scholarly journals Function of the Pyruvate Oxidase-Lactate Oxidase Cascade in Interspecies Competition between Streptococcus oligofermentans and Streptococcus mutans

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 2120-2127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Liu ◽  
Huichun Tong ◽  
Xiuzhu Dong
Keyword(s):  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Streptococcus Mutans ◽  
Growth Phase ◽  
Large Degree ◽  
Interspecies Interactions ◽  
Lactate Oxidase ◽  
Interspecies Competition ◽  
Pyruvate Oxidase ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTComplex interspecies interactions occur constantly between oral commensals and the opportunistic pathogenStreptococcus mutansin dental plaque. Previously, we showed that oral commensalStreptococcus oligofermentanspossesses multiple enzymes for H2O2production, especially lactate oxidase (Lox), allowing it to out-competeS. mutans. In this study, through extensive biochemical and genetic studies, we identified a pyruvate oxidase (pox) gene inS. oligofermentans. Apoxdeletion mutant completely lost Pox activity, while ectopically expressedpoxrestored activity. Pox was determined to produce most of the H2O2in the earlier growth phase and log phase, while Lox mainly contributed to H2O2production in stationary phase. Bothpoxandloxwere expressed throughout the growth phase, while expression of theloxgene increased by about 2.5-fold when cells entered stationary phase. Since lactate accumulation occurred to a large degree in stationary phase, the differential Pox- and Lox-generated H2O2can be attributed to differential gene expression and substrate availability. Interestingly, inactivation ofpoxcauses a dramatic reduction in H2O2production from lactate, suggesting a synergistic action of the two oxidases in converting lactate into H2O2. In anin vitrotwo-species biofilm experiment, thepoxmutant ofS. oligofermentansfailed to inhibitS. mutanseven thoughloxwas active. In summary,S. oligofermentansdevelops a Pox-Lox synergy strategy to maximize its H2O2formation so as to win the interspecies competition.

scholarly journals The Nature of Antibacterial Adaptive Immune Responses against Staphylococcus aureus Is Dependent on the Growth Phase and Extracellular Peptidoglycan

2019 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Payal P. Balraadjsing ◽  
Lisbeth D. Lund ◽  
Yuri Souwer ◽  
Sebastian A. J. Zaat ◽  
Hanne Frøkiær ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Growth Phase ◽  
Cell Response ◽  
Th17 Cell ◽  
Exponential Phase ◽  
Th1 Cell ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus has evolved different strategies to evade the immune response, which play an important role in its pathogenesis. The bacteria express and shed various cell wall components and toxins during different stages of growth that may affect the protective T cell responses to extracellular and intracellular S. aureus. However, if and how the dendritic cell (DC)-mediated T cell response against S. aureus changes during growth of the bacterium remain elusive. In this study, we show that exponential-phase (EP) S. aureus bacteria were endocytosed very efficiently by human DCs, and these DCs strongly promoted production of the T cell polarizing factor interleukin-12 (IL-12). In contrast, stationary-phase (SP) S. aureus bacteria were endocytosed less efficiently by DCs, and these DCs produced small amounts of IL-12. The high level of IL-12 production induced by EP S. aureus led to the development of a T helper 1 (Th1) cell response, which was inhibited after neutralization of IL-12. Furthermore, preincubation with the staphylococcal cell wall component peptidoglycan (PGN), characteristically shed during the exponential growth phase, modulated the DC response to EP S. aureus. PGN preincubation appeared to inhibit IL-12p35 expression, leading to downregulation of IL-12 and an increase of IL-23 production by DCs, enhancing Th17 cell development. Taken together, our data indicate that exponential-phase S. aureus bacteria induce a stronger IL-12-dependent Th1 cell response than stationary-phase S. aureus and that this Th1 cell response shifted toward a Th17 cell response in the presence of PGN.

scholarly journals A Novel Point Mutation Promotes Growth Phase-Dependent Daptomycin Tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (9) ◽  
pp. 5366-5376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Mechler ◽  
Alexander Herbig ◽  
Kerstin Paprotka ◽  
Martin Fraunholz ◽  
Kay Nieselt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Point Mutation ◽  
Growth Phase ◽  
Drug Tolerance ◽  
Stationary Growth Phase ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Upstream Gene ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Degree

ABSTRACTRecalcitrance of genetically susceptible bacteria to antibiotic killing is a hallmark of bacterial drug tolerance. This phenomenon is prevalent in biofilms, persisters, and also planktonic cells and is associated with chronic or relapsing infections with pathogens such asStaphylococcus aureus. Here we report thein vitroevolution of anS. aureusstrain that exhibits a high degree of nonsusceptibility to daptomycin as a result of cyclic challenges with bactericidal concentrations of the drug. This phenotype was attributed to stationary growth phase-dependent drug tolerance and was clearly distinguished from resistance. The underlying genetic basis was revealed to be an adaptive point mutation in the putative inorganic phosphate (Pi) transporter genepitA. Drug tolerance caused by this allele, termedpitA6, was abrogated when the upstream genepitRwas inactivated. Enhanced tolerance toward daptomycin, as well as the acyldepsipeptide antibiotic ADEP4 and various combinations of other drugs, was accompanied by elevated intracellular concentrations of Piand polyphosphate, which may reversibly interfere with critical cellular functions. The evolved strain displayed increased rates of survival within human endothelial cells, demonstrating the correlation of intracellular persistence and drug tolerance. These findings will be useful for further investigations ofS. aureusdrug tolerance, toward the development of additional antipersister compounds and strategies.

scholarly journals Interspecies Inhibition ofPorphyromonas gingivalisby Yogurt-DerivedLactobacillus delbrueckiiRequires Active Pyruvate Oxidase

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis P. Cornacchione ◽  
Brian A. Klein ◽  
Margaret J. Duncan ◽  
Linden T. Hu
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Periodontal Disease ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Lactobacillus Delbrueckii ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Probiotic Bacteria ◽  
Pyruvate Oxidase ◽  
Hydrogen Peroxide Production ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTDespite a growing interest in using probiotic microorganisms to prevent disease, the mechanisms by which probiotics exert their action require further investigation.Porphyromonas gingivalisis an important pathogen implicated in the development of periodontitis. We isolated several strains ofLactobacillus delbrueckiifrom dairy products and examined their ability to inhibitP. gingivalisgrowthin vitro. We observed strain-specific inhibition ofP. gingivalisgrowthin vitro. Whole-genome sequencing of inhibitory and noninhibitory strains ofL. delbrueckiirevealed significant genetic differences supporting the strain specificity of the interaction. Extracts of theL. delbrueckiiSTYM1 inhibitory strain contain inhibitory activity that is abolished by treatment with heat, proteinase K, catalase, and sodium sulfite. We purified the inhibitory protein(s) fromL. delbrueckiiSTYM1 extracts using ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. Pyruvate oxidase was highly enriched in the purified samples. Lastly, we showed that purified, catalytically active, recombinant pyruvate oxidase is sufficient to inhibitP. gingivalisgrowthin vitrowithout the addition of cofactors. Further, using a saturated transposon library, we isolated transposon mutants ofP. gingivalisin thefeoB2(PG_1294) gene that are resistant to killing by inhibitoryL. delbrueckii, consistent with a mechanism of hydrogen peroxide production by pyruvate oxidase. Our results support the current understanding of the importance of strain selection, not simply species selection, in microbial interactions. SpecificL. delbrueckiistrains or their products may be effective in the treatment and prevention ofP. gingivalis-associated periodontal disease.IMPORTANCEP. gingivalisis implicated in the onset and progression of periodontal disease and associated with some systemic diseases. Probiotic bacteria represent an attractive preventative therapy for periodontal disease. However, the efficacy of probiotic bacteria can be variable between studies. Our data support the known importance of selecting particular strains of bacteria for probiotic use, not simply a single species. Specifically, in the context of probiotic intervention of periodontitis, our data suggest that high-level expression of pyruvate oxidase with hydrogen peroxide production inL. delbrueckiicould be an important characteristic for the design of a probiotic supplement or a microbial therapeutic.

scholarly journals Quorum Sensing Signal Selectivity and the Potential for Interspecies Cross Talk

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Wellington ◽  
E. Peter Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Cell Signaling ◽  
Cross Talk ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Interspecies Interactions ◽  
Interspecies Competition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Competition And Cooperation ◽  
Wide Range

ABSTRACTMany species of proteobacteria communicate with kin and coordinate group behaviors through a form of cell-cell signaling called acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing (QS). Most AHL receptors are thought to be specific for their cognate signal, ensuring that bacteria cooperate and share resources only with closely related kin cells. Although specificity is considered fundamental to QS, there are reports of “promiscuous” receptors that respond broadly to nonself signals. These promiscuous responses expand the function of QS systems to include interspecies interactions and have been implicated in both interspecies competition and cooperation. Because bacteria are frequently members of polymicrobial communities, AHL cross talk between species could have profound impacts. To better understand the prevalence of QS promiscuity, we measured the activity of seven QS receptors in their native host organisms. To facilitate comparison of our results to previous studies, we also measured receptor activity using heterologous expression inEscherichia coli. We found that the standardE. colimethods consistently overestimate receptor promiscuity and sensitivity and that overexpression of the receptors is sufficient to account for the discrepancy between native andE. colireporters. Additionally, receptor overexpression resulted in AHL-independent activity inPseudomonas aeruginosa. Using our activation data, we developed a quantitative score of receptor selectivity. We find that the receptors display a wide range of selectivity and that most receptors respond sensitively and strongly to at least one nonself signal, suggesting a broad potential for cross talk between QS systems.IMPORTANCESpecific recognition of cognate signals is considered fundamental to cell signaling circuits as it creates fidelity in the communication system. In bacterial quorum sensing (QS), receptor specificity ensures that bacteria cooperate only with kin. There are examples, however, of QS receptors that respond promiscuously to multiple signals. “Eavesdropping” by these promiscuous receptors can be beneficial in both interspecies competition and cooperation. Despite their potential significance, we know little about the prevalence of promiscuous QS receptors. Further, many studies rely on methods requiring receptor overexpression, which is known to increase apparent promiscuity. By systematically studying QS receptors in their natural parent strains, we find that the receptors display a wide range of selectivity and that there is potential for significant cross talk between QS systems. Our results provide a basis for hypotheses about the evolution and function of promiscuous signal receptors and for predictions about interspecies interactions in complex microbial communities.

scholarly journals Glucose Triggers ATP Secretion from Bacteria in a Growth-Phase-Dependent Manner

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (7) ◽  
pp. 2328-2335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ippei Hironaka ◽  
Tadayuki Iwase ◽  
Shinya Sugimoto ◽  
Ken-ichi Okuda ◽  
Akiko Tajima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Growth Phase ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
T Helper 17 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cell Functions ◽  
Atp Secretion ◽  
Enterococcus Gallinarum

ABSTRACTATP modulates immune cell functions, and ATP derived from gut commensal bacteria promotes the differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) cells in the intestinal lamina propria. We recently reported thatEnterococcus gallinarum, isolated from mice and humans, secretes ATP. We have since found and characterized several ATP-secreting bacteria. Of the tested enterococci,Enterococcus mundtiisecreted the greatest amount of ATP (>2 μM/108cells) after overnight culture. Glucose, not amino acids and vitamins, was essential for ATP secretion fromE. mundtii. Analyses of energy-deprived cells demonstrated that glycolysis is the most important pathway for bacterial ATP secretion. Furthermore, exponential-phaseE. mundtiiandEnterococcus faecaliscells secrete ATP more efficiently than stationary-phase cells. Other bacteria, includingPseudomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli, andStaphylococcus aureus, also secrete ATP in exponential but not stationary phase. These results suggest that various gut bacteria, including commensals and pathogens, might secrete ATP at any growth phase and modulate immune cell function.

scholarly journals Gut Adhesive Bacillus subtilis Spores as a Platform for Mucosal Delivery of Antigens

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1414-1423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milene Tavares Batista ◽  
Renata D. Souza ◽  
Juliano D. Paccez ◽  
Wilson B. Luiz ◽  
Ewerton L. Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Streptococcus Mutans ◽  
Sublingual Administration ◽  
Antigen Delivery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mucosal Delivery ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Bacterial Adhesins ◽  
Vaccine Antigens

ABSTRACTBacillus subtilisspores have been used as safe and heat-resistant antigen delivery vectors. Nonetheless, the oral administration of spores typically induces weak immune responses to the passenger antigens, which may be attributed to the fast transit through the gastrointestinal tract. To overcome this limitation, we have developedB. subtilisspores capable of binding to the gut epithelium by means of expressing bacterial adhesins on the spore surface. The resulting spores bound toin vitrointestinal cells, showed a longer transit through the mouse intestinal tract, and interacted with Peyer's patch cells. The adhesive spores increased the systemic and secreted antibody responses to theStreptococcus mutansP1 protein, used as a model antigen, following oral, intranasal, and sublingual administration. Additionally, P1-specific antibodies efficiently inhibited the adhesion of the oral pathogenStreptococcus mutansto abiotic surfaces. These results support the use of gut-colonizingB. subtilisspores as a new platform for the mucosal delivery of vaccine antigens.

scholarly journals Symbiotic Relationship between Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans Synergizes Virulence of Plaque BiofilmsIn Vivo

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 1968-1981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan L. Falsetta ◽  
Marlise I. Klein ◽  
Punsiri M. Colonne ◽  
Kathleen Scott-Anne ◽  
Stacy Gregoire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Dental Caries ◽  
Streptococcus Mutans ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Content Type ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACTStreptococcus mutansis often cited as the main bacterial pathogen in dental caries, particularly in early-childhood caries (ECC).S. mutansmay not act alone;Candida albicanscells are frequently detected along with heavy infection byS. mutansin plaque biofilms from ECC-affected children. It remains to be elucidated whether this association is involved in the enhancement of biofilm virulence. We showed that the ability of these organisms together to form biofilms is enhancedin vitroandin vivo. The presence ofC. albicansaugments the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), such that cospecies biofilms accrue more biomass and harbor more viableS. mutanscells than single-species biofilms. The resulting 3-dimensional biofilm architecture displays sizeableS. mutansmicrocolonies surrounded by fungal cells, which are enmeshed in a dense EPS-rich matrix. Using a rodent model, we explored the implications of this cross-kingdom interaction for the pathogenesis of dental caries. Coinfected animals displayed higher levels of infection and microbial carriage within plaque biofilms than animals infected with either species alone. Furthermore, coinfection synergistically enhanced biofilm virulence, leading to aggressive onset of the disease with rampant carious lesions. Ourin vitrodata also revealed that glucosyltransferase-derived EPS is a key mediator of cospecies biofilm development and that coexistence withC. albicansinduces the expression of virulence genes inS. mutans(e.g.,gtfB,fabM). We also found thatCandida-derived β1,3-glucans contribute to the EPS matrix structure, while fungal mannan and β-glucan provide sites for GtfB binding and activity. Altogether, we demonstrate a novel mutualistic bacterium-fungus relationship that occurs at a clinically relevant site to amplify the severity of a ubiquitous infectious disease.

scholarly journals Novel Epitopic Region of Glucosyltransferase B from Streptococcus mutans

2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1552-1561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomonori Hoshino ◽  
Yoshio Kondo ◽  
Kan Saito ◽  
Yutaka Terao ◽  
Nobuo Okahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Mutans ◽  
Variable Region ◽  
Adenovirus Vector ◽  
Enzyme Function ◽  
Vaccine Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
N Terminus ◽  
Vector Borne

ABSTRACTIn the development of a component vaccine against caries, the catalytic region (CAT) and glucan-binding domain (GBD) of glucosyltransferase B (GtfB) fromStreptococcus mutanshave been employed as target antigens. These regions were adopted as primary targets because they theoretically include epitopes associated with enzyme function. However, their antigenicities have not been fully evaluated. Although there are many reports about successful vaccination using these components, the principle has not yet been put to practical use. For these reasons, we came to doubt the effectiveness of the epitopes in vaccine production and reevaluated the antigenic region of GtfB by usingin silicoanalyses combined within vitroandin vivoexperiments. The results suggested that the ca. 360-amino-acid variable region (VR) in the N terminus of GtfB is more reactive than CAT and GBD. This region isS. mutansand/or GtfB specific, nonconserved among other streptococcal Gtfs, and of unknown function. Immunization using an adenovirus vector-borne DNA vaccine confirmed that VR is an epitope that shows promise for the development of a caries vaccine.

scholarly journals Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities of a Novel Synthetic Cyclic Lipopeptide against Cariogenic Streptococcus mutans UA159

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung R. Min ◽  
Adriana Galvis ◽  
Brandon Williams ◽  
Ramanjaneyulu Rayala ◽  
Predrag Cudic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Mutans ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Minimum Bactericidal Concentration ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cyclic Lipopeptide ◽  
Nonspecific Cytotoxicity ◽  
Antimicrobial Treatments ◽  
Time Kill

ABSTRACT Despite continuous efforts to control cariogenic dental biofilms, very few effective antimicrobial treatments exist. In this study, we characterized the activity of the novel synthetic cyclic lipopeptide 4 (CLP-4), derived from fusaricidin, against the cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans UA159. We determined CLP-4's MIC, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and spontaneous resistance frequency, and we performed time-kill assays. Additionally, we assessed CLP-4's potential to inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate preformed biofilms. Our results demonstrate that CLP-4 has strong antibacterial activity in vitro and is a potent bactericidal agent with low spontaneous resistance frequency. At a low concentration of 5 μg/ml, CLP-4 completely inhibited S. mutans UA159 biofilm formation, and at 50 μg/ml, it reduced the viability of established biofilms by >99.99%. We also assessed CLP-4's cytotoxicity and stability against proteolytic digestion. CLP-4 withstood trypsin or chymotrypsin digestion even after treatment for 24 h, and our toxicity studies showed that CLP-4 effective concentrations had negligible effects on hemolysis and the viability of human oral fibroblasts. In summary, our findings showed that CLP-4 is a potent antibacterial and antibiofilm agent with remarkable stability and low nonspecific cytotoxicity. Hence, CLP-4 is a promising novel antimicrobial peptide with potential for clinical application in the prevention and treatment of dental caries.

scholarly journals Genomic Analysis of Reduced Susceptibility to Tigecycline in Enterococcus faecium

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Cattoir ◽  
Christophe Isnard ◽  
Thibaud Cosquer ◽  
Arlène Odhiambo ◽  
Fiona Bucquet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Substitution ◽  
Enterococcus Faecium ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Ribosomal Subunit ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Lactate Oxidase ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTTigecycline (TIG) is approved for use for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections, skin and skin structure infections, as well as pneumonia. Acquired resistance or reduced susceptibility to TIG has been observed in Gram-negative rods, has seldom been reported in Gram-positive organisms, and has not yet been reported inEnterococcus faecium. Using the serial passage method,in vitromutant AusTig andin vitromutants HMtig1 and HMtig2 with decreased TIG susceptibility (MICs, 0.25 μg/ml) were obtained from strainsE. faeciumAus0004 and HM1070 (MICs, 0.03 μg/ml), respectively. In addition, two vancomycin-resistantE. faeciumclinical isolates (EF16 and EF22) with reduced susceptibility to TIG (MICs, 0.5 and 0.25 μg/ml, respectively) were studied. Compared to the wild-type strains, thein vitromutants also showed an increase in the MICs of other tetracyclines. An efflux mechanism did not seem to be involved in the reduced TIG susceptibility, since the presence of efflux pump inhibitors (reserpine or pantoprazole) did not affect the MICs of TIG. Whole-genome sequencing of AusTig was carried out, and genomic comparison with the Aus0004 genome was performed. Four modifications leading to an amino acid substitution were found. These mutations affected therpsJgene (efau004_00094, coding for the S10 protein of the 30S ribosomal subunit),efau004_01228(encoding a cation transporter),efau004_01636(coding for a hypothetical protein), andefau004_02455(encoding thel-lactate oxidase). The four other strains exhibiting reduced TIG susceptibility were screened for the candidate mutations. This analysis revealed that three of them showed an amino acid substitution in the same region of the RpsJ protein. In this study, we characterized for the first time genetic determinants linked to reduced TIG susceptibility in enterococci.

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