Project description:Transcriptome analysis of D39 rel+Spn and delta-relSpn strains treated with mupirocin revealed relSpn-independent (translation stress), relSpn-dependent (stringent response), and delta-relSpn-dependent changes suggesting that relSpn and (p)ppGpp amount play wide-ranging homeostatic roles in pneumococcal physiology, besides adjusting macromolecular synthesis and transport in response to nutrient availability. Wildtype and rel deletion mutant (Delta rel) bacteria were grown statically in BHI broth at 37C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2. Cultures were divided in two upon reaching a density of OD620 ~0.1, and lithium mupirocin was added to one culture (t=0) to a final concentration of 100 ng per mL. Treated and untreated cultures were harvested after 20 min further incubation and RNA was extracted by a hot lysis-acid phenol protocol. We performed the following comparisons: Wildtype + mupirocin versus Wildtype untreated (reference); Delta rel + mupirocin versus Delta rel untreated (reference); Delta rel untreated versus Wildtype untreated (reference); Delta rel + mupirocin versus Wildtype + mupirocin (reference). For each comparison, microarray data were obtained from three independent biological replicates and included one dye swap.
Project description:Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 AdcR (adhesion competence repressor) is the first metal-sensing member of the MarR (multiple antibiotic resistance repressor) family to be characterized. Expression profiling of a âadcR strain grown in liquid culture under microaerobic conditions revealed that transcript amounts for 13 genes were up-regulated relative to the wild-type strain, among them adcR, adcCBA, encoding a high affinity ABC uptake system for zinc, and genes encoding cell-surface zinc-binding pneumococcal histidine triad (pht) and adcII (lmb, laminin binding) proteins. Down-regulated transcripts included those encoding two putative zinc-containing alcohol dehydrogenases. Bacterial strains were grown exponentially in rich (BHI) media at 37C and an atmosphere of 5% CO2 to OD620~0.2, and were processed as described in the related Sample records. Samples were collected from three independent biological replicates and included one dye swap. Data were normalized using the Lowess (block) method without background subtraction. Changes in relative transcript amounts of positive or negative 2-fold with Bayesian P value of <0.001 were considered significant, and were included as supplementary material for the accompanying manuscript (The metalloregulatory site in Streptococcus pneumoniae AdcR, a zinc-activated MarR-family repressor; Reyes-Caballero, H. et al, manuscript in preparation).
Project description:For Streptococcus pneumoniae, biofilms have been suggested to promote long-term colonization of the nasopharynx and contribute to the pathology of recurrent middle ear infections. To date numerous studies have investigated the contribution of specific genetic determinants for the development of pneumococcal biofilms, however, studies examining the global changes that occur during biofilm development and how they contribute to disease are lacking. Using Scanning and Transmission electron microscopy we examined development of a mature pneumococcal biofilm in a continuous flow through reactor. We determined that a mature biofilm is formed in discrete stages, is marked by the formation of complex 3-dimensional structures, and is primarily composed of dead pneumococci. Using genomic microarrays we determined that pneumococci in mature biofilms down regulate genes involved in protein synthesis, energy production, metabolism, capsular polysaccharide production, and virulence. We confirmed these changes by testing bacterial resistance to antimicrobials, measuring capsule production by ELSIA, and immunoblotting for pneumolysin production. We determined that biofilm pneumococci are hyper-adhesive, binding to cell lines at levels 9 to 11-fold greater than planktonic counterparts. Using Western blot and ELISA, we determined that biofilm bacteria produce greater amounts of the adhesins PsrP, CbpA, and surface exposed phosphorylcholine. We subsequently determined that the hyper-adhesive phenotype was in part due to selection of the transparent phase variant during biofilm growth. Intranasal, intratracheal and intraperitoneal challenge of mice with biofilm and planktonic pneumococci determined that biofilm bacteria were highly attenuated for invasive disease but not nasopharyngeal colonization. Immunization of mice with ethanol-killed biofilm pneumococci of serotype 4 conferred protection against challenge with same isolate but not a serotype 3. ELISA for reactive IgG levels subsequently determined that biofilm pneumococci do not provide high levels of cross-reactive protein antigens. Together these studies suggest that biofilms do not directly contribute to disease but instead confer a protected mode of growth for the pneumococcus. Pneumococcal biofilms compared to planktonic control at 4, 12, 24, 48 hours. 3 biological replicates each of 4 and 12 hour time points, and 2 biological replicates each of 24 and 48 hour time points. Flip dye (technical replicates) performed for 4, 12, and 24 hour time points; no technical replicate performed for 48 hour time point due to limiting material. Ratios were determined by averaging across technical and biological replicates. The following hybridizations made up each biological replicate: 14090167.tav.annot and 14090190.tav.annot (4hr biol rep 1); 14090169.tav.annot and 14090176.tav.annot (4hr biol rep 2); 14090192.tav.annot and 14090188.tav.annot (4hr biol rep 3); 14087688.tav.annot and 14090180.tav.annot (12hr biol rep 1); 14090185.tav.annot and 14090168.tav.annot (12hr biol rep 2); 14090191.tav.annot and 14090174.tav.annot (12hr biol rep 3); 14090170.tav.annot and 14090175.tav.annot (24hr biol rep 2); 14090193.tav.annot and 14087687.tav.annot (24hr biol rep 3); 14090181.tav.annot (48hr biol rep 1); 14090187.tav.annot (48hr biol rep 2)
Project description:Copper is essential for both innate and adaptive immune function and copper resistance has emerged as an important determinant of virulence of microbial pathogens. In the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), cytoplasmic copper resistance is mediated by an operon encoding the copper-responsive repressor CopY, CupA, of unknown function, and CopA, a copper effluxing P1B-type ATPase. We show that CupA is a novel cell membrane-anchored Cu(I) chaperone for CopA, and that a Cu(I)-binding competent, membrane-localized CupA, like CopA, is obligatory for copper resistance. Bacteria were grown statically in Brain Heart Infusion media (Bacto BHI, Becton Dickinson) at 37C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 to a culture density of OD620~0.2 and were processed as described in the related Sample record. Strain IU1781 (D39 rpsL1) served as the reference for the strain comparison. The experiment was repeated one time, and results are consistent with those observed by Shafeeq et al (Mol Microbiol. 2011). Data normalization was performed using the BioArray Software Environment (BASE 1.2; Saal et al, Genome Biol. 2002) using the Lowess (subgrid) method. Median spot intensities were normalized without background subtraction and used to calculate expression ratios. The cut-off for statistical significance of differential expression was set at an average up or down fold change of at least 1.8 fold.
Project description:The response to bile of Lactobacillus casei BL23 and its derivative strain TC01 was investigated. TC01 strain carries a complete deletion of gene LCABL_02080 which encodes a two component signal transduction response regulator. Lactobacillus casei BL23 and TC01 strains were grown in MRS medium at 37C without shaking until O.D. 595 nm. reached 0.5. The cultures were then two fold diluted with prewarmed MRS medium (control) or MRS supplemented with 0.2% bovine bile (treatment) and incubation continued for 45 min. Cells were then harvested and total RNA purified.
Project description:PsrA and PsrB were found to repress Type III secretion (T3S) when provided in multicopy. Total RNA was extracted at late exponential phase in T3S permissive media (MEM-HEPES). Transcriptional profiles were expressed relative to the vector control (pGEM). Dual colour design. Cy5 labelled cDNA from TUV93-0 pPsrA or pPsrB cultures were hybridised against TUV93-0 pGEM Cy3 labelled cDNA. Data were normalised using the Genespring GX 7.3.1 analysis package.
Project description:The VicRK two-component system of S. pneumoniae (Pneumococcus) is a member of the essential WalRK (YycFG) family found in low G+C gram positive bacteria. Previously, we showed that phosphorylated VicR response regulator (RR) is essential, because of its strong positive regulation of the pcsB gene, which mediates cell division. Little is known about the signals sensed by the VicK or WalK histidine kinases (HK), and it is unknown why pneumococcal VicK is not essential under aerobic growth conditions, whereas other the WalK HKs in other species are essential. VicK contains the only PAS domain in the Pneumococcal genome. PAS domains in other HKs have been shown to sense oxygen or other metabolic signals, such as NAD+, and it has been speculated that VicK may be involved in sensing oxygen in S. pneumoniae. Contrary to previous reports, we found that delta vicK mutants do not grow anaerobically, implying a conditional requirement for the VicK HK. Point mutations and domain deletions in vicK indicated that the autokinase activity of VicK is required for anaerobic growth, whereas the PAS domain and VicK phosphatase activity are not required. These combined results are consistent with the idea that maintenance of VicR~P level is required for anaerobic growth. The inability of delta vicK mutants to grow anaerobically was suppressed by spontaneous high- and low-growth yield mutants. Spontaneous suppressor mutants were still VicR dependent and did not result in bypass of the VicR signaling pathway. The genome of a high yield suppressor was sequenced using the Illumina method, which identified three mutations in the suppressor, two of which are predicted to play roles in phosphate transport (pnpR RR and phosphate ABC transporter). Manual sequencing of regions in additional independently isolated ?vicK suppressor mutants identified similar mutations, and deletion of the pnpR RR gene in the ?vicK background fully suppressed the anaerobic growth requirement for the VicK HK. Ongoing experiments will determine whether this suppression requires the PnpS HK or is mediated through changes in signaling. Finally, Western blotting showed that the level of VicK during anaerobic growth is about 3-fold less than that of aerobic cultures. This result suggests that the level of VicRKX operon expression is lower anaerobically, which may prevent crosstalk that occurs during aerobic culture to phosphorylate VicR. Three independent hybridizations using independent RNA preparations from the strain IU1781 (reference strain) and strain IU1896 (a strain with vicK deletion) were performed. Dye swap was performed with the reference strain labeled with Cy3 in two hybridizations and Cy5 in one hybridization.
Project description:Escherichia coli O157 presents a number of specific problems in terms of food safety and public health. It has been found that E. coli O157 is more resistant to a number of the stresses encountered during food production such as heat, pH and osmotic shock. This greater resistance is thought to contribute to the low infectious dose of E. coli O157 (<100 organisms). Moreover, E. coli O157 is associated with debilitating conditions such as haemorrhagic colitis and haemoytic uraemic syndrome, particularly in children and the elderly. We have been studying the stress responses of E. coli O157:H7 (Sakai) and comparing with a commensal strain of E. coli K-12, MG1655. We found that E. coli O157 (Sakai) is more resistant to heat stress than MG1655. A microarray study of these strains subjected to sub-lethal heat-stress at 45M-BM-0C was carried out. In E. coli O157 (Sakai), 380 genes responded significantly to the treatment compared to 410 genes in MG1655. Overnight cultures of E. coli O157 (Sakai) and E. coli K-12 MG1655 were grown in Neidhardt's EZ Rich Defined Medium and diluted 1:100 in 50 ml fresh medium in 125 ml Ehrlenmeyer flasks. The cultures were shaken at 37M-BM-0C until the optical density (OD600) reached 0.4. Each culture was divided into 2 equal parts in identical flasks. One flask flask was transferred to a shaking water bath and incubated at 45M-BM-0C for 10 min; the other flask was incubated at 37M-BM-0C for 10 min. After incubation, the cultures were transferred to 50 mL centrifuge tubes and treated with RNAprotectM-bM-^DM-" to stabilise the mRNA. The experiment was performed 3 times on different days. Six custom-made microarray slides were used in this study; each slide was hybridised with labelled cDNA made from untreated and heated E. coli O157 (Sakai) or MG1655.
Project description:PcsB is a protein of unknown function that plays a critical role in cell division in Streptococcus pneumoniae and other ovococcus species of Streptococcus. We constructed isogenic sets of mutants expressing different amounts of PcsB in laboratory strain R6 and virulent serotype 2 strain D39 to evaluate its cellular roles. Insertion mutagenesis in parent and pcsB+ merodiploid strains indicated that pcsB is essential in serotype 2 S. pneumoniae. Quantitative Western blotting of wild-type and epitope-tagged PcsB showed that all PcsB was processed into cell-associated and secreted forms of the same molecular mass. These analyses showed that PcsB bound to cells is present in relatively low amounts of only â 300 molecules per cell. Controlled expression and complementation experiments indicated that there was a causative relationship between the severity of defects in cell division and decreasing PcsB amount. These experiments also indicated that perturbations of expression of the upstream mreCD genes did not contribute to the cell division defects of pcsB mutants and that mreCD could readily be deleted in these strains. Unexpectedly, the defects in cell division and cell shape in pcsB mutants or other mutants defective in cell wall biosynthesis, such as dacA, were strongly influenced by capsule. Underexpression of PcsB did not result in changes in the amounts or composition of lactoyl-muropeptides, which were markedly different in the R6 and D39 strains, and there was no correlation between decreased PcsB amount and sensitivity to penicillin. Finally, microarray analyses indicated that underexpression of PcsB may generate a signal that increases expression of the VicRK regulon, which includes pcsB. Four independent hybridizations using independent RNA preparations from the strain IU1533 (reference strain) and strain IU1979 (a strain with decreased expression of PcsB protein) were performed. Dye swap was performed with the reference strain labeled with Cy3 in two hybridizations and Cy5 in the other two hybridizations.
Project description:We have developed a microarray intended for use in finding all transposons in a region of interest. By selectively amplifying and hybridizing transposon flanking DNA to our array, we can localize all transposons in the region present on our TIP-chip, a dense tiling array. We have tested our technology in yeast and have been successful. The two FY2 hybridizations are technical replicates and serve as a benchmark -- we compared these results to the published S288C sequence. The two GRF167 samples are also technical replicates and these are the base strain for the L27-10 hybridizations, and therefore serve as controls for those hybridizations. The three L27-10 hybridizations are all technical replicates.