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80800.9553Exposure of Legionella pneumophila to low-shear modeled microgravity: impact on stress response, membrane lipid composition, pathogenicity to macrophages and interrelated genes expression. Here, we studied the effect of low-shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) on cross stress resistance (heat, acid, and oxidative), fatty acid content, and pathogenicity along with alteration in expression of stress-/virulence-associated genes in Legionella pneumophila. The stress resistance analysis result indicated that bacteria cultivated under LSMMG environments showed higher resistance with elevated D-values at 55 °C and in 1 mM of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) conditions compared to normal gravity (NG)-grown bacteria. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in tolerance (p < 0.05) toward simulated gastric fluid (pH-2.5) acid conditions. In fatty acid analysis, our result showed that a total amount of saturated and cyclic fatty acids was increased in LSMMG-grown cells; as a consequence, they might possess low membrane fluidity. An upregulated expression level was noticed for stress-related genes (hslV, htrA, grpE, groL, htpG, clpB, clpX, dnaJ, dnaK, rpoH, rpoE, rpoS, kaiB, kaiC, lpp1114, ahpC1, ahpC2, ahpD, grlA, and gst) under LSMMG conditions. The reduced virulence (less intracellular bacteria and less % of induce apoptosis in RAW 264.7 macrophages) of L. pneumophila under LSMMG conditions may be because of downregulation related genes (dotA, dotB, dotC, dotD, dotG, dotH, dotL, dotM, dotN, icmK, icmB, icmS, icmT, icmW, ladC, rtxA, letA, rpoN, fleQ, fleR, and fliA). In the LSMMG group, the expression of inflammation-related factors, such as IL-1α, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8, was observed to be reduced in infected macrophages. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed less number of LSMMG-cultivated bacteria attached to the host macrophages compared to NG. Thus, our study provides understandings about the changes in lipid composition and different genes expression due to LSMMG conditions, which apparently influence the alterations of L. pneumophila' stress/virulence response.202438305908
819210.9543Resisting the Heat: Bacterial Disaggregases Rescue Cells From Devastating Protein Aggregation. Bacteria as unicellular organisms are most directly exposed to changes in environmental growth conditions like temperature increase. Severe heat stress causes massive protein misfolding and aggregation resulting in loss of essential proteins. To ensure survival and rapid growth resume during recovery periods bacteria are equipped with cellular disaggregases, which solubilize and reactivate aggregated proteins. These disaggregases are members of the Hsp100/AAA+ protein family, utilizing the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to extract misfolded proteins from aggregates via a threading activity. Here, we describe the two best characterized bacterial Hsp100/AAA+ disaggregases, ClpB and ClpG, and compare their mechanisms and regulatory modes. The widespread ClpB disaggregase requires cooperation with an Hsp70 partner chaperone, which targets ClpB to protein aggregates. Furthermore, Hsp70 activates ClpB by shifting positions of regulatory ClpB M-domains from a repressed to a derepressed state. ClpB activity remains tightly controlled during the disaggregation process and high ClpB activity states are likely restricted to initial substrate engagement. The recently identified ClpG (ClpK) disaggregase functions autonomously and its activity is primarily controlled by substrate interaction. ClpG provides enhanced heat resistance to selected bacteria including pathogens by acting as a more powerful disaggregase. This disaggregase expansion reflects an adaption of bacteria to extreme temperatures experienced during thermal based sterilization procedures applied in food industry and medicine. Genes encoding for ClpG are transmissible by horizontal transfer, allowing for rapid spreading of extreme bacterial heat resistance and posing a threat to modern food production.202134017857
819120.9494When the going gets tough, the tough get going-Novel bacterial AAA+ disaggregases provide extreme heat resistance. Heat stress can lead to protein misfolding and aggregation, potentially causing cell death due to the loss of essential proteins. Bacteria, being particularly exposed to environmental stress, are equipped with disaggregases that rescue these aggregated proteins. The bacterial Hsp70 chaperone DnaK and the ATPase associated with diverse cellular activities protein ClpB form the canonical disaggregase in bacteria. While this combination operates effectively during physiological heat stress, it is ineffective against massive aggregation caused by temperature-based sterilization protocols used in the food industry and clinics. This leaves bacteria unprotected against these thermal processes. However, bacteria that can withstand extreme, man-made stress conditions have emerged. These bacteria possess novel ATPase associated with diverse cellular activities disaggregases, ClpG and ClpL, which are key players in extreme heat resistance. These disaggregases, present in selected Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria, respectively, function superiorly by exhibiting increased thermal stability and enhanced threading power compared to DnaK/ClpB. This enables ClpG and ClpL to operate at extreme temperatures and process large and tight protein aggregates, thereby contributing to heat resistance. The genes for ClpG and ClpL are often encoded on mobile genomic islands or conjugative plasmids, allowing for their rapid spread among bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. This threatens the efficiency of sterilization protocols. In this review, we describe the various bacterial disaggregases identified to date, characterizing their commonalities and the specific features that enable these novel disaggregases to provide stress protection against extreme stress conditions.202439039821
843930.9483Comparative genomics analysis and virulence-related factors in novel Aliarcobacter faecis and Aliarcobacter lanthieri species identified as potential opportunistic pathogens. BACKGROUND: Emerging pathogenic bacteria are an increasing threat to public health. Two recently described species of the genus Aliarcobacter, A. faecis and A. lanthieri, isolated from human or livestock feces, are closely related to Aliarcobacter zoonotic pathogens (A. cryaerophilus, A. skirrowii, and A. butzleri). In this study, comparative genomics analysis was carried out to examine the virulence-related, including virulence, antibiotic, and toxin (VAT) factors in the reference strains of A. faecis and A. lanthieri that may enable them to become potentially opportunistic zoonotic pathogens. RESULTS: Our results showed that the genomes of the reference strains of both species have flagella genes (flaA, flaB, flgG, flhA, flhB, fliI, fliP, motA and cheY1) as motility and export apparatus, as well as genes encoding the Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) (tatA, tatB and tatC), type II (pulE and pulF) and III (fliF, fliN and ylqH) secretory pathways, allowing them to secrete proteins into the periplasm and host cells. Invasion and immune evasion genes (ciaB, iamA, mviN, pldA, irgA and fur2) are found in both species, while adherence genes (cadF and cj1349) are only found in A. lanthieri. Acid (clpB), heat (clpA and clpB), osmotic (mviN), and low-iron (irgA and fur2) stress resistance genes were observed in both species, although urease genes were not found in them. In addition, arcB, gyrA and gyrB were found in both species, mutations of which may mediate the resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). Furthermore, 11 VAT genes including six virulence (cadF, ciaB, irgA, mviN, pldA, and tlyA), two antibiotic resistance [tet(O) and tet(W)] and three cytolethal distending toxin (cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC) genes were validated with the PCR assays. A. lanthieri tested positive for all 11 VAT genes. By contrast, A. faecis showed positive for ten genes except for cdtB because no PCR assay for this gene was available for this species. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of the virulence, antibiotic-resistance, and toxin genes in the genomes of A. faecis and A. lanthieri reference strains through comparative genomics analysis and PCR assays highlighted the potential zoonotic pathogenicity of these two species. However, it is necessary to extend this study to include more clinical and environmental strains to explore inter-species and strain-level genetic variations in virulence-related genes and assess their potential to be opportunistic pathogens for animals and humans.202235761183
51940.9477The Ruegeria pomeroyi acuI gene has a role in DMSP catabolism and resembles yhdH of E. coli and other bacteria in conferring resistance to acrylate. The Escherichia coli YhdH polypeptide is in the MDR012 sub-group of medium chain reductase/dehydrogenases, but its biological function was unknown and no phenotypes of YhdH(-) mutants had been described. We found that an E. coli strain with an insertional mutation in yhdH was hyper-sensitive to inhibitory effects of acrylate, and, to a lesser extent, to those of 3-hydroxypropionate. Close homologues of YhdH occur in many Bacterial taxa and at least two animals. The acrylate sensitivity of YhdH(-) mutants was corrected by the corresponding, cloned homologues from several bacteria. One such homologue is acuI, which has a role in acrylate degradation in marine bacteria that catabolise dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) an abundant anti-stress compound made by marine phytoplankton. The acuI genes of such bacteria are often linked to ddd genes that encode enzymes that cleave DMSP into acrylate plus dimethyl sulfide (DMS), even though these are in different polypeptide families, in unrelated bacteria. Furthermore, most strains of Roseobacters, a clade of abundant marine bacteria, cleave DMSP into acrylate plus DMS, and can also demethylate it, using DMSP demethylase. In most Roseobacters, the corresponding gene, dmdA, lies immediately upstream of acuI and in the model Roseobacter strain Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, dmdA-acuI were co-regulated in response to the co-inducer, acrylate. These observations, together with findings by others that AcuI has acryloyl-CoA reductase activity, lead us to suggest that YdhH/AcuI enzymes protect cells against damaging effects of intracellular acryloyl-CoA, formed endogenously, and/or via catabolising exogenous acrylate. To provide "added protection" for bacteria that form acrylate from DMSP, acuI was recruited into clusters of genes involved in this conversion and, in the case of acuI and dmdA in the Roseobacters, their co-expression may underpin an interaction between the two routes of DMSP catabolism, whereby the acrylate product of DMSP lyases is a co-inducer for the demethylation pathway.201222563425
61350.94694-Hydroxy-2-nonenal antimicrobial toxicity is neutralized by an intracellular pathogen. Pathogens encounter numerous antimicrobial responses during infection, including the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst. ROS-mediated oxidation of host membrane poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) generates the toxic alpha-beta carbonyl 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE). Although studied extensively in the context of sterile inflammation, research into 4-HNE's role during infection remains limited. Here, we found that 4-HNE is generated during bacterial infection, that it impacts growth and survival in a range of bacteria, and that the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes induces many genes in response to 4-HNE exposure. A component of the L. monocytogenes 4-HNE response is the expression of the genes lmo0103 and lmo0613, deemed rha1 and rha2 (reductase of host alkenals), respectively, which code for two NADPH-dependent oxidoreductases that convert 4-HNE to the product 4-hydroxynonanal (4-HNA). Loss of these genes had no impact on L. monocytogenes bacterial burdens during murine or tissue culture infection. However, heterologous expression of rha1/2 in Bacillus subtilis significantly increased bacterial resistance to 4-HNE in vitro and promoted bacterial survival following phagocytosis by murine macrophages in an ROS-dependent manner. Thus, Rha1 and Rha2 are not necessary for 4-HNE resistance in L. monocytogenes but are sufficient to confer resistance to an otherwise sensitive organism in vitro and in host cells. Our work demonstrates that 4-HNE is a previously unappreciated component of ROS-mediated toxicity encountered by bacteria within eukaryotic hosts.202133955352
819360.9457Sinorhizobium meliloti Functions Required for Resistance to Antimicrobial NCR Peptides and Bacteroid Differentiation. Legumes of the Medicago genus have a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti and develop root nodules housing large numbers of intracellular symbionts. Members of the nodule-specific cysteine-rich peptide (NCR) family induce the endosymbionts into a terminal differentiated state. Individual cationic NCRs are antimicrobial peptides that have the capacity to kill the symbiont, but the nodule cell environment prevents killing. Moreover, the bacterial broad-specificity peptide uptake transporter BacA and exopolysaccharides contribute to protect the endosymbionts against the toxic activity of NCRs. Here, we show that other S. meliloti functions participate in the protection of the endosymbionts; these include an additional broad-specificity peptide uptake transporter encoded by the yejABEF genes and lipopolysaccharide modifications mediated by lpsB and lpxXL, as well as rpoH1, encoding a stress sigma factor. Strains with mutations in these genes show a strain-specific increased sensitivity profile against a panel of NCRs and form nodules in which bacteroid differentiation is affected. The lpsB mutant nodule bacteria do not differentiate, the lpxXL and rpoH1 mutants form some seemingly fully differentiated bacteroids, although most of the nodule bacteria are undifferentiated, while the yejABEF mutants form hypertrophied but nitrogen-fixing bacteroids. The nodule bacteria of all the mutants have a strongly enhanced membrane permeability, which is dependent on the transport of NCRs to the endosymbionts. Our results suggest that S. meliloti relies on a suite of functions, including peptide transporters, the bacterial envelope structures, and stress response regulators, to resist the aggressive assault of NCR peptides in the nodule cells. IMPORTANCE The nitrogen-fixing symbiosis of legumes with rhizobium bacteria has a predominant ecological role in the nitrogen cycle and has the potential to provide the nitrogen required for plant growth in agriculture. The host plants allow the rhizobia to colonize specific symbiotic organs, the nodules, in large numbers in order to produce sufficient reduced nitrogen for the plants' needs. Some legumes, including Medicago spp., produce massively antimicrobial peptides to keep this large bacterial population in check. These peptides, known as NCRs, have the potential to kill the rhizobia, but in nodules, they rather inhibit the division of the bacteria, which maintain a high nitrogen-fixing activity. In this study, we show that the tempering of the antimicrobial activity of the NCR peptides in the Medicago symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti is multifactorial and requires the YejABEF peptide transporter, the lipopolysaccharide outer membrane, and the stress response regulator RpoH1.202134311575
54370.9456OxyR2 Modulates OxyR1 Activity and Vibrio cholerae Oxidative Stress Response. Bacteria have developed capacities to deal with different stresses and adapt to different environmental niches. The human pathogen Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera, utilizes the transcriptional regulator OxyR to activate genes related to oxidative stress resistance, including peroxiredoxin PrxA, in response to hydrogen peroxide. In this study, we identified another OxyR homolog in V. cholerae, which we named OxyR2, and we renamed the previous OxyR OxyR1. We found that OxyR2 is required to activate its divergently transcribed gene ahpC, encoding an alkylhydroperoxide reductase, independently of H(2)O(2) A conserved cysteine residue in OxyR2 is critical for this function. Mutation of either oxyR2 or ahpC rendered V. cholerae more resistant to H(2)O(2) RNA sequencing analyses indicated that OxyR1-activated oxidative stress-resistant genes were highly expressed in oxyR2 mutants even in the absence of H(2)O(2) Further genetic analyses suggest that OxyR2-activated AhpC modulates OxyR1 activity by maintaining low intracellular concentrations of H(2)O(2) Furthermore, we showed that ΔoxyR2 and ΔahpC mutants were less fit when anaerobically grown bacteria were exposed to low levels of H(2)O(2) or incubated in seawater. These results suggest that OxyR2 and AhpC play important roles in the V. cholerae oxidative stress response.201728138024
58780.9455The Nramp (Slc11) proteins regulate development, resistance to pathogenic bacteria and iron homeostasis in Dictyostelium discoideum. The Dictyostelium discoideum genome harbors two genes encoding members of the Nramp superfamily, which is conserved from bacteria (MntH proteins) to humans (Slc11 proteins). Nramps are proton-driven metal ion transporters with a preference for iron and manganese. Acquisition of these metal cations is vital for all cells, as they act as redox cofactors and regulate key cellular processes, such as DNA synthesis, electron transport, energy metabolism and oxidative stress. Dictyostelium Nramp1 (Slc11a1), like its mammalian ortholog, mediates resistance to infection by invasive bacteria. We have extended the analysis to the nramp2 gene, by generating single and double nramp1/nramp2 knockout mutants and cells expressing GFP fusion proteins. In contrast to Nramp1, which is recruited to phagosomes and macropinosomes, the Nramp2 protein is localized exclusively in the membrane of the contractile vacuole, a vesicular tubular network regulating cellular osmolarity. Both proteins colocalize with the V-H(+)-ATPase, which can provide the electrogenic force for vectorial transport. Like nramp1, nramp2 gene disruption affects resistance to Legionella pneumophila. Disrupting both genes additionally leads to defects in development, with strong delay in cell aggregation, formation of large streams and multi-tipped aggregates. Single and double mutants display differential sensitivity to cell growth under conditions of iron overload or depletion. The data favor the hypothesis that Nramp1 and Nramp2, under control of the V-H(+)-ATPase, synergistically regulate iron homeostasis, with the contractile vacuole possibly acting as a store for metal cations.201322992462
52090.9452Respiratory chain components are required for peptidoglycan recognition protein-induced thiol depletion and killing in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Mammalian peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs or PGLYRPs) kill bacteria through induction of synergistic oxidative, thiol, and metal stress. Tn-seq screening of Bacillus subtilis transposon insertion library revealed that mutants in the shikimate pathway of chorismate synthesis had high survival following PGLYRP4 treatment. Deletion mutants for these genes had decreased amounts of menaquinone (MK), increased resistance to killing, and attenuated depletion of thiols following PGLYRP4 treatment. These effects were reversed by MK or reproduced by inhibiting MK synthesis. Deletion of cytochrome aa(3)-600 or NADH dehydrogenase (NDH) genes also increased B. subtilis resistance to PGLYRP4-induced killing and attenuated thiol depletion. PGLYRP4 treatment also inhibited B. subtilis respiration. Similarly in Escherichia coli, deletion of ubiquinone (UQ) synthesis, formate dehydrogenases (FDH), NDH-1, or cytochrome bd-I genes attenuated PGLYRP4-induced thiol depletion. PGLYRP4-induced low level of cytoplasmic membrane depolarization in B. subtilis and E. coli was likely not responsible for thiol depletion. Thus, our results show that the respiratory electron transport chain components, cytochrome aa(3)-600, MK, and NDH in B. subtilis, and cytochrome bd-I, UQ, FDH-O, and NDH-1 in E. coli, are required for both PGLYRP4-induced killing and thiol depletion and indicate conservation of the PGLYRP4-induced thiol depletion and killing mechanisms in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.202133420211
711100.9447Non-specific, general and multiple stress resistance of growth-restricted Bacillus subtilis cells by the expression of the sigmaB regulon. Bacillus subtilis cells respond almost immediately to different stress conditions by increasing the production of general stress proteins (GSPs). The genes encoding the majority of the GSPs that are induced by heat, ethanol, salt stress or by starvation for glucose, oxygen or phosphate belong to the sigmaB-dependent general stress regulon. Despite a good understanding of the complex regulation of the activity of sigmaB and knowledge of a very large number of general stress genes controlled by sigmaB, first insights into the physiological role of this nonspecific stress response have been obtained only very recently. To explore the physiological role of this reguIon, we and others identified sigmaB-dependent general stress genes and compared the stress tolerance of wild-type cells with mutants lacking sigmaB or general stress proteins. The proteins encoded by sigmaB-dependent general stress genes can be divided into at least five functional groups that most probably provide growth-restricted B. subtilis cells with a multiple stress resistance in anticipation of future stress. In particular, sigB mutants are impaired in non-specific resistance to oxidative stress, which requires the sigmaB-dependent dps gene encoding a DNA-protecting protein. Protection against oxidative damage of membranes, proteins or DNA could be the most essential component of sigmaB mediated general stress resistance in growth-arrested aerobic gram-positive bacteria. Other general stress genes have both a sigmaB-dependent induction pathway and a second sigmaB-independent mechanism of stress induction, thereby partially compensating for a sigmaB deficiency in a sigB mutant. In contrast to sigB mutants, null mutations in genes encoding those proteins, such as cIpP or cIpC, cause extreme sensitivity to salt or heat.19989767581
665110.9446Functional versatility of Zur in metal homeostasis, motility, biofilm formation, and stress resistance in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Zur (zinc uptake regulator) is a significant member of the Fur (ferric uptake regulator) superfamily, which is widely distributed in bacteria. Zur plays crucial roles in zinc homeostasis and influences cell development and environmental adaptation in various species. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a Gram-negative enteric that pathogen usually serves as a model organism in pathogenicity studies. The regulatory effects of Zur on the zinc transporter ZnuABC and the protein secretion system T6SS have been documented in Y. pseudotuberculosis. In this study, a comparative transcriptomics analysis between a ∆zur mutant and the wild-type (WT) strain of Y. pseudotuberculosis was conducted using RNA-seq. This analysis revealed global regulation by Zur across multiple functional categories, including membrane transport, cell motility, and molecular and energy metabolism. Additionally, Zur mediates the homeostasis not only of zinc but also ferric and magnesium in vivo. There was a notable decrease in 35 flagellar biosynthesis and assembly-related genes, leading to reduced swimming motility in the ∆zur mutant strain. Furthermore, Zur upregulated multiple simple sugar and oligopeptide transport system genes by directly binding to their promoters. The absence of Zur inhibited biofilm formation as well as reduced resistance to chloramphenicol and acidic stress. This study illustrates the comprehensive regulatory functions of Zur, emphasizing its importance in stress resistance and pathogenicity in Y. pseudotuberculosis. IMPORTANCE: Bacteria encounter diverse stresses in the environment and possess essential regulators to modulate the expression of genes in responding to the stresses for better fitness and survival. Zur (zinc uptake regulator) plays a vital role in zinc homeostasis. Studies of Zur from multiple species reviewed that it influences cell development, stress resistance, and virulence of bacteria. Y. pseudotuberculosis is an enteric pathogen that serves a model organism in the study of pathogenicity, virulence factors, and mechanism of environmental adaptation. In this study, transcriptomics analysis of Zur's regulons was conducted in Y. pseudotuberculosis. The functions of Zur as a global regulator in metal homeostasis, motility, nutrient acquisition, glycan metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism, in turn, increasing the biofilm formation, stress resistance, and virulence were reviewed. The importance of Zur in environmental adaptation and pathogenicity of Y. pseudotuberculosis was emphasized.202438534119
193120.9446Screening of metagenomic and genomic libraries reveals three classes of bacterial enzymes that overcome the toxicity of acrylate. Acrylate is produced in significant quantities through the microbial cleavage of the highly abundant marine osmoprotectant dimethylsulfoniopropionate, an important process in the marine sulfur cycle. Acrylate can inhibit bacterial growth, likely through its conversion to the highly toxic molecule acrylyl-CoA. Previous work identified an acrylyl-CoA reductase, encoded by the gene acuI, as being important for conferring on bacteria the ability to grow in the presence of acrylate. However, some bacteria lack acuI, and, conversely, many bacteria that may not encounter acrylate in their regular environments do contain this gene. We therefore sought to identify new genes that might confer tolerance to acrylate. To do this, we used functional screening of metagenomic and genomic libraries to identify novel genes that corrected an E. coli mutant that was defective in acuI, and was therefore hyper-sensitive to acrylate. The metagenomic libraries yielded two types of genes that overcame this toxicity. The majority encoded enzymes resembling AcuI, but with significant sequence divergence among each other and previously ratified AcuI enzymes. One other metagenomic gene, arkA, had very close relatives in Bacillus and related bacteria, and is predicted to encode an enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, in the same family as FabK, which catalyses the final step in fatty-acid biosynthesis in some pathogenic Firmicute bacteria. A genomic library of Novosphingobium, a metabolically versatile alphaproteobacterium that lacks both acuI and arkA, yielded vutD and vutE, two genes that, together, conferred acrylate resistance. These encode sequential steps in the oxidative catabolism of valine in a pathway in which, significantly, methacrylyl-CoA is a toxic intermediate. These findings expand the range of bacteria for which the acuI gene encodes a functional acrylyl-CoA reductase, and also identify novel enzymes that can similarly function in conferring acrylate resistance, likely, again, through the removal of the toxic product acrylyl-CoA.201424848004
670130.9444ZntR is a critical regulator for zinc homeostasis and involved in pathogenicity in Riemerella anatipestifer. Zinc (Zn(2+)) is essential for all bacteria, but excessive Zn(2+) levels are toxic. Bacteria maintain zinc homeostasis through regulators, such as Zur, AdcR, and ZntR. Riemerella anatipestifer is a significant Flavobacteriales pathogen causing acute serositis in ducks and other birds. In this study, we identified a homolog of ZntR, a regulator for zinc homeostasis, and demonstrated its contribution to the pathogenicity of R. anatipestifer. Deletion of zntR makes the bacteria hypersensitive to excess Zn(2+) but not to other metals like manganese (Mn(2+)), copper (Cu(2+)), cobalt (Co(2+)), and nickel (Ni(2+)). Deletion of zntR also leads to intracellular zinc accumulation but not of other metals. Additionally, compared to the wild type, the deletion of zntR increases resistance to oxidants hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), respectively. The deletion of zntR causes significant changes in transcriptional and protein expression levels, revealing 35 genes with potential zinc metabolism functions. Among them, zupT, which is inhibited by ZntR, is required for zinc transport and resistance to oxidative stress. Finally, deletion of zntR leads to attenuation of colonization in ducklings. In summary, ZntR is a crucial regulator for zinc homeostasis and contributes to the pathogenicity of R. anatipestifer.IMPORTANCEZinc homeostasis plays a critical role in the environmental adaptability of bacteria. Riemerella anatipestifer is a significant pathogen in poultry with the potential to encounter zinc-deficient or zinc-excess environment. The mechanism of zinc homeostasis in this bacterium remains largely unexplored. In this study, we showed that the transcriptional regulator ZntR of R. anatipestifer is critical for zinc homeostasis by altering the transcription and expression of a number of genes. Importantly, ZntR inhibits the transcription of zinc transporter ZupT and contributes to colonization in R. anatipestifer. The results are significant for understanding zinc homeostasis and the pathogenic mechanisms in R. anatipestifer.202540035565
129140.9444Evidence for vital role of endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the resistance of Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100 towards elevated concentrations of o-nitrobenzoate. Arthrobacter protophormiae RKJ100 was previously characterized for its ability to tolerate extremely high concentrations of o-nitrobenzoate (ONB), a toxic xenobiotic environmental pollutant. The physiological responses of strain RKJ100 to ≥30 mM ONB indicated towards a resistance mechanism manifested via alteration of cell morphology and cell wall structure. In this study, we aim to characterize gene(s) involved in the resistance of strain RKJ100 towards extreme concentrations (i.e. 150 mM) of ONB. Transposon mutagenesis was carried out to generate a mutant library of strain RKJ100, which was then screened for ONB-sensitive mutants. A sensitive mutant was defined and selected as one that could not tolerate ≥30 mM ONB. Molecular and biochemical characterization of this mutant showed that the disruption of endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (ENGase) gene caused the sensitivity. ENGase is an important enzyme for oligosaccharide processing and cell wall recycling in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Previous reports have already indicated several possible roles of this enzyme in cellular homeostasis. Results presented here provide the first evidence for its involvement in bacterial resistance towards extreme concentrations of a toxic xenobiotic compound and also suggest that strain RKJ100 employs ENGase as an important component in osmotic shock response for resisting extreme concentrations of ONB.201424562786
614150.9443Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum lack genes for lipid A biosynthesis and incorporate cholesterol for their survival. Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are agents of human monocytic and granulocytic ehrlichioses, respectively. They are extremely sensitive to mechanical stress and are pleomorphic gram-negative bacteria. Membrane incorporation of cholesterol from the eukaryotic host is known to be essential for other fragile and pleomorphic bacteria and mycoplasmas that lack a cell wall. Thus, we tested whether cholesterol is required for E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophilum. Using a freeze fracture technique and biochemical analysis, these bacteria were found to contain significant levels of membrane cholesterol. These bacteria lack genes for cholesterol biosynthesis or modification. However, host cell-free bacteria had the ability to take up directly exogenous cholesterol or NBD-cholesterol, a fluorescent cholesterol derivative. Treatment of the bacteria with cholesterol extraction reagent methyl-beta-cyclodextrin caused their ultrastructural changes. Furthermore, pretreatment of the bacteria with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin or NBD-cholesterol deprived these bacteria of the ability to infect leukocytes, thus killing these obligate intracellular bacteria. Analysis of E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophilum genome sequences revealed that these bacteria lack all genes for the biosynthesis of lipid A and most genes for the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan, which confer structural strength to gram-negative bacteria. Taken together, these results suggest that human ehrlichiosis agents became cholesterol dependent due to the loss of these genes. As the first report of gram-negative bacteria incorporating cholesterol for survival, these findings offer insight into the unique nature of their parasitism and imply that cholesterol is important in the control of human ehrlichioses.200312933880
586160.9442Iron metabolism and resistance to infection by invasive bacteria in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Dictyostelium cells are forest soil amoebae, which feed on bacteria and proliferate as solitary cells until bacteria are consumed. Starvation triggers a change in life style, forcing cells to gather into aggregates to form multicellular organisms capable of cell differentiation and morphogenesis. As a soil amoeba and a phagocyte that grazes on bacteria as the obligate source of food, Dictyostelium could be a natural host of pathogenic bacteria. Indeed, many pathogens that occasionally infect humans are hosted for most of their time in protozoa or free-living amoebae, where evolution of their virulence traits occurs. Due to these features and its amenability to genetic manipulation, Dictyostelium has become a valuable model organism for studying strategies of both the host to resist infection and the pathogen to escape the defense mechanisms. Similarly to higher eukaryotes, iron homeostasis is crucial for Dictyostelium resistance to invasive bacteria. Iron is essential for Dictyostelium, as both iron deficiency or overload inhibit cell growth. The Dictyostelium genome shares with mammals many genes regulating iron homeostasis. Iron transporters of the Nramp (Slc11A) family are represented with two genes, encoding Nramp1 and Nramp2. Like the mammalian ortholog, Nramp1 is recruited to phagosomes and macropinosomes, whereas Nramp2 is a membrane protein of the contractile vacuole network, which regulates osmolarity. Nramp1 and Nramp2 localization in distinct compartments suggests that both proteins synergistically regulate iron homeostasis. Rather than by absorption via membrane transporters, iron is likely gained by degradation of ingested bacteria and efflux via Nramp1 from phagosomes to the cytosol. Nramp gene disruption increases Dictyostelium sensitivity to infection, enhancing intracellular growth of Legionella or Mycobacteria. Generation of mutants in other "iron genes" will help identify genes essential for iron homeostasis and resistance to pathogens.201324066281
8194170.9442Role of the phenazine-inducing protein Pip in stress resistance of Pseudomonas chlororaphis. The triggering of antibiotic production by various environmental stress molecules can be interpreted as bacteria's response to obtain increased fitness to putative danger, whereas the opposite situation - inhibition of antibiotic production - is more complicated to understand. Phenazines enable Pseudomonas species to eliminate competitors for rhizosphere colonization and are typical virulence factors used for model studies. In the present work, we have investigated the negative effect of subinhibitory concentrations of NaCl, fusaric acid and two antibiotics on quorum-sensing-controlled phenazine production by Pseudomonas chlororaphis. The selected stress factors inhibit phenazine synthesis despite sufficient cell density. Subsequently, we have identified connections between known genes of the phenazine-inducing cascade, including PsrA (Pseudomonas sigma regulator), RpoS (alternative sigma factor), Pip (phenazine inducing protein) and PhzI/PhzR (quorum-sensing system). Under all tested conditions, overexpression of Pip or PhzR restored phenazine production while overexpression of PsrA or RpoS did not. This forced restoration of phenazine production in strains overexpressing regulatory genes pip and phzR significantly impairs growth and stress resistance; this is particularly severe with pip overexpression. We suggest a novel physiological explanation for the inhibition of phenazine virulence factors in pseudomonas species responding to toxic compounds. We propose that switching off phenazine-1-carboxamide (PCN) synthesis by attenuating pip expression would favour processes required for survival. In our model, this 'decision' point for promoting PCN production or stress resistance is located downstream of rpoS and just above pip. However, a test with the stress factor rifampicin shows no significant inhibition of Pip production, suggesting that stress factors may also target other and so far unknown protagonists of the PCN signalling cascade.201121030433
671180.9442Differential roles of the universal stress proteins of Escherichia coli in oxidative stress resistance, adhesion, and motility. The universal stress protein (UspA) superfamily encompasses a conserved group of proteins that are found in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. Escherichia coli harbors six usp genes--uspA, -C, -D, -E, -F, and -G--the expression of which is triggered by a large variety of environmental insults. The uspA gene is important for survival during cellular growth arrest, but the exact physiological role of the Usp proteins is not known. In this work we have performed phenotypic characterization of mutants with deletions of the six different usp genes. We report on hitherto unknown functions of these genes linked to motility, adhesion, and oxidative stress resistance, and we show that usp functions are both overlapping and distinct. Both UspA and UspD are required in the defense against superoxide-generating agents, and UspD appears also important in controlling intracellular levels of iron. In contrast, UspC is not involved in stress resistance or iron metabolism but is essential, like UspE, for cellular motility. Electron microscopy demonstrates that uspC and uspE mutants are devoid of flagella. In addition, the function of the uspC and uspE genes is linked to cell adhesion, measured as FimH-mediated agglutination of yeast cells. While the UspC and UspE proteins promote motility at the expense of adhesion, the UspF and UspG proteins exhibit the exact opposite effects. We suggest that the Usp proteins have evolved different physiological functions that reprogram the cell towards defense and escape during cellular stress.200516159758
8196190.9442The pentose phosphate pathway is essential for the resistance of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus PAL5 to zinc. Zinc (Zn) is an essential metal for the metabolism of bacteria, but in high concentrations, it may be toxic to cells. Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus is a Gram-negative bacterium characterized by its ability to promote plant growth. Moreover, G. diazotrophicus can survive under challenging conditions, including metal stress. However, the mechanisms that control its resistance to metals require further investigation. This work investigated the main molecular mechanisms associated with the resistance of G. diazotrophicus PAL5 to Zn. Comparative proteomic analyses aimed to identify molecular pathways, and essential proteins were validated by mutagenesis. The main molecular pathways identified by proteomics included response to oxidative stress, sugar metabolism, nutrient uptake, cell envelope metabolism, protein quality control, and the efflux pump system. Mutagenesis showed that the absence of the genes ggt (response to oxidative stress), pgl (sugar metabolism), accC (cell envelope metabolism), tbdR (nutrient uptake), clpX and degP (protein quality control), and czcC (efflux pump system) increased the sensitivity of G. diazotrophicus mutants to Zn. Our results identified essential molecular mechanisms for Zn resistance in G. diazotrophicus, highlighting the essential role of the pentose phosphate pathway.202540999116