scholarly journals Selection Pressure Required for Long-Term Persistence ofblaCMY-2-Positive IncA/C Plasmids

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (13) ◽  
pp. 4486-4493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murugan Subbiah ◽  
Eva M. Top ◽  
Devendra H. Shah ◽  
Douglas R. Call
Keyword(s):  
Selection Pressure ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Fitness Cost ◽  
Dairy Calf ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTMultidrug resistanceblaCMY-2plasmids that confer resistance to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins have been found in multiple bacterial species collected from different hosts worldwide. The widespread distribution ofblaCMY-2plasmids may be driven by antibiotic use that selects for the dissemination and persistence of these plasmids. Alternatively, these plasmids may persist and spread in bacterial populations in the absence of selection pressure if a balance exists among conjugative transfer, segregation loss during cell division, and fitness cost to the host. We conducted a series of experiments (bothin vivoandin vitro) to study these mechanisms for threeblaCMY-2plasmids, peH4H, pAR060302, and pAM04528. Results of filter mating experiments showed that the conjugation efficiency ofblaCMY-2plasmids is variable, from <10−7for pAM04528 and peH4H to ∼10−3for pAR060302. Neither peH4H nor pAM04528 was transferred fromEscherichia colistrain DH10B, but peH4H was apparently mobilized by the coresident trimethoprim resistance-encoding plasmid pTmpR. Competition studies showed that carriage ofblaCMY-2plasmids imposed a measurable fitness cost on the host bacteria bothin vitro(0.095 to 0.25) andin vivo(dairy calf model). Long-term passage experiments in the absence of antibiotics demonstrated that plasmids with limited antibiotic resistance phenotypes arose, but eventually drug-sensitive, plasmid-free clones dominated the populations. Given that plasmid decay or loss is inevitable, we infer that some level of selection is required for the long-term persistence ofblaCMY-2plasmids in bacterial populations.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Activity of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs on Biofilm: Current Evidence and Potential for Drug Repurposing

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Cuiabano Paes Leme ◽  
Raquel Bandeira da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Studies ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Human Pharmacokinetic ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

It has been demonstrated that some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like acetylsalicylic acid, diclofenac, and ibuprofen, have anti-biofilm activity in concentrations found in human pharmacokinetic studies, which could fuel an interest in repurposing these well tolerated drugs as adjunctive therapies for biofilm-related infections. Here we sought to review the currently available data on the anti-biofilm activity of NSAIDs and its relevance in a clinical context. We performed a systematic literature review to identify the most commonly tested NSAIDs drugs in the last 5 years, the bacterial species that have demonstrated to be responsive to their actions, and the emergence of resistance to these molecules. We found that most studies investigating NSAIDs’ activity against biofilms were in vitro, and frequently tested non-clinical bacterial isolates, which may not adequately represent the bacterial populations that cause clinically-relevant biofilm-related infections. Furthermore, studies concerning NSAIDs and antibiotic resistance are scarce, with divergent outcomes. Although the potential to use NSAIDs to control biofilm-related infections seems to be an exciting avenue, there is a paucity of studies that tested these drugs using appropriate in vivo models of biofilm infections or in controlled human clinical trials to support their repurposing as anti-biofilm agents.

Dominant symbiotic bacteria associated with wild medfly populations reveal a bacteriocin-like killing phenotype: a ‘cold-case’ study

2019 ◽  
Vol 110 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-462
Author(s):  
Silvia Ciolfi ◽  
Laura Marri
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Klebsiella Oxytoca ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Antagonistic Activity ◽  
Culture Collection ◽  
Symbiotic Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Populations

AbstractThe gut of the agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata hosts a varied community of bacteria, mainly Enterobacteriaceae, that were implicated in several processes that increase the fitness of the insect. In this study, we investigated the antagonistic activity in vitro of Klebsiella oxytoca strains isolated in the 1990s from the alimentary tract of wild medflies collected from different varieties of fruit trees at diverse localities. Assays were carried out against reference strains (representative of Gram-negative and -positive bacterial species) of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Eight Klebsiella, out of 11, expressed a killing activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 23739, and Enterobacter cloacae ATCC 13047; among the eight strains, at least one showed activity against Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 23853. Genomic DNA derived from all Klebsiella strains was then subjected to PCR amplification using specific primer pairs designed from each of the four bacteriocin (KlebB, C, D, CCL) sequences found so far in Klebsiella. KlebD primer pairs were the only to produce a single product for all strains expressing the killing phenotype in vitro. One of the amplicons was cloned and sequenced; the DNA sequence shows 93% identity with a plasmid-carried colicin-D gene of a strain of Klebsiella michiganensis, and 86% identity with the sequence encoding for the klebicin D activity protein in K. oxytoca. Our work provides the first evidence that dominant symbiotic bacteria associated with wild medfly populations express a killing phenotype that may mediate inter and intraspecies competition among bacterial populations in the insect gut in vivo.

scholarly journals Horizontal Spread of Rhodococcus equi Macrolide Resistance Plasmid pRErm46 across Environmental Actinobacteria

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonsiray Álvarez-Narváez ◽  
Steeve Giguère ◽  
Londa J. Berghaus ◽  
Cody Dailey ◽  
José A. Vázquez-Boland
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Rhodococcus Equi ◽  
Macrolide Resistance ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Prolonged Incubation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Host Restriction

ABSTRACT Conjugation is one of the main mechanisms involved in the spread and maintenance of antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations. We recently showed that the emerging macrolide resistance in the soilborne equine and zoonotic pathogen Rhodococcus equi is conferred by the erm(46) gene carried on the 87-kb conjugative plasmid pRErm46. Here, we investigated the conjugal transferability of pRErm46 to 14 representative bacteria likely encountered by R. equi in the environmental habitat. In vitro mating experiments demonstrated conjugation to different members of the genus Rhodococcus as well as to Nocardia and Arthrobacter spp. at frequencies ranging from ∼10−2 to 10−6. pRErm46 transfer was also observed in mating experiments in soil and horse manure, albeit at a low frequency and after prolonged incubation at 22 to 30°C (environmental temperatures), not 37°C. All transconjugants were able to transfer pRErm46 back to R. equi. Conjugation could not be detected with Mycobacterium or Corynebacterium spp. or several members of the more distant phylum Firmicutes such as Enterococcus, Streptococcus, or Staphylococcus. Thus, the pRErm46 host range appears to span several actinobacterial orders with certain host restriction within the Corynebacteriales. All bacterial species that acquired pRErm46 expressed increased macrolide resistance with no significant deleterious impact on fitness, except in the case of Rhodococcus rhodnii. Our results indicate that actinobacterial members of the environmental microbiota can both acquire and transmit the R. equi pRErm46 plasmid and thus potentially contribute to the maintenance and spread of erm(46)-mediated macrolide resistance in equine farms. IMPORTANCE This study demonstrates the efficient horizontal transfer of the Rhodococcus equi conjugative plasmid pRErm46, recently identified as the cause of the emerging macrolide resistance among equine isolates of this pathogen, to and from different environmental Actinobacteria, including a variety of rhodococci as well as Nocardia and Arthrobacter spp. The reported data support the notion that environmental microbiotas may act as reservoirs for the endemic maintenance of antimicrobial resistance in an antibiotic pressurized farm habitat.

scholarly journals Evidence that Oxidative Stress InducesspxA2Transcription in Bacillus anthracis Sterne through a Mechanism Requiring SpxA1 and Positive Autoregulation

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (21) ◽  
pp. 2902-2913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skye Barendt ◽  
Cierra Birch ◽  
Lea Mbengi ◽  
Peter Zuber
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Bacillus Anthracis ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Negative Control ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oxidative Protein Damage

ABSTRACTBacillus anthracispossesses two paralogs of the transcriptional regulator, Spx. SpxA1 and SpxA2 interact with RNA polymerase (RNAP) to activate the transcription of genes implicated in the prevention and alleviation of oxidative protein damage. ThespxA2gene is highly upregulated in infected macrophages, but how this is achieved is unknown. Previous studies have shown that thespxA2gene was under negative control by the Rrf2 family repressor protein, SaiR, whose activity is sensitive to oxidative stress. These studies also suggested thatspxA2was under positive autoregulation. In the present study, we show byin vivoandin vitroanalyses thatspxA2is under direct autoregulation but is also dependent on the SpxA1 paralogous protein. The deletion of eitherspxA1orspxA2reduced the diamide-inducible expression of anspxA2-lacZconstruct.In vitrotranscription reactions using purifiedB. anthracisRNAP showed that SpxA1 and SpxA2 protein stimulates transcription from a DNA fragment containing thespxA2promoter. Ectopically positionedspxA2-lacZfusion requires both SpxA1 and SpxA2 for expression, but the requirement for SpxA1 is partially overcome whensaiRis deleted. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that SpxA1 and SpxA2 enhance the affinity of RNAP forspxA2promoter DNA and that this activity is sensitive to reductant. We hypothesize that the previously observed upregulation ofspxA2in the oxidative environment of the macrophage is at least partly due to SpxA1-mediated SaiR repressor inactivation and the positive autoregulation ofspxA2transcription.IMPORTANCERegulators of transcription initiation are known to govern the expression of genes required for virulence in pathogenic bacterial species. Members of the Spx family of transcription factors function in control of genes required for virulence and viability in low-GC Gram-positive bacteria. InBacillus anthracis, thespxA2gene is highly induced in infected macrophages, which suggests an important role in the control of virulence gene expression during the anthrax disease state. We provide evidence that elevated concentrations of oxidized, active SpxA2 result from an autoregulatory positive-feedback loop drivingspxA2transcription.

scholarly journals Aspergillus fumigatus Strain-Specific Conidia Lung Persistence Causes an Allergic Broncho-Pulmonary Aspergillosis-Like Disease Phenotype

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane T. Jones ◽  
Ko-Wei Liu ◽  
Xi Wang ◽  
Caitlin H. Kowalski ◽  
Brandon S. Ross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Allergic Response ◽  
Mouse Lung ◽  
Disease Phenotype ◽  
Pulmonary Aspergillosis ◽  
Mucus Production ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Aspergillus fumigatus is a filamentous fungus which can cause multiple diseases in humans. Allergic broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a disease diagnosed primarily in cystic fibrosis patients caused by a severe allergic response often to long-term A. fumigatus colonization in the lungs. Mice develop an allergic response to repeated inhalation of A. fumigatus spores; however, no strains have been identified that can survive long-term in the mouse lung and cause ABPA-like disease. We characterized A. fumigatus strain W72310, which was isolated from the expectorated sputum of an ABPA patient, by whole-genome sequencing and in vitro and in vivo viability assays in comparison to a common reference strain, CEA10. W72310 was resistant to leukocyte-mediated killing and persisted in the mouse lung longer than CEA10, a phenotype that correlated with greater resistance to oxidative stressors, hydrogen peroxide, and menadione, in vitro. In animals both sensitized and challenged with W72310, conidia, but not hyphae, were viable in the lungs for up to 21 days in association with eosinophilic airway inflammation, airway leakage, serum IgE, and mucus production. W72310-sensitized mice that were recall challenged with conidia had increased inflammation, Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and airway leakage compared to controls. Collectively, our studies demonstrate that a unique strain of A. fumigatus resistant to leukocyte killing can persist in the mouse lung in conidial form and elicit features of ABPA-like disease. IMPORTANCE Allergic broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patients often present with long-term colonization of Aspergillus fumigatus. Current understanding of ABPA pathogenesis has been complicated by a lack of long-term in vivo fungal persistence models. We have identified a clinical isolate of A. fumigatus, W72310, which persists in the murine lung and causes an ABPA-like disease phenotype. Surprisingly, while viable, W72310 showed little to no growth beyond the conidial stage in the lung. This indicates that it is possible that A. fumigatus can cause allergic disease in the lung without any significant hyphal growth. The identification of this strain of A. fumigatus can be used not only to better understand disease pathogenesis of ABPA and potential antifungal treatments but also to identify features of fungal strains that drive long-term fungal persistence in the lung. Consequently, these observations are a step toward helping resolve the long-standing question of when to utilize antifungal therapies in patients with ABPA and fungal allergic-type diseases.

scholarly journals Genotypic-Phenotypic Discrepancies between Antibiotic Resistance Characteristics of Escherichia coli Isolates from Calves in Management Settings with High and Low Antibiotic Use

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (10) ◽  
pp. 3293-3299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret A. Davis ◽  
Thomas E. Besser ◽  
Lisa H. Orfe ◽  
Katherine N. K. Baker ◽  
Amelia S. Lanier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Resistance Gene ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Dairy Calf ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Fisher’S Exact Test

ABSTRACTWe hypothesized that bacterial populations growing in the absence of antibiotics will accumulate more resistance gene mutations than bacterial populations growing in the presence of antibiotics. If this is so, the prevalence of dysfunctional resistance genes (resistance pseudogenes) could provide a measure of the level of antibiotic exposure present in a given environment. As a proof-of-concept test, we assayed field strains ofEscherichia colifor their resistance genotypes using a resistance gene microarray and further characterized isolates that had resistance phenotype-genotype discrepancies. We found a small but significant association between the prevalence of isolates with resistance pseudogenes and the lower antibiotic use environment of a beef cow-calf operation versus a higher antibiotic use dairy calf ranch (Fisher's exact test,P= 0.044). Other significant findings include a very strong association between the dairy calf ranch isolates and phenotypes unexplained by well-known resistance genes (Fisher's exact test,P< 0.0001). Two novel resistance genes were discovered inE. coliisolates from the dairy calf ranch, one associated with resistance to aminoglycosides and one associated with resistance to trimethoprim. In addition, isolates resistant to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins but negative forblaCMY-2had mutations in the promoter regions of the chromosomalE. coliampCgene consistent with reported overexpression of native AmpC beta-lactamase. Similar mutations in hospitalE. coliisolates have been reported worldwide. Prevalence or rates ofE. coliampCpromoter mutations may be used as a marker for high expanded-spectrum cephalosporin use environments.

scholarly journals New Tools for Syphilis Research

mBio ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila A. Lukehart
Keyword(s):  
Protein Function ◽  
Antigenic Variation ◽  
Treponema Pallidum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genetic Tools ◽  
Rapid Isolation

ABSTRACTSyphilis research has been severely limited by the necessity to propagateTreponema pallidumin vivoin rabbits. After decades of erroneous or irreproducible reports of cultivation ofT. pallidum, the recent very convincing report of its successful long-termin vitropropagation opens numerous opportunities for development of genetic tools for studying pathogenesis and protein function, antigenic variation, and surface exposure of antigens. The possibility of more rapid isolation of new strains will expand our knowledge of this organism beyond the century-old Nichols strain.

scholarly journals A Candida albicans Strain Expressing Mammalian Interleukin-17A Results in Early Control of Fungal Growth during Disseminated Infection

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
pp. 3684-3692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna R. Huppler ◽  
Natasha Whibley ◽  
Carol A. Woolford ◽  
Erin E. Childs ◽  
Jie He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Immune Defense ◽  
Indwelling Catheters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Immune Parameters ◽  
Interleukin 17A

Candida albicansis normally a commensal fungus of the human mucosae and skin, but it causes life-threatening systemic infections in hospital settings in the face of predisposing conditions, such as indwelling catheters, abdominal surgery, or antibiotic use. Immunity toC. albicansinvolves various immune parameters, but the cytokine interleukin-17A (IL-17A) (also known as IL-17) has emerged as a centrally important mediator of immune defense against both mucosal and systemic candidiasis. Conversely, IL-17A has been suggested to enhance the virulence ofC. albicans, indicating that it may exert detrimental effects on pathogenesis. In this study, we hypothesized that aC. albicansstrain expressing IL-17A would exhibit reduced virulencein vivo. To that end, we created aCandida-optimized expression cassette encoding murine IL-17A, which was transformed into the DAY286 strain ofC. albicans.Candida-derived IL-17A was indistinguishable from murine IL-17A in terms of biological activity and detection in standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Expression of IL-17A did not negatively impact the growth of these strainsin vitro. Moreover, the IL-17A-expressingC. albicansstrains showed significantly reduced pathogenicity in a systemic model ofCandidainfection, mainly evident during the early stages of disease. Collectively, these findings suggest that IL-17A mitigates the virulence ofC. albicans.

scholarly journals Role of RelA and SpoT in Burkholderia pseudomallei Virulence and Immunity

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (9) ◽  
pp. 3247-3255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia M. Müller ◽  
Laura Conejero ◽  
Natasha Spink ◽  
Matthew E. Wand ◽  
Gregory J. Bancroft ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Burkholderia Pseudomallei ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Live Attenuated Vaccine ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Control And Prevention

ABSTRACTBurkholderia pseudomalleiis a Gram-negative soil bacterium and the causative agent of melioidosis, a disease of humans and animals. It is also listed as a category B bioterrorism threat agent by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and there is currently no melioidosis vaccine available. Small modified nucleotides such as the hyperphosphorylated guanosine molecules ppGpp and pppGpp play an important role as signaling molecules in prokaryotes. They mediate a global stress response under starvation conditions and have been implicated in the regulation of virulence and survival factors in many bacterial species. In this study, we created arelA spoTdouble mutant inB. pseudomalleistrain K96243, which lacks (p)ppGpp-synthesizing enzymes, and investigated its phenotypein vitroandin vivo. TheB. pseudomalleiΔrelAΔspoTmutant displayed a defect in stationary-phase survival and intracellular replication in murine macrophages. Moreover, the mutant was attenuated in theGalleria mellonellainsect model and in both acute and chronic mouse models of melioidosis. Vaccination of mice with the ΔrelAΔspoTmutant resulted in partial protection against infection with wild-typeB. pseudomallei. In summary, (p)ppGpp signaling appears to represent an essential component of the regulatory network governing virulence gene expression and stress adaptation inB. pseudomallei, and the ΔrelAΔspoTmutant may be a promising live-attenuated vaccine candidate.

scholarly journals An In Vitro Enrichment Strategy for Formulating Synergistic Synbiotics

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Car Reen Kok ◽  
David Fabian Gomez Quintero ◽  
Clement Niyirora ◽  
Devin Rose ◽  
Amanda Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Host Responses ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Research on the role of diet on gut and systemic health has led to considerable interest toward identifying novel therapeutic modulators of the gut microbiome, including the use of prebiotics and probiotics. However, various host responses have often been reported among many clinical trials. This is in part due to competitive exclusion as a result of the absence of ecological niches as well as host-mediated constraints via colonization resistance. In this research, we developed a novel in vitro enrichment (IVE) method for isolating autochthonous strains that can function as synergistic synbiotics and overcome these constraints. The method relied on stepwise in vitro fecal fermentations to enrich for and isolate Bifidobacterium strains that ferment the prebiotic xylooligosaccharide (XOS). We subsequently isolated Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum CR15 and then tested its establishment in 20 unique fecal samples with or without XOS. The strain was established in up to 18 samples but only in the presence of XOS. Our findings revealed that the IVE method is suitable for isolating potential synergistic probiotic strains that possess the genetic and biochemical ability to ferment specific prebiotic substrates. The IVE method can be used as an initial high-throughput screen for probiotic selection and isolation prior to further characterization and in vivo tests. IMPORTANCE This study describes an in vitro enrichment method to formulate synergistic synbiotics that have potential for establishing autochthonous strains across multiple individuals. The rationale for this approach—that the chance of survival of a bacterial strain is improved by providing it with its required resources—is based on classic ecological theory. From these experiments, a human-derived strain, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum CR15, was identified as a xylooligosaccharide (XOS) fermenter in fecal environments and displayed synergistic effects in vitro. The high rate of strain establishment observed in this study provides a basis for using synergistic synbiotics to overcome the responder/nonresponder phenomenon that occurs frequently in clinical trials with probiotic and prebiotic interventions. In addition, this approach can be applied in other protocols that require enrichment of specific bacterial populations prior to strain isolation.

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