oligosaccharides against Pseudomonas aeruginosa under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (10) ◽  
pp. 6506-6513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn P. Reighard ◽  
Mark H. Schoenfisch
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
No Donor ◽  
Bacterial Killing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Physiology ◽  
Chitosan Oligosaccharides ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions

ABSTRACTChitosan oligosaccharides were modified withN-diazeniumdiolates to yield biocompatible nitric oxide (NO) donor scaffolds. The minimum bactericidal concentrations and MICs of the NO donors againstPseudomonas aeruginosawere compared under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Differential antibacterial activities were primarily the result of NO scavenging by oxygen under aerobic environments and not changes in bacterial physiology. Bacterial killing was also tested against nonmucoid and mucoid biofilms and compared to that of tobramycin. Smaller NO payloads were required to eradicateP. aeruginosabiofilms under anaerobic versus aerobic conditions. Under oxygen-free environments, the NO treatment was 10-fold more effective at killing biofilms than tobramycin. These results demonstrate the potential utility of NO-releasing chitosan oligosaccharides under both aerobic and anaerobic environments.

scholarly journals Impairment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Resistance to Antibiotics by Combining the Drugs with a New Quorum-Sensing Inhibitor

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 1676-1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurelie Furiga ◽  
Barbora Lajoie ◽  
Salome El Hage ◽  
Genevieve Baziard ◽  
Christine Roques
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Regulatory Genes ◽  
Antibiofilm Activity ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic ◽  
Aerobic And Anaerobic Conditions

Pseudomonas aeruginosaplays an important role in chronic lung infections among patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) through its ability to form antibiotic-resistant biofilms. InP. aeruginosa, biofilm development and the production of several virulence factors are mainly regulated by therhlandlasquorum-sensing (QS) systems, which are controlled by twoN-acyl-homoserine lactone signal molecules. In a previous study, we discovered an original QS inhibitor,N-(2-pyrimidyl)butanamide, called C11, based on the structure of C4-homoserine lactone, and found that it is able to significantly inhibitP. aeruginosabiofilm formation. However, recent data indicate thatP. aeruginosagrows under anaerobic conditions and forms biofilms in the lungs of CF patients that are denser and more robust than those formed under aerobic conditions. Our confocal microscopy observations ofP. aeruginosabiofilms developed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions confirmed that the biofilms formed under these two conditions have radically different architectures. C11 showed significant dose-dependent antibiofilm activity on biofilms grown under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, with a greater inhibitory effect being seen under conditions of anaerobiosis. Gene expression analyses performed by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR showed that C11 led to the significant downregulation ofrhlQS regulatory genes but also to the downregulation of bothlasQS regulatory genes and QS system-regulated virulence genes,rhlAandlasB. Furthermore, the activity of C11 in combination with antibiotics againstP. aeruginosabiofilms was tested, and synergistic antibiofilm activity between C11 and ciprofloxacin, tobramycin, and colistin was obtained under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. This study demonstrates that C11 may increase the efficacy of treatments forP. aeruginosainfections by increasing the susceptibility of biofilms to antibiotics and by attenuating the pathogenicity of the bacterium.

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