scholarly journals Gradual Alterations in Cell Wall Structure and Metabolism in Vancomycin-Resistant Mutants ofStaphylococcus aureus

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (24) ◽  
pp. 7566-7570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Sieradzki ◽  
Alexander Tomasz
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Methicillin Resistance ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Wall Structure ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Cell Wall Metabolism ◽  
Gradual Reduction ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant ◽  
Resistant Mutants ◽  
Structure And Metabolism

ABSTRACT In five vancomycin-resistant laboratory step mutants selected from the highly and homogeneously methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain COL (MIC of methicillin, 800 μg/ml; MIC of vancomycin, 1.5 μg/ml), the gradually increasing levels of resistance to vancomycin were accompanied by parallel decreases in the levels of methicillin resistance and abnormalities in cell wall metabolism. The latter included a gradual reduction in the proportion of highly cross-linked muropeptide species in peptidoglycan, down-regulation of the production of penicillin-binding protein 2A (PBP2A) and PBP4, and hypersensitivity to β-lactam antibiotics each with a relatively selective affinity for the various staphylococcal PBPs; the PBP2-specific inhibitor ceftizoxime was particularly effective.

scholarly journals Characterization of fmtA, a Gene That Modulates the Expression of Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

1999 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 2121-2125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Komatsuzawa ◽  
Kouji Ohta ◽  
Harald Labischinski ◽  
Motoyuki Sugai ◽  
Hidekazu Suginaka
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Methicillin Resistance ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Wall Structure ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Resistance Level ◽  
Penicillin Binding Proteins ◽  
Chromatography Analysis

ABSTRACT FmtA is a factor which affects the methicillin resistance level in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Since FmtA has two of three conserved motifs which are typically found in penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and β-lactamases, we investigated the penicillin-binding activity of recombinant FmtA and found no such activity. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that FmtA localizes in the membrane fraction. To investigate the function of FmtA, high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis of cell wall muropeptides was performed with an fmtA-inactivated mutant and its parent. The mutant showed a reduced cross-linking and partially reduced amidation of glutamate residues in the peptidoglycan of the mutant. The transcription of fmtA was dose dependently increased by the addition of β-lactam antibiotics, fosfomycin, and bacitracin, while its transcription was not changed by the addition of vancomycin or tetracycline. These results reveal that Fmt is a membrane-located, non-penicillin-binding protein and that mutation of fmtAaffects the cell wall structure, although its precise function is still unknown.

scholarly journals Rapid in vivo development of resistance to daptomycin in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium due to genomic rearrangements

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Mollerup ◽  
Christine Elmeskov ◽  
Heidi Gumpert ◽  
Mette Pinholt ◽  
Tobias Steen Sejersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Enterococcus Faecium ◽  
Chromosomal Rearrangements ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Resistant Isolate ◽  
Wall Structure ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Cyclic Lipopeptide ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant

AbstractBackgroundDaptomycin is a cyclic lipopeptide used in the treatment of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm). However, the development of daptomycin-resistant VREfm challenges the treatment of nosocomial VREfm infections. Resistance mechanisms of daptomycin are not fully understood. Here we analysed the genomic changes leading to a daptomycin-susceptible VREfm isolate becoming resistant after 40 days of daptomycin and linezolid combination therapy.MethodsThe two isogenic VREfm isolates (daptomycin-susceptible and daptomycin-resistant) were analysed using whole genome sequencing with Illumina and Nanopore.ResultsWhole genome comparative analysis identified the loss of a 46.5 kb fragment and duplication of a 29.7 kb fragment in the daptomycin-resistant isolate, with many implicated genes involved in cell wall synthesis. Two plasmids of the daptomycin-susceptible isolate were also found integrated in the chromosome of the resistant isolate. One nonsynonymous SNP in the rpoC gene was identified in the daptomycin-resistant isolate.ConclusionsDaptomycin resistance developed through chromosomal rearrangements leading to altered cell wall structure. Such novel types of resistance mechanisms can only be identified by comparing closed genomes of isogenic isolates.

scholarly journals Role of murE in the Expression of β-Lactam Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (6) ◽  
pp. 1705-1713 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Gardete ◽  
A. M. Ludovice ◽  
R. G. Sobral ◽  
S. R. Filipe ◽  
H. de Lencastre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Methicillin Resistance ◽  
Inducible Promoter ◽  
Northern Analysis ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Drastic Reduction ◽  
Precursor Pool ◽  
Lactam Antibiotic

ABSTRACT It was shown earlier that Tn551 inserted into the C-terminal region of murE of parental methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain COL causes a drastic reduction in methicillin resistance, accompanied by accumulation of UDP-MurNAc dipeptide in the cell wall precursor pool and incorporation of these abnormal muropeptides into the peptidoglycan of the mutant. Methicillin resistance was recovered in a suppressor mutant. The murE gene of the same strain was then put under the control of the isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible promoter P spac . Bacteria grown in the presence of suboptimal concentrations of IPTG accumulated UDP-MurNAc dipeptide in the cell wall precursor pool. Both growth rates and methicillin resistance levels (but not resistance to other antibiotics) were a function of the IPTG concentration. Northern analysis showed a gradual increase in the transcription of murE and also in the transcription of pbpB and mecA, parallel with the increasing concentrations of IPTG in the medium. A similar increase in the transcription of pbpB and mecA, the structural genes of penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) and PBP2A, was also detected in the suppressor mutant. The expression of these two proteins, which are known to play critical roles in the mechanism of staphylococcal methicillin resistance, appears to be—directly or indirectly—under the control of the murE gene. Our data suggest that the drastic reduction of the methicillin MIC seen in the murE mutant may be caused by the insufficient cellular amounts of these two PBPs.

scholarly journals Penicillin-Binding Protein 2 Is Essential for Expression of High-Level Vancomycin Resistance and Cell Wall Synthesis in Vancomycin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Carrying the Enterococcal vanA Gene Complex

2004 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 4566-4573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoly Severin ◽  
Shang Wei Wu ◽  
Keiko Tabei ◽  
Alexander Tomasz
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Inducible Promoter ◽  
Protein Product ◽  
Vancomycin Resistance ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Oxacillin Resistance ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant ◽  
High Level

ABSTRACT A combination of biochemical and genetic experiments were performed in order to better understand the mechanism of expression of high-level vancomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. The transcription of pbp2 of the highly vancomycin- and oxacillin-resistant strain COLVA200 and its mutant derivative with inactivated mecA were put under the control of an inducible promoter, and the dependence of oxacillin and vancomycin resistance and cell wall composition on the concentration of the isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside inducer was determined. The results indicate that mecA—the genetic determinant of oxacillin resistance—while essential for oxacillin resistance, is not involved with the expression of vancomycin resistance. Penicillin binding protein 2A, the protein product of mecA, appears to be unable to utilize the depsipeptide cell wall precursor produced in the vancomycin-resistant cells for transpeptidation. The key penicillin binding protein essential for vancomycin resistance and for the synthesis of the abnormally structured cell walls characteristic of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (A. Severin, K. Tabei, F. Tenover, M. Chung, N. Clarke, and A. Tomasz, J. Biol. Chem. 279:3398-3407, 2004) is penicillin binding protein 2.

scholarly journals Selected Amplification of the Cell Division Genes ftsQ-ftsA-ftsZ in Escherichia coli

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 156 (4) ◽  
pp. 1483-1492
Author(s):  
Daniel Vinella ◽  
Michael Cashel ◽  
Richard D’Ari
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Insertional Mutagenesis ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Insertional Inactivation ◽  
Ts Mutant ◽  
Direct Target ◽  
Resistant Mutants ◽  
General Method

Abstract Rapidly growing Escherichia coli is unable to divide in the presence of the antibiotic mecillinam, whose direct target is penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2), responsible for the elongation of the cylindrical portion of the cell wall. Division can be restored in the absence of PBP2 activity by increasing the concentration of the cell division proteins FtsQ, FtsA, and FtsZ. We tried to identify regulators of the ftsQ-ftsA-ftsZ operon among mecillinam-resistant mutants, which include strains overexpressing these genes. By insertional mutagenesis with mini-Tn10 elements, we selected for insertions that conferred mecillinam resistance. Among 15 such mutants, 7 suppressed the thermosensitivity of the ftsZ84(Ts) mutant, strongly suggesting that they had increased FtsZ activity. In all 7 cases, however, the mutants resulted from a duplication of the ftsQAZ region. These duplications seemed to result from multiple events, suggesting that no simple insertional inactivation can result in a mutant with sufficiently amplified ftsQAZ expression to confer mecillinam resistance. The structure of the duplications suggests a general method for constructing directed duplications of precise sequences.

scholarly journals Increased production of penicillin-binding protein 2, increased detection of other penicillin-binding proteins, and decreased coagulase activity associated with glycopeptide resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.

1997 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1788-1793 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Moreira ◽  
S Boyle-Vavra ◽  
B L deJonge ◽  
R S Daum
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Resistant Isolate ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Penicillin Binding Protein ◽  
Glycopeptide Resistance ◽  
Penicillin Binding Proteins ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant ◽  
Resistant Mutants

The mechanism of glycopeptide resistance in the genus Staphylococcus is unknown. Since these antimicrobial compounds act by binding the peptidoglycan precursor terminus, the target of transglycosylase and transpeptidase enzymes, it was hypothesized that resistance might be mediated in Staphylococcus aureus by increased production or activity of these enzymes, commonly called penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). To evaluate this possibility, glycopeptide-resistant mutants were prepared by passage of several clinical isolates of this species in nutrient broth containing successively increasing concentrations of the glycopeptide vancomycin or teicoplanin. Decreased coagulase activity and increased resistance to lysostaphin were uniformly present in the vancomycin-resistant mutants. Peptidoglycan cross-linking increased in one resistant isolate and decreased in two resistant isolates. The amounts of radioactive penicillin that bound to each PBP in susceptible and resistant strains were compared; PBP2 production was also evaluated by Western blotting. Increased penicillin labeling and production of PBP2 were found in all resistant derivatives selected by either vancomycin or teicoplanin. Moreover, the increase in PBP2 penicillin labeling occurred early in a series of vancomycin-selected derivatives and was strongly correlated (r > 0.9) with the increase in vancomycin and teicoplanin MIC. An increase in penicillin labeling also occurred, variably, in PBP1, PBP3, and/or PBP4. These data demonstrate a strong correlation between resistance to glycopeptides and increased PBP activity and/or production in S. aureus. Such an increase could allow PBPs to better compete with glycopeptides for the peptidoglycan precursor.

scholarly journals Functional Genomic and Biochemical Analysis Reveals Pleiotropic Effect of Congo Red on Aspergillus fumigatus

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhonghua Liu ◽  
Shriya Raj ◽  
Norman van Rhijn ◽  
Marcin Fraczek ◽  
Jean-Philippe Michel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Aspergillus Fumigatus ◽  
Congo Red ◽  
Specific Binding ◽  
Cell Membrane Permeability ◽  
Growth Effect ◽  
Wall Structure ◽  
Cell Wall Polysaccharide ◽  
Resistant Mutants

ABSTRACT Inhibition of fungal growth by Congo red (CR) has been putatively associated with specific binding to β-1,3-glucans, which blocks cell wall polysaccharide synthesis. In this study, we searched for transcription factors (TFs) that regulate the response to CR and interrogated their regulon. During the investigation of the susceptibility to CR of the TF mutant library, several CR-resistant and -hypersensitive mutants were discovered and further studied. Abnormal distorted swollen conidia called Quasimodo cells were seen in the presence of CR. Quasimodo cells in the resistant mutants were larger than the ones in the sensitive and parental strains; consequently, the conidia of the resistant mutants absorbed more CR than the germinating conidia of the sensitive or parental strains. Accordingly, this higher absorption rate by Quasimodo cells resulted in the removal of CR from the culture medium, allowing a subset of conidia to germinate and grow. In contrast, all resting conidia of the sensitive mutants and the parental strain were killed. This result indicated that the heterogeneity of the conidial population is essential to promote the survival of Aspergillus fumigatus in the presence of CR. Moreover, amorphous surface cell wall polysaccharides such as galactosaminogalactan control the influx of CR inside the cells and, accordingly, resistance to the drug. Finally, long-term incubation with CR led to the discovery of a new CR-induced growth effect, called drug-induced growth stimulation (DIGS), since the growth of one of them could be stimulated after recovery from CR stress. IMPORTANCE The compound Congo red (CR) has been historically used for coloring treatment and histological examination as well to inhibit the growth of yeast and filamentous fungi. It has been thought that CR binds to β-1,3-glucans in the fungal cell wall, disrupting the organization of the cell wall structure. However, other processes have been implicated in affecting CR sensitivity. Here, we explore CR susceptibility through screening a library of genetic null mutants. We find several previously uncharacterized genetic regulators important for CR susceptibility. Through biochemical and molecular characterization, we find cell membrane permeability to be important. Additionally, we characterize a novel cell type, Quasimodo cells, that occurs upon CR exposure. These cells take up CR, allowing the growth of the remaining fungi. Finally, we find that priming with CR can enhance long-term growth in one mutant.

scholarly journals New Insights into the WalK/WalR (YycG/YycF) Essential Signal Transduction Pathway Reveal a Major Role in Controlling Cell Wall Metabolism and Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (22) ◽  
pp. 8257-8269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Dubrac ◽  
Ivo Gomperts Boneca ◽  
Olivier Poupel ◽  
Tarek Msadek
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Signal Transduction Pathway ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Wall Structure ◽  
Transduction Pathway ◽  
Cell Wall Metabolism

ABSTRACT The highly conserved WalK/WalR (also known as YycG/YycF) two-component system is specific to low-G+C gram-positive bacteria. While this system is essential for cell viability, both the nature of its regulon and its physiological role have remained mostly uncharacterized. We observed that, unexpectedly, Staphylococcus aureus cell death induced by WalKR depletion was not followed by lysis. We show that WalKR positively controls autolytic activity, in particular that of the two major S. aureus autolysins, AtlA and LytM. By using our previously characterized consensus WalR binding site and carefully reexamining the genome annotations, we identified nine genes potentially belonging to the WalKR regulon that appeared to be involved in S. aureus cell wall degradation. Expression of all of these genes was positively controlled by WalKR levels in the cell, leading to high resistance to Triton X-100-induced lysis when the cells were starved for WalKR. Cells lacking WalKR were also more resistant to lysostaphin-induced lysis, suggesting modifications in cell wall structure. Indeed, lowered levels of WalKR led to a significant decrease in peptidoglycan biosynthesis and turnover and to cell wall modifications, which included increased peptidoglycan cross-linking and glycan chain length. We also demonstrated a direct relationship between WalKR levels and the ability to form biofilms. This is the first example in S. aureus of a regulatory system positively controlling autolysin synthesis and biofilm formation. Taken together, our results now define this signal transduction pathway as a master regulatory system for cell wall metabolism, which we have accordingly renamed WalK/WalR to reflect its true function.

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