More Like this

1. The PqsE-RhlR Interaction Regulates RhlR DNA Binding to Control Virulence Factor Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

   https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02108-21  

   Simanek, Kayla A. ; Taylor, Isabelle R. ; Richael, Erica K. ; Lasek-Nesselquist, Erica ; Bassler, Bonnie L. ; Paczkowski, Jon E. ( February 2022 , Microbiology Spectrum)

   LaRock, Christopher N. (Ed.)

   ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes disease in immunocompromised individuals and individuals with underlying pulmonary disorders. P. aeruginosa virulence is controlled by quorum sensing (QS), a bacterial cell-cell communication mechanism that underpins transitions between individual and group behaviors. In P. aeruginosa , the PqsE enzyme and the QS receptor RhlR directly interact to control the expression of genes involved in virulence. Here, we show that three surface-exposed arginine residues on PqsE comprise the site required for interaction with RhlR. We show that a noninteracting PqsE variant [PqsE(NI)] possesses catalytic activity, but is incapable of promoting virulence phenotypes, indicating that interaction with RhlR, and not catalysis, drives these PqsE-dependent behaviors. Biochemical characterization of the PqsE-RhlR interaction coupled with RNA-seq analyses demonstrates that the PqsE-RhlR complex increases the affinity of RhlR for DNA, enabling enhanced expression of genes encoding key virulence factors. These findings provide the mechanism for PqsE-dependent regulation of RhlR and identify a unique regulatory feature of P. aeruginosa QS and its connection to virulence. IMPORTANCE Bacteria use a cell-cell communication process called quorum sensing (QS) to orchestrate collective behaviors. QS relies on the group-wide detection of molecules called autoinducers (AI). QS is required for virulence in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa , which can cause fatal infections in patients with underlying pulmonary disorders. In this study, we determine the molecular basis for the physical interaction between two virulence-driving QS components, PqsE and RhlR. We find that the ability of PqsE to bind RhlR correlates with virulence factor production. Since current antimicrobial therapies exacerbate the growing antibiotic resistance problem because they target bacterial growth, we suggest that the PqsE-RhlR interface discovered here represents a new candidate for targeting with small molecule inhibition. Therapeutics that disrupt the PqsE-RhlR interaction should suppress virulence. Targeting bacterial behaviors such as QS, rather than bacterial growth, represents an attractive alternative for exploration because such therapies could potentially minimize the development of resistance. 

   more » « less
2. Cephalosporins Interfere With Quorum Sensing and Improve the Ability of Caenorhabditis elegans to Survive Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.598498  

   Kumar, Lokender ; Brenner, Nathanael ; Brice, John ; Klein-Seetharaman, Judith ; Sarkar, Susanta K. ( January 2021 , Frontiers in Microbiology)

   null (Ed.)

   Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes the quorum sensing (QS) system to strategically coordinate virulence and biofilm formation. Targeting QS pathways may be a potential anti-infective approach to treat P. aeruginosa infections. In the present study, we define cephalosporins’ anti-QS activity using Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 for screening and QS-regulated mutants of P. aeruginosa for validation. We quantified the effects of three cephalosporins, cefepime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone, on (1) pyocyanin production using spectrophotometric assay, (2) bacterial motility using agar plate assay, and (3) biofilm formation using scanning electron microscopy. We also studied isogenic QS mutant strains of PAO1 (Δ lasR ,Δ rhlR ,Δ pqsA , and Δ pqsR) to compare and distinguish QS-mediated effects on the motility phenotypes and bacterial growth with and without sub-MIC concentrations of antibiotics. Results showed that cephalosporins have anti-QS activity and reduce bacterial motility, pyocyanin production, and biofilm formation for CV026 and PAO1. Also, sub-MICs of cefepime increased aminoglycosides’ antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa PAO1, suggesting the advantage of combined anti-QS and antibacterial treatment. To correlate experimentally observed anti-QS effects with the interactions between cephalosporins and QS receptors, we performed molecular docking with ligand binding sites of quorum sensing receptors using Autodock Vina. Molecular docking predicted cephalosporins’ binding affinities to the ligand-binding pocket of QS receptors (CviR, LasR, and PqsR). To validate our results using an infection model, we quantified the survival rate of C aenorhabditis elegans following P. aeruginosa PAO1 challenge at concentrations less than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antibiotics. C. elegans infected with PAO1 without antibiotics showed 0% survivability after 72 h. In contrast, PAO1-infected C. elegans showed 65 ± 5%, 58 ± 4%, and 49 ± 8% survivability after treatment with cefepime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone, respectively. We determined the survival rates of C. elegans infected by QS mutant strains Δ lasR (32 ± 11%), Δ rhlR (27 ± 8%), Δ pqsA (27 ± 10%), and Δ pqsR (37 ± 6%), which suggest essential role of QS system in virulence. In summary, cephalosporins at sub-MIC concentrations show anti-QS activity and enhance the antibacterial efficacy of aminoglycosides, a different class of antibiotics. Thus, cephalosporins at sub-MIC concentrations in combination with other antibiotics are potential candidates for developing therapies to combat infections caused by P. aeruginosa. 

   more » « less
3. Synthetic mucus biomaterials for antimicrobial peptide delivery

   https://doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.37559  

   Yang, Sydney ; Duncan, Gregg A. ( May 2023 , Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A)

   Despite the promise of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as treatments for antibiotic‐resistant infections, their therapeutic efficacy is limited due to the rapid degradation and low bioavailability of AMPs. To address this, we have developed and characterized a synthetic mucus (SM) biomaterial capable of delivering LL37 AMPs and enhancing their therapeutic effect. LL37 is an AMP that exhibits a wide range of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, includingPseudomonas aeruginosa. LL37 loaded SM hydrogels demonstrated controlled release with 70%–95% of loaded LL37 over 8 h due to charge‐mediated interactions between mucins and LL37 AMPs. Compared to treatment with LL37 alone where antimicrobial activity was reduced after 3 h, LL37‐SM hydrogels inhibitedP. aeruginosa(PAO1) growth over 12 h. LL37‐SM hydrogel treatment reduced PAO1 viability over 6 h whereas a rebound in bacterial growth was observed when treated with LL37 only. These data demonstrate LL37‐SM hydrogels enhance antimicrobial activity by preserving LL37 AMP activity and bioavailability. Overall, this work establishes SM biomaterials as a platform for enhanced AMP delivery for antimicrobial applications.

    

   more » « less
4. Plant defensin antibacterial mode of action against Pseudomonas species

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-020-01852-1  

   Sathoff, Andrew E. ; Lewenza, Shawn ; Samac, Deborah A. ( December 2020 , BMC Microbiology)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Background Though many plant defensins exhibit antibacterial activity, little is known about their antibacterial mode of action (MOA). Antimicrobial peptides with a characterized MOA induce the expression of multiple bacterial outer membrane modifications, which are required for resistance to these membrane-targeting peptides. Mini-Tn 5-lux mutant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Tn insertions disrupting outer membrane protective modifications were assessed for sensitivity against plant defensin peptides. These transcriptional lux reporter strains were also evaluated for lux gene expression in response to sublethal plant defensin exposure. Also, a plant pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae was modified through transposon mutagenesis to create mutants that are resistant to in vitro MtDef4 treatments. Results Plant defensins displayed specific and potent antibacterial activity against strains of P. aeruginosa . A defensin from Medicago truncatula , MtDef4, induced dose-dependent gene expression of the aminoarabinose modification of LPS and surface polycation spermidine production operons. The ability for MtDef4 to damage bacterial outer membranes was also verified visually through fluorescent microscopy. Another defensin from M. truncatula , MtDef5, failed to induce lux gene expression and limited outer membrane damage was detected with fluorescent microscopy. The transposon insertion site on MtDef4 resistant P. syringae pv. syringae mutants was sequenced, and modifications of ribosomal genes were identified to contribute to enhanced resistance to plant defensin treatments. Conclusions MtDef4 damages the outer membrane similar to polymyxin B, which stimulates antimicrobial peptide resistance mechanisms to plant defensins. MtDef5, appears to have a different antibacterial MOA. Additionally, the MtDef4 antibacterial mode of action may also involve inhibition of translation. 

   more » « less
5. The ionophore oxyclozanide enhances tobramycin killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms by permeabilizing cells and depolarizing the membrane potential

   https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dky545  

   Maiden, Michael M. ; Zachos, Mitchell P. ; Waters, Christopher M. ( January 2019 , Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

   To assess the ability of oxyclozanide to enhance tobramycin killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and elucidate its mechanism of action.

   Twenty-four hour biofilms formed by the P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 and cystic fibrosis (CF) isolates were tested for susceptibility to oxyclozanide and tobramycin killing using BacTiter-Glo™ and cfu. Biofilm dispersal was measured using crystal violet staining. Membrane potential and permeabilization were quantified using DiOC2(3) and TO-PRO-3, respectively.

   Here we show that the ionophore anthelmintic oxyclozanide, combined with tobramycin, significantly increased killing of P. aeruginosa biofilms over each treatment alone. This combination also significantly accelerated the killing of cells within biofilms and stationary phase cultures and it was effective against 4/6 CF clinical isolates tested, including a tobramycin-resistant strain. Oxyclozanide enhanced the ability of additional aminoglycosides and tetracycline to kill P. aeruginosa biofilms. Finally, oxyclozanide permeabilized cells within the biofilm, reduced the membrane potential and increased tobramycin accumulation within cells of mature P. aeruginosa biofilms.

   Oxyclozanide enhances aminoglycoside and tetracycline activity against P. aeruginosa biofilms by reducing membrane potential, permeabilizing cells and enhancing tobramycin accumulation within biofilms. We propose that oxyclozanide counteracts the adaptive resistance response of P. aeruginosa to aminoglycosides, increasing both their maximum activity and rate of killing. As oxyclozanide is widely used in veterinary medicine for the treatment of parasitic worm infections, this combination could offer a new approach for the treatment of biofilm-based P. aeruginosa infections, repurposing oxyclozanide as an anti-biofilm agent.

    

   more » « less