scholarly journals Lysozyme Resistance in Clostridioides difficile Is Dependent on Two Peptidoglycan Deacetylases

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela M. Kaus ◽  
Lindsey F. Snyder ◽  
Ute Müh ◽  
Matthew J. Flores ◽  
David L. Popham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Major Mechanism ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea ◽  
High Level ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
Very High

ABSTRACT Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea. C. difficile exhibits a very high level of resistance to lysozyme. Bacteria commonly resist lysozyme through modification of the cell wall. In C. difficile, σV is required for lysozyme resistance, and σV is activated in response to lysozyme. Once activated, σV, encoded by csfV, directs transcription of genes necessary for lysozyme resistance. Here, we analyze the contribution of individual genes in the σV regulon to lysozyme resistance. Using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated mutagenesis we constructed in-frame deletions of single genes in the csfV operon. We find that pdaV, which encodes a peptidoglycan deacetylase, is partially responsible for lysozyme resistance. We then performed CRISPR inhibition (CRISPRi) to identify a second peptidoglycan deacetylase, encoded by pgdA, that is important for lysozyme resistance. Deletion of either pgdA or pdaV resulted in modest decreases in lysozyme resistance. However, deletion of both pgdA and pdaV resulted in a 1,000-fold decrease in lysozyme resistance. Further, muropeptide analysis revealed that loss of either PgdA or PdaV had modest effects on peptidoglycan deacetylation but that loss of both PgdA and PdaV resulted in almost complete loss of peptidoglycan deacetylation. This suggests that PgdA and PdaV are redundant peptidoglycan deacetylases. We also used CRISPRi to compare other lysozyme resistance mechanisms and conclude that peptidoglycan deacetylation is the major mechanism of lysozyme resistance in C. difficile. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. C. difficile is highly resistant to lysozyme. We previously showed that the csfV operon is required for lysozyme resistance. Here, we used CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis and CRISPRi knockdown to show that peptidoglycan deacetylation is necessary for lysozyme resistance and is the major lysozyme resistance mechanism in C. difficile. We show that two peptidoglycan deacetylases in C. difficile are partially redundant and are required for lysozyme resistance. PgdA provides an intrinsic level of deacetylation, and PdaV, encoded by a part of the csfV operon, provides lysozyme-induced peptidoglycan deacetylation.

scholarly journals Lysozyme resistance in C. difficile is dependent on two peptidoglycan deacetylases

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela M. Kaus ◽  
Lindsey F. Snyder ◽  
Ute Müh ◽  
Matthew J. Flores ◽  
David L. Popham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Complete Loss ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Major Mechanism ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea ◽  
High Level ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
Very High

AbstractClostridioides (Clostridium) difficile is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea. C. difficile exhibits a very high level of resistance to lysozyme. Bacteria commonly resist lysozyme through modification of the cell wall. In C. difficile σV is required for lysozyme resistance and σV is activated in response to lysozyme. Once activated σV, encoded by csfV, directs transcription of genes necessary for lysozyme resistance. Here we analyze the contribution of individual genes in the csfV regulon to lysozyme resistance. Using CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis we constructed in-frame deletions of single genes in the csfV operon. We find pdaV, which encodes a peptidoglycan deacetylase, is partially responsible for lysozyme resistance. We then performed CRISPR inhibition (CRISPRi) to identify a second peptidoglycan deacetylase, pgdA, that is important for lysozyme resistance. Deletion of either pgdA or pdaV resulted in modest decreases in lysozyme resistance. However, deletion of both pgdA and pdaV resulted in a 1000-fold decrease in lysozyme resistance. Further, muropeptide analysis revealed loss of either PgdA or PdaV had modest effects on peptidoglycan deacetylation but loss of both PgdA and PdaV resulted in almost complete loss of peptidoglycan deacetylation. This suggests that PgdA and PdaV are redundant peptidoglycan deacetylases. We also use CRISPRi to compare other lysozyme resistance mechanisms and conclude that peptidoglycan deacetylation is the major mechanism of lysozyme resistance in C. difficile.ImportanceClostridioides difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. C. difficile is highly resistant to lysozyme. We previously showed that the csfV operon is required for lysozyme resistance. Here we use CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis and CRISPRi knockdown to show that peptidoglycan deacetylation is necessary for lysozyme resistance and is the major lysozyme resistance mechanism in C. difficile. We show that two peptidoglycan deacetylases in C. difficile are partially redundant and are required for lysozyme resistance. PgdA provides an intrinsic level of deacetylation and PdaV, encoded as part of the csfV operon, provides lysozyme-induced peptidoglycan deacetylation.

scholarly journals Novel Drivers of Virulence in Clostridioides difficile Identified via Context-Specific Metabolic Network Analysis

mSystems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Jenior ◽  
Jhansi L. Leslie ◽  
Deborah A. Powers ◽  
Elizabeth M. Garrett ◽  
Kimberly A. Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Metabolic Network ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Metabolic Network Analysis ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Clostridioides difficile has become the leading single cause of hospital-acquired infections. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of specific metabolic pathways in aspects of C. difficile pathophysiology, from initial colonization to regulation of virulence factors.

scholarly journals New Role for Human α-Defensin 5 in the Fight against Hypervirulent Clostridium difficile Strains

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 986-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucinda Furci ◽  
Rossella Baldan ◽  
Valentina Bianchini ◽  
Alberto Trovato ◽  
Cristina Ossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clostridium Difficile ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Antimicrobial Activities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Viability Assay ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
And Diffusion ◽  
Very High

Clostridium difficileinfection (CDI), one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, is increasing in incidence and severity with the emergence and diffusion of hypervirulent strains. CDI is precipitated by antibiotic treatment that destroys the equilibrium of the gut microbiota. Human α-defensin 5 (HD5), the most abundant enteric antimicrobial peptide, is a key regulator of gut microbiota homeostasis, yet it is still unknown ifC. difficile, which successfully evades killing by other host microbicidal peptides, is susceptible to HD5. We evaluated, by means of viability assay, fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis, and electron microscopy, the antimicrobial activities of α-defensins 1 and 5 against a panel ofC. difficilestrains encompassing the most prevalent epidemic and hypervirulent PCR ribotypes in Europe (012, 014/020, 106, 018, 027, and 078). Here we show that (i) concentrations of HD5 within the intestinal physiological range produced massiveC. difficilecell killing; (ii) HD5 bactericidal activity was mediated by membrane depolarization and bacterial fragmentation with a pattern of damage peculiar toC. difficilebacilli, compared to commensals likeEscherichia coliandEnterococcus faecalis; and (iii) unexpectedly, hypervirulent ribotypes were among the most susceptible to both defensins. These results support the notion that HD5, naturally present at very high concentrations in the mucosa of the small intestine, could indeed control the very early steps of CDI by killingC. difficilebacilli at their germination site. As a consequence, HD5 can be regarded as a good candidate for the containment of hypervirulentC. difficilestrains, and it could be exploited in the therapy of CDI and relapsingC. difficile-associated disease.

scholarly journals Plasmid-Mediated OqxAB Is an Important Mechanism for Nitrofurantoin Resistance in Escherichia coli

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 537-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pak-Leung Ho ◽  
Ka-Ying Ng ◽  
Wai-U Lo ◽  
Pierra Y. Law ◽  
Eileen Ling-Yi Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
High Level ◽  
Tract Infections

ABSTRACTIncreasing consumption of nitrofurantoin (NIT) for treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) highlights the need to monitor emerging NIT resistance mechanisms. This study investigated the molecular epidemiology of the multidrug-resistant efflux geneoqxABand its contribution to nitrofurantoin resistance by usingEscherichia coliisolates originating from patients with UTI (n= 205; collected in 2004 to 2013) and food-producing animals (n= 136; collected in 2012 to 2013) in Hong Kong. TheoqxABgene was highly prevalent among NIT-intermediate (11.5% to 45.5%) and -resistant (39.2% to 65.5%) isolates but rare (0% to 1.7%) among NIT-susceptible (NIT-S) isolates. In our isolates, theoqxABgene was associated with IS26and was carried by plasmids of diverse replicon types. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that the clones ofoqxAB-positiveE. coliwere diverse. The combination ofoqxABandnfsAmutations was found to be sufficient for high-level NIT resistance. Curing ofoqxAB-carrying plasmids from 20 NIT-intermediate/resistant UTI isolates markedly reduced the geometric mean MIC of NIT from 168.9 μg/ml to 34.3 μg/ml. In the plasmid-cured variants, 20% (1/5) of isolates withnfsAmutations were NIT-S, while 80% (12/15) of isolates withoutnfsAmutations were NIT-S (P= 0.015). The presence of plasmid-basedoqxABincreased the mutation prevention concentration of NIT from 128 μg/ml to 256 μg/ml and facilitated the development of clinically important levels of nitrofurantoin resistance. In conclusion, plasmid-mediatedoqxABis an important nitrofurantoin resistance mechanism. There is a great need to monitor the dissemination of this transferable multidrug-resistant efflux pump.

scholarly journals Regulation and Anaerobic Function of the Clostridioides difficile β-Lactamase

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brindar K. Sandhu ◽  
Adrianne N. Edwards ◽  
Sarah E. Anderson ◽  
Emily C. Woods ◽  
Shonna M. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Redox State ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea ◽  
Reducing Environment

ABSTRACT Clostridioides difficile causes severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea and colitis. C. difficile is an anaerobic, Gram-positive sporeformer that is highly resistant to β-lactams, the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. The resistance of C. difficile to β-lactam antibiotics allows the pathogen to replicate and cause disease in antibiotic-treated patients. However, the mechanisms of β-lactam resistance in C. difficile are not fully understood. Our data reinforce prior evidence that C. difficile produces a β-lactamase, which is a common β-lactam resistance mechanism found in other bacterial species. Here, we characterize the C. difficile bla operon that encodes a lipoprotein of unknown function and a β-lactamase that was greatly induced in response to several classes of β-lactam antibiotics. An in-frame deletion of the operon abolished β-lactamase activity in C. difficile strain 630Δerm and resulted in decreased resistance to the β-lactam ampicillin. We found that the activity of this β-lactamase, BlaCDD, is dependent upon the redox state of the enzyme. In addition, we observed that transport of BlaCDD out of the cytosol and to the cell surface is facilitated by an N-terminal signal sequence. Our data demonstrate that a cotranscribed lipoprotein, BlaX, aids in BlaCDD activity. Further, we identified a conserved BlaRI regulatory system and demonstrated via insertional disruption that BlaRI controls transcription of the blaXCDD genes in response to β-lactams. These results provide support for the function of a β-lactamase in C. difficile antibiotic resistance and reveal the unique roles of a coregulated lipoprotein and reducing environment in C. difficile β-lactamase activity.

scholarly journals Lon Protease Has Multifaceted Biological Functions inAcinetobacter baumannii

2018 ◽  
Vol 201 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly Ching ◽  
Brendan Yang ◽  
Chineme Onwubueke ◽  
David Lazinski ◽  
Andrew Camilli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Lon Protease ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
Hospital Acquired

ABSTRACTAcinetobacter baumanniiis a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that is known to survive harsh environmental conditions and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Specifically, multicellular communities (known as biofilms) ofA. baumanniican withstand desiccation and survive on hospital surfaces and equipment. Biofilms are bacteria embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix composed of proteins, sugars, and/or DNA. Bacteria in a biofilm are protected from environmental stresses, including antibiotics, which provides the bacteria with selective advantage for survival. Although some gene products are known to play roles in this developmental process inA. baumannii, mechanisms and signaling remain mostly unknown. Here, we find that Lon protease inA. baumanniiaffects biofilm development and has other important physiological roles, including motility and the cell envelope. Lon proteases are found in all domains of life, participating in regulatory processes and maintaining cellular homeostasis. These data reveal the importance of Lon protease in influencing keyA. baumanniiprocesses to survive stress and to maintain viability.IMPORTANCEAcinetobacter baumanniiis an opportunistic pathogen and is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.A. baumanniiis difficult to eradicate and to manage, because this bacterium is known to robustly survive desiccation and to quickly gain antibiotic resistance. We sought to investigate biofilm formation inA. baumannii, since much remains unknown about biofilm formation in this bacterium. Biofilms, which are multicellular communities of bacteria, are surface attached and difficult to eliminate from hospital equipment and implanted devices. Our research identifies multifaceted physiological roles for the conserved bacterial protease Lon inA. baumannii. These roles include biofilm formation, motility, and viability. This work broadly affects and expands understanding of the biology ofA. baumannii, which will permit us to find effective ways to eliminate the bacterium.

scholarly journals Evolution of Acinetobacter baumannii infections and antimicrobial resistance. A review

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-36
Author(s):  
Sonia Elena Popovici ◽  
Ovidiu Horea Bedreag ◽  
Dorel Sandesc
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Hospital Environment ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Molecular Testing ◽  
Medical Systems ◽  
Antimicrobial Drugs ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Acinetobacter Spp ◽  
Hospital Acquired

AbstractThe emergence of multi-drug resistantAcinetobacter sppinvolved in hospital-acquired infections, once considered an easily treatable pathogen, is troublesome and an immense burden for the modern medical systems worldwide. In the last 20 years the medical community recorded an increase in the incidence and severity of these infections as therapeutic means tend to be less and less effective on these strains. The ability of these bacteria to rapidly develop resistance to antimicrobial agents by continuously changing and adapting their mechanisms, their ability to survive for long periods of time in the hospital environment and the multitude of transmission possibilities raises serious issues regarding the management of these complex infections. The future lies in developing new and targeted methods for the early diagnosis ofA. baumannii, as well as in the judicious use of antimicrobial drugs. This review details the evolution of the pathogenicity of this microorganism, together with the changes that appeared in resistance mechanisms and the advancements in molecular testing for the early detection of infection.

scholarly journals The interplay of SARS-CoV-2 and Clostridioides difficile infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 439-443
Author(s):  
Sahil Khanna ◽  
Colleen S Kraft
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Antibiotic Exposure ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile Infection ◽  
Hospital Acquired

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we practice medicine and lead our lives. In addition to pulmonary symptoms; COVID-19 as a syndrome has multisystemic involvement including frequent gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. Due to microbiome alterations with COVID-19 and frequent antibiotic exposure, COVID-19 can be complicated by Clostridioides difficile infection. Co-infection with these two can be associated with a high risk of complications. Infection control measures in hospitals is enhanced due to the COVID-19 pandemic which in turn appears to reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections such as C. difficile infection. Another implication of COVID-19 and its potential transmissibility by stool is microbiome-based therapies. Potential stool donors should be screened COVID-19 symptoms and be tested for COVID-19.

scholarly journals Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Phage Sweeny

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (39) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Martinez ◽  
Eric Williams ◽  
Heather Newkirk ◽  
Mei Liu ◽  
Jason J. Gill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Complete Genome Sequence ◽  
Protein Level ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Multidrug Resistant Bacterium ◽  
Protein Encoding ◽  
Hospital Acquired ◽  
Encoding Genes

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a multidrug-resistant bacterium causing many severe hospital-acquired infections. Here, we describe siphophage Sweeny that infects K. pneumoniae. Of its 78 predicted protein-encoding genes, a functional assignment was given to 36 of them. Sweeny is most closely related to T1-like phages at the protein level.

scholarly journals Relationship between Glycopeptide Production and Resistance in the Actinomycete Nonomuraea sp. ATCC 39727

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (9) ◽  
pp. 5191-5201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgia Letizia Marcone ◽  
Elisa Binda ◽  
Lucia Carrano ◽  
Mervyn Bibb ◽  
Flavia Marinelli
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Gene Dosage ◽  
Antibiotic Production ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Biosynthetic Gene Cluster ◽  
Penicillin G ◽  
Glycopeptide Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACTGlycopeptides and β-lactams inhibit bacterial peptidoglycan synthesis in Gram-positive bacteria; resistance to these antibiotics is studied intensively in enterococci and staphylococci because of their relevance to infectious disease. Much less is known about antibiotic resistance in glycopeptide-producing actinomycetes that are likely to represent the evolutionary source of resistance determinants found in bacterial pathogens.Nonomuraeasp. ATCC 39727, the producer of A40926 (the precursor for the semisynthetic dalbavancin), does not harbor the canonicalvanHAXgenes. Consequently, we investigated the role of the β-lactam-sensitived,d-peptidase/d,d-carboxypeptidase encoded byvanYn, the onlyvan-like gene found in the A40926 biosynthetic gene cluster, in conferring immunity to the antibiotic inNonomuraeasp. ATCC 39727. Taking advantage of the tools developed recently to genetically manipulate this uncommon actinomycete, we variedvanYngene dosage and expressedvanHatAatXatfrom the teicoplanin producerActinoplanes teichomyceticusinNonomuraeasp. ATCC 39727. Knocking outvanYn, complementing avanYnmutant, or duplicatingvanYnhad no effect on growth but influenced antibiotic resistance and, in the cases of complementation and duplication, antibiotic production.Nonomuraeasp. ATCC 39727 was found to be resistant to penicillins, but its glycopeptide resistance was diminished in the presence of penicillin G, which inhibits VanYnactivity. The heterologous expression ofvanHatAatXatincreased A40926 resistance inNonomuraeasp. ATCC 39727 but did not increase antibiotic production, indicating that the level of antibiotic production is not directly determined by the level of resistance. ThevanYn-based self-resistance inNonomuraeasp. ATCC 39727 resembles the glycopeptide resistance mechanism described recently in mutants ofEnterococcus faeciumselectedin vitrofor high-level resistance to glycopeptides and penicillins.

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