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A Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor network responds to cell-envelope damage by the promising anti-mycobacterial thioridazine.

ABSTRACT: Novel therapeutics are urgently needed to control tuberculosis (TB). Thioridazine (THZ) is a candidate for the therapy of multidrug and extensively drug-resistant TB.We studied the impact of THZ on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) by analyzing gene expression profiles after treatment at the minimal inhibitory (1x MIC) or highly inhibitory (4x MIC) concentrations between 1-6 hours. THZ modulated the expression of genes encoding membrane proteins, efflux pumps, oxido-reductases and enzymes involved in fatty acid metabolism and aerobic respiration. The Rv3160c-Rv3161c operon, a multi-drug transporter and the Rv3614c/3615c/3616c regulon, were highly induced in response to THZ. A significantly high number of Mtb genes co-expressed with sigma(B) (the sigma(B) regulon) was turned on by THZ treatment. sigma(B) has recently been shown to protect Mtb from envelope-damage. We hypothesized that THZ damages the Mtb cell-envelope, turning on the expression of the sigma(B) regulon. Consistent with this hypothesis, we present electron-microscopy data which shows that THZ modulates cell-envelope integrity. Moreover, the Mtb mutants in sigma(H) and sigma(E), two alternate stress response sigma factors that induce the expression of sigma(B), exhibited higher sensitivity to THZ, indicating that the presence and expression of sigma(B) allows Mtb to resist the impact of THZ. Conditional induction of sigma(B) levels increased the survival of Mtb in the presence of THZ.THZ targets different pathways and can thus be used as a multi-target inhibitor itself as well as provide strategies for multi-target drug development for combination chemotherapy. Our results show that the Mtb sigma factor network comprising of sigma(H), sigma(E) and sigma(B) plays a crucial role in protecting the pathogen against cell-envelope damage.

SUBMITTER: Dutta NK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2851646 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor network responds to cell-envelope damage by the promising anti-mycobacterial thioridazine.

Dutta Noton K NK Mehra Smriti S Kaushal Deepak D

PloS one 20100408 4

<h4>Background</h4>Novel therapeutics are urgently needed to control tuberculosis (TB). Thioridazine (THZ) is a candidate for the therapy of multidrug and extensively drug-resistant TB.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>We studied the impact of THZ on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) by analyzing gene expression profiles after treatment at the minimal inhibitory (1x MIC) or highly inhibitory (4x MIC) concentrations between 1-6 hours. THZ modulated the expression of genes encoding membrane pr ...[more]

PMID: 20386700

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Project description:Extracytoplasmic function σ factors that are stress inducible are often sequestered in an inactive complex with a membrane-associated anti-σ factor. Mycobacterium tuberculosis membrane-associated anti-σ factors have a small, stable RNA gene A (ssrA)-like degron for targeted proteolysis. Interaction between the unfoldase, ClpX, and a substrate with an accessible degron initiates energy-dependent proteolysis. Four anti-σ factors with a mutation in the degron provided a set of natural substrates to evaluate the influence of the degron on degradation strength in ClpX-substrate processivity. We note that a point mutation in the degron (X-Ala-Ala) leads to an order-of-magnitude difference in the dwell time of the substrate on ClpX. Differences in ClpX/anti-σ interactions were correlated with changes in unfoldase activities. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeras or polypeptides with a length identical to that of the anti-σ factor degron also demonstrate degron-dependent variation in ClpX activities. We show that degron-dependent ClpX activity leads to differences in anti-σ degradation, thereby regulating the release of free σ from the σ/anti-σ complex. M. tuberculosis ClpX activity thus influences changes in gene expression by modulating the cellular abundance of ECF σ factors.IMPORTANCE The ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to quickly adapt to changing environmental stimuli occurs by maintaining protein homeostasis. Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factors play a significant role in coordinating the transcription profile to changes in environmental conditions. Release of the σ factor from the anti-σ is governed by the ClpXP2P1 assembly. M. tuberculosis ECF anti-σ factors have an ssrA-like degron for targeted degradation. A point mutation in the degron leads to differences in ClpX-mediated proteolysis and affects the cellular abundance of ECF σ factors. ClpX activity thus synchronizes changes in gene expression with environmental stimuli affecting M. tuberculosis physiology.

Dataset Information

A Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor network responds to cell-envelope damage by the promising anti-mycobacterial thioridazine.

Publications

A Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor network responds to cell-envelope damage by the promising anti-mycobacterial thioridazine.

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