scholarly journals The Length of Lipoteichoic Acid Polymers Controls Staphylococcus aureus Cell Size and Envelope Integrity

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony R. Hesser ◽  
Leigh M. Matano ◽  
Christopher R. Vickery ◽  
B. McKay Wood ◽  
Ace George Santiago ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Cell Size ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Lipoteichoic Acid ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Beta Lactam Antibiotics ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
Glycolipid Anchor

ABSTRACT The opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is protected by a cell envelope that is crucial for viability. In addition to peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is an especially important component of the S. aureus cell envelope. LTA is an anionic polymer anchored to a glycolipid in the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. It was known that deleting the gene for UgtP, the enzyme that makes this glycolipid anchor, causes cell growth and division defects. In Bacillus subtilis, growth abnormalities from the loss of ugtP have been attributed to both the absence of the encoded protein and the loss of its products. Here, we show that growth defects in S. aureus ugtP deletion mutants are due to the long, abnormal LTA polymer that is produced when the glycolipid anchor is missing from the outer leaflet of the membrane. Dysregulated cell growth leads to defective cell division, and these phenotypes are corrected by mutations in the LTA polymerase gene, ltaS, that reduce polymer length. We also show that S. aureus mutants with long LTA are sensitized to cell wall hydrolases, beta-lactam antibiotics, and compounds that target other cell envelope pathways. We conclude that control of LTA polymer length is important for S. aureus physiology and promotes survival under stressful conditions, including antibiotic stress. IMPORTANCE Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of community- and hospital-acquired infections and is responsible for a large fraction of deaths caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. S. aureus is surrounded by a complex cell envelope that protects it from antimicrobial compounds and other stresses. Here, we show that controlling the length of an essential cell envelope polymer, lipoteichoic acid, is critical for controlling S. aureus cell size and cell envelope integrity. We also show that genes involved in LTA length regulation are required for resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in MRSA. The proteins encoded by these genes may be targets for combination therapy with an appropriate beta-lactam.

scholarly journals The length of lipoteichoic acid polymers controls Staphylococcus aureus cell size and envelope integrity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony R. Hesser ◽  
Leigh M. Matano ◽  
Christopher R. Vickery ◽  
B. McKay Wood ◽  
Ace George Santiago ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Cell Size ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Lipoteichoic Acid ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Beta Lactam Antibiotics ◽  
Outer Leaflet ◽  
Glycolipid Anchor

ABSTRACTThe opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is protected by a cell envelope that is crucial for viability. In addition to peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is an especially important component of the S. aureus cell envelope. LTA is an anionic polymer anchored to a glycolipid in the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. It was known that deleting the gene for UgtP, the enzyme that makes this glycolipid anchor, causes cell growth and division defects. In Bacillus subtilis, growth abnormalities from the loss of ugtP have been attributed to the absence of the encoded protein, not to loss of its enzymatic activity. Here, we show that growth defects in S. aureus ugtP deletion mutants are due to the long, abnormal LTA polymer that is produced when the glycolipid anchor is missing from the outer leaflet of the membrane. Dysregulated cell growth leads to defective cell division, and these phenotypes are corrected by mutations in the LTA polymerase, ltaS, that reduce polymer length. We also show that S. aureus mutants with long LTA are sensitized to cell wall hydrolases, beta-lactam antibiotics, and compounds that target other cell envelope pathways. We conclude that control of LTA polymer length is important for S. aureus physiology and promotes survival under stressful conditions, including antibiotic stress.IMPORTANCEMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of community- and hospital-acquired infections and is responsible for a large fraction of deaths caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. S. aureus is surrounded by a complex cell envelope that protects it from antimicrobial compounds and other stresses. Here we show that controlling the length of an essential cell envelope polymer, lipoteichoic acid, is critical for controlling S. aureus cell size and cell envelope integrity. We also show that genes involved in LTA length regulation are required for resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in MRSA. The proteins encoded by these genes may be targets for combination therapy with an appropriate beta-lactam.

scholarly journals Full-Genome Sequencing Identifies in the Genetic Background Several Determinants That Modulate the Resistance Phenotype in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains Carrying the Novel mecC Gene

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina Milheiriço ◽  
Hermínia de Lencastre ◽  
Alexander Tomasz
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resistance Phenotype ◽  
Beta Lactam Antibiotics ◽  
Oxacillin Resistance ◽  
Mrsa Strains

ABSTRACT Most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics due to the presence of the mecA gene, encoding an extra penicillin-binding protein (PBP2A) that has low affinity for virtually all beta-lactam antibiotics. Recently, a new resistance determinant—the mecC gene—was identified in S. aureus isolates recovered from humans and dairy cattle. Although having typically low MICs to beta-lactam antibiotics, MRSA strains with the mecC determinant are also capable of expressing high levels of oxacillin resistance when in an optimal genetic background. In order to test the impact of extensive beta-lactam selection on the emergence of mecC-carrying strains with high levels of antibiotic resistance, we exposed the prototype mecC-carrying MRSA strain, LGA251, to increasing concentrations of oxacillin. LGA251 was able to rapidly adapt to high concentrations of oxacillin in growth medium. In such laboratory mutants with increased levels of oxacillin resistance, we identified mutations in genes with no relationship to the mecC regulatory system, indicating that the genetic background plays an important role in the establishment of the levels of oxacillin resistance. Our data also indicate that the stringent stress response plays a critical role in the beta-lactam antibiotic resistance phenotype of MRSA strains carrying the mecC determinant.

scholarly journals Release of lipoteichoic acid from Staphylococcus aureus by treatment with cefmetazole and other .BETA.-lactam antibiotics.

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1380-1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
YUKIO UTSUI ◽  
SATOSHI OHYA ◽  
YUNIKO TAKENOUCHI ◽  
MASAZO TAJIMA ◽  
SHINICHI SUGAWARA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Lipoteichoic Acid ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Beta Lactam Antibiotics

scholarly journals Salt-Induced Stress Stimulates a Lipoteichoic Acid-Specific Three-Component Glycosylation System inStaphylococcus aureus

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelvin Kho ◽  
Timothy C. Meredith
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Lipoteichoic Acid ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Growth Media ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTLipoteichoic acid (LTA) inStaphylococcus aureusis a poly-glycerophosphate polymer anchored to the outer surface of the cell membrane. LTA has numerous roles in cell envelope physiology, including regulating cell autolysis, coordinating cell division, and adapting to environmental growth conditions. LTA is often further modified with substituents, includingd-alanine and glycosyl groups, to alter cellular function. While the genetic determinants ofd-alanylation have been largely defined, the route of LTA glycosylation and its role in cell envelope physiology have remained unknown, in part due to the low levels of basal LTA glycosylation inS. aureus. We demonstrate here thatS. aureusutilizes a membrane-associated three-component glycosylation system composed of an undecaprenol (Und)N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) charging enzyme (CsbB; SAOUHSC_00713), a putative flippase to transport loaded substrate to the outside surface of the cell (GtcA; SAOUHSC_02722), and finally an LTA-specific glycosyltransferase that adds α-GlcNAc moieties to LTA (YfhO; SAOUHSC_01213). We demonstrate that this system is specific for LTA with no cross recognition of the structurally similar polyribitol phosphate containing wall teichoic acids. We show that while wild-typeS. aureusLTA has only a trace of GlcNAcylated LTA under normal growth conditions, amounts are raised upon either overexpressing CsbB, reducing endogenousd-alanylation activity, expressing the cell envelope stress responsive alternative sigma factor SigB, or by exposure to environmental stress-inducing culture conditions, including growth media containing high levels of sodium chloride.IMPORTANCEThe role of glycosylation in the structure and function ofStaphylococcus aureuslipoteichoic acid (LTA) is largely unknown. By defining key components of the LTA three-component glycosylation pathway and uncovering stress-induced regulation by the alternative sigma factor SigB, the role ofN-acetylglucosamine tailoring during adaptation to environmental stresses can now be elucidated. As thedltand glycosylation pathways compete for the same sites on LTA and induction of glycosylation results in decreasedd-alanylation, the interplay between the two modification systems holds implications for resistance to antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides.

scholarly journals Exposure of Staphylococcus aureus to Subinhibitory Concentrations of β-Lactam Antibiotics Induces Heterogeneous Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
pp. 5306-5314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mélanie Roch ◽  
Perrine Clair ◽  
Adriana Renzoni ◽  
Marie-Elisabeth Reverdy ◽  
Olivier Dauwalder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Brain Heart Infusion ◽  
Vancomycin Resistance ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Glycopeptide Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Beta Lactam Antibiotics ◽  
Subinhibitory Concentrations

ABSTRACTGlycopeptides are known to select for heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediateStaphylococcus aureus(h-VISA) from susceptible strains. In certain clinical situations, h-VISA strains have been isolated from patients without previous exposure to glycopeptides, such as cystic fibrosis patients, who frequently receive repeated treatments with beta-lactam antibiotics. Our objective was to determine whether prolonged exposure to beta-lactam antibiotics can induce h-VISA. We exposed 3 clinical vancomycin-susceptible methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strains to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, imipenem, and vancomycin (as a control) at subinhibitory concentrations for 18 daysin vitro. Population analyses showed progressive increases in vancomycin resistance; seven of the 12 derived strains obtained after induction were classified as h-VISA according to the following criteria: area under the curve (AUC) on day 18/AUC of Mu3 of ≥90% and/or growth on brain heart infusion (BHI) agar with 4 mg/liter vancomycin. The derived isolates had thickened cell walls proportional to the level of glycopeptide resistance. Genes known to be associated with glycopeptide resistance (vraSR,yvqF, SA1703,graRS,walKR, andrpoB) were PCR sequenced; node novomutations were observed upon beta-lactam exposure. To determine whethertrfA, a gene encoding a glycopeptide resistance factor, was essential in the selection of h-VISA upon beta-lactam pressure, atrfA-knockout strain was generated by allelic replacement. Indeed, beta-lactam exposure of this mutated strain showed no capacity to induce vancomycin resistance. In conclusion, these results showed that beta-lactam antibiotics at subinhibitory concentrations can induce intermediate vancomycin resistancein vitro. This induction required an intacttrfAlocus. Our results suggest that prior use of beta-lactam antibiotics can compromise vancomycin efficacy in the treatment of MRSA infections.

scholarly journals Phenotypic Detection of Hemin-Inducible Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Heteroresistance in Staphylococcus aureus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Nurjadi ◽  
Quan Chanthalangsy ◽  
Elfi Zizmann ◽  
Vanessa Stuermer ◽  
Maximilian Moll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Clinical Medicine ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Therapeutic Challenge ◽  
Beta Lactam Antibiotics ◽  
Emergence Of Resistance ◽  
Antibiotic Agents

Staphylococcus aureus is one of most important pathogens in clinical medicine. Besides its virulence, the acquisition or emergence of resistance toward antibiotic agents, in particular to beta-lactam antibiotics (methicillin-resistant S. aureus [MRSA]), poses a major therapeutic challenge.

scholarly journals Novel Combinations of Vancomycin plus Ceftaroline or Oxacillin against Methicillin-Resistant Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and Heterogeneous VISA

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 2376-2379 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Werth ◽  
C. Vidaillac ◽  
K. P. Murray ◽  
K. L. Newton ◽  
G. Sakoulas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Fluorescent Dye ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Significant Inverse Correlation ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Kill ◽  
Wall Interactions

ABSTRACTWe demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between vancomycin and beta-lactam susceptibilities in vancomycin-intermediateStaphylococcus aureus(VISA) and heterogeneous VISA (hVISA) isolates. Using time-kill assays, vancomycin plus oxacillin or ceftaroline was synergistic against 3 of 5 VISA and 1 of 5 hVISA isolates or 5 of 5 VISA and 4 of 5 hVISA isolates, respectively. Beta-lactam exposure reduced overall vancomycin-Bodipy (dipyrrometheneboron difluoride [4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene] fluorescent dye) binding but may have improved vancomycin-cell wall interactions to improve vancomycin activity. Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanism behind vancomycin and beta-lactam synergy.

scholarly journals The Ethanologenic Bacterium Zymomonas mobilis Divides Asymmetrically and Exhibits Heterogeneity in DNA Content

2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuya Fuchino ◽  
Helena Chan ◽  
Ling Chin Hwang ◽  
Per Bruheim
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Cell Size ◽  
Dna Content ◽  
Bacterial Cell ◽  
Zymomonas Mobilis ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cell Organization

ABSTRACT The alphaproteobacterium Zymomonas mobilis exhibits extreme ethanologenic physiology, making this species a promising biofuel producer. Numerous studies have investigated its biology relevant to industrial applications and mostly at the population level. However, the organization of single cells in this industrially important polyploid species has been largely uncharacterized. In the present study, we characterized basic cellular behavior of Z. mobilis strain Zm6 under anaerobic conditions at the single-cell level. We observed that growing Z. mobilis cells often divided at a nonmidcell position, which contributed to variant cell size at birth. However, the cell size variance was regulated by a modulation of cell cycle span, mediated by a correlation of bacterial tubulin homologue FtsZ ring accumulation with cell growth. The Z. mobilis culture also exhibited heterogeneous cellular DNA content among individual cells, which might have been caused by asynchronous replication of chromosome that was not coordinated with cell growth. Furthermore, slightly angled divisions might have resulted in temporary curvatures of attached Z. mobilis cells. Overall, the present study uncovers a novel bacterial cell organization in Z. mobilis. IMPORTANCE With increasing environmental concerns about the use of fossil fuels, development of a sustainable biofuel production platform has been attracting significant public attention. Ethanologenic Z. mobilis species are endowed with an efficient ethanol fermentation capacity that surpasses, in several respects, that of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), the most-used microorganism for ethanol production. For development of a Z. mobilis culture-based biorefinery, an investigation of its uncharacterized cell biology is important, because bacterial cellular organization and metabolism are closely associated with each other in a single cell compartment. In addition, the current work demonstrates that the polyploid bacterium Z. mobilis exhibits a distinctive mode of bacterial cell organization, likely reflecting its unique metabolism that does not prioritize incorporation of nutrients for cell growth. Thus, another significant result of this work is to advance our general understanding in the diversity of bacterial cell architecture.

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