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Phenotypic screening of a targeted mutant library reveals Campylobacter jejuni defenses against oxidative stress.

ABSTRACT: During host colonization, Campylobacter jejuni is exposed to harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced from the host immune system and from the gut microbiota. Consequently, identification and characterization of oxidative stress defenses are important for understanding how C. jejuni survives ROS stress during colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. Previous transcriptomic studies have defined the genes belonging to oxidant stimulons within C. jejuni. We have constructed isogenic deletion mutants of these identified genes to assess their role in oxidative stress survival. Phenotypic screening of 109 isogenic deletion mutants identified 22 genes which were either hypersensitive or hyposensitive to oxidants, demonstrating important roles for these genes in oxidant defense. The significance of these genes in host colonization was also assessed in an in vivo chick model of C. jejuni colonization. Overall, our findings identify an indirect role for motility in resistance to oxidative stress. We found that a nonmotile flagellum mutant, the ?motAB mutant, displayed increased sensitivity to oxidants. Restoration of sensitivity to superoxide in the ?motAB mutant was achieved by fumarate supplementation or tandem deletion of motAB with ccoQ, suggesting that disruption of the proton gradient across the inner membrane resulted in increased superoxide production in this strain. Furthermore, we have identified genes involved in cation transport and binding, detoxification, and energy metabolism that are also important factors in oxidant defense. This report describes the first isogenic deletion mutant library construction for screening of relevant oxidative stress defense genes within C. jejuni, thus providing a comprehensive analysis of the total set of oxidative stress defenses.

SUBMITTER: Flint A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4019188 | biostudies-other | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Phenotypic screening of a targeted mutant library reveals Campylobacter jejuni defenses against oxidative stress.

Flint Annika A Sun Yi-Qian YQ Butcher James J Stahl Martin M Huang Hongsheng H Stintzi Alain A

Infection and immunity 20140318 6

During host colonization, Campylobacter jejuni is exposed to harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced from the host immune system and from the gut microbiota. Consequently, identification and characterization of oxidative stress defenses are important for understanding how C. jejuni survives ROS stress during colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. Previous transcriptomic studies have defined the genes belonging to oxidant stimulons within C. jejuni. We have constructed isogenic deleti ...[more]

PMID: 24643543

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Project description:The expression of iron-regulated systems in gram-negative bacteria is generally controlled by the Fur protein, which represses the transcription of iron-regulated promoters by using Fe2+ as a cofactor. Mutational analysis of the Campylobacter jejuni fur gene was carried out by generation of a set of mutant copies of fur which had a kanamycin or chloramphenicol resistance gene introduced into the regions encoding the N and C termini of the Fur protein. The mutated genes were recombined into the C. jejuni NCTC 11168 chromosome, and putative mutants were confirmed by Southern hybridization. C. jejuni mutants were obtained only when the resistance genes were transcribed in the same orientation as the fur gene. The C. jejuni fur mutant grew slower than the parental strain. Comparison of protein profiles of fractionated C. jejuni cells grown in low- or high-iron medium indicated derepressed expression of three iron-regulated outer membrane proteins with molecular masses of 70, 75, and 80 kDa. Characterization by N-terminal amino acid sequencing showed the 75-kDa protein to be identical to CfrA, a Campylobacter coli siderophore receptor homologue, whereas the 70-kDa protein was identified as a new siderophore receptor homologue. Periplasmic fractions contained four derepressed proteins with molecular masses of 19, 29, 32, and 36 kDa. The 19-kDa protein has been previously identified, but its function is unknown. The cytoplasmic fraction contained two iron-repressed and two iron-induced proteins with molecular masses of 26, 55, 31, and 40 kDa, respectively. The two iron-repressed proteins have been previously identified as the oxidative stress defense proteins catalase (KatA) and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (AhpC). AhpC and KatA were still iron regulated in the fur mutant, suggesting the presence of Fur-independent iron regulation. Further analysis of the C. jejuni iron and Fur regulons by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis demonstrated the total number of iron- and Fur-regulated proteins to be lower than for other bacterial pathogens.

Project description:Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of campylobacteriosis in the developed world. Although most cases are caused by consumption of contaminated meat, a significant proportion is linked to ingestion of contaminated water. The differences between C. jejuni strains originating from food products and those isolated from water are poorly understood. Working under the hypothesis that water-borne C. jejuni strains are better equipped at surviving the nutrient-poor aquatic environment than food-borne strains, the present study aims to characterize these differences using outbreak strains 81116 and 81-176. Strain 81116 caused a campylobacteriosis outbreak linked to consumption of water, while strain 81-176 was linked to consumption of raw milk. CFU counts and viability assays showed that 81116 survives better than 81-176 at 4°C in a defined freshwater medium (Fraquil). Moreover, 81116 was significantly more resistant to oxidative stress and bile salt than strain 81-176 in Fraquil. To better understand the genetic response of 81116 to water, a transcriptomic profiling study was undertaken using microarrays. Compared to rich broth, strain 81116 represses genes involved in amino acid uptake and metabolism, as well as genes involved in costly biosynthetic processes such as replication, translation, flagellum synthesis and virulence in response to Fraquil. In accordance with the observed increase in stress resistance in Fraquil, 81116 induces genes involved in resistance to oxidative stress and bile salt. Interestingly, genes responsible for cell wall synthesis were also induced upon Fraquil exposure. Finally, twelve unique genes were expressed in Fraquil; however, analysis of their distribution in animal and water isolates showed that they are not uniquely and ubiquitously present in water isolates, and thus, unlikely to play a major role in adaptation to water. Our results show that some C. jejuni strains are more resilient than others, thereby challenging current water management practices. The response of 81116 to Fraquil serves as a starting point to understand the adaptation of C. jejuni to water and its subsequent transmission.

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Phenotypic screening of a targeted mutant library reveals Campylobacter jejuni defenses against oxidative stress.

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Phenotypic screening of a targeted mutant library reveals Campylobacter jejuni defenses against oxidative stress.

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