Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-07-25DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00641-24
Ulrik Fahnøe, Lone Wulff Madsen, Peer Brehm Christensen, Christina Søhoel Sølund, Sarah Mollerup, Mette Pinholt, Nina Weis, Anne Øvrehus, Jens Bukh
Coinfections with human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) are common in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. However, little is known about whether HPgV-1 is affected by direct-acting antivirals during HCV treatment. Metagenomic analysis and reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were performed on RNA from the plasma of 88 selected chronic HCV patients undergoing medical treatment. Twenty (23%) of these HCV patients had HPgV-1 coinfections and were followed by RT-qPCR during treatment and follow-up to investigate HPgV-1 RNA titers. Recovered sequences could be assembled to complete HPgV-1 genomes, and most formed a genotype 2 subclade. All HPgV-1 viral genomic regions were under negative purifying selection. Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment in five patients did not consistently lower the genome titers of HPgV-1. In contrast, a one log10 drop of HPgV-1 titers at week 2 was observed in 10 patients during treatment with sofosbuvir-containing regimens, sustained to the end of treatment (EOT) and in two cases decreasing to below the detection limit of the assay. For the five patients treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with the inclusion of pegylated interferon, titers decreased to below the detection limit at week 2 and remained undetectable to EOT. Subsequently, the HPgV-1 titer rebounded to pretreatment levels for all patients. In conclusion, we found that HCV treatment regimens that included the polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir resulted in decreases in HPgV-1 titers, and the addition of pegylated interferon increased the effect on patients with coinfections. This points to the high specificity of protease and NS5A inhibitors toward HCV and the more broad-spectrum activity of sofosbuvir and especially pegylated interferon.
Importance: Human pegivirus 1 coinfections are common in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, persisting for years. However, little is known about how pegivirus coinfections are affected by treatment with pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against HCV. We identified human pegivirus by metagenomic analysis of chronic HCV patients undergoing protease, NS5A, and polymerase inhibitor treatment, in some patients with the addition of pegylated interferon, and followed viral kinetics of both viruses to investigate treatment effects. Only during HCV DAA treatment regimens that included the more broad-spectrum drug sofosbuvir could we detect a consistent decline in pegivirus titers that, however, rebounded to pretreatment levels after treatment cessation. The addition of pegylated interferon gave the highest effect with pegivirus titers decreasing to below the assay detection limit, but without clearance. These results reveal the limited effect of frontline HCV drugs on the closest related human virus, but sofosbuvir appeared to have the potential to be repurposed for other viral diseases.
{"title":"Effect of direct-acting antivirals on the titers of human pegivirus 1 during treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients.","authors":"Ulrik Fahnøe, Lone Wulff Madsen, Peer Brehm Christensen, Christina Søhoel Sølund, Sarah Mollerup, Mette Pinholt, Nina Weis, Anne Øvrehus, Jens Bukh","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00641-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.00641-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coinfections with human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) are common in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. However, little is known about whether HPgV-1 is affected by direct-acting antivirals during HCV treatment. Metagenomic analysis and reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were performed on RNA from the plasma of 88 selected chronic HCV patients undergoing medical treatment. Twenty (23%) of these HCV patients had HPgV-1 coinfections and were followed by RT-qPCR during treatment and follow-up to investigate HPgV-1 RNA titers. Recovered sequences could be assembled to complete HPgV-1 genomes, and most formed a genotype 2 subclade. All HPgV-1 viral genomic regions were under negative purifying selection. Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment in five patients did not consistently lower the genome titers of HPgV-1. In contrast, a one log<sub>10</sub> drop of HPgV-1 titers at week 2 was observed in 10 patients during treatment with sofosbuvir-containing regimens, sustained to the end of treatment (EOT) and in two cases decreasing to below the detection limit of the assay. For the five patients treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with the inclusion of pegylated interferon, titers decreased to below the detection limit at week 2 and remained undetectable to EOT. Subsequently, the HPgV-1 titer rebounded to pretreatment levels for all patients. In conclusion, we found that HCV treatment regimens that included the polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir resulted in decreases in HPgV-1 titers, and the addition of pegylated interferon increased the effect on patients with coinfections. This points to the high specificity of protease and NS5A inhibitors toward HCV and the more broad-spectrum activity of sofosbuvir and especially pegylated interferon.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Human pegivirus 1 coinfections are common in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, persisting for years. However, little is known about how pegivirus coinfections are affected by treatment with pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) against HCV. We identified human pegivirus by metagenomic analysis of chronic HCV patients undergoing protease, NS5A, and polymerase inhibitor treatment, in some patients with the addition of pegylated interferon, and followed viral kinetics of both viruses to investigate treatment effects. Only during HCV DAA treatment regimens that included the more broad-spectrum drug sofosbuvir could we detect a consistent decline in pegivirus titers that, however, rebounded to pretreatment levels after treatment cessation. The addition of pegylated interferon gave the highest effect with pegivirus titers decreasing to below the assay detection limit, but without clearance. These results reveal the limited effect of frontline HCV drugs on the closest related human virus, but sofosbuvir appeared to have the potential to be repurposed for other viral diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370240/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141759749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-07-25DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00537-24
Swaine L Chen, Suma Tiruvayipati, Wen Ying Tang, Timothy M S Barkham
The tkt (transketolase) gene is one of the seven gene fragments used in the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) system for Streptococcus agalactiae. We discovered that the tkt_134 allele is derived from a homologous gene (which we designate tktX) that is not present in all S. agalactiae; all known strains that contain a match to the tkt_134 allele also contain a gene sequence that is much closer in sequence identity to the other non-tkt_134 alleles (i.e., the canonical tkt gene) in the database. Based on these data, the tkt_134 allele has been removed from the MLST database as of September 2021, and all sequence types containing tkt_134 have also been removed.IMPORTANCEMultilocus sequence typing (MLST) databases are a common good and remain important for research, medical, and epidemiological purposes. This remains true even in the context of widespread whole-genome sequencing. We discovered a contaminating allele of the tkt gene in the S. agalactiae MLST database that led to unstable, ambiguous, or erroneous MLST assignment. The allele has since been removed from the public database based on the results presented in this manuscript.
{"title":"Multilocus sequence typing database for <i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i> contains a spurious allele of the transketolase gene.","authors":"Swaine L Chen, Suma Tiruvayipati, Wen Ying Tang, Timothy M S Barkham","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00537-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.00537-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The <i>tkt</i> (transketolase) gene is one of the seven gene fragments used in the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) system for <i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i>. We discovered that the tkt_134 allele is derived from a homologous gene (which we designate <i>tktX</i>) that is not present in all <i>S. agalactiae</i>; all known strains that contain a match to the tkt_134 allele also contain a gene sequence that is much closer in sequence identity to the other non-tkt_134 alleles (i.e., the canonical tkt gene) in the database. Based on these data, the tkt_134 allele has been removed from the MLST database as of September 2021, and all sequence types containing tkt_134 have also been removed.IMPORTANCEMultilocus sequence typing (MLST) databases are a common good and remain important for research, medical, and epidemiological purposes. This remains true even in the context of widespread whole-genome sequencing. We discovered a contaminating allele of the <i>tkt</i> gene in the <i>S. agalactiae</i> MLST database that led to unstable, ambiguous, or erroneous MLST assignment. The allele has since been removed from the public database based on the results presented in this manuscript.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141759750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-07-23DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03946-23
K Michael Martini, Satya Spandana Boddu, Ilya Nemenman, Nic M Vega
Measuring the abundance of microbes in a sample is a common procedure with a long history, but best practices are not well-conserved across microbiological fields. Serial dilution methods are commonly used to dilute bacterial cultures to produce countable numbers of colonies, and from these counts, to infer bacterial concentrations measured in colony-forming units (CFUs). The most common methods to generate data for CFU point estimates involve plating bacteria on (or in) a solid growth medium and counting their resulting colonies or counting the number of tubes at a given dilution that have growth. Traditionally, these types of data have been analyzed separately using different analytic methods. Here, we build a direct correspondence between these approaches, which allows one to extend the use of the most probable number method from the liquid tubes experiments, for which it was developed, to the growth plates by viewing colony-sized patches of a plate as equivalent to individual tubes. We also discuss how to combine measurements taken at different dilutions, and we review several ways of analyzing colony counts, including the Poisson and truncated Poisson methods. We test all point estimate methods computationally using simulated data. For all methods, we discuss their relevant error bounds, assumptions, strengths, and weaknesses. We provide an online calculator for these estimators.Estimation of the number of microbes in a sample is an important problem with a long history. Yet common practices, such as combining results from different measurements, remain sub-optimal. We provide a comparison of methods for estimating abundance of microbes and detail a mapping between different methods, which allows to extend their range of applicability. This mapping enables higher precision estimates of colony-forming units (CFUs) using the same data already collected for traditional CFU estimation methods. Furthermore, we provide recommendations for how to combine measurements of colony counts taken across dilutions, correcting several misconceptions in the literature.
{"title":"Maximum likelihood estimators for colony-forming units.","authors":"K Michael Martini, Satya Spandana Boddu, Ilya Nemenman, Nic M Vega","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.03946-23","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.03946-23","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Measuring the abundance of microbes in a sample is a common procedure with a long history, but best practices are not well-conserved across microbiological fields. Serial dilution methods are commonly used to dilute bacterial cultures to produce countable numbers of colonies, and from these counts, to infer bacterial concentrations measured in colony-forming units (CFUs). The most common methods to generate data for CFU point estimates involve plating bacteria on (or in) a solid growth medium and counting their resulting colonies or counting the number of tubes at a given dilution that have growth. Traditionally, these types of data have been analyzed separately using different analytic methods. Here, we build a direct correspondence between these approaches, which allows one to extend the use of the most probable number method from the liquid tubes experiments, for which it was developed, to the growth plates by viewing colony-sized patches of a plate as equivalent to individual tubes. We also discuss how to combine measurements taken at different dilutions, and we review several ways of analyzing colony counts, including the Poisson and truncated Poisson methods. We test all point estimate methods computationally using simulated data. For all methods, we discuss their relevant error bounds, assumptions, strengths, and weaknesses. We provide an online calculator for these estimators.Estimation of the number of microbes in a sample is an important problem with a long history. Yet common practices, such as combining results from different measurements, remain sub-optimal. We provide a comparison of methods for estimating abundance of microbes and detail a mapping between different methods, which allows to extend their range of applicability. This mapping enables higher precision estimates of colony-forming units (CFUs) using the same data already collected for traditional CFU estimation methods. Furthermore, we provide recommendations for how to combine measurements of colony counts taken across dilutions, correcting several misconceptions in the literature.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11371269/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141748594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-07-24DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01010-24
Na Cui, Yael L Perez, Adam J Hume, B Ethan Nunley, Kevin Kong, Margaret G Mills, Hong Xie, Alexander L Greninger
Filoviruses are some of the most lethal viruses in the modern world, and increasing numbers of filovirus species and genera have been discovered in recent years. Despite the potential severity of filovirus outbreaks in the human population, comparably few sensitive pan-filovirus RT-PCR assays have been described that might facilitate early detection and prevention. Here, we present a new pan-filovirus RT-PCR assay targeting the L polymerase gene for detection of all known mammalian filoviruses. We demonstrate the detection of 10 synthetic filovirus RNA templates with analytical sensitivity ranging from 178 to 3,354 copies/mL, without cross-reactivity on 10 non-filoviral human viral species. We verified assay performance on 10 inactivated filovirus isolates, yielding initial sensitivities of 0.012-44.17 TCID50/mL. We coupled this broadly reactive RT-PCR with a deep sequencing workflow that is amenable to high-throughput pooling to maximize detection and discovery potential. In summary, this pan-filovirus RT-PCR assay targets the most conserved filovirus gene, offers the widest breadth of coverage to date, and may help in the detection and discovery of novel filoviruses.IMPORTANCEFiloviruses remain some of the most mysterious viruses known to the world, with extremely high lethality rates and significant pandemic potential. Yet comparably few filovirus species and genera have been discovered to date and questions surround the definitive host species for zoonotic infections. Here, we describe a novel broadly reactive RT-PCR assay targeting the conserved L polymerase gene for high-throughput screening for filoviruses in a variety of clinical and environmental specimens. We demonstrate the assay can detect all known mammalian filoviruses and determine the sensitivity and specificity of the assay on synthetic RNA sequences, inactivated filovirus isolates, and non-filoviral species.
{"title":"A high-throughput, polymerase-targeted RT-PCR for broad detection of mammalian filoviruses.","authors":"Na Cui, Yael L Perez, Adam J Hume, B Ethan Nunley, Kevin Kong, Margaret G Mills, Hong Xie, Alexander L Greninger","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01010-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.01010-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Filoviruses are some of the most lethal viruses in the modern world, and increasing numbers of filovirus species and genera have been discovered in recent years. Despite the potential severity of filovirus outbreaks in the human population, comparably few sensitive pan-filovirus RT-PCR assays have been described that might facilitate early detection and prevention. Here, we present a new pan-filovirus RT-PCR assay targeting the L polymerase gene for detection of all known mammalian filoviruses. We demonstrate the detection of 10 synthetic filovirus RNA templates with analytical sensitivity ranging from 178 to 3,354 copies/mL, without cross-reactivity on 10 non-filoviral human viral species. We verified assay performance on 10 inactivated filovirus isolates, yielding initial sensitivities of 0.012-44.17 TCID<sub>50</sub>/mL. We coupled this broadly reactive RT-PCR with a deep sequencing workflow that is amenable to high-throughput pooling to maximize detection and discovery potential. In summary, this pan-filovirus RT-PCR assay targets the most conserved filovirus gene, offers the widest breadth of coverage to date, and may help in the detection and discovery of novel filoviruses.IMPORTANCEFiloviruses remain some of the most mysterious viruses known to the world, with extremely high lethality rates and significant pandemic potential. Yet comparably few filovirus species and genera have been discovered to date and questions surround the definitive host species for zoonotic infections. Here, we describe a novel broadly reactive RT-PCR assay targeting the conserved L polymerase gene for high-throughput screening for filoviruses in a variety of clinical and environmental specimens. We demonstrate the assay can detect all known mammalian filoviruses and determine the sensitivity and specificity of the assay on synthetic RNA sequences, inactivated filovirus isolates, and non-filoviral species.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370238/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141752048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-08-05DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00501-24
Wei Wang, Jiahui Weng, Jie Wei, Qinghuan Zhang, Yu Zhou, Yanju He, Limei Zhang, Wenting Li, Yi Zhang, Zhiren Zhang, Xiaobin Li
Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) poses a significant threat to hospitalized patients as effective therapeutic options are scarce. Based on the genomic characteristics of the CRAB strain AB2877 harboring chromosome-borne blaOXA-23, which was isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of a patient in a respiratory intensive care unit (RICU), we systematically analyzed antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the genetic context associated with ARGs carried by CRAB strains harboring chromosome-borne blaOXA-23 worldwide. Besides blaOXA-23, other ARGs were detected on the chromosome of the CRAB strain AB2877 belonging to ST208/1806 (Oxford MLST scheme). Several key genetic contexts associated with the ARGs were identified on the chromosome of the CRAB strain AB2877, including (1) the MDR region associated with blaOXA-23, tet(B)-tetR(B), aph(3'')-Ib, and aph(6)-Id (2); the resistance island AbGRI3 harboring armA and mph(E)-msr(E) (3); the Tn3-like composite transposon containing blaTEM-1D and aph(3')-Ia; and (4) the structure "ISAba1-blaADC-25." The first two genetic contexts were most common in ST195/1816, followed by ST208/1806. The last two genetic contexts were found most frequently in ST208/1806, followed by ST195/1816.IMPORTANCEThe blaOXA-23 gene can be carried by plasmid or chromosome, facilitating horizontal genetic transfer and increasing carbapenem resistance in healthcare settings. In this study, we focused on the genomic characteristics of CRAB strains harboring the chromosome-borne blaOXA-23 gene, and the important genetic contexts associated with blaOXA-23 and other ARGs were identified, and their prevalent clones worldwide were determined. Notably, although the predominant clonal CRAB lineages worldwide containing the MDR region associated with blaOXA-23, tet(B)-tetR(B), aph(3'')-Ib, and aph (6)-Id was ST195/1816, followed by ST208/1806, the CRAB strain AB2877 in our study belonged to ST208/1806. Our findings contribute to the knowledge regarding the dissemination of CRAB strains and the control of nosocomial infection.
{"title":"Whole genome sequencing insight into carbapenem-resistant and multidrug-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> harboring chromosome-borne <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub>.","authors":"Wei Wang, Jiahui Weng, Jie Wei, Qinghuan Zhang, Yu Zhou, Yanju He, Limei Zhang, Wenting Li, Yi Zhang, Zhiren Zhang, Xiaobin Li","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00501-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.00501-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carbapenem-resistant <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> (CRAB) poses a significant threat to hospitalized patients as effective therapeutic options are scarce. Based on the genomic characteristics of the CRAB strain AB2877 harboring chromosome-borne <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub>, which was isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of a patient in a respiratory intensive care unit (RICU), we systematically analyzed antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the genetic context associated with ARGs carried by CRAB strains harboring chromosome-borne <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub> worldwide. Besides <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub>, other ARGs were detected on the chromosome of the CRAB strain AB2877 belonging to ST208/1806 (Oxford MLST scheme). Several key genetic contexts associated with the ARGs were identified on the chromosome of the CRAB strain AB2877, including (1) the MDR region associated with <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub>, <i>tet(B)-tetR(B</i>), <i>aph(3'')-Ib,</i> and <i>aph(6)-Id</i> (2); the resistance island AbGRI3 harboring <i>armA</i> and <i>mph(E)-msr(E</i>) (3); the Tn<i>3</i>-like composite transposon containing <i>bla</i><sub>TEM-1D</sub> and <i>aph(3')-Ia</i>; and (4) the structure \"IS<i>Aba1-bla</i><sub>ADC-25</sub>.\" The first two genetic contexts were most common in ST195/1816, followed by ST208/1806. The last two genetic contexts were found most frequently in ST208/1806, followed by ST195/1816.IMPORTANCEThe <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub> gene can be carried by plasmid or chromosome, facilitating horizontal genetic transfer and increasing carbapenem resistance in healthcare settings. In this study, we focused on the genomic characteristics of CRAB strains harboring the chromosome-borne <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub> gene, and the important genetic contexts associated with <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub> and other ARGs were identified, and their prevalent clones worldwide were determined. Notably, although the predominant clonal CRAB lineages worldwide containing the MDR region associated with <i>bla</i><sub>OXA-23</sub>, <i>tet(B)-tetR(B</i>), <i>aph(3'')-Ib,</i> and <i>aph (6)-Id</i> was ST195/1816, followed by ST208/1806, the CRAB strain AB2877 in our study belonged to ST208/1806. Our findings contribute to the knowledge regarding the dissemination of CRAB strains and the control of nosocomial infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370241/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141889694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-08-08DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00375-24
Damien Slater, Kian Hutt Vater, Sushmita Sridhar, Wontae Hwang, Derek Bielawski, Sarah E Turbett, Regina C LaRocque, Jason B Harris
Klebsiella pneumoniae has emerged as a global health threat due to its role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance and because it is a frequent cause of hospital-acquired infections and neonatal sepsis. Capsular and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen polysaccharide surface antigens are major immunogens that are useful for strain classification and are candidates for vaccine development. We have developed real-time PCR reagents for molecular serotyping, subtyping, and quantitation of the most prevalent LPS O-antigen types (i.e., O1, O2, O3, and O5) of Klebsiella pneumoniae. We describe two applications for this O-typing assay: for screening culture isolates and for direct typing of Klebsiella pneumoniae present in stool samples. We find 100% concordance between the results of the O-typing assay and whole-genome sequencing of 81 culture isolates, and >90% agreement in O-typing performed directly on specimens of human stool, with disagreement arising primarily from a lack of sensitivity of the culture-based comparator method. Additionally, we find evidence for mixed O-type populations at varying levels of abundance in direct tests of stool from a hospitalized patient population. Taken together, these results demonstrate that this novel O-typing assay can be a useful tool for K. pneumoniae epidemiologic and vaccine studies.IMPORTANCEKlebsiella pneumoniae is an important opportunistic pathogen. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the primary reservoir of K. pneumoniae in humans, and GI carriage is believed to be a prerequisite for invasive infection. Knowledge about the dynamics and duration of GI carriage has been hampered by the lack of tools suitable for detection and strain discrimination. Real-time PCR is particularly suited to the higher-throughput workflows used in population-based studies, which are needed to improve our understanding of carriage dynamics and the factors influencing K. pneumoniae colonization.
由于肺炎克雷伯菌在抗菌药耐药性传播中的作用,以及它是医院获得性感染和新生儿败血症的常见病因,肺炎克雷伯菌已成为全球健康的威胁。球囊和脂多糖(LPS)O 抗原多糖表面抗原是主要的免疫原,可用于菌株分类,也是候选的疫苗开发对象。我们开发了实时 PCR 试剂,用于对肺炎克雷伯菌最常见的 LPS O 抗原类型(即 O1、O2、O3 和 O5)进行分子血清分型、亚型和定量。我们介绍了这种 O 型分析法的两种应用:筛选培养分离物和直接对粪便样本中的肺炎克雷伯菌进行分型。我们发现,对 81 个培养分离物进行 O 型鉴定和全基因组测序的结果一致性达到 100%,而直接对人类粪便标本进行 O 型鉴定的一致性超过 90%,分歧主要来自于基于培养的比较方法缺乏灵敏度。此外,我们还发现,在对住院病人的粪便进行直接检测时,有证据表明存在不同丰度的混合 O 型群体。总之,这些结果表明,这种新型 O 型检测法可作为肺炎克雷伯菌流行病学和疫苗研究的有用工具。 重要意义 肺炎克雷伯菌是一种重要的机会性病原体。胃肠道(GI)是肺炎克雷伯菌在人类中的主要贮藏地,胃肠道带菌被认为是侵入性感染的先决条件。由于缺乏适用于检测和菌株鉴别的工具,人们对胃肠道带菌的动态和持续时间的了解受到了阻碍。实时 PCR 特别适用于基于人群的研究中使用的高通量工作流程,而这正是我们更好地了解带菌动态和影响肺炎克雷伯菌定植的因素所需要的。
{"title":"Multiplexed real-time PCR for the detection and differentiation of <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> O-antigen serotypes.","authors":"Damien Slater, Kian Hutt Vater, Sushmita Sridhar, Wontae Hwang, Derek Bielawski, Sarah E Turbett, Regina C LaRocque, Jason B Harris","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00375-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.00375-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> has emerged as a global health threat due to its role in the spread of antimicrobial resistance and because it is a frequent cause of hospital-acquired infections and neonatal sepsis. Capsular and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen polysaccharide surface antigens are major immunogens that are useful for strain classification and are candidates for vaccine development. We have developed real-time PCR reagents for molecular serotyping, subtyping, and quantitation of the most prevalent LPS O-antigen types (i.e., O1, O2, O3, and O5) of <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>. We describe two applications for this O-typing assay: for screening culture isolates and for direct typing of <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> present in stool samples. We find 100% concordance between the results of the O-typing assay and whole-genome sequencing of 81 culture isolates, and >90% agreement in O-typing performed directly on specimens of human stool, with disagreement arising primarily from a lack of sensitivity of the culture-based comparator method. Additionally, we find evidence for mixed O-type populations at varying levels of abundance in direct tests of stool from a hospitalized patient population. Taken together, these results demonstrate that this novel O-typing assay can be a useful tool for <i>K. pneumoniae</i> epidemiologic and vaccine studies.IMPORTANCE<i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> is an important opportunistic pathogen. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the primary reservoir of <i>K. pneumoniae</i> in humans, and GI carriage is believed to be a prerequisite for invasive infection. Knowledge about the dynamics and duration of GI carriage has been hampered by the lack of tools suitable for detection and strain discrimination. Real-time PCR is particularly suited to the higher-throughput workflows used in population-based studies, which are needed to improve our understanding of carriage dynamics and the factors influencing <i>K. pneumoniae</i> colonization.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11371267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141902238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) causes respiratory infections, which are exacerbated in children and older people. Correct evaluation of viral characteristics is essential for the study of countermeasures. However, adaptation of viruses to cultured cells during isolation or propagation might select laboratory passage-associated mutations that modify the characteristics of the virus. It was previously reported that adaptation of HPIV3, but not other HPIVs, was avoided in human airway epithelia. To examine the influence of laboratory passage on the genomes of HPIV1-HPIV4, we evaluated the occurrence of mutations after passage in primary human bronchial/tracheal epithelial cell air-liquid interface (HBTEC-ALI) culture and conventional cultured cells (Vero cells expressing the transmembrane protease, serine 2, and normal Vero cells). The occurrence of mutations was significantly lower in HBTEC-ALI than in conventional culture. In HBTEC-ALI culture, most of the mutations were silent or remained at low variant frequency, resulting in less impact on the viral consensus sequence. In contrast, passage in conventional culture induced or selected genetic mutations at high frequency with passage-associated unique substitutions. High mutagenesis of hemagglutinin-neuraminidase was commonly observed in all four HPIVs, and mutations even occurred in a single passage. In addition, in HPIV1 and HPIV2, mutations in the large protein were more frequent. These results indicate that passage in HBTEC-ALI culture is more suitable than conventional culture for maintaining the original characteristics of clinical isolates in all four HPIVs, which can help with the understanding of viral pathogenesis.
Importance: Adaptation of viruses to cultured cells can increase the risk of misinterpretation in virological characterization of clinical isolates. In human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) 3, it has been reported that the human airway epithelial and lung organoid models are preferable for the study of viral characteristics of clinical strains without mutations. Therefore, we analyzed clinical isolates of all four HPIVs for the occurrence of mutations after five laboratory passages in human bronchial/tracheal epithelial cell air-liquid interface (HBTEC-ALI) or conventional culture. We found a high risk of hemagglutinin-neuraminidase mutagenesis in all four HPIVs in conventional cultured cells. In addition, in HPIV1 and HPIV2, mutations of the large protein were also more frequent in conventional cultured cells than in HBTEC-ALI culture. HBTEC-ALI culture was useful for maintaining the original sequence and characteristics of clinical isolates in all four HPIVs. The present study contributes to the understanding of HPIV pathogenesis and antiviral strategies.
{"title":"Comparison of mutations in human parainfluenza viruses during passage in primary human bronchial/tracheal epithelial air-liquid interface cultures and cell lines.","authors":"Satoko Sugimoto, Miyuki Kawase, Reiko Suwa, Yohei Kume, Mina Chishiki, Takashi Ono, Hisao Okabe, Sakurako Norito, Ken-Ichi Hanaki, Mitsuaki Hosoya, Koichi Hashimoto, Kazuya Shirato","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01164-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.01164-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) causes respiratory infections, which are exacerbated in children and older people. Correct evaluation of viral characteristics is essential for the study of countermeasures. However, adaptation of viruses to cultured cells during isolation or propagation might select laboratory passage-associated mutations that modify the characteristics of the virus. It was previously reported that adaptation of HPIV3, but not other HPIVs, was avoided in human airway epithelia. To examine the influence of laboratory passage on the genomes of HPIV1-HPIV4, we evaluated the occurrence of mutations after passage in primary human bronchial/tracheal epithelial cell air-liquid interface (HBTEC-ALI) culture and conventional cultured cells (Vero cells expressing the transmembrane protease, serine 2, and normal Vero cells). The occurrence of mutations was significantly lower in HBTEC-ALI than in conventional culture. In HBTEC-ALI culture, most of the mutations were silent or remained at low variant frequency, resulting in less impact on the viral consensus sequence. In contrast, passage in conventional culture induced or selected genetic mutations at high frequency with passage-associated unique substitutions. High mutagenesis of hemagglutinin-neuraminidase was commonly observed in all four HPIVs, and mutations even occurred in a single passage. In addition, in HPIV1 and HPIV2, mutations in the large protein were more frequent. These results indicate that passage in HBTEC-ALI culture is more suitable than conventional culture for maintaining the original characteristics of clinical isolates in all four HPIVs, which can help with the understanding of viral pathogenesis.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Adaptation of viruses to cultured cells can increase the risk of misinterpretation in virological characterization of clinical isolates. In human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) 3, it has been reported that the human airway epithelial and lung organoid models are preferable for the study of viral characteristics of clinical strains without mutations. Therefore, we analyzed clinical isolates of all four HPIVs for the occurrence of mutations after five laboratory passages in human bronchial/tracheal epithelial cell air-liquid interface (HBTEC-ALI) or conventional culture. We found a high risk of hemagglutinin-neuraminidase mutagenesis in all four HPIVs in conventional cultured cells. In addition, in HPIV1 and HPIV2, mutations of the large protein were also more frequent in conventional cultured cells than in HBTEC-ALI culture. HBTEC-ALI culture was useful for maintaining the original sequence and characteristics of clinical isolates in all four HPIVs. The present study contributes to the understanding of HPIV pathogenesis and antiviral strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370246/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141792873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-07-30DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00754-24
Heather Fair, Trinity L Hamilton, Peter C Smiley, Qiao Liu
Supraglacial pools are prevalent on debris-covered mountain glaciers, yet only limited information is available on the microbial communities within these habitats. Our research questions for this preliminary study were: (1) What microbes occur in supraglacial pool sediments of monsoonal Tibet?; (2) Which abiotic and biotic habitat variables have the most influence on the microbial community structure?; and (3) Does microbial composition of supraglacial pool sediments differ from that of glacial-melt stream pool sediments? We collected microbial samples for 16S rRNA sequencing and invertebrates for enumeration and identification and measured 14 abiotic variables from 46 supraglacial pools and nine glacial-melt stream pools in 2018 and 2019. Generalized linear model analyses, small sample Akaike information criterion, and variable importance scores were used to identify the best predictor variables of microbial community structure. Multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP) was used to compare taxa composition between supraglacial pools and stream pools. The most abundant phyla in supraglacial pool sediments were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidota, Chloroflexi, and Cyanobacteria. Genera richness, indicator genera richness, and Polaromonas relative abundance were best predicted by Chironomidae larvae abundance. Angustibacter and Oryzihumus relative abundance were best predicted by pH, Acidiphilium relative abundance was best predicted by turbidity, and Sphingomonas relative abundance was best predicted by glacier zone. Taxa composition was similar between supraglacial and stream pools at the class, genus, and ASV taxonomic levels. Our results indicate that Chironomidae larvae may play a keystone species role in shaping bacterial communities of supraglacial pools on debris-covered glaciers.IMPORTANCEGlacier meltwater habitats (cryoconite holes, supraglacial pools, supraglacial ponds and lakes, glacial streams) and their biota have not been well-studied, especially on debris-covered glaciers in temperate monsoonal regions. Our study is the first to document the microbial community-habitat relationships in supraglacial pools on a debris-covered glacier in Tibet. Microbial genera richness, indicator genera richness, and Polaromonas relative abundance declined with increasing larval Chironomidae abundance, which is a novel finding that highlights the importance of larval insects in structuring microbial communities in supraglacial pools.
{"title":"Determinants of microbial community structure in supraglacial pool sediments of monsoonal Tibetan Plateau.","authors":"Heather Fair, Trinity L Hamilton, Peter C Smiley, Qiao Liu","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00754-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.00754-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Supraglacial pools are prevalent on debris-covered mountain glaciers, yet only limited information is available on the microbial communities within these habitats. Our research questions for this preliminary study were: (1) What microbes occur in supraglacial pool sediments of monsoonal Tibet?; (2) Which abiotic and biotic habitat variables have the most influence on the microbial community structure?; and (3) Does microbial composition of supraglacial pool sediments differ from that of glacial-melt stream pool sediments? We collected microbial samples for 16S rRNA sequencing and invertebrates for enumeration and identification and measured 14 abiotic variables from 46 supraglacial pools and nine glacial-melt stream pools in 2018 and 2019. Generalized linear model analyses, small sample Akaike information criterion, and variable importance scores were used to identify the best predictor variables of microbial community structure. Multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP) was used to compare taxa composition between supraglacial pools and stream pools. The most abundant phyla in supraglacial pool sediments were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidota, Chloroflexi, and Cyanobacteria. Genera richness, indicator genera richness, and <i>Polaromonas</i> relative abundance were best predicted by Chironomidae larvae abundance. <i>Angustibacter</i> and <i>Oryzihumus</i> relative abundance were best predicted by pH, <i>Acidiphilium</i> relative abundance was best predicted by turbidity, and <i>Sphingomonas</i> relative abundance was best predicted by glacier zone. Taxa composition was similar between supraglacial and stream pools at the class, genus, and ASV taxonomic levels. Our results indicate that Chironomidae larvae may play a keystone species role in shaping bacterial communities of supraglacial pools on debris-covered glaciers.IMPORTANCEGlacier meltwater habitats (cryoconite holes, supraglacial pools, supraglacial ponds and lakes, glacial streams) and their biota have not been well-studied, especially on debris-covered glaciers in temperate monsoonal regions. Our study is the first to document the microbial community-habitat relationships in supraglacial pools on a debris-covered glacier in Tibet. Microbial genera richness, indicator genera richness, and <i>Polaromonas</i> relative abundance declined with increasing larval Chironomidae abundance, which is a novel finding that highlights the importance of larval insects in structuring microbial communities in supraglacial pools.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370254/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141792874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Growing evidence have indicated the crucial role of intratumor microbiome in a variety of solid tumor. However, the intratumoral microbiome in gynecological malignancies is largely unknown. In the present study, a total of 90 Han patients, including 30 patients with cancer in cervix, ovary, and endometrium each were enrolled, the composition of intratumoral microbiome was assessed by 16S rDNA amplicon high throughput sequencing. We found that the diversity and metabolic potential of intratumoral microbiome in all three cancer types were very similar. Furthermore, all three cancer types shared a few taxa that collectively take up high relative abundance and positive rate, including Pseudomonas sp., Comamonadaceae gen. sp., Bradyrhizobium sp., Saccharomonospora sp., Cutibacterium acnes, Rubrobacter sp., Dialister micraerophilus, and Escherichia coli. Additionally, Haemophilus parainfluenzae and Paracoccus sp. in cervical cancer, Pelomonas sp. in ovarian cancer, and Enterococcus faecalis in endometrial cancer were identified by LDA to be a representative bacterial strain. In addition, in cervical cancer patients, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (correlation coefficient = -0.3714) was negatively correlated (r = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.7) with Rubrobacter sp. and CA199 (correlation coefficient = 0.3955) was positively associated (r = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.7) with Saccharomonospora sp.. In ovarian cancer patients, CA125 (correlation coefficient = -0.4451) was negatively correlated (r = -0.4, 95% CI: -0.7 to -0.09) with Porphyromonas sp.. In endometrial cancer patients, CEA (correlation coefficient = -0.3868) was negatively correlated (r = -0.4, 95% CI: -0.7 to -0.02) with Cutibacterium acnes. This study promoted our understanding of the intratumoral microbiome in gynecological malignancies.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we found the compositional spectrum of tumor microbes among gynecological malignancies were largely similar by sharing a few taxa and differentiated by substantial species owned uniquely. Certain species, mostly unreported, were identified to be associated with clinical characteristics. This study prompted our understanding of gynecological malignancies and offered evidence for tumor microbes affecting tumor biology among cancers in the female reproductive system.
{"title":"Individuality and generality of intratumoral microbiome in the three most prevalent gynecological malignancies: an observational study.","authors":"Qin Xiao, Wen-Jie Chen, Fei Wu, Xin-Yi Zhang, Xia Li, Jing Wei, Ting-Tao Chen, Zhao-Xia Liu","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.01004-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.01004-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Growing evidence have indicated the crucial role of intratumor microbiome in a variety of solid tumor. However, the intratumoral microbiome in gynecological malignancies is largely unknown. In the present study, a total of 90 <i>Han</i> patients, including 30 patients with cancer in cervix, ovary, and endometrium each were enrolled, the composition of intratumoral microbiome was assessed by 16S rDNA amplicon high throughput sequencing. We found that the diversity and metabolic potential of intratumoral microbiome in all three cancer types were very similar. Furthermore, all three cancer types shared a few taxa that collectively take up high relative abundance and positive rate, including <i>Pseudomonas sp</i>., Comamonadaceae <i>gen. sp</i>., <i>Bradyrhizobium sp</i>., <i>Saccharomonospora sp</i>., <i>Cutibacterium acnes</i>, <i>Rubrobacter sp</i>., <i>Dialister micraerophilus</i>, and <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Additionally, <i>Haemophilus parainfluenzae</i> and <i>Paracoccus sp</i>. in cervical cancer, <i>Pelomonas sp</i>. in ovarian cancer, and <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> in endometrial cancer were identified by LDA to be a representative bacterial strain. In addition, in cervical cancer patients, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (correlation coefficient = -0.3714) was negatively correlated (<i>r</i> = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.7) with <i>Rubrobacter sp</i>. and CA199 (correlation coefficient = 0.3955) was positively associated (<i>r</i> = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.7) with <i>Saccharomonospora sp</i>.. In ovarian cancer patients, CA125 (correlation coefficient = -0.4451) was negatively correlated (<i>r</i> = -0.4, 95% CI: -0.7 to -0.09) with <i>Porphyromonas sp.</i>. In endometrial cancer patients, CEA (correlation coefficient = -0.3868) was negatively correlated (<i>r</i> = -0.4, 95% CI: -0.7 to -0.02) with <i>Cutibacterium acnes</i>. This study promoted our understanding of the intratumoral microbiome in gynecological malignancies.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we found the compositional spectrum of tumor microbes among gynecological malignancies were largely similar by sharing a few taxa and differentiated by substantial species owned uniquely. Certain species, mostly unreported, were identified to be associated with clinical characteristics. This study prompted our understanding of gynecological malignancies and offered evidence for tumor microbes affecting tumor biology among cancers in the female reproductive system.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370256/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141889691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-03Epub Date: 2024-07-24DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00681-24
Kathryn E Woods, Sana Akhter, Blanca Rodriguez, Kade A Townsend, Nathan Smith, Ben Smith, Alice Wambua, Vaughn Craddock, Rhea G Abisado-Duque, Emma E Santa, Daniel E Manson, Berl R Oakley, Lynn E Hancock, Yinglong Miao, Helen E Blackwell, Josephine R Chandler
Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-cell signaling system that enables bacteria to coordinate population density-dependent changes in behavior. This chemical communication pathway is mediated by diffusible N-acyl L-homoserine lactone signals and cytoplasmic signal-responsive LuxR-type receptors in Gram-negative bacteria. As many common pathogenic bacteria use QS to regulate virulence, there is significant interest in disrupting QS as a potential therapeutic strategy. Prior studies have implicated the natural products salicylic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and other related benzaldehyde derivatives as inhibitors of QS in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yet we lack an understanding of the mechanisms by which these compounds function. Herein, we evaluate the activity of a set of benzaldehyde derivatives using heterologous reporters of the P. aeruginosa LasR and RhlR QS signal receptors. We find that most tested benzaldehyde derivatives can antagonize LasR or RhlR reporter activation at micromolar concentrations, although certain molecules also cause mild growth defects and nonspecific reporter antagonism. Notably, several compounds showed promising RhlR or LasR-specific inhibitory activities over a range of concentrations below that causing toxicity. ortho-Vanillin, a previously untested compound, was the most promising within this set. Competition experiments against the native ligands for LasR and RhlR revealed that ortho-vanillin can interact competitively with RhlR but not with LasR. Overall, these studies expand our understanding of benzaldehyde activities in the LasR and RhlR receptors and reveal potentially promising effects of ortho-vanillin as a small molecule QS modulator against RhlR.
Importance: Quorum sensing (QS) regulates many aspects of bacterial pathogenesis and has attracted much interest as a target for anti-virulence therapies over the past 30 years, for example, antagonists of the LasR and RhlR QS receptors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Potent and selective QS inhibitors remain relatively scarce. However, natural products have provided a bounty of chemical scaffolds with anti-QS activities, but their molecular mechanisms are poorly characterized. The current study serves to fill this void by examining the activity of an important and wide-spread class of natural product QS modulators, benzaldehydes, and related derivatives, in LasR and RhlR. We demonstrate that ortho-vanillin can act as a competitive inhibitor of RhlR, a receptor that has emerged and may supplant LasR in certain settings as a target for P. aeruginosa QS control. The results and insights provided herein will advance the design of chemical tools to study QS with improved activities and selectivities.
{"title":"Characterization of natural product inhibitors of quorum sensing reveals competitive inhibition of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> RhlR by <i>ortho</i>-vanillin.","authors":"Kathryn E Woods, Sana Akhter, Blanca Rodriguez, Kade A Townsend, Nathan Smith, Ben Smith, Alice Wambua, Vaughn Craddock, Rhea G Abisado-Duque, Emma E Santa, Daniel E Manson, Berl R Oakley, Lynn E Hancock, Yinglong Miao, Helen E Blackwell, Josephine R Chandler","doi":"10.1128/spectrum.00681-24","DOIUrl":"10.1128/spectrum.00681-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-cell signaling system that enables bacteria to coordinate population density-dependent changes in behavior. This chemical communication pathway is mediated by diffusible <i>N</i>-acyl L-homoserine lactone signals and cytoplasmic signal-responsive LuxR-type receptors in Gram-negative bacteria. As many common pathogenic bacteria use QS to regulate virulence, there is significant interest in disrupting QS as a potential therapeutic strategy. Prior studies have implicated the natural products salicylic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and other related benzaldehyde derivatives as inhibitors of QS in the opportunistic pathogen <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa,</i> yet we lack an understanding of the mechanisms by which these compounds function. Herein, we evaluate the activity of a set of benzaldehyde derivatives using heterologous reporters of the <i>P. aeruginosa</i> LasR and RhlR QS signal receptors. We find that most tested benzaldehyde derivatives can antagonize LasR or RhlR reporter activation at micromolar concentrations, although certain molecules also cause mild growth defects and nonspecific reporter antagonism. Notably, several compounds showed promising RhlR or LasR-specific inhibitory activities over a range of concentrations below that causing toxicity. <i>ortho</i>-Vanillin, a previously untested compound, was the most promising within this set. Competition experiments against the native ligands for LasR and RhlR revealed that <i>ortho</i>-vanillin can interact competitively with RhlR but not with LasR. Overall, these studies expand our understanding of benzaldehyde activities in the LasR and RhlR receptors and reveal potentially promising effects of <i>ortho</i>-vanillin as a small molecule QS modulator against RhlR.</p><p><strong>Importance: </strong>Quorum sensing (QS) regulates many aspects of bacterial pathogenesis and has attracted much interest as a target for anti-virulence therapies over the past 30 years, for example, antagonists of the LasR and RhlR QS receptors in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>. Potent and selective QS inhibitors remain relatively scarce. However, natural products have provided a bounty of chemical scaffolds with anti-QS activities, but their molecular mechanisms are poorly characterized. The current study serves to fill this void by examining the activity of an important and wide-spread class of natural product QS modulators, benzaldehydes, and related derivatives, in LasR and RhlR. We demonstrate that <i>ortho</i>-vanillin can act as a competitive inhibitor of RhlR, a receptor that has emerged and may supplant LasR in certain settings as a target for <i>P. aeruginosa</i> QS control. The results and insights provided herein will advance the design of chemical tools to study QS with improved activities and selectivities.</p>","PeriodicalId":18670,"journal":{"name":"Microbiology spectrum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11370260/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141752050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}