Pyruvate oxidase as a key determinant of pneumococcal viability during transcytosis across brain endothelium.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPN/pneumococcus), invades myriad of host tissues following efficient breaching of cellular barriers. However, strategies adopted by pneumococcus for evasion of host intracellular defences governing successful transcytosis across host cellular barriers remain elusive. In this study, using brain endothelium as a model host barrier, we observed that pneumococcus containing endocytic vacuoles (PCVs) formed following SPN internalization into brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), undergo early maturation and acidification, with a major subset acquiring lysosome-like characteristics. Exploration of measures that would preserve pneumococcal viability in the lethal acidic pH of these lysosome-like vacuoles revealed a critical role of the two-component system response regulator, CiaR, which has been previously implicated in induction of acid tolerance response. Pyruvate oxidase (SpxB), a key sugar metabolizing enzyme that catalyses oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl phosphate, was found to contribute to acid stress tolerance, presumably via acetyl phosphate-mediated phosphorylation and activation of CiaR, independent of its cognate kinase CiaH. Hydrogen peroxide, the by-product of SpxB catalysed reaction, was also found to improve pneumococcal intracellular survival by oxidative inactivation of lysosomal cysteine cathepsins, thus compromising the degradative capacity of the host lysosomes. Expectedly, a Δ spxB mutant was found to be significantly attenuated in its ability to survive inside the BMEC endocytic vacuoles, reflecting in its reduced transcytosis ability. Collectively, our studies establish SpxB as an important virulence determinant facilitating pneumococcal survival inside host cells, ensuring successful trafficking across host cellular barriers. IMPORTANCE Host cellular barriers have innate immune defences to restrict microbial passage into sterile compartments. Here, by focussing on the blood-brain barrier endothelium, we investigated mechanisms which enable Streptococcus pneumoniae to traverse through host barriers. Pyruvate oxidase, a pneumococcal sugar metabolizing enzyme was found to play a crucial role in this, via generation of acetyl phosphate and hydrogen peroxide. A two-pronged approach consisting of acetyl phosphate-mediated activation of acid tolerance response and hydrogen peroxide-mediated inactivation of lysosomal enzymes enabled pneumococci to maintain viability inside the degradative vacuoles of the brain endothelium, for successful transcytosis across the barrier. Thus, pyruvate oxidase is a key virulence determinant and can potentially serve as a viable candidate for therapeutic interventions for better management of invasive pneumococcal diseases.

Pyruvate oxidase as a key determinant of pneumococcal viability during transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier endothelium

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPN / pneumococcus), invades myriad of host tissues following efficient breaching of cellular barriers. However, strategies adopted by pneumococcus for evasion of host intracellular defences governing successful transcytosis across host cellular barriers remain elusive. In this study, using brain endothelium as a model host barrier, we observed that pneumococcus containing endocytic vacuoles (PCVs) formed following SPN internalization into brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), undergo early maturation and acidification, with a major subset acquiring lysosome-like characteristics. Exploration of measures that would preserve pneumococcal viability in the lethal acidic pH of these lysosome-like vacuoles revealed a critical role of the two-component system response regulator, CiaR, which has been previously implicated in induction of acid tolerance response. Pyruvate oxidase (SpxB), a key sugar metabolizing enzyme that catalyses oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl phosphate, was found to contribute to acid stress tolerance, presumably via acetyl phosphate-mediated phosphorylation and activation of CiaR, independent of its cognate kinase CiaH. Hydrogen peroxide, the by-product of SpxB catalysed reaction, was also found to improve pneumococcal intracellular survival, by oxidative inactivation of lysosomal cysteine cathepsins, thus compromising the degradative capacity of the host lysosomes. Expectedly, a ΔspxB mutant was found to be significantly attenuated in its ability to survive inside the BMEC endocytic vacuoles, reflecting in its reduced transcytosis ability. Collectively, our studies establish SpxB as an important virulence determinant facilitating pneumococcal survival inside host cells, ensuring successful trafficking across host cellular barriers.

Interspecies Inhibition ofPorphyromonas gingivalisby Yogurt-DerivedLactobacillus delbrueckiiRequires Active Pyruvate Oxidase

ABSTRACTDespite a growing interest in using probiotic microorganisms to prevent disease, the mechanisms by which probiotics exert their action require further investigation.Porphyromonas gingivalisis an important pathogen implicated in the development of periodontitis. We isolated several strains ofLactobacillus delbrueckiifrom dairy products and examined their ability to inhibitP. gingivalisgrowthin vitro. We observed strain-specific inhibition ofP. gingivalisgrowthin vitro. Whole-genome sequencing of inhibitory and noninhibitory strains ofL. delbrueckiirevealed significant genetic differences supporting the strain specificity of the interaction. Extracts of theL. delbrueckiiSTYM1 inhibitory strain contain inhibitory activity that is abolished by treatment with heat, proteinase K, catalase, and sodium sulfite. We purified the inhibitory protein(s) fromL. delbrueckiiSTYM1 extracts using ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography. Pyruvate oxidase was highly enriched in the purified samples. Lastly, we showed that purified, catalytically active, recombinant pyruvate oxidase is sufficient to inhibitP. gingivalisgrowthin vitrowithout the addition of cofactors. Further, using a saturated transposon library, we isolated transposon mutants ofP. gingivalisin thefeoB2(PG_1294) gene that are resistant to killing by inhibitoryL. delbrueckii, consistent with a mechanism of hydrogen peroxide production by pyruvate oxidase. Our results support the current understanding of the importance of strain selection, not simply species selection, in microbial interactions. SpecificL. delbrueckiistrains or their products may be effective in the treatment and prevention ofP. gingivalis-associated periodontal disease.IMPORTANCEP. gingivalisis implicated in the onset and progression of periodontal disease and associated with some systemic diseases. Probiotic bacteria represent an attractive preventative therapy for periodontal disease. However, the efficacy of probiotic bacteria can be variable between studies. Our data support the known importance of selecting particular strains of bacteria for probiotic use, not simply a single species. Specifically, in the context of probiotic intervention of periodontitis, our data suggest that high-level expression of pyruvate oxidase with hydrogen peroxide production inL. delbrueckiicould be an important characteristic for the design of a probiotic supplement or a microbial therapeutic.

Construction of an Amperometric Pyruvate Biosensor Based on Enzyme Bound to A Nanocomposite and Its Comparison with Enzyme Nanoparticles Bound to Electrode

An improved amperometric pyruvate biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing covalently commercial pyruvate oxidase (POx) from Aerococcus sps. onto nanocomposite of c-MWCNT (carboxylated multi- walled carbon nanotubes), copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and polyaniline (PANI) electrodeposited onto gold (Au) electrode. The copper nanoparticles were prepared by chemical reduction method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV- visible spectroscopy and X- ray diffraction (XRD). The working electrode (POx/c-MWCNT/CuNPs/PANI/AuE was studied via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at different stages of its construction. The biosensor showed optimum activity at a pH of 5.0 and 35°C and a linearity for pyruvate in the concentration range, 0.1 µM to 2000 µM. The analytical recovery of added pyruvate was 99.6% and 99.2%. The within and between batch coefficients of variation (CV) were 0.052% and as 0.022% respectively. There was a commendable correlation between sera pyruvate values as measured by standard spectrophotometric method and the present method. The biosensor was applied to measure sera pyruvate level and compared with that biosensor based on pyruvate oxidase nanoparticles covalently bound to Au electrode. Malik et al. (2019) Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 7(2): xxx-xxx Graphic Abstract Schematic representation of fabrication of POx/c-MWCNTs/CuNPs/PANI/AuE and electrochemical reactions involved in its response measurement (POx- Pyruvate oxidase; c-MWCNTs- Carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes; CuNPs- Copper nanoparticles; PANI- Polyaniline; AuE- Gold electrode).