scholarly journals Streptococcus agalactiae CspA Is a Serine Protease That Inactivates Chemokines

2008 ◽  
Vol 191 (6) ◽  
pp. 1847-1854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua D. Bryan ◽  
Daniel W. Shelver
Keyword(s):  
Serine Protease ◽  
Streptococcus Agalactiae ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Catalytic Triad ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Chemotactic Protein ◽  
Signaling Peptides ◽  
Invasive Infections ◽  
Group B ◽  
Product Displays

ABSTRACT Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) remains a leading cause of invasive infections in neonates and has emerged as a pathogen of the immunocompromised and elderly populations. The virulence mechanisms of GBS are relatively understudied and are still poorly understood. Previous evidence indicated that the GBS cspA gene is necessary for full virulence and the cleavage of fibrinogen. The predicted cspA product displays homology to members of the extracellular cell envelope protease family. CXC chemokines, many of which can recruit neutrophils to sites of infection, are important signaling peptides of the immune system. In this study, we purified CspA and demonstrated that it readily cleaved the CXC chemokines GRO-α, GRO-β, GRO-γ, neutrophil-activating peptide 2 (NAP-2), and granulocyte chemotactic protein 2 (GCP-2) but did not cleave interleukin-8. CspA did not cleave a panel of other test substrates, suggesting that it possesses a certain degree of specificity. CXC chemokines also underwent cleavage by whole GBS cells in a cspA-dependent manner. CspA abolished the abilities of three representative CXC chemokines, GRO-γ, NAP-2, and GCP-2, to attract and activate neutrophils. Genetic and biochemical evidence indicated that CspA is a serine protease with S575 at its active site. D180 was also implicated as part of the signature serine protease catalytic triad, and both S575 and D180 were required for both N-terminal and C-terminal autocatalytic processing of CspA.

scholarly journals Impact of lgt mutation on lipoprotein biosynthesis and in vitro phenotypes of Streptococcus agalactiae

Microbiology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 155 (5) ◽  
pp. 1451-1458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverley A. Bray ◽  
Iain C. Sutcliffe ◽  
Dean J. Harrington
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Streptococcus Agalactiae ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Human Endothelial Cells ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Group B

Although Streptococcus agalactiae, the group B Streptococcus, is a leading cause of invasive neonatal disease worldwide the molecular basis of its virulence is still poorly understood. To investigate the role of lipoproteins in the physiology and interaction of this pathogen with host cells, we generated a mutant S. agalactiae strain (A909ΔLgt) deficient in the Lgt enzyme and thus unable to lipidate lipoprotein precursors (pro-lipoproteins). The loss of pro-lipoprotein lipidation did not affect the viability of S. agalactiae or its growth in several different media, including cation-depleted media. The processing of two well-characterized lipoproteins, but not a non-lipoprotein, was clearly shown to be aberrant in A909ΔLgt. The mutant strain was shown to be more sensitive to oxidative stress in vitro although the molecular basis of this increased sensitivity was not apparent. The inactivation of Lgt also resulted in changes to the bacterial cell envelope, as demonstrated by reduced retention of both the group B carbohydrate and the polysaccharide capsule and a statistically significant reduction (P=0.0079) in A909ΔLgt adherence to human endothelial cells of fetal origin. These data confirm that failure to process lipoproteins correctly has pleiotropic effects that may be of significance to S. agalactiae colonization and pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Transport of Multidrug Resistance Substrates by the Streptococcus agalactiae Hemolysin Transporter

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (16) ◽  
pp. 5984-5992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Gottschalk ◽  
Gerd Bröker ◽  
Melanie Kuhn ◽  
Simone Aymanns ◽  
Ute Gleich-Theurer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidrug Resistance ◽  
Streptococcus Agalactiae ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Group B Streptococcus ◽  
Deletion Mutants ◽  
Atp Binding ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Group B

ABSTRACT Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus [GBS]) causes neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis, as well as infections of the bovine udder. The S. agalactiae hemolysin is regarded as an important virulence factor, and hemolysin expression is dependent on the cyl gene cluster. cylA and cylB encode the ATP binding and transmembrane domains of a typical ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter. The deduced proteins contain the signature sequence of a multidrug resistance (MDR) transporter, and mutation of the genes results in a nonhemolytic and nonpigmented phenotype. To further elucidate the function of the putative transporter, nonpolar deletion mutants of cylA were constructed. These mutants are nonhemolytic and can be complemented by the transporter genes. Wild-type strain and nonhemolytic cylA and cylK deletion mutants were exposed to known substrates of MDR transporters. Mutation of cylA significantly impaired growth in the presence of daunorubicin, doxorubicin, and rhodamine 6G and resulted in a decreased export of doxorubicin from the cells. The mutation of cylK, a gene of unknown function located downstream from cylA, caused a loss of hemolysis but had no effect on the transport of MDR substrates. Furthermore, the hemolytic activity of the wild-type strain was inhibited by reserpine in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that CylAB closely resembles an ABC-type MDR transporter and propose that the GBS hemolysin molecule represents a natural substrate of the transporter.

An Emerging Infection: Streptococcal Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome Caused By Group B Streptococcus (GBS), Streptococcus Agalactiae

2020 ◽  
Vol 154 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S140-S140
Author(s):  
F Rajack ◽  
A Afsari ◽  
A M Ramadan ◽  
T J Naab
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Necrotizing Fasciitis ◽  
Streptococcus Agalactiae ◽  
Group A Streptococcus ◽  
Multiorgan Failure ◽  
Group B Streptococcus ◽  
Stage Iii ◽  
Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome ◽  
Toxic Shock ◽  
Group B

Abstract Introduction/Objective Streptococcus agalactiae, Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is a major cause of neonatal sepsis and infections in pregnant women. However, incidence of invasive GBS infections has more than doubled in the last two decades with highest risk in adults 65 years or older. Other risk factors are diabetes, malignancy, and immunocompromised state. Bacteremia and skin soft tissue infections are the most common invasive infections in nonpregnant adults. Rarely GBS infection has a fulminating pyrogenic exotoxin-mediated course characterized by acute onset, multiorgan failure, shock, and sometimes death, referred to as toxic shock-like syndrome. Methods A 77-year-old hypertensive female with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus and a history of bilateral foot ulcers presented to the hospital in probable septic shock. Clinical diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis was made and she underwent bilateral lower limb amputations. Results Grossly soft tissue appeared gray. Microscopically fascia was necrotic without neutrophils present and Gram stain revealed sheets of Gram positive cocci. These findings reflected histopathologic Stage III necrotizing fasciitis, which is associated with 47% mortality. Autopsy showed a similar histology of Stage III necrotizing fasciitis involving the surgical stump. Erythema and desquamation of the upper limbs bilaterally and multi-organ failure met the clinical picture of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) and fulfilled the criteria for TSS due to Group A Streptococcus (GAS), defined by The Working Group on Severe Streptococcal Infections. Conclusion Group B Streptococcal Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome may have a similar outcome to STSS caused by GAS and other pathogens and, in limited studies, mortality has been 30% or greater.

scholarly journals Trends in molecular characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of group B streptococci: a multicenter study in Serbia, 2015–2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dusan Kekic ◽  
Ina Gajic ◽  
Natasa Opavski ◽  
Milan Kojic ◽  
Goran Vukotic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Group B Streptococcus ◽  
Neonatal Morbidity ◽  
Disease Rate ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Group B Streptococci ◽  
Live Births ◽  
Invasive Infections ◽  
Group B

AbstractGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Serbia has not fully implemented preventive measures against GBS neonatal diseases. Therefore, we aimed to assess the maternal GBS colonisation and invasive neonatal disease rate, to reveal the trends of antimicrobial resistance and serotype distribution of GBS from various patient groups. Randomly selected non-invasive (n = 991) and all invasive GBS (n = 80) collected throughout Serbia from 2015 to 2020 were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, capsular typing, and hvgA detection. Overall, 877/5621 (15.6%) pregnant women were colonised with GBS. Invasive GBS infections incidence in infants (0.18/1000 live births) showed a decreasing trend (0.3 to 0.1/1000 live births). Type III was overrepresented in infants with invasive infections (n = 35, 58.3%), whereas type V predominated among colonised adults (n = 224, 25.5%) and those with noninvasive (n = 37, 32.5%) and invasive infections (n = 8, 40%). The hypervirulent clone III/ST17 was highly associated with invasive infections (n = 28, 35%), particularly late-onset disease (n = 9, 47.4%), showing an increase from 12.3 to 14.8%. The GBS resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin was 26.7% and 22.1%, respectively, with an upward trend. The emergence of the hypervirulent clone III/ST17 and the escalation in GBS resistance highlight an urgent need for continuous monitoring of GBS infections.

scholarly journals IL-8 and MCP Gene Expression and Production by LPS-Stimulated Human Corneal Stromal Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roni M. Shtein ◽  
Susan G. Elner ◽  
Zong-Mei Bian ◽  
Victor M. Elner
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Northern Blot ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Blot Analysis ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Northern Blot Analysis ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Corneal Inflammation ◽  
Chemotactic Protein

Purpose. To determine time course of effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP) by cultured human corneal stromal cells.Methods. Human corneal stromal cells were harvested from donor corneal specimens, and fourth to sixth passaged cells were used. Cell cultures were stimulated with LPS for 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours. Northern blot analysis of IL-8 and MCP gene expression and ELISA for IL-8 and MCP secretion were performed. ELISA results were analyzed for statistical significance using two-tailed Student'st-test.Results. Northern blot analysis demonstrated significantly increased IL-8 and MCP gene expression after 4 and 8 hours of exposure to LPS. ELISA for secreted IL-8 and MCP demonstrated statistically significant increases (P<0.05) after corneal stromal cell stimulation with LPS.Conclusions. This paper suggests that human corneal stromal cells may participate in corneal inflammation by secreting potent leukocyte chemotactic and activating proteins in a time-dependent manner when exposed to LPS.

scholarly journals Genetic Analysis of Factors Affecting Susceptibility of Bacillus subtilis to Daptomycin

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 1598-1609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Barbara Hachmann ◽  
Esther R. Angert ◽  
John D. Helmann
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Transcriptional Profiling ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Membrane Composition ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Anionic Phospholipids ◽  
Cyclic Lipopeptide

ABSTRACT Daptomycin is the first of a new class of cyclic lipopeptide antibiotics used against multidrug-resistant, gram-positive pathogens. The proposed mechanism of action involves disruption of the functional integrity of the bacterial membrane in a Ca2+-dependent manner. We have used transcriptional profiling to demonstrate that treatment of Bacillus subtilis with daptomycin strongly induces the lia operon including the autoregulatory LiaRS two-component system (homologous to Staphylococcus aureus VraSR). The lia operon protects against daptomycin, and deletion of liaH, encoding a phage-shock protein A (PspA)-like protein, leads to threefold increased susceptibility. Since daptomycin interacts with the membrane, we tested mutants with altered membrane composition for effects on susceptibility. Deletion mutations of mprF (lacking lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol) or des (lipid desaturase) increased daptomycin susceptibility, whereas overexpression of MprF decreased susceptibility. Conversely, depletion of the cell for the anionic lipid phosphatidylglycerol led to increased resistance. Fluorescently labeled daptomycin localized to the septa and in a helical pattern around the cell envelope and was delocalized upon the depletion of phosphatidylglycerol. Together, these results indicate that the daptomycin-Ca2+ complex interacts preferentially with regions enriched in anionic phospholipids and leads to membrane stresses that can be ameliorated by PspA family proteins.

Role of proteolysis in apoptosis: involvement of serine proteases in internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in immature thymocytes

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 488-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie M. Weaver ◽  
Boleslaw Lach ◽  
P. Roy Walker ◽  
Marianna Sikorska
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Serine Protease ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Protease Inhibitors ◽  
Dna Fragmentation ◽  
Dna Cleavage ◽  
Apoptotic Cell ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Serine Protease Inhibitors ◽  
High Molecular Weight Dna

Three chemically distinct serine, but not cysteine, protease inhibitors (phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, N-tosyl-L-phenylalanylchloromethyl ketone and 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin) prevented, in a dose-dependent manner, the characteristic apoptotic internucleosomal DNA cleavage (DNA ladder) typically observed in thymocytes in response to dexamethasone and teniposide VM-26. This effect was not the result of a direct inhibition of the Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent endonuclease, since oligonucleosomal DNA cleavage occurred in the presence of these inhibitors in isolated nuclei. The proteolytic step occurred at a very early stage of apoptosis, and preincubation of thymocytes with the inhibitors before dexamethasone or teniposide VM-26 were added irreversibly suppressed ladder formation. This implied that the cellular effector(s) of these compounds preexisted and were not resynthesized in response to the inducers of apoptosis. Serine protease inhibitors also suppressed apoptotic cell shrinkage and complete nuclear collapse, suggesting that these morphological changes were directly related to internucleosomal fragmentation of DNA. However, the serine protease inhibitors did not prevent high molecular weight DNA cleavage (> 50 kilobases) that preceded the ladder formation and thymocytes still died by apoptosis. This supported the view that internucleosomal DNA cleavage, considered to be the biochemical marker of apoptosis, might in fact be a late and dispensable step and that the newly described high molecular weight DNA cleavage might be a better indicator of apoptosis.Key words: serine protease, apoptosis, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, high molecular weight DNA cleavage, protease inhibitors.

scholarly journals Infection of Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells by Group B Streptococcus Contributes to Dysregulation of Apoptosis, Hemostasis, and Innate Immune Responses

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Beyrich ◽  
Jürgen Löffler ◽  
Anna Kobsar ◽  
Christian P. Speer ◽  
Susanne Kneitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Group B Streptococcus ◽  
Gene Array ◽  
Neonatal Morbidity ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Human Coronary Artery ◽  
Chemotactic Protein ◽  
Early Onset Sepsis ◽  
Group B

Early onset sepsis due to group B streptococcus leads to neonatal morbidity, increased mortality, and long-term neurological deficencies. Interaction between septicemic GBS and confluent monolayers of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) was analyzed by genome wide expression profiling. In total, 124 genes were differentially expressed (89 upregulated, 35 downregulated) based on a more than 3-fold difference to control HCAEC. Regulated genes are involved in apoptosis, hemostasis, oxidative stress response, infection, and inflammation. Regulation of selected genes and proteins identified in the gene array analysis was confirmed by Real-time RT-PCR assay (granulocyte chemotactic protein 2), ELISA (urokinase, cyclooxygenase 2, granulocyte chemotactic protein 1), and western blotting (Heme oxygenase1, BCL2 interacting protein) at various time points between 4 and 24 hours. These results indicate that GBS infection might influence signalling pathways leading to impaired function of the innate immune system and hemorrhagic and inflammatory complications during GBS sepsis.

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