scholarly journals Oxidative stress resistance and fitness-compensatory response in vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 623-628
Author(s):  
Xin-Ee Tan ◽  
Hui-min Neoh ◽  
Longzhu Cui ◽  
Keiichi Hiramatsu ◽  
Rahman Jamal

In this study, vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) cells carrying vraS and (or) graR mutations were shown to be more resistant to oxidative stress. Caenorhabditis elegans infected with these strains in turn demonstrated lower survival. Altered regulation in oxidative stress response and virulence appear to be physiological adaptations associated with the VISA phenotype in the Mu50 lineage.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin-Ee Tan ◽  
Hui-min Neoh ◽  
Longzhu Cui ◽  
Keiichi Hiramatsu ◽  
Rahman Jamal

AbstractIn this study, VISA cells carrying vraS and/or graR mutations were shown to be more resistant to oxidative stress. Caenorhabditis elegans infected with these strains in turn demonstrated lower survival. Altered regulation in oxidative stress response and virulence appears to be physiological adaptations associated with VISA phenotype in the Mu50 lineage.


2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (16) ◽  
pp. 5783-5796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antje Michel ◽  
Franziska Agerer ◽  
Christof R. Hauck ◽  
Mathias Herrmann ◽  
Joachim Ullrich ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen, causing a wide range of infections including sepsis, wound infections, pneumonia, and catheter-related infections. In several pathogens ClpP proteases were identified by in vivo expression technologies to be important for virulence. Clp proteolytic complexes are responsible for adaptation to multiple stresses by degrading accumulated and misfolded proteins. In this report clpP, encoding the proteolytic subunit of the ATP-dependent Clp protease, was deleted, and gene expression of ΔclpP was determined by global transcriptional analysis using DNA-microarray technology. The transcriptional profile reveals a strong regulatory impact of ClpP on the expression of genes encoding proteins that are involved in the pathogenicity of S. aureus and adaptation of the pathogen to several stresses. Expression of the agr system and agr-dependent extracellular virulence factors was diminished. Moreover, the loss of clpP leads to a complete transcriptional derepression of genes of the CtsR- and HrcA-controlled heat shock regulon and a partial derepression of genes involved in oxidative stress response, metal homeostasis, and SOS DNA repair controlled by PerR, Fur, MntR, and LexA. The levels of transcription of genes encoding proteins involved in adaptation to anaerobic conditions potentially regulated by an Fnr-like regulator were decreased. Furthermore, the expression of genes whose products are involved in autolysis was deregulated, leading to enhanced autolysis in the mutant. Our results indicate a strong impact of ClpP proteolytic activity on virulence, stress response, and physiology in S. aureus.


Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (10) ◽  
pp. 2739-2747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vineet K. Singh ◽  
Jackob Moskovitz

Staphylococcus aureus contains three genes encoding MsrA-specific methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) activity (msrA1, msrA2 and msrA3) and an additional gene that encodes MsrB-specific Msr activity. Data presented here suggest that MsrA1 is the major contributor of the MsrA activity in S. aureus. In mutational analysis, while the total Msr activity in msrA2 mutant was comparable to that of the parent, Msr activity was significantly up-regulated in the msrA1 or msrA1 msrA2 double mutant. Assessment of substrate specificity together with increased reactivity of the cell-free protein extracts of the msrA1 mutants to anti-MsrB polyclonal antibodies in Western analysis provided evidence that increased Msr activity was due to elevated synthesis of MsrB in the MsrA1 mutants. Previously, it was reported that oxacillin treatment of S. aureus cells led to induced synthesis of MsrA1 and a mutation in msrA1 increased the susceptibility of the organism to H2O2. A mutation in the msrA2 gene, however, was not significant for the bacterial oxidative stress response. In complementation assays, while the msrA2 gene was unable to complement the msrA1 msrA2 double mutant for H2O2 resistance, the same gene restored H2O2 tolerance in the double mutant when placed under the control of the msrA1 promoter. However, msrA1 which was able to complement the oxidative stress response in msrA1 mutants could not restore the tolerance of the msrA1 msrA2 mutants to H2O2 when placed under the control of the msrA2 promoter. Additionally, although the oxacillin minimum inhibitory concentration of the msrA1 mutant was comparable to that of the wild-type parent, in shaking liquid culture, the msrA1 mutant responded more efficiently to sublethal doses of oxacillin. The data suggest complex regulation of Msr proteins and a more significant physiological role for msrA1/msrB in S. aureus.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuo Ma ◽  
Kayla King ◽  
Maha Alqahtani ◽  
Madeline Worden ◽  
Parthasarthy Muthuraman ◽  
...  

AbstractFrancisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for causing tularemia in the northern hemisphere. F. tularensis has long been developed as a biological weapon due to its ability to cause severe illness upon inhalation of as few as ten organisms and based on its potential to be used as a bioterror agent is now classified as a Tier 1 Category A select agent by the CDC. The stringent response facilitates bacterial survival under nutritionally challenging starvation conditions. The hallmark of stringent response is the accumulation of the effector molecules ppGpp and (p)ppGpp known as stress alarmones. The relA and spoT gene products generate alarmones in several Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. RelA is a ribosome-associated ppGpp synthetase that gets activated under amino acid starvation conditions whereas, SpoT is a bifunctional enzyme with both ppGpp synthetase and ppGpp hydrolase activities. Francisella encodes a monofunctional RelA and a bifunctional SpoT enzyme. Previous studies have demonstrated that stringent response under nutritional stresses increases expression of virulence-associated genes encoded on Francisella Pathogenicity Island. This study investigated how stringent response governs the oxidative stress response of F. tularensis. We demonstrate that RelA/SpoT-mediated ppGpp production alters global gene transcriptional profile of F. tularensis in the presence of oxidative stress. The lack of stringent response in relA/spoT gene deletion mutants of F. tularensis makes bacteria more susceptible to oxidants, attenuates survival in macrophages, and virulence in mice. Mechanistically, we provide evidence that the stringent response in Francisella contributes to oxidative stress resistance by enhancing the production of antioxidant enzymes.ImportanceThe unique intracellular life cycle of Francisella in addition to nutritional stress also exposes the bacteria to oxidative stress conditions upon its brief residence in the phagosomes, and escape into the cytosol where replication takes place. However, the contribution of the stringent response in gene regulation and management of the oxidative stress response when Francisella is experiencing oxidative stress conditions is not known. Our results provide a link between the stringent and oxidative stress responses. This study further improves our understanding of the intracellular survival mechanisms of F. tularensis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyu Liao ◽  
Donghong Liu ◽  
Tian Ding

ABSTRACT As a novel nonthermal technology, nonthermal plasma (NTP) has attracted a lot of attention. However, it could induce microorganisms into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, posing a potential risk to food safety and public health. In this study, the molecular mechanisms of VBNC Staphylococcus aureus induced by NTP were investigated. With the use of a propidium monoazide quantitative PCR (PMA-qPCR) technique combined with a plate count method, we confirmed that 8.1 to 24.3 kJ NTP induced S. aureus into a VBNC state at a level of 7.4 to 7.6 log10 CFU/ml. The transcriptomic analysis was conducted and revealed that most energy-dependent physiological activities (e.g., metabolism) were arrested in VBNC S. aureus, while the oxidative stress response-related genes (katA, dps, msrB, msrA, and trxA) were significantly upregulated. In addition, this study showed that the ATP depletion by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) pretreatment could accelerate the formation of VBNC S. aureus. The NTP-generated oxidative stress triggers the staphylococcal oxidative stress response, which consumes part of cellular energy (e.g., ATP). The energy allocation is therefore changed, and the energy assigned for other energy-dependent physiological activities (cell growth and division, etc.) is reduced, subsequently forcing S. aureus into a VBNC state. Therefore, the alterations of energy allocation should be some of the major contributors to the induction of VBNC S. aureus with NTP exposure. This study provides valuable knowledge for controlling the formation of VBNC S. aureus during NTP treatment. IMPORTANCE In recent years, nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology has received a lot of attention as a promising alternative to thermal pasteurization in the food industry. However, little is known about the microbial stress response toward NTP, which could be a potential risk to food safety and impede the development of NTP. A viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is one of the most common survival strategies employed by microorganisms against external stress. This study investigated the mechanisms of the formation of VBNC Staphylococcus aureus by NTP in a more comprehensive and systematic aspect than had been done before. Our work confirmed that the NTP-generated oxidative stress induced changes in energy allocation as a driving force for the formation of VBNC S. aureus. This study could provide better knowledge for controlling the occurrence of VBNC S. aureus induced by NTP, which could lead to more rational design and ensure the development of safe foods.


LWT ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 99 ◽  
pp. 62-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hou-Qi Ning ◽  
Ying-Qiu Li ◽  
Qi-Wen Tian ◽  
Zhao-Sheng Wang ◽  
Hai-Zhen Mo

Author(s):  
Petra Horvatek ◽  
Andrew Magdy Fekry Hanna ◽  
Fabio Lino Gratani ◽  
Daniela Keinhörster ◽  
Natalya Korn ◽  
...  

AbstractThe stringent response is characterized by the synthesis of the messenger molecules pppGpp, ppGpp or pGpp (here collectively designated (pp)pGpp). The phenotypic consequences resulting from (pp)pGpp accumulation vary among species and can be mediated by different underlying mechanisms. Most genome-wide analyses have been performed under stress conditions, which often mask the immediate effects of (pp)pGpp-mediated regulatory circuits. In Staphylococcus aureus, (pp)pGpp can be synthesized via the RelA-SpoT-homolog (RSHSau) upon amino acid limitation or via one of the two small (pp)pGpp synthetases RelP or RelQ, upon cell wall stress. We used RNA-Seq to compare the global effects in response to transcriptional induction of the synthetase domain of RSH (RSH-Syn), RelP or RelQ without the need to apply additional stress conditions. Enzyme expression resulted in changes in the nucleotide pool similar to induction of the stringent response via the tRNA synthetase inhibitor mupirocin: a reduction in the GTP pool, an increase in the ATP pool and synthesis of pppGpp, ppGpp and pGpp. Induction of all three enzymes resulted in similar changes in the transcriptome. However, RelQ was less active than RSH-Syn and RelP, indicating strong restriction of its (pp)pGpp-synthesis activity in vivo. Genes involved in the SOS response, iron storage (e.g. ftnA, dps), oxidative stress response (e.g., katA, sodA) and the the psmα1-4 and psmß1-2 operons coding for cytotoxic, phenole soluble modulins (PSMs) were highly upregulated upon (pp)pGpp synthesis. Analyses of the ftnA, dps and psm genes in different regulatory mutants revealed that their (pp)pGpp-dependent regulation can occur independent of the regulators PerR, Fur, SarA or CodY. Moreover, psm expression is uncoupled from expression of the quorum sensing system Agr, the main known psm activator. The expression of central genes of the oxidative stress response protects the bacteria from anticipated ROS stress derived from PSMs or exogenous sources. Thus, we identified a new link between the stringent response and oxidative stress in S. aureus that is likely crucial for survival upon phagocytosis.SignificanceMost bacteria make use of the second messenger (pp)pGpp to reprogram bacterial metabolism under nutrient-limiting conditions. In the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, (pp)pGpp plays an important role in virulence, phagosomal escape and antibiotic tolerance. Here, we analyzed the immediate consequences of (pp)pGpp synthesis upon transcriptional induction of the (pp)pGpp-producing enzymes RSH, RelP or RelQ. (pp)pGpp synthesis provokes immediate changes in the nucleotide pool and severely impacts the expression of hundreds of genes. A main consequence of (pp)pGpp synthesis in S. aureus is the induction of ROS-inducing toxic phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) and simultaneous expression of the detoxifying system to protect the producer. This mechanism is likely of special advantage for the pathogen after phagocytosis.


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