scholarly journals Both Phthiocerol Dimycocerosates and Phenolic Glycolipids Are Required for Virulence of Mycobacterium marinum

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1381-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Yu ◽  
Vanessa Tran ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
Xinghua Huang ◽  
Chen Niu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Mycobacterium Marinum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transposon Insertion ◽  
Wall Permeability ◽  
Cell Wall Permeability ◽  
Phthiocerol Dimycocerosates ◽  
Zebrafish Infection ◽  
Phenolic Glycolipids

ABSTRACTPhthiocerol dimycocerosates (PDIMs) and structurally related phenolic glycolipids (PGLs) are complex cell wall lipids unique to pathogenic mycobacteria. While these lipids have been extensively studied in recent years, there are conflicting reports on some aspects of their biosynthesis and on the role of PDIMs and especially PGLs in virulence ofMycobacterium tuberculosis. This has been complicated by the natural deficiency of PGLs in many clinical strains ofM. tuberculosisand the frequent loss of PDIMs in laboratoryM. tuberculosisstrains. In this study, we isolated seven mutants ofMycobacterium marinumdeficient in PDIMs and/or PGLs in which multiple genes of the PDIM/PGL biosynthetic locus were disrupted by transposon insertion. Zebrafish infection experiments showed thatM. marinumstrains lacking one or both of these lipids were avirulent, suggesting that both PDIMs and PGLs are required for virulence. We also found that these strains were hypersensitive to antibiotics and exhibited increased cell wall permeability. Our studies provide new insights into the biosynthesis of PDIMs/PGLs and may help us to understand the role of PDIMs and PGLs inM. tuberculosisvirulence.

scholarly journals The key role of the mycolic acid content in the functionality of the cell wall permeability barrier in Corynebacterineae

Microbiology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 153 (5) ◽  
pp. 1424-1434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrike Gebhardt ◽  
Xavier Meniche ◽  
Marielle Tropis ◽  
Reinhard Krämer ◽  
Mamadou Daffé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Acid Content ◽  
Mycolic Acid ◽  
Permeability Barrier ◽  
Wall Permeability ◽  
Cell Wall Permeability

scholarly journals The Sterol Carrier Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin Enhances the Metabolism of Phytosterols by Mycobacterium neoaurum

2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liqiu Su ◽  
Shuangping Xu ◽  
Yanbing Shen ◽  
Menglei Xia ◽  
Xiaoxian Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Sterol Metabolism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mycobacterium Neoaurum ◽  
Complex Functions ◽  
Wall Permeability ◽  
Cell Wall Permeability

ABSTRACT Androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) and androst-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD) are valuable steroid pharmaceutical intermediates obtained by soybean phytosterol biotransformation by Mycobacterium. Cyclodextrins (CDs) are generally believed to be carriers for phytosterol delivery and can improve the production of AD and ADD due to their effects on steroid solubilization and alteration in cell wall permeability for steroids. To better understand the mechanisms of CD promotion, we performed proteomic quantification of the effects of hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) on phytosterol metabolism in Mycobacterium neoaurum TCCC 11978 C2. Perturbations are observed in steroid catabolism and glucose metabolism by adding HP-β-CD in a phytosterol bioconversion system. AD and ADD, as metabolic products of phytosterol, are toxic to cells, with inhibited cell growth and biocatalytic activity. Treatment of mycobacteria with HP-β-CD relieves the inhibitory effect of AD(D) on the electron transfer chain and cell growth. These results demonstrate the positive relationship between HP-β-CD and phytosterol metabolism and give insight into the complex functions of CDs as mediators of the regulation of sterol metabolism. IMPORTANCE Phytosterols from soybean are low-cost by-products of soybean oil production and, owing to their good bioavailability in mycobacteria, are preferred as the substrates for steroid drug production via biotransformation by Mycobacterium. However, the low level of production of steroid hormone drugs due to the low aqueous solubility (below 0.1 mmol/liter) of phytosterols limits the commercial use of sterol-transformed strains. To improve the bioconversion of steroids, cyclodextrins (CDs) are generally used as an effective carrier for the delivery of hydrophobic steroids to the bacterium. CDs improve the biotransformation of steroids due to their effects on steroid solubilization and alterations in cell wall permeability for steroids. However, studies have rarely reported the effects of CDs on cell metabolic pathways related to sterols. In this study, the effects of hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) on the expression of enzymes related to steroid catabolic pathways in Mycobacterium neoaurum were systematically investigated. These findings will improve our understanding of the complex functions of CDs in the regulation of sterol metabolism and guide the application of CDs to sterol production.

scholarly journals Deficiency of the Novel Exopolyphosphatase Rv1026/PPX2 Leads to Metabolic Downshift and Altered Cell Wall Permeability in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Min Chuang ◽  
Nirmalya Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Dalin Rifat ◽  
Harvey Rubin ◽  
Joel S. Bader ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Stringent Response ◽  
Inorganic Polyphosphate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
P Accumulation ◽  
Wall Permeability ◽  
Altered Cell ◽  
Cell Wall Permeability ◽  
Long Chain

ABSTRACTMycobacterium tuberculosiscan persist for decades in the human host. Stringent response pathways involving inorganic polyphosphate [poly(P)], which is synthesized and hydrolyzed by polyphosphate kinase (PPK) and exopolyphosphatase (PPX), respectively, are believed to play a key regulatory role in bacterial persistence. We show here thatM. tuberculosispoly(P) accumulation is temporally linked to bacillary growth restriction. We also identifyM. tuberculosisRv1026 as a novel exopolyphosphatase with hydrolytic activity against long-chain poly(P). Using a tetracycline-inducible expression system to knock down expression ofRv1026(ppx2), we found thatM. tuberculosispoly(P) accumulation leads to slowed growth and reduced susceptibility to isoniazid, increased resistance to heat and acid pH, and enhanced intracellular survival during macrophage infection. By transmission electron microscopy, theppx2knockdown strain exhibited increased cell wall thickness, which was associated with reduced cell wall permeability to hydrophilic drugs rather than induction of drug efflux pumps or altered biofilm formation relative to the empty vector control. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed a metabolic downshift of theppx2knockdown characterized by reduced transcription and translation and a downshift of glycerol-3-phosphate levels. In summary, poly(P) plays an important role inM. tuberculosisgrowth restriction and metabolic downshift and contributes to antibiotic tolerance through altered cell wall permeability.IMPORTANCEThe stringent response, involving the regulatory molecules inorganic polyphosphate [poly(P)] and (p)ppGpp, is believed to mediateMycobacterium tuberculosispersistence. In this study, we identified a novel enzyme (Rv1026, PPX2) responsible for hydrolyzing long-chain poly(P). A genetically engineered M. tuberculosis strain deficient in theppx2gene showed increased poly(P) levels, which were associated with early bacterial growth arrest and reduced susceptibility to the first-line drug isoniazid, as well as increased bacterial survival during exposure to stress conditions and within macrophages. Relative to the control strain, the mutant showed increased thickness of the cell wall and reduced drug permeability. Global gene expression and metabolite analysis revealed reduced expression of the transcriptional and translational machinery and a shift in carbon source utilization. In summary, regulation of the poly(P) balance is critical for persister formation in M. tuberculosis.

Cell Wall Permeability of Pinto Bean Cotyledon Cells Regulates In Vitro Fecal Fermentation and Gut Microbiota

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanrong Huang ◽  
Sushil Dhital ◽  
Feitong Liu ◽  
Xiong Fu ◽  
Qiang Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Microbiota Composition ◽  
Colonic Fermentation ◽  
Pinto Bean ◽  
Wall Permeability ◽  
Cell Wall Permeability ◽  
Cotyledon Cells ◽  
Whole Foods

Processing induced structural changes of whole foods on regulation of colonic fermentation rate and microbiota composition are least understood and often overlooked. In the present study, intact cotyledon cells from...

scholarly journals Characterization of RelA in Acinetobacter baumannii

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
María Pérez-Varela ◽  
Aimee R. P. Tierney ◽  
Ju-Sim Kim ◽  
Andrés Vázquez-Torres ◽  
Philip Rather
Keyword(s):  
Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Content Model ◽  
Transposon Insertion ◽  
Downstream Effectors

ABSTRACT In response to nutrient depletion, the RelA and SpoT proteins generate the signaling molecule (p)ppGpp, which then controls a number of downstream effectors to modulate cell physiology. In Acinetobacter baumannii strain AB5075, a relA ortholog (ABUW_3302) was identified by a transposon insertion that conferred an unusual colony phenotype. An in-frame deletion in relA (ΔrelA) failed to produce detectable levels of ppGpp when amino acid starvation was induced with serine hydroxamate. The ΔrelA mutant was blocked from switching from the virulent opaque colony variant (VIR-O) to the avirulent translucent colony variant (AV-T), but the rate of AV-T to VIR-O switching was unchanged. In addition, the ΔrelA mutation resulted in a pronounced hypermotile phenotype on 0.35% agar plates. This hypermotility was dependent on the activation of a LysR regulator ABUW_1132, which was required for expression of AbaR, a LuxR family quorum-sensing regulator. In the ΔrelA mutant, ABUW_1132 was also required for the increased expression of an operon composed of the ABUW_3766-ABUW_3773 genes required for production of the surfactant-like lipopeptide acinetin 505. Additional phenotypes identified in the ΔrelA mutant included (i) cell elongation at high density, (ii) reduced formation of persister cells tolerant to colistin and rifampin, and (iii) decreased virulence in a Galleria mellonella model. IMPORTANCE Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen of worldwide importance. Due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance, these infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. New therapies are required to combat multidrug-resistant isolates. The role of RelA in A. baumannii is largely unknown. This study demonstrates that like in other bacteria, RelA controls a variety of functions, including virulence. Strategies to inhibit the activity of RelA and the resulting production of ppGpp could inhibit virulence and may represent a new therapeutic approach.

scholarly journals Increased Vancomycin Susceptibility in Mycobacteria: a New Approach To Identify Synergistic Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacteria

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 5057-5060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Soetaert ◽  
Céline Rens ◽  
Xiao-Ming Wang ◽  
Jacqueline De Bruyn ◽  
Marie-Antoinette Lanéelle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Synthesis ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Screening Strategy ◽  
Synergistic Activity ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Phthiocerol Dimycocerosates ◽  
Type Strains ◽  
Phenolic Glycolipids

ABSTRACTMycobacterium tuberculosisis wrapped in complex waxes, impermeable to most antibiotics. ComparingMycobacterium bovisBCG andM. tuberculosismutants that lack phthiocerol dimycocerosates (PDIM) and/or phenolic glycolipids with wild-type strains, we observed that glycopeptides strongly inhibited PDIM-deprived mycobacteria. Vancomycin together with a drug targeting lipid synthesis inhibited multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) clinical isolates. Our study puts glycopeptides in the pipeline of potential antituberculosis (TB) agents and might provide a new antimycobacterial drug-screening strategy.

scholarly journals Role of the msaABCR Operon in Cell Wall Biosynthesis, Autolysis, Integrity, and Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibek G C ◽  
Gyan S. Sahukhal ◽  
Mohamed O. Elasri
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Teichoic Acid ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Wall Defect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mrsa Strains ◽  
Mutant Cells

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen in both community and health care settings. One of the challenges with S. aureus as a pathogen is its acquisition of antibiotic resistance. Previously, we showed that deletion of the msaABCR operon reduces cell wall thickness, resulting in decreased resistance to vancomycin in vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA). In this study, we investigated the nature of the cell wall defect in the msaABCR operon mutant in the Mu50 (VISA) and USA300 LAC methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Results showed that msaABCR mutant cells had decreased cross-linking in both strains. This defect is typically due to increased murein hydrolase activity and/or nonspecific processing of murein hydrolases mediated by increased protease activity in mutant cells. The defect was enhanced by a decrease in teichoic acid content in the msaABCR mutant. Therefore, we propose that deletion of the msaABCR operon results in decreased peptidoglycan cross-linking, leading to increased susceptibility toward cell wall-targeting antibiotics, such as β-lactams and vancomycin. Moreover, we also observed significantly downregulated transcription of early cell wall-synthesizing genes, supporting the finding that msaABCR mutant cells have decreased peptidoglycan synthesis. More specifically, the msaABCR mutant in the USA300 LAC strain (MRSA) showed significantly reduced expression of the murA gene, whereas the msaABCR mutant in the Mu50 strain (VISA) showed significantly reduced expression of glmU, murA, and murD. Thus, we conclude that the msaABCR operon controls the balance between cell wall synthesis and cell wall hydrolysis, which is required for maintaining a robust cell wall and acquiring resistance to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, such as vancomycin and the β-lactams.

scholarly journals The Chitin Connection

mBio ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Goldman ◽  
Alfin G. Vicencio
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Allergic Inflammation ◽  
Chitinase Activity ◽  
Chitin Deacetylase ◽  
Fungal Cell ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Covalently Linked

ABSTRACTChitin, a polymer ofN-acetylglucosamine, is an essential component of the fungal cell wall. Chitosan, a deacetylated form of chitin, is also important in maintaining cell wall integrity and is essential forCryptococcus neoformansvirulence. In their article, Gilbert et al. [N. M. Gilbert, L. G. Baker, C. A. Specht, and J. K. Lodge, mBio 3(1):e00007-12, 2012] demonstrate that the enzyme responsible for chitosan synthesis, chitin deacetylase (CDA), is differentially attached to the cell membrane and wall. Bioactivity is localized to the cell membrane, where it is covalently linked via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Findings from this study significantly enhance our understanding of cryptococcal cell wall biology. Besides the role of chitin in supporting structural stability, chitin and host enzymes with chitinase activity have an important role in host defense and modifying the inflammatory response. Thus, chitin appears to provide a link between the fungus and host that involves both innate and adaptive immune responses. Recently, there has been increased attention to the role of chitinases in the pathogenesis of allergic inflammation, especially asthma. We review these findings and explore the possible connection between fungal infections, the induction of chitinases, and asthma.

scholarly journals Carbon Source-Induced Modifications in the Mycolic Acid Content and Cell Wall Permeability of Rhodococcus erythropolis E1

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 7019-7027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Sokolovská ◽  
Raoul Rozenberg ◽  
Christophe Riez ◽  
Paul G. Rouxhet ◽  
Spiros N. Agathos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Carbon Source ◽  
Acid Content ◽  
Rhodococcus Erythropolis ◽  
Mycolic Acid ◽  
Mycolic Acids ◽  
Carbon Chains ◽  
Linear Alkanes ◽  
Wall Permeability ◽  
Cell Wall Permeability

ABSTRACT The influence of the carbon source on cell wall properties was analyzed in an efficient alkane-degrading strain of Rhodococcus erythropolis (strain E1), with particular focus on the mycolic acid content. A clear correlation was observed between the carbon source and the mycolic acid profiles as estimated by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Two types of mycolic acid patterns were observed after growth either on saturated linear alkanes or on short-chain alkanoates. One type of pattern was characterized by the lack of odd-numbered carbon chains and resulted from growth on linear alkanes with even numbers of carbon atoms. The second type of pattern was characterized by mycolic acids with both even- and odd-numbered carbon chains and resulted from growth on compounds with odd-numbered carbon chains, on branched alkanes, or on mixtures of different compounds. Cellular short-chain fatty acids were twice as abundant during growth on a branched alkane (pristane) as during growth on acetate, while equal amounts of mycolic acids were found under both conditions. More hydrocarbon-like compounds and less polysaccharide were exposed at the cell wall surface during growth on alkanes. Whatever the substrate, the cells had the same affinity for aqueous-nonaqueous solvent interfaces. By contrast, bacteria displayed completely opposite susceptibilities to hydrophilic and hydrophobic antibiotics and were found to be strongly stained by hydrophobic dyes after growth on pristane but not after growth on acetate. Taken together, these data show that the cell wall composition of R. erythropolis E1 is influenced by the nutritional regimen and that the most marked effect is a radical change in cell wall permeability.

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