Project description:The gene encoding elongation factor G, fusA1, is frequently mutated in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients with cystic fibrosis. Recent work has shown that fusA1 mutants often display elevated aminoglycoside resistance due to increased expression of the aminoglycoside efflux pump, MexXY. We isolated a spontaneous gentamicin-resistant fusA1 mutant (FusA1-P443L) in which mexXY expression was increased. We compared the transcriptome of this fusA1 mutant (EMC1) with the P. aeruginosa PAO1-derived progenitor strain (EMC0) and complemented mutant strain expressing the wild-type fusA1 gene in trans (EMC1*).
Project description:The gene encoding elongation factor G, fusA1, is frequently mutated in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients with cystic fibrosis. Recent work has shown that fusA1 mutants often display elevated aminoglycoside resistance due to increased expression of the aminoglycoside efflux pump, MexXY. We isolated a spontaneous gentamicin-resistant fusA1 mutant (FusA1-P443L) in which mexXY expression was increased. We compared the proteome of this fusA1 mutant (EMC1) with the P. aeruginosa PAO1-derived progenitor strain (EMC0) and complemented mutant strain expressing the wild-type fusA1 gene in trans (EMC1*).
Project description:Multidrug (MDR) efflux pumps are ancient and conserved molecular machineries with relevant roles in different aspects of the bacterial physiology, besides antibiotic resistance. In the case of the environmental opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, it has been shown that overexpression of different efflux pumps is linked to the impairment of the quorum sensing (QS) response. Nevertheless, the causes of such impairment are different for each analyzed efflux pump. Herein, we performed an in-depth analysis of the QS-mediated response of a P. aeruginosa antibiotic resistant mutant that overexpresses MexAB-OprM. Although previous work claimed that this efflux pump extrudes the QS signal 3-oxo-C12-HSL, we show otherwise. Our results evidence that the observed attenuation in the QS response when overexpressing this pump is related to an impaired production of alkyl quinolone QS signals, likely prompted by the reduced availability of one of their precursors, the octanoate. Together with previous studies, this indicates that, although the consequences of overexpressing efflux pumps are similar (impaired QS response), the underlying mechanisms are different. This ‘apparent redundancy' of MDR efflux systems can be understood as a P. aeruginosa strategy to keep the robustness of the QS regulatory network and modulate its output in response to different signals.
Project description:Purpose: Recently we have characterize 43 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa overproducing the efflux pump MexEF-OprN. About 45% of these strains did not display mutations in any of the regulators known to control mexEF-oprN expression. Here we identified a novel regulator of the efflux operon mexEF-oprN that we named CmrA by characterizing in vitro selected mutants from the strain PA14. Methods: MexEF-OprN overproducing spontaneous mutants were selected in vitro using the reference strain PA14 in presence of chloramphenicol. Selected mutants (PJ mutants) were characterized using different criteria such as antibiotic susceptibility and production of virulence traits. Gene expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR. Whole genome sequencing of selected mutants (PJ mutants) was performed using IonTorrent technology. Knock-out mutants were constructed by overlapping PCR and homologous recombination. Finally, a transcriptomic analysis by RNAseq was performed to identify the genes depending on CmrA. Results: Characterization of the 4 selected PJ mutants showed that these strains have resistance and virulence profiles slightly differentent from those typically observed in MexEF-OprN overproducing strains (mexS- NfxC strains). The cmrA+ strains (here called NfxC2) showed moderate resistance to MexEF-OprN antibiotic substrates (ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim from 8- to 32-fold compared to PA14) and showed a less compromised capacity to produce some virulence traits (rhamnolipids, elastase, biofilm and pyocyanin) as well as the swarming motility. Whole genome sequencing of PJ mutants led to the identification of SNPs in the gene PA14_38040 (PA14_RS15465 after 2015 genome annotation uptdate). The gene PA14_RS15465 codes for an unknown transcriptional activator and was named cmrA for chlormaphenicol resistance activator. Aminoacid substitutions in CmrA found in PJ mutants were shown to constantly activate this regulator. Further characterization by gene inactivation showed that cmrA is responsible for the activation of the expression of the mexEF-oprN operon in PJ mutants. The locus cmrA was characterized and the complete sequence, including regulatory sequeces, was submitted to GenBank (accession number KX274690). Further analysis showed that the CmrA-activating pathway was dependent on mexS and mexT, both genes are known to affect mexEF-oprN expression. Finally, the transcriptomic analysis of the PJ01 mutant (compared to PA14 and to PJ01∆mexT) revealed that CmrA significally activate the expression of 11 genes most of them coding for enzymes involved in redox regulation. Conclusions: The discovery of cmrA opens the posibility to give an explanation to those clinical strains overproducing the efflux pump MexEF-OprN for unknown reasons. Our data shows that this regulator can activate the efflux pump in a way that the strain is capable to tolerate the antibiotics substrates of the pump and to mantain its capacity to produce some virulence traits. CmrA seems to have a role in the activation of regulatory pathways involved in redox homeostasis as shown by the transcriptomic analysis. The fact that the MexEF-OprN pump is activated at the same time that a redox system let us think that this pump could be related to intracellular detoxification of molecules altering the intracellular homeostasis as it has been previously proposed. We are currently analyzing the transcriptome of CmrA to describe the whole activation pathway of this regulator.
Project description:Efflux pumps of the resistance-nodulation-division (RND) superfamily, particularly the AcrAB-TolC and MexAB-OprM, besides mediating intrinsic and acquired resistance, also intervene in bacterial pathogenicity. Inhibitors of such pumps could restore activities of antibiotics and curb bacterial virulence. Here, we identify pyrrole-based compounds that boost antibiotic activity in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by inhibiting their archetype RND transporters. The discovered efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) inhibit the efflux of fluorescent probes, attenuate persister formation, and diminish resistant mutant development. Molecular docking and biophysical studies revealed that the EPIs bind to AcrB. EPIs also possess an anti-pathogenic potential and attenuate P. aeruginosa virulence in vivo. The excellent efficacy of the EPI-antibiotic combination was evidenced in animal lung infection and sepsis protection models. These findings indicate that EPIs discovered herein with no off-target effects and negligible toxicity are potential antibiotic adjuvants to address life-threatening bacterial infections.
Project description:Target (MexB) and efflux based mechanisms decreasing the effectiveness of the efflux pump inhibitor D13-9001 in P. aeruginosa PAO1: uncovering a new role for MexMN-OprM in efflux of β-lactams and a novel regulatory circuit (MmnRS) controlling MexMN expression Efflux pumps contribute to antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative pathogens. Correspondingly, efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) may reverse this resistance. D13-9001 specifically inhibits MexAB-OprM in P. aeruginosa. Mutants with decreased susceptibility to MexAB-OprM inhibition by D13-9001 were identified and these fell into two categories; those having alterations in the target MexB (F628L and ΔV177) and those with mutations in PA1438 (L172P substitution) which encoded a putative sensor kinase of unknown function. The alterations in MexB were consistent with reported structural studies of D13-9001 interaction with MexB. The PA1438L172P alteration mediated a >150-fold upregulation of MexMN pump gene expression and >50-fold upregulation of PA1438 and the neighboring response regulator gene PA1437. We propose that these be renamed as mmnR/mmnS for MexMN Regulator and Sensor. MexMN was shown to partner with the outer membrane channel protein OprM and to pump several β-lactams, monobactams and tazobactam. Upregulated MexMN functionally replaced MexAB-OprM to efflux these compounds but was insusceptible to inhibition by D13-9001. MmnSL172P also mediated a decrease in susceptibility to imipenem / biapenem that was independent of MexMN-OprM. Expression of oprD, encoding the uptake channel for these compounds was downregulated, suggesting that this channel is also part of the MmnSR regulon. RNA-seq of cells encoding MmnSL172P revealed among other things an interrelationships between regulation of mexMN and genes involved in heavy metal resistance.
Project description:In this study we further investigate the previously observed syntrophic interaction between Geobacter sulfurreducens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In early coculture establishment, two genetic variants of G. sulfurreducens emerged that were strongly selected for throughout coculture evolution. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants occurred in fabI and tetR genes of G. sulfurreducens. The tetR variants displayed upregulation of adenylate cyclase transporter, CyaE and of RND efflux pump proteins as determined through SWATH-MS proteomics.
Project description:The number and overlapping substrate repertoire of multidrug efflux pumps in the E. coli genome suggest a physiological role apart from multidrug resistance. This role was investigated using transcriptomic analyses of cDNAs labeled from E. coli AG102 mRNA (hyper drug resistant, marR1) and its isogenic major efflux pump mutants. Keywords: Mutation Analysis
Project description:An antivirulence approach targets bacterial virulence rather than cell viability in the antibiotic approach that can readily lead to drug resistance. Opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a variety of virulence factors, and biofilm cells of this bacterium are much more resistant to antibiotics than planktonic cells. To identify novel inorganic antivirulence compounds, the dual screenings of thirty-six metal ions were performed to identify that zinc ions and ZnO nanoparticle inhibited the pyocyanin production and biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa without affecting the growth of planktonic cells. Moreover, zinc ion and ZnO nanoparticle markedly reduced the production of 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4(1H)-quinolone and siderophore pyochelin, while increased the production of another sideropore pyoverdine and swarming motility. Further, zinc ion and ZnO nanoparticle clearly suppressed hemolytic activity in P. aeruginosa. Transcriptome analyses showed that ZnO nanoparticle induced zinc cation efflux pump czc operon, porin genes (oprD and opdT), and Pseudomonas type III repressor A ptrA, while repressed pyocyanin-related phz operon, which partially explains the phenotypic changes. Overall, ZnO nanoparticle is a potential candidate for use in an antivirulence approach against persistent P. aeruginosa infection.
2015-05-25 | GSE46947 | GEO
Project description:Pyridylpiperazine (efflux pump inhibitor) mutants in K. pneumoniae