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Cloning of an Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis antigen: homology with adhesins from some oral streptococci.

ABSTRACT: Serum from a patient with Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis was used to identify the gene efaA cloned in Lambda ZapII in Escherichia coli. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a 924-bp open reading frame encoding a protein with a predicted molecular weight of 34,768. The amino acid sequence of EfaA shows 55 to 60% homology to a group of streptococcal proteins, FimA from Streptococcus parasanguis, SsaB from Streptococcus sanguis, ScaA from Streptococcus gordonii, and PsaA from Streptococcus pneumoniae. Members of this group have been shown to be adhesins, and we hypothesize that EfaA may function as an adhesin in endocarditis.

SUBMITTER: Lowe AM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC173055 | biostudies-other | 1995 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Cloning of an Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis antigen: homology with adhesins from some oral streptococci.

Lowe A M AM Lambert P A PA Smith A W AW

Infection and immunity 19950201 2

Serum from a patient with Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis was used to identify the gene efaA cloned in Lambda ZapII in Escherichia coli. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a 924-bp open reading frame encoding a protein with a predicted molecular weight of 34,768. The amino acid sequence of EfaA shows 55 to 60% homology to a group of streptococcal proteins, FimA from Streptococcus parasanguis, SsaB from Streptococcus sanguis, ScaA from Streptococcus gordonii, and PsaA from Streptococcus pne ...[more]

PMID: 7822045

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Project description:Oral microbiota consists of hundreds of different species of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and archaea, important for oral health. Oral mycoses, mostly affecting mucosae, are mainly caused by the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans. They become relevant in denture-wearers elderly people, in diabetic patients, and in immunocompromised individuals. Differently, bacteria are responsible for other pathologies, such as dental caries, gingivitis and periodontitis, which affect even immune-competent individuals. An appropriate oral hygiene can avoid (or at least ameliorate) such pathologies: the regular and correct use of toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash helps prevent oral infections. Interestingly, little or no information is available on the effects (if any) of mouthwashes on the composition of oral microbiota in healthy individuals. Therefore, by means of in vitro models, we assessed the effects of alcohol-free commercial mouthwashes, with different composition (4 with chlorhexidine digluconate, 1 with fluoride, 1 with essential oils, 1 with cetylpyridinium chloride and 1 with triclosan), on several virulence traits of C. albicans, and a group of viridans streptococci, commonly colonizing the oral cavity. For the study here described, a reference strain of C. albicans and of streptococci isolates from pharyngeal swabs were used. Chlorhexidine digluconate- and cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouthwashes were the most effective in impairing C. albicans capacity to adhere to both abiotic and biotic surfaces, to elicit proinflammatory cytokine secretion by oral epithelial cells and to escape intracellular killing by phagocytes. In addition, these same mouthwashes were effective in impairing biofilm formation by a group of viridans streptococci that, notoriously, cooperate with the cariogenic S. mutans, facilitating the establishment of biofilm by the latter. Differently, these mouthwashes were ineffective against other viridans streptococci that are natural competitors of S. mutans. Finally, by an in vitro model of mixed biofilm, we showed that mouthwashes-treated S. salivarius overall failed to impair C. albicans capacity to form a biofilm. In conclusion, the results described here suggest that chlorhexidine- and cetylpyridinium-containing mouthwashes may be effective in regulating microbial homeostasis of the oral cavity, by providing a positive balance for oral health. On the other side, chlorhexidine has several side effects that must be considered when prescribing mouthwashes containing this molecule.

Project description:We previously identified ebpR, encoding a potential member of the AtxA/Mga transcriptional regulator family, and showed that it is important for transcriptional activation of the Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis and biofilm associated pilus operon, ebpABC. Although ebpR is not absolutely essential for ebpABC expression (100-fold reduction), its deletion led to phenotypes similar to those of an ebpABC mutant such as absence of pili at the cell surface and, consequently, reduced biofilm formation. A non-piliated ebpABC mutant has been shown to be attenuated in a rat model of endocarditis and in a murine urinary tract infection model, indicating an important participation of the ebpR-ebpABC locus in virulence. However, there is no report relating to the environmental conditions that affect expression of the ebpR-ebpABC locus.In this study, we examined the effect of CO2/HCO3(-), pH, and the Fsr system on the ebpR-ebpABC locus expression. The presence of 5% CO2/0.1 M HCO3(-) increased ebpR-ebpABC expression, while the Fsr system was confirmed to be a weak repressor of this locus. The mechanism by which the Fsr system repressed the ebpR-ebpABC locus expression appears independent of the effects of CO2(-) bicarbonate. Furthermore, by using an ebpA::lacZ fusion as a reporter, we showed that addition of 0.1 M sodium bicarbonate to TSBG (buffered at pH 7.5), but not the presence of 5% CO2, induced ebpA expression in TSBG broth. In addition, using microarray analysis, we found 73 genes affected by the presence of sodium bicarbonate (abs(fold) > 2, P < 0.05), the majority of which belong to the PTS system and ABC transporter families. Finally, pilus production correlated with ebpA mRNA levels under the conditions tested.This study reports that the ebp locus expression is enhanced by the presence of bicarbonate with a consequential increase in the number of cells producing pili. Although the molecular basis of the bicarbonate effect remains unclear, the pathway is independent of the Fsr system. In conclusion, E. faecalis joins the growing family of pathogens that regulates virulence gene expression in response to bicarbonate and/or CO2.

Dataset Information

Cloning of an Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis antigen: homology with adhesins from some oral streptococci.

Publications

Cloning of an Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis antigen: homology with adhesins from some oral streptococci.

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