scholarly journals A Large Tn7-like Transposon Confers Hyper-Resistance to Copper in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae.

Author(s):  
Francesca Aprile ◽  
Zaira Heredia-Ponce ◽  
Francisco M. Cazorla ◽  
Antonio de Vicente ◽  
José A. Gutiérrez-Barranquero

Copper resistance mechanisms provide an important adaptive advantage to plant pathogenic bacteria under exposure to copper treatments. Copper resistance determinants have been described in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) strains isolated from mango intimately associated with 62 kb plasmids belonging to the pPT23A family (PFP). It has been previously described that the indiscriminate use of copper-based compounds promotes the selection of copper resistant bacterial strains and constitutes a selective pressure in the evolution of copper resistance determinants. Hence, we have explored in this study the copper resistance evolution and the distribution of specific genetic determinants in two different Pss mango populations isolated from the same geographical regions, mainly from southern Spain with an average of 20 years of difference. The total content of plasmids, in particular the 62 kb plasmids, and the number of copper resistant Pss strains were maintained at similar levels over the time. Interestingly, the phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of a phylogenetic subgroup (PSG) in the Pss mango phylotype, mostly composed of the recent Pss population analyzed in this study that was strongly associated with a hyper-resistant phenotype to copper. Genome sequencing of two selected Pss strains from this PSG revealed the presence of a large Tn7-like transposon of chromosomal location, which harbored putative copper and arsenic resistance genes (COARS Tn7-like). Transformation of the copper sensitive Pss UMAF0158 strain with some putative copper resistance genes and RT-qPCR experiments brought into light the role of COARS Tn7-like transposon in the hyper-resistant phenotype to copper in Pss. IMPORTANCE Copper compounds have traditionally been used as standard bactericides in agriculture in the past few decades. However, the extensive use of copper has fostered the evolution of bacterial copper resistance mechanisms. Pseudomonas syringae is a plant pathogenic bacterium used worldwide as a model to study plant-pathogen interactions. The adaption of P. syringae to plant surface environment is the most important step prior to an infection. In this scenario, copper resistance mechanisms could play a key role in improving its epiphytic survival. In this work, a novel Tn7-like transposon of chromosomal location was detected in P. syringae pv. syringae strains isolated from mango. This transposon conferred the highest resistance to copper sulfate described to date for this bacterial phytopathogen. Understanding in depth the copper resistance mechanisms and their evolution are important steps to the agricultural industry to get a better improvement of disease management strategies.

Planta Medica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violette Hamers ◽  
Clément Huguet ◽  
Mélanie Bourjot ◽  
Aurélie Urbain

AbstractInfectious diseases are among the greatest threats to global health in the 21st century, and one critical concern is due to antibiotic resistance developed by an increasing number of bacterial strains. New resistance mechanisms are emerging with many infections becoming more and more difficult if not impossible to treat. This growing phenomenon not only is associated with increased mortality but also with longer hospital stays and higher medical costs. For these reasons, there is an urgent need to find new antibiotics targeting pathogenic microorganisms such as ESKAPEE bacteria. Most of currently approved antibiotics are derived from microorganisms, but higher fungi could constitute an alternative and remarkable reservoir of anti-infectious compounds. For instance, pleuromutilins constitute the first class of antibiotics derived from mushrooms. However, macromycetes still represent a largely unexplored source. Publications reporting the antibacterial potential of mushroom extracts are emerging, but few purified compounds have been evaluated for their bioactivity on pathogenic bacterial strains. Therefore, the aim of this review is to compile up-to-date data about natural products isolated from fruiting body fungi, which significantly inhibit the growth of ESKAPEE pathogenic bacteria. When available, data regarding modes of action and cytotoxicity, mandatory when considering a possible drug development, have been discussed in order to highlight the most promising compounds.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 8284-8291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huseyin Basim ◽  
Gerald V. Minsavage ◽  
Robert E. Stall ◽  
Jaw-Fen Wang ◽  
Savita Shanker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We characterized the copper resistance genes in strain XvP26 of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria, which was originally isolated from a pepper plant in Taiwan. The copper resistance genes were localized to a 7,652-bp region which, based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and Southern hybridization, was determined to be located on the chromosome. These genes hybridized only weakly, as determined by Southern analysis, to other copper resistance genes in Xanthomonas and Pseudomonas strains. We identified five open reading frames (ORFs) whose products exhibited high levels of amino acid sequence identity to the products of previously reported copper genes. Mutations in ORF1, ORF3, and ORF4 removed copper resistance, whereas mutations in ORF5 resulted in an intermediate copper resistance phenotype and insertions in ORF2 had no effect on resistance conferred to a copper-sensitive recipient in transconjugant tests. Based on sequence analysis, ORF1 was determined to have high levels of identity with the CopR (66%) and PcoR (63%) genes in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Escherichia coli, respectively. ORF2 and ORF5 had high levels of identity with the PcoS gene in E. coli and the gene encoding a putative copper-containing oxidoreductase signal peptide protein in Sinorhizobium meliloti, respectively. ORF3 and ORF4 exhibited 23% identity to the gene encoding a cation efflux system membrane protein, CzcC, and 62% identity to the gene encoding a putative copper-containing oxidoreductase protein, respectively. The latter two ORFs were determined to be induced following exposure to low concentrations of copper, while addition of Co, Cd, or Zn resulted in no significant induction. PCR analysis of 51 pepper and 34 tomato copper-resistant X. campestris pv. vesicatoria strains collected from several regions in Taiwan between 1987 and 2000 and nine copper-resistant strains from the United States and South America showed that successful amplification of DNA was obtained only for strain XvP26. The organization of this set of copper resistance genes appears to be uncommon, and the set appears to occur rarely in X. campestris pv. vesicatoria.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Schollenberger ◽  
Sylwia Pudło ◽  
Elżbieta Paduch-Cichal ◽  
Ewa Mirzwa-Mróz

The biotechnical preparations: Biosept Active (based on a grapefruit extract) and BioZell (based on thyme oil) as well as Hypericum perforatum extract, streptomycin solution and fungicide Champion 50WP (active ingredient substance – e.i. 50% copper hydroxide) were investigated for antimicrobial effects against plant pathogenic bacteria: Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae and Xanthomonas ar- boricola pv. corylina. The screening was carried out in vitro on three media: Nutrient Agar (NA Difco), Pseudomonas Agar F (Merck) – analogue of King B and 523. In the experiments, the agar plate method was applied. There were no statistically significant differences in the effect of streptomycin and Champion 50WP on the growth inhibition of three bacteria strains for medium 523 and Nutrient Agar and of P. syringae pv. syringae and X. arboricola pv. corylina for medium King B. It was determined that the antibacterial activity of Biosept Active and BioZell biopreparations and H. perforatum extract against Agrobacterium tumefaciens (strain C58), Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (strain 760) and Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina (strain RIPF-x13) were dependent on the strain of pathogen as well as the growth medium used. According to the research results obtained, the Biosept Active preparation and H. perforatum extract demonstrated high bacteriostatic activity against three bacterial strains grown on the Nutrient Agar medium.


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 642-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuzhao Lin ◽  
Betty H. Olson

The occurrence of cop-like copper resistance determinants homologous to the cop genes of Pseudomonas syringae among bacteria isolated from a water distribution system experiencing copper corrosion was investigated in this study. It was found that at least 49% of the copper-resistant bacteria and less than 15% of the copper-sensitive isolates possessed a cop homolog. The occurrence of this determinant in the copper-resistant population correlated with the degree of copper tolerance exhibited by the bacteria. The effect of organic substances present in the culture media on the empirical degree of bacterial copper tolerance is also discussed.Key words: copper resistance genes, water distribution system, cop.


2009 ◽  
Vol 71-73 ◽  
pp. 279-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Orell ◽  
C.A. Navarro ◽  
Carlos A. Jerez

Extremophiles such as the acidophilic Sulfolobus metallicus (Archaea) and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (Bacteria) can resist Cu (CuSO4) concentrations of 200 mM and 800 mM respectively. These microorganisms are important in biomining processes to extract copper and other metals. A. ferrooxidans grown at low Cu concentrations (5 mM) expressed genes coding for ATPases most likely involved in pumping the metal from the cytoplasm to the periplasm of the bacterium. At 100 mM Cu the previous systems were repressed and there was a great induction in the expression of efflux systems known to use the proton motive force energy to export the metal outside the cell. These Cu-resistance determinants from A. ferrooxidans were found to be functional since when expressed in Escherichia coli they conferred higher Cu tolerance to it. Novel Cu-resistance determinants for A. ferrooxidans were found and characterized. S. metallicus possessed at least 2 CopM metallochaperones and 2 CopA ATPases whose expressions were induced by Cu (5 to 50 mM). Furthermore, we previously reported that both microorganisms accumulate high levels of inorganic polyphosphate (PolyP) and that intracellular Cu concentration stimulates polyP hydrolysis. The resulting Pi would then be transported out of the cell as a metal-Pi complex to detoxify the cells. In addition, our results suggest that at high Cu concentrations polyP could also provide energy for the metal efflux. All the data suggest that both biomining microorganisms use different systems to respond to Cu depending on the extracellular concentrations of the metal and suggest that the presence of different additional systems to respond to Cu may explain the extremely high metal resistance of these extremophiles.


Plant Disease ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 92 (8) ◽  
pp. 1251-1251 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. Bobev ◽  
S. Baeyen ◽  
J. Van Vaerenbergh ◽  
M. Maes

During the spring and summer months of 2004 and 2005, sporadic damage on individual shrubs of Pyracantha coccinea and an Amelanchier sp. were observed at two locations in the region of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Symptoms initially were expressed as blossom blight and subsequently expanded to the shoots and branches, forming cankers on the supplying wood. In both years, a fluorescent gram-negative bacterium was isolated from diseased tissues onto King's B medium. The bacterial strains were levan positive and oxidase and arginine dihydrolase negative. They were able to induce a typical hypersensitive response on tobacco plants (cv. Samsun), but failed to rot potato slices. Pathogenicity of the strains was confirmed by puncture-inoculating detached shoots from both hosts and immature cherry and pear fruits with a bacterial suspension (108 CFU/ml, 50 μl per wound, and 3 replicates). Controls were punctured with sterile water. The inoculated plant material was maintained at room temperature (22 to 25°C) in plastic pots and covered with polyethylene bags for the first 48 h after inoculation. The inoculated and control subjects were kept under the same conditions as before inoculation. Except for the controls, slowly expanding but well defined necrotic lesions around the inoculation points were observed within the next 5 to 7 days. Bacteria reisolated from symptomatic tissue were identical to the initial cultures. On the basis of the symptoms and results from all laboratory tests, the bacterium was considered to be Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (1). PCR amplification of the 752-bp syrB fragment (2) confirmed the identification. To our knowledge, this is the first occurrence of P. syringae pv. syringae on Pyracantha coccinea and an Amelanchier sp. in Bulgaria, and most probably, this pathogen will play a more significant role within the rosaceous group because of a rising number of the cultivated ornamental species. References: (1) N. W. Schaad et al., eds. Laboratory Guide for Identification of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. 3rd ed. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 2001. (2) K. N. Sorensen et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64:226, 1998.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga M. Zemlyanko ◽  
Tatyana M. Rogoza ◽  
Galina A. Zhouravleva

Multiple drug resistance (MDR) to widening range of antibiotics emerging in increasing variety of pathogenic bacteria is a serious threat to the health of mankind nowadays. This is partially due to an uncontrolled usage of antibiotics not only in clinical practice, but also in various branches of agriculture. MDR is affected by two mechanisms: (1) accumulation of resistance genes as a result of intensive selection caused by antibiotics, and (2) active horizontal transfer of resistance genes. To unveil the reasons of bacterial multiresistance to antibiotics, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of antibiotics action as well as the ways how either resistance to certain antibiotics emerge or resistance genes accumulate and transfer among bacterial strains. Current review is devoted to all these problems.


2013 ◽  
Vol 825 ◽  
pp. 206-209
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Almarcegui ◽  
Claudio Navarro ◽  
Alberto Paradela ◽  
Diego von Bernath ◽  
Carlos A. Jerez

The presence in At. ferrooxidans of canonical copper resistance determinants does not explain the extremely high copper concentrations this microorganism is able to tolerate. This suggests that At. ferrooxidans may have additional copper resistance mechanisms. New possible copper resistance determinants were searched by using 2D-PAGE and real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results showed the up-regulation of RND-type Cus systems and different RND-type efflux pumps in At. ferrooxidans grown in the presence of copper, suggesting that these proteins may be implied in resistance to this metal. Furthermore, the up-regulation of putative periplasmatic disulfide isomerases was also seen in the presence of copper. These proteins are most likely involved in the formation and rearrangement of disulfide bonds in proteins in the periplasm. Copper ions catalyze the formation of incorrect disulfide bonds in proteins. However, the up-regulated disulfide isomerases found could restore native disufide bonds allowing cell survival. In conclusion, At. ferrooxidans may resist high copper concentrations by using additional copper resistance strategies in which cell envelope proteins are very important. This knowledge could be used to select the best fit members of the bioleaching community to attain more efficient industrial biomining processes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (20) ◽  
pp. 6174-6188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin L. Williams ◽  
Heather M. Neu ◽  
Jeremy J. Gilbreath ◽  
Sarah L. J. Michel ◽  
Daniel V. Zurawski ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAcinetobacter baumanniiis an important emerging pathogen that is capable of causing many types of severe infection, especially in immunocompromised hosts. SinceA. baumanniican rapidly acquire antibiotic resistance genes, many infections are on the verge of being untreatable, and novel therapies are desperately needed. To investigate the potential utility of copper-based antibacterial strategies againstAcinetobacterinfections, we characterized copper resistance in a panel of recent clinicalA. baumanniiisolates. Exposure to increasing concentrations of copper in liquid culture and on solid surfaces resulted in dose-dependent and strain-dependent effects; levels of copper resistance varied broadly across isolates, possibly resulting from identified genotypic variation among strains. Examination of the growth-phase-dependent effect of copper onA. baumanniirevealed that resistance to copper increased dramatically in stationary phase. Moreover,A. baumanniibiofilms were more resistant to copper than planktonic cells but were still susceptible to copper toxicity. Exposure of bacteria to subinhibitory concentrations of copper allowed them to better adapt to and grow in high concentrations of copper; this copper tolerance response is likely achieved via increased expression of copper resistance mechanisms. Indeed, genomic analysis revealed numerous putative copper resistance proteins that share amino acid homology to known proteins inEscherichia coliandPseudomonas aeruginosa. Transcriptional analysis revealed significant upregulation of these putative copper resistance genes following brief copper exposure. Future characterization of copper resistance mechanisms may aid in the search for novel antibiotics againstAcinetobacterand other highly antibiotic-resistant pathogens.IMPORTANCEAcinetobacter baumanniicauses many types of severe nosocomial infections; unfortunately, some isolates have acquired resistance to almost every available antibiotic, and treatment options are incredibly limited. Copper is an essential nutrient but becomes toxic at high concentrations. The inherent antimicrobial properties of copper give it potential for use in novel therapeutics against drug-resistant pathogens. We show thatA. baumanniiclinical isolates are sensitive to copperin vitro, both in liquid and on solid metal surfaces. Since bacterial resistance to copper is mediated though mechanisms of efflux and detoxification, we identified genes encoding putative copper-related proteins inA. baumanniiand showed that expression of some of these genes is regulated by the copper concentration. We propose that the antimicrobial effects of copper may be beneficial in the development of future therapeutics that target multidrug-resistant bacteria.


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