# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6366 | 0 | 0.9849 | Fluorinated Beta-diketo Phosphorus Ylides Are Novel Efflux Pump Inhibitors in Bacteria. BACKGROUND: One of the most important resistance mechanisms in bacteria is the increased expression of multidrug efflux pumps. To combat efflux-related resistance, the development of new efflux pump inhibitors is essential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten phosphorus ylides were compared based on their MDR-reverting activity in multidrug efflux pump system consisting of the subunits acridine-resistance proteins A and B (AcrA and AcrB) and the multidrug efflux pump outer membrane factor TolC (TolC) of Escherichia coli K-12 AG100 strain and its AcrAB-TolC-deleted strain. Efflux inhibition was assessed by real-time fluorimetry and the inhibition of quorum sensing (QS) was also investigated. The relative gene expression of efflux QS genes was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The most potent derivative was Ph(3)P=C(COC(2)F(5))CHO and its effect was more pronounced on the AcrAB-TolC-expressing E. coli strain, furthermore the most active compounds, Ph(3)P=C(COCF(3))OMe, Ph(3)P=C(COC(2)F(5))CHO and Ph(3)P=C(COCF(3))COMe, reduced the expression of efflux pump and QS genes. CONCLUSION: Phosphorus ylides might be valuable EPI compounds to reverse efflux related MDR in bacteria. | 2016 | 27815466 |
| 6351 | 1 | 0.9846 | Heterogeneous expression of DnaK gene from Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris improves the resistance of Escherichia coli against heat and acid stress. Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris, an acidophilic and thermophilic bacteria, is an important microbial resource for stress resistance genes screening. In this study, DnaK gene from A. acidoterrestris was subcloned to construct the recombinant plasmid pET28a-DnaK. The successful construction of the plasmid was verified by double-enzyme digestion and sequencing analysis. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 and isopropy-β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG) was used to induce recombinant E. coli to express DnaK gene. A 70 kD fusion protein was identified by SDS-PAGE, which suggested that DnaK gene from A. acidoterrestris was successfully expressed. The recombinant and wild BL21 were treated with high temperatures of 54, 56 and 58 °C at pH values of 5.0-7.0 to compare the effects of heterogeneous expression of the DnaK gene from A. acidoterrestris on the stress resistance. The experimental results showed that survival rate of recombinant BL21-DnaK has been improved considerably under heat and acid stresses in contrast with the wild BL21, and D-values of recombinant BL21 were 14.7-72% higher than that of wild BL21, which demonstrated that heterogeneous expression of DnaK gene from A. acidoterrestris could significantly enhance the resistance of host bacteria E. coli against heat and acid stresses. | 2017 | 28194744 |
| 6017 | 2 | 0.9845 | Selection of lactic acid bacteria to promote an efficient silage fermentation capable of inhibiting the activity of Aspergillus parasiticus and Fusarium gramineraum and mycotoxin production. AIMS: To select lactic acid bacteria with potential silage inoculant properties. The bio-control activity against mycotoxicogenic fungi and the presence of antibiotics resistance gene were also evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lactobacillus rhamnosus RC007 and Lactobacillus plantarum RC009 were selected on the basis of growth rate and efficacy in reducing the pH of maize extract medium; therefore, they were evaluated for their bio-control ability against Fusarium graminearum and Aspergillus parasiticus. Studies on lag phase, growth rate and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEA) production were carried out in vitro under different regimes of aw (0·95 and 0·99); pH (4 and 6); temperature (25 and 37°C); and oxygen availability (normal and reduced). Lactobacillus rhamnosus RC007 was able to completely inhibit the F. graminearum growth at all assayed conditions, while Lact. plantarum RC009 only did it at pH 4. Both Lactobacillus strains were able to significantly reduce the A. parasiticus growth rate mainly at 0·99 aw . A decrease in ZEA production was observed as result of Lactobacillus strains -F. graminearum interaction; however, the A. parasiticus- Lact. plantarum interaction resulted in an increased AFB1 production. Lactobacillus rhamnosus RC007 proved to have no genes for resistance to the tested antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The ability of Lact. rhamnosus RC007 to rapidly drop the pH and to inhibit fungal growth and mycotoxin production and the absence of antibiotic resistance genes shows the potential of its application as inoculant and bio-control agent in animal feed. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study demonstrated the importance of selecting bacteria for silage inoculants not only for the improvement of silage fermentation but also for their effects on mycotoxicogenic fungi and the resulting mycotoxin production due to the risk that they may involve. | 2013 | 23437822 |
| 6189 | 3 | 0.9844 | Characterization of all RND-type multidrug efflux transporters in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Resistance nodulation cell division (RND)-type efflux transporters play the main role in intrinsic resistance to various antimicrobial agents in many gram-negative bacteria. Here, we estimated 12 RND-type efflux transporter genes in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Because VmeAB has already been characterized, we cloned the other 11 RND-type efflux transporter genes and characterized them in Escherichia coli KAM33 cells, a drug hypersusceptible strain. KAM33 expressing either VmeCD, VmeEF, or VmeYZ showed increased minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for several antimicrobial agents. Additional four RND-type transporters were functional as efflux pumps only when co-expressed with VpoC, an outer membrane component in V. parahaemolyticus. Furthermore, VmeCD, VmeEF, and VmeYZ co-expressed with VpoC exhibited a broader substrate specificity and conferred higher resistance than that with TolC of E. coli. Deletion mutants of these transporter genes were constructed in V. parahaemolyticus. TM32 (ΔvmeAB and ΔvmeCD) had significantly decreased MICs for many antimicrobial agents and the number of viable cells after exposure to deoxycholate were markedly reduced. Strains in which 12 operons were all disrupted had very low MICs and much lower fluid accumulation in rabbit ileal loops. These results indicate that resistance nodulation cell division-type efflux transporters contribute not only to intrinsic resistance but also to exerting the virulence of V. parahaemolyticus. | 2013 | 23894076 |
| 9053 | 4 | 0.9844 | Nordihydroguaiaretic acid reverses the antibacterial activity of colistin against MCR-1-positive bacteria in vivo/in vitro by inhibiting MCR-1 activity and injuring the bacterial cell membrane. BACKGROUND: Colistin (polymyxin E) is an effective antibiotic for the treatment of most multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, some bacteria, including bacterial spp. belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, have an acquired resistance against polymyxins, which is attributed to they possess plasmid-carried resistance genes (mcr-1 and its variants). So, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic strategies to target broad spectrum resistant spp. from Enterobacteriaceae family in response to the loss of the protective barrier of last-line antibiotics. Here, we report the adjuvant capacity of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) for restoring the antibacterial activity of colistin against MCR-1-positive E. coli ZJ487 in vivo/in vitro. METHODS: A checkerboard assay, time-killing analysis, isobolograms, growth curves and inducible resistance test showed the effect of NDGA combined with colistin in vitro. TLC was used to detect the inhibitory effect of NDGA on MCR-1. Colony determination and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining were used to assess the synergistic effect of NDGA and colistin in mice. RESULTS: Our results showed that NDGA in combination with colistin showed a synergistic bactericidal action without inducing resistance. NDGA directly inhibited MCR-1 activity and resulted in measurable injury to the bacterial cell membrane to recover the antibacterial effect of colistin. Most importantly, NDGA in combination with colistin exhibited an in vivo synergistic effect in murine peritonitis infection models, as evidenced by the survival rate of MCR-1-positive E. coli ZJ487-infected mice which increased from 6.67 to 50.0%. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that NDGA effectively rescues the efficiency of colistin against MCR-positive E. coli ZJ487 by simultaneously inhibiting both, the MCR activity and the injury to the cell membrane of bacteria. | 2022 | 35158237 |
| 8721 | 5 | 0.9843 | Chromium metabolism characteristics of coexpression of ChrA and ChrT gene. OBJECTIVE: Serratia sp. S2 is a wild strain with chromium resistance and reduction ability. Chromium(VI) metabolic-protein-coding gene ChrA and ChrT were cloned from Serratia sp. S2, and ligated with prokaryotic expression vectors pET-28a (+) and transformed into E. coli BL21 to construct ChrA, ChrT and ChrAT engineered bacteria. By studying the characteristics of Cr(VI) metabolism in engineered bacteria, the function and mechanism of the sole expression and coexpression of ChrA and ChrT genes were studied. METHODS: Using Serratia sp. S2 genome as template, ChrA and ChrT genes were amplified by PCR, and prokaryotic expression vectors was ligated to form the recombinant plasmid pET-28a (+)-ChrA, pET-28a (+)-ChrT and pET-28a (+)-ChrAT, and transformed into E. coli BL21 to construct ChrA, ChrT, ChrAT engineered bacteria. The growth curve, tolerance, and reduction of Cr(VI), the distribution of intracellular and extracellular Cr, activity of chromium reductase and intracellular oxidative stress in engineered bacteria were measured to explore the metabolic characteristics of Cr(VI) in ChrA, ChrT, ChrAT engineered bacteria. RESULTS: ChrA, ChrT and ChrAT engineered bacteria were successfully constructed by gene recombination technology. The tolerance to Cr(VI) was Serratia sp. S2 > ChrAT ≈ ChrA > ChrT > Control (P < 0.05), and the reduction ability to Cr(VI) was Serratia sp. S2 > ChrAT ≈ ChrT > ChrA (P < 0.05). The chromium distribution experiments confirmed that Cr(VI) and Cr(III) were the main valence states. Effect of electron donors on chromium reductase activity was NADPH > NADH > non-NAD(P)H (P < 0.05). The activity of chromium reductase increased significantly with NAD(P)H (P < 0.05). The Glutathione and NPSH (Non-protein Sulfhydryl) levels of ChrA, ChrAT engineered bacteria increased significantly (P < 0.05) under the condition of Cr(VI), but there was no significant difference in the indexes of ChrT engineered bacteria (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: ChrAT engineered bacteria possesses resistance and reduction abilities of Cr(VI). ChrA protein endows the strain with the ability to resist Cr(VI). ChrT protein reduces Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by using NAD(P)H as electronic donor. The reduction process promotes the production of GSH, GSSG and NPSH to maintain the intracellular reduction state, which further improves the Cr(VI) tolerance and reduction ability of ChrAT engineered bacteria. | 2020 | 32768747 |
| 6009 | 6 | 0.9838 | Efflux pump inhibitor chlorpromazine effectively increases the susceptibility of Escherichia coli to antimicrobial peptide Brevinin-2CE. Aim: The response of E. coli ATCC8739 to Brevinin-2CE (B2CE) was evaluated as a strategy to prevent the development of antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-resistant bacteria. Methods: Gene expression levels were detected by transcriptome sequencing and RT-PCR. Target genes were knocked out using CRISPR-Cas9. MIC was measured to evaluate strain resistance. Results: Expression of acrZ and sugE were increased with B2CE stimulation. ATCC8739ΔacrZ and ATCC8739ΔsugE showed twofold and fourfold increased sensitivity, respectively. The survival rate of ATCC8739 was reduced in the presence of B2CE/chlorpromazine (CPZ). Combinations of other AMPs with CPZ also showed antibacterial effects. Conclusion: The results indicate that combinations of AMPs/efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) may be a potential approach to combat resistant bacteria. | 2024 | 38683168 |
| 6158 | 7 | 0.9838 | Nitric oxide stress resistance in Porphyromonas gingivalis is mediated by a putative hydroxylamine reductase. Porphyromonas gingivalis, the causative agent of adult periodontitis, must maintain nitric oxide (NO) homeostasis and surmount nitric oxide stress from host immune responses or other oral bacteria to survive in the periodontal pocket. To determine the involvement of a putative hydroxylamine reductase (PG0893) and a putative nitrite reductase-related protein (PG2213) in P. gingivalis W83 NO stress resistance, genes encoding those proteins were inactivated by allelic exchange mutagenesis. The isogenic mutants P. gingivalis FLL455 (PG0893ermF) and FLL456 (PG2213ermF) were black pigmented and showed growth rates and gingipain and hemolytic activities similar to those of the wild-type strain. P. gingivalis FLL455 was more sensitive to NO than the wild type. Complementation of P. gingivalis FLL455 with the wild-type gene restored the level of NO sensitivity to a level similar to that of the parent strain. P. gingivalis FLL455 and FLL456 showed sensitivity to oxidative stress similar to that of the wild-type strain. DNA microarray analysis showed that PG0893 and PG2213 were upregulated 1.4- and 2-fold, respectively, in cells exposed to NO. In addition, 178 genes were upregulated and 201 genes downregulated more than 2-fold. The majority of these modulated genes were hypothetical or of unknown function. PG1181, predicted to encode a transcriptional regulator, was upregulated 76-fold. Transcriptome in silico analysis of the microarray data showed major metabolomic variations in key pathways. Collectively, these findings indicate that PG0893 and several other genes may play an important role in P. gingivalis NO stress resistance. | 2012 | 22247513 |
| 6182 | 8 | 0.9837 | An RND-type multidrug efflux pump SdeXY from Serratia marcescens. OBJECTIVES: Serratia marcescens, an important cause of nosocomial infections, shows intrinsic resistance to a wide variety of antimicrobial agents (multidrug resistance). Multidrug efflux pumps are often involved in the multidrug resistance in many bacteria. A study was undertaken to characterize the multidrug efflux pumps in S. marcescens. METHODS: The genes responsible for the multidrug resistance phenotype in S. marcescens were cloned into Escherichia coli KAM32, a drug-hypersusceptible strain, for further analysis. RESULTS: We cloned sdeXY genes and determined the nucleotide sequence. Clones that carried the sdeXY genes displayed reduced susceptibility to several antimicrobial agents including erythromycin, tetracycline, norfloxacin, benzalkonium chloride, ethidium bromide, acriflavine and rhodamine 6G. A protein similarity search using GenBank revealed that SdeY is a member of the resistance nodulation cell-division (RND) family of multidrug efflux proteins and SdeX is a member of the membrane fusion proteins. Introduction of sdeXY into E. coli cells possessing tolC, but not in cells lacking tolC, resulted in multidrug resistance. We observed energy-dependent ethidium efflux in cells of E. coli KAM32 possessing sdeXY and tolC. CONCLUSIONS: SdeXY is the first RND-type multidrug efflux pump to be characterized in multidrug-resistant S. marcescens. | 2003 | 12837741 |
| 9050 | 9 | 0.9836 | Cationic Polysaccharide Conjugates as Antibiotic Adjuvants Resensitize Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Prevent Resistance. In recent years, traditional antibiotic efficacy has rapidly diminished due to the advent of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, which poses severe threat to human life and globalized healthcare. Currently, the development cycle of new antibiotics cannot match the ongoing MDR infection crisis. Therefore, novel strategies are required to resensitize MDR bacteria to existing antibiotics. In this study, novel cationic polysaccharide conjugates Dextran-graft-poly(5-(1,2-dithiolan-3-yl)-N-(2-guanidinoethyl)pentanamide) (Dex-g-PSS(n) ) is synthesized using disulfide exchange polymerization. Critically, bacterial membranes and efflux pumps are disrupted by a sub-inhibitory concentration of Dex-g-PSS(30) , which enhances rifampicin (RIF) accumulation inside bacteria and restores its efficacy. Combined Dex-g-PSS(30) and RIF prevents bacterial resistance in bacteria cultured over 30 generations. Furthermore, Dex-g-PSS(30) restores RIF effectiveness, reduces inflammatory reactions in a pneumonia-induced mouse model, and exhibits excellent in vivo biological absorption and degradation capabilities. As an antibiotic adjuvant, Dex-g-PSS(30) provides a novel resensitizing strategy for RIF against MDR bacteria and bacterial resistance. This Dex-g-PSS(30) research provides a solid platform for future MDR applications. | 2022 | 35962720 |
| 8941 | 10 | 0.9836 | Salicylate reduces the antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin against extracellular Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, but not against Salmonella in macrophages. OBJECTIVES: Salicylate, a potent inducer of the MarA activator in Salmonella enterica, is the principal metabolite of aspirin, which is often consumed for medicinal and cosmetic uses. Our research was aimed at testing if salicylate activates the mar regulon in macrophage-associated Salmonella (intracellular bacteria), and investigating its effects on bacterial susceptibility to ciprofloxacin extracellularly and intracellularly. METHODS: J774 macrophages were infected with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium (wild-type and marA null mutant), treated with ciprofloxacin with and without pre-exposure to salicylate, and the surviving bacteria were counted. Similar experiments were conducted with bacteria in broth (extracellular bacteria). Phe-Arg-beta-naphthylamide (PAbetaN) was added to investigate the role of efflux pumps in resistance. The transcriptional regulation of marRAB, acrAB and micF in extracellular and intracellular Salmonella Typhimurium with and without salicylate and ciprofloxacin was investigated using green fluorescent protein as a marker protein and quantitative real time PCR. RESULTS: Pre-exposure of Salmonella to salicylate increased the resistance of extracellular but not intracellular bacteria to ciprofloxacin, although salicylate stimulated the expression of mar genes in intracellular and extracellular bacteria. Using marA mutants and the inhibitor PAbetaN, we showed that the improved resistance in extracellular bacteria is derived from the induction of acrAB by salicylate, which is mediated by MarA. CONCLUSIONS: In intracellular bacteria, the expression of acrAB is already higher when compared with extracellular cells; therefore, salicylate does not result in significant acrAB induction intracellularly and subsequent resistance enhancement. Results show that conclusions raised from extracellular studies cannot be applied to intracellular bacteria, although the systems have similar functions. | 2010 | 20237076 |
| 6374 | 11 | 0.9835 | Determining the effect of a new truncated CecropinA-Magenin2 (CE-MA) hybrid peptide on the expression of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis efflux genes. A significant issue in treating bacterial infections is multidrug resistance (MDR) microbes. Drug efflux pumps that reduce cellular drug accumulation are frequently linked to drug resistance. In this study, we set out to determine the effects of CE-MA truncated peptide derivatives against MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Following the assessment of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of these peptides against MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a Real-Time PCR was used to examine the expression of six drug efflux pump genes. Next, an MTT assay was performed to test the cytotoxicity of peptides against the A549 cell line. The outcomes demonstrated that CE-MA significantly upregulated gene expression of mmr, and Rv0876c (⩾ 4-fold) than untreated bacteria. Also, under CMt2 stress, significant overexpression of Rv0876c and drrA was seen. However, the results show that upregulation in CMt2-treated bacteria in comparison CE-MA treated bacteria is significantly less for genes tap (P < 0.05), mmr (P < 0.0001), and Rv0876c (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, CMt1 only upregulated the Rv0876c gene and downregulated gene expression of tap, drrA, and mmr. It was also found that all three peptides have no significant effect (P > 0.05) on changing the expression of genes drrC and pstB. Less than 10% of the A549 cell line was susceptible to the toxicity of CMt1 and CMt2 at their MICs range. Our results emphasize the significance of investigating novel peptide-based approaches to combat MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis and point to these peptides as prospective candidates for additional research. | 2025 | 40178610 |
| 5170 | 12 | 0.9835 | Synergistic effect of imp/ostA and msbA in hydrophobic drug resistance of Helicobacter pylori. BACKGROUND: Contamination of endoscopy equipment by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) frequently occurs after endoscopic examination of H. pylori-infected patients. In the hospital, manual pre-cleaning and soaking in glutaraldehyde is an important process to disinfect endoscopes. However, this might not be sufficient to remove H. pylori completely, and some glutaraldehyde-resistant bacteria might survive and be passed to the next patient undergoing endoscopic examination through unidentified mechanisms. We identified an Imp/OstA protein associated with glutaraldehyde resistance in a clinical strain, NTUH-C1, from our previous study. To better understand and manage the problem of glutaraldehyde resistance, we further investigated its mechanism. RESULTS: The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of glutaraldehyde andexpression of imp/ostA RNA in 11 clinical isolates from the National Taiwan University Hospital were determined. After glutaraldehyde treatment, RNA expression in the strains with the MICs of 4-10 microg/ml was higher than that in strains with the MICs of 1-3 microg/ml. We examined the full-genome expression of strain NTUH-S1 after glutaraldehyde treatment using a microarray and found that 40 genes were upregulated and 31 genes were downregulated. Among the upregulated genes, imp/ostA and msbA, two putative lipopolysaccharide biogenesis genes, were selected for further characterization. The sensitivity to glutaraldehyde or hydrophobic drugs increased in both of imp/ostA and msbA single mutants. The imp/ostA and msbA double mutant was also hypersensitive to these chemicals. The lipopolysaccharide contents decreased in individual imp/ostA and msbA mutants and dramatically reduced in the imp/ostA and msbA double mutant. Outer membrane permeability assay demonstrated that the imp/ostA and msbA double mutation resulted in the increase of outer membrane permeability. Ethidium bromide accumulation assay demonstrated that MsbA was involved in efflux of hydrophobic drugs. CONCLUSION: The expression levels of imp/ostA and msbA were correlated with glutaraldehyde resistance in clinical isolates after glutaraldehyde treatment. Imp/OstA and MsbA play a synergistic role in hydrophobic drugs resistance and lipopolysaccharide biogenesis in H. pylori. | 2009 | 19594901 |
| 9019 | 13 | 0.9835 | Deleting qseC downregulates virulence and promotes cross-protection in Pasteurella multocida. QseC, a histidine sensor kinase of the QseBC two-component system, acts as a global regulator of bacterial stress resistance, biofilm formation, and virulence. The function of QseC in some bacteria is well understood, but not in Pasteurella multocida. We found that deleting qseC in P. multocida serotype A:L3 significantly down-regulated bacterial virulence. The mutant had significantly reduced capsule production but increased resistance to oxidative stress and osmotic pressure. Deleting qseC led to a significant increase in qseB expression. Transcriptome sequencing analysis showed that 1245 genes were regulated by qseC, primarily those genes involved in capsule and LPS biosynthesis and export, biofilm formation, and iron uptake/utilization, as well as several immuno-protection related genes including ompA, ptfA, plpB, vacJ, and sodA. In addition to presenting strong immune protection against P. multocida serotypes A:L1 and A:L3 infection, live ΔqseC also exhibited protection against P. multocida serotype B:L2 and serotype F:L3 infection in a mouse model. The results indicate that QseC regulates capsular production and virulence in P. multocida. Furthermore, the qseC mutant can be used as an attenuated vaccine against P. multocida strains of multiple serotypes. | 2021 | 34801081 |
| 8737 | 14 | 0.9835 | Role of Biosynthetic Gene Cluster BGC3 in the Cariogenic Virulence of Streptococcus mutans. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of the biosynthetic gene cluster BGC3 of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) in the process of dental caries. METHODS: BGC3 and ∆BGC3 S. mutans strains were constructed and their growth curves were evaluated. Acid production capacity was assessed by evaluating pH reduction levels over identical culture periods. The survival of bacteria in phosphate citrate buffer solution (pH 3.0) was quantified. The expression levels of virulence genes (atpF, gtfC, gtfD, spaP, vicR and ftf) were analysed using the qPCR. Co-culture experiments were conducted to evaluate bacterial adaptability. Bacterial viability was determined by microscopical examination of live/dead staining. RESULTS: Deletion of BGC3 did not significantly impact S. mutans growth or acid production in biofilms. The ∆BGC3 strain exhibited enhanced acid resistance and higher expression levels of virulence genes compared to the wild type. In addition, ∆BGC3 exhibited superior bacterial viability in the co-culture system. CONCLUSION: BGC3 affected the acid resistance and expression of caries-related genes in S. mutans. The BGC3 knockout strain exhibited a more robust survival capability than the wild-type strain. | 2025 | 40162656 |
| 8802 | 15 | 0.9835 | The Transcription Factor CsgD Contributes to Engineered Escherichia coli Resistance by Regulating Biofilm Formation and Stress Responses. The high cell density, immobilization and stability of biofilms are ideal characteristics for bacteria in resisting antibiotic therapy. CsgD is a transcription activating factor that regulates the synthesis of curly fimbriae and cellulose in Escherichia coli, thereby enhancing bacterial adhesion and promoting biofilm formation. To investigate the role of CsgD in biofilm formation and stress resistance in bacteria, the csgD deletion mutant ΔcsgD was successfully constructed from the engineered strain E. coli BL21(DE3) using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system. The results demonstrated that the biofilm of ΔcsgD decreased by 70.07% (p < 0.05). Additionally, the mobility and adhesion of ΔcsgD were inhibited due to the decrease in curly fimbriae and extracellular polymeric substances. Furthermore, ΔcsgD exhibited a significantly decreased resistance to acid, alkali and osmotic stress conditions (p < 0.05). RNA-Seq results revealed 491 differentially expressed genes between the parent strain and ΔcsgD, with enrichment primarily observed in metabolism-related processes as well as cell membrane structure and catalytic activity categories. Moreover, CsgD influenced the expression of biofilm and stress response genes pgaA, motB, fimA, fimC, iraP, ompA, osmC, sufE and elaB, indicating that the CsgD participated in the resistance of E. coli by regulating the expression of biofilm and stress response. In brief, the transcription factor CsgD plays a key role in the stress resistance of E. coli, and is a potential target for treating and controlling biofilm. | 2023 | 37761984 |
| 6375 | 16 | 0.9835 | Role of ppGpp-regulated efflux genes in Acinetobacter baumannii. OBJECTIVES: Treatment of infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii nosocomial strains has become increasingly problematic owing to their resistance to antibiotics. ppGpp is a secondary messenger involved in growth control and various stress responses in bacteria. The mechanism for inhibition of antibiotic resistance via ppGpp is still unidentified in various pathogenic bacteria including A. baumannii. Here, we investigated the effects of ppGpp on efflux pump (EP)-related genes in A. baumannii. METHODS: ppGpp-deficient and -complementary strains were constructed by conjugation and we confirmed (p)ppGpp measurements by thin-layer chromatography. We observed that the ppGpp-deficient strain (ΔA1S_0579) showed abnormal stretching patterns by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The MICs of antimicrobial agents for the WT A. baumannii (ATCC 17978), ppGpp-deficient and complementary strains were determined by the Etest and broth dilution assay methods. The expression levels of EP-related genes were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: We observed morphological differences between a ppGpp-deficient strain (ΔA1S_0579) and the WT strain. Dramatic reductions of MICs in the ppGpp-deficient strain compared with the WT were observed for gentamicin (2.6-fold), tetracycline (3.9-fold), erythromycin (4-fold) and trimethoprim (>4-fold). Expression of the EP-related genes abeB (2.8-fold), tet(A) (2.3-fold), adeB (10.0-fold), adeI (9.9-fold), adeJ (11.8-fold) and adeK (14.4-fold) was also decreased in the ppGpp-deficient strain. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that ppGpp regulates EP-related gene expression in A. baumannii, affecting antibiotic susceptibility. To date, treatment for MDR A. baumannii has had no new antimicrobial agents, so the A1S_0579 gene could be a novel therapeutic target for rational drug design by affecting ppGpp production. | 2020 | 32049284 |
| 8805 | 17 | 0.9835 | Transcriptional response of selected genes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium biofilm cells during inactivation by superheated steam. Superheated steam (SHS), produced by the addition of heat to saturated steam (SS) at the same pressure, has great advantages over conventional heat sterilization due to its high temperature and accelerated drying rate. We previously demonstrated that treatment with SHS at 200°C for 10 sec inactivated Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes biofilm cells on the surface of stainless steel to below the detection limit. However, bacteria withstanding heat stress become more resistant to other stress conditions, and may be more virulent when consumed by a host. Herein, we studied the transcriptional regulation of genes important for stress resistance and virulence in Salmonella biofilms after SHS treatments. Genes encoding heat shock proteins and general stress resistance proteins showed transcriptional surges after 1 sec of SHS treatment at 200°C, with parallel induction of stress-related regulator genes including rpoE, rpoS, and rpoH. Interestingly, Salmonella biofilm cells exposed to SHS showed decreased transcription of flagella and Salmonella pathogenicity island-1 (SPI-1) genes required for motility and invasion of host cells, respectively, whereas increased transcription of SPI-2 genes, important for bacterial survival and replication inside host cells, was detected. When the transcriptional response was compared between cells treated with SHS (200°C) and SS (100°C), SHS caused immediate changes in gene expression by shorter treatments. Understanding the status of Salmonella virulence and stress resistance induced by SHS treatments is important for wider application of SHS in controlling Salmonella biofilm formation during food production. | 2015 | 25440555 |
| 9033 | 18 | 0.9835 | Stress Resistance Development and Genome-Wide Transcriptional Response of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Adapted to Sublethal Thymol, Carvacrol, and trans-Cinnamaldehyde. Thymol, carvacrol, and trans-cinnamaldehyde are essential oil (EO) compounds with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities against foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli O157:H7. However, little is known regarding direct resistance and cross-resistance development in E. coli O157:H7 after adaptation to sublethal levels of these compounds, and information is scarce on microbial adaptive responses at a molecular level. The present study demonstrated that E. coli O157:H7 was able to grow in the presence of sublethal thymol (1/2T), carvacrol (1/2C), or trans-cinnamaldehyde (1/2TC), displaying an extended lag phase duration and a lower maximum growth rate. EO-adapted cells developed direct resistance against lethal EO treatments and cross-resistance against heat (58°C) and oxidative (50 mM H(2)O(2)) stresses. However, no induction of acid resistance (simulated gastric fluid, pH 1.5) was observed. RNA sequencing revealed a large number (310 to 338) of differentially expressed (adjusted P value [P(adj) ], <0.05; fold change, ≥5) genes in 1/2T and 1/2C cells, while 1/2TC cells only showed 27 genes with altered expression. In accordance with resistance phenotypes, the genes related to membrane, heat, and oxidative stress responses and genes related to iron uptake and metabolism were upregulated. Conversely, virulence genes associated with motility, biofilm formation, and efflux pumps were repressed. This study demonstrated the development of direct resistance and cross-resistance and characterized whole-genome transcriptional responses in E. coli O157:H7 adapted to sublethal thymol, carvacrol, or trans-cinnamaldehyde. The data suggested that caution should be exercised when using EO compounds as food antimicrobials, due to the potential stress resistance development in E. coli O157:H7.IMPORTANCE The present study was designed to understand transcriptomic changes and the potential development of direct and cross-resistance in essential oil (EO)-adapted Escherichia coli O157:H7. The results demonstrated altered growth behaviors of E. coli O157:H7 during adaptation in sublethal thymol, carvacrol, and trans-cinnamaldehyde. Generally, EO-adapted bacteria showed enhanced resistance against subsequent lethal EO, heat, and oxidative stresses, with no induction of acid resistance in simulated gastric fluid. A transcriptomic analysis revealed the upregulation of related stress resistance genes and a downregulation of various virulence genes in EO-adapted cells. This study provides new insights into microbial EO adaptation behaviors and highlights the risk of resistance development in adapted bacteria. | 2018 | 30217837 |
| 5173 | 19 | 0.9835 | Screening of genes involved in phage-resistance of Escherichia coli and effects of substances interacting with primosomal protein A on the resistant bacteria. AIMS: The study was to identify the genes involved in phage resistance and to develop an effective biocontrol method to improve the lytic activity of phages against foodborne pathogens. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 3,909 single gene-deletion mutants of Escherichia coli BW25113 from the Keio collection were individually screened for genes involved in phage resistance. Phage S127BCL3 isolated from chicken liver, infecting both E. coli BW25113 and O157: H7, was characterized and used for screening. The 10 gene-deletion mutants showed increased susceptibility to phage S127BCL3. Among them, priA gene-deletion mutant strain showed significant susceptibility to the phages S127BCL3 and T7. Furthermore, we investigated the substances that have been reported to inhibit the function of primosomal protein A (PriA) and were used to confirm increased phage susceptibility in E. coli BW25113 (Parent strain) and O157: H7. CONCLUSION: PriA inhibitors at a low concentration showed combined effects with phage against E. coli O157: H7 and delayed the regrowth rate of phage-resistant cells. | 2024 | 38142224 |