Project description:Neutrophil abscess formation is critical in innate immunity against many pathogens. Here, the mechanism of neutrophil abscess formation was investigated using a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus cutaneous infection. Gene expression analysis of S. aureus-infected skin revealed that induction of neutrophil recruitment genes was largely dependent upon IL-1beta/IL-1R activation. Unexpectedly, using IL 1beta reporter mice, neutrophils were identified as the primary source of IL-1beta at the site of infection. Furthermore, IL-1beta-producing neutrophils were necessary and sufficient for abscess formation and bacterial clearance. S. aureus-induced IL 1beta production by neutrophils required TLR2, NOD2, FPRs and the ASC/NLRP3 inflammasome. Taken together, IL-1beta and neutrophil abscess formation during an infection are functionally, spatially and temporally linked as a consequence of direct IL-1beta production by neutrophils. Lesional skin biopsies obtained from C57BL/6J WT mice or IL-1R-deficient mice at 4 hours post-infection with Staphylococcus aureus. Uninfected skin biopsies were also collected from WT and IL-1R-deficient mice.
Project description:Neutrophil abscess formation is critical in innate immunity against many pathogens. Here, the mechanism of neutrophil abscess formation was investigated using a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus cutaneous infection. Gene expression analysis of S. aureus-infected skin revealed that induction of neutrophil recruitment genes was largely dependent upon IL-1beta/IL-1R activation. Unexpectedly, using IL 1beta reporter mice, neutrophils were identified as the primary source of IL-1beta at the site of infection. Furthermore, IL-1beta-producing neutrophils were necessary and sufficient for abscess formation and bacterial clearance. S. aureus-induced IL 1beta production by neutrophils required TLR2, NOD2, FPRs and the ASC/NLRP3 inflammasome. Taken together, IL-1beta and neutrophil abscess formation during an infection are functionally, spatially and temporally linked as a consequence of direct IL-1beta production by neutrophils.
Project description:The Staphylococcus aureus Panton Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a pore-forming toxin secreted by strains epidemiologically associated with the current outbreak of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and with the often lethal necrotizing pneumonia. To investigate the role of PVL in pulmonary disease, we tested the pathogenicity of clinical isolates, isogenic PVL-negative and PVL-positive S. aureus strains, as well as purified PVL, in a mouse acute pneumonia model. Here we show that PVL is sufficient to cause pneumonia and that the expression of this leukotoxin induces global changes in transcriptional levels of genes encoding secreted and cell-wall-anchored staphylococcal proteins, including the lung inflammatory factor staphylococcal protein A (Spa). Keywords: comparative transcription profile in the presence or absence of PVL toxin
Project description:Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections result in more than 200,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths in the United States each year and remain an important medical challenge. A key factor of S. aureus pathogenesis is the production of virulence proteins that are secreted into the extracellular matrix damaging host tissues and forming abscesses that may serve as replicative niches for the bacteria. We recently discovered that host-derived cis-unsaturated fatty acids activate the transcription and translation of EsxA, a protein that plays a central role in abscess formation in clinically relevant MRSA strains. Additionally, we discovered that fatty acid stimulation of EsxA is dependent on fakA, a gene that encodes a protein responsible for the incorporation of exogenous fatty acids into the S. aureus phospholipid membrane. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of host-fatty-acid-sensing in S. aureus, we performed RNA-Seq analysis on WT Staphylococcus aureus USA300 NRS384, a community-acquired MRSA strain, in the presence and absence of 10μM linoleic acid.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive human pathogen causing a variety of human diseases in both hospital and community settings. This bacterium is so closely associated with prophages that it is rare to find S. aureus isolates without prophages. Two phages are known to be important for staphylococcal virulence: the beta-hemolysin (hlb) converting phage and the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) converting phage. The hlb-converting phage is found in more than 90% of clinical isolates of S. aureus. This phage produces exotoxins and immune modulatory molecules, which inhibit human innate immune responses. The PVL-converting phage produces the two-component exotoxin PVL, which can kill human leucocytes. This phage is wide-spread among community-associated methicillin resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA). It also shows strong association with soft tissue infections and necrotizing pneumonia. Several lines of evidence suggest that staphylococcal prophages increase bacterial virulence not only by providing virulence factors but also by altering bacterial gene expression: 1) Transposon insertion into prophage regulatory genes, but not into the genes of virulence factors, reduced S. aureus killing of Caenorhabditis elegans.; 2) Although the toxins and immune modulatory molecules encoded by the hlb- converting phages do not function in the murine system, deletion of ϕNM3, the hlb-converting phage in S. aureus Newman, reduced staphylococcal virulence in the murine abscess formation model. 3) In a preliminary microarray experiment, prophages in S. aureus Newman altered the expression of more than 300 genes. In this research proposal, using microarray and high-throughput quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) technologies, we will identify the effects of the two important staphylococcal phages on the gene expression of S. aureus in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. This project is intended to be completed within one year. All the data – microarray, qRT-PCR and all the primer sequences- will be made available to public 6 month after completion. Data from this project will help us to understand the role of prophages in the S. aureus pathogenesis and can lead to development of a strategy to interfere with the pathogenesis process. Following strains were grown in TSA broth: Staphylococcus aureus USA300 (reference) Staphylococcus aureus USA300 with deletion of ϕSa2usa (Query) Staphylococcus aureus USA300 with deletion of ϕSa3usa (Query) Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Prophage-free mutant (Query) Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Prophage-free mutant lysogenized with ϕSa2mw (Query) Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Prophage-free mutant lysogenized with ϕSa3usa (Query) strain: Staphylococcus aureus USA300 Prophage-free mutant lysogenized with both ϕSa2mw and ϕSa3usa (Query) RNA samples were harvested at early log, midlog and stationary phase.Samples were hybridized on aminosilane coated slides with 70-mer oligos.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of human skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) globally. Notably, 80% of all SSTIs are caused by S. aureus, of which ~63% are abscesses and/or cellulitis. Although progress has been made, our knowledge of the host and pathogen factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of SSTIs is incomplete. To provide a more comprehensive view of this process, we monitored changes in the S. aureus transcriptome and selected host proinflammatory molecules during abscess formation and resolution in a rabbit skin infection model. Within the first 24 h, S. aureus transcripts involved in DNA repair, metabolite transport, and metabolism were up regulated, suggesting an increase in the machinery encoding molecules involved in replication and cell division. There was also increased expression of genes encoding virulence factors, namely secreted toxins and fibronectin and/or fibrinogen-binding proteins. Of the host genes tested, we found that transcripts encoding host IL-8, IL1β, oncostatin M-like, CCR1, CXCR1 (IL8RA), CCL4 (MIP-1β) and CCL3 (MIP1α)-like proteins were among the most highly up-regulated transcripts during S. aureus abscess formation. Our findings provide additional insight into the pathogenesis of S. aureus SSTIs, including a temporal component of the host response. These results serve as a springboard for future studies directed to better understand how/why mild or moderate SSTIs progress to invasive disease.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive human pathogen causing a variety of human diseases in both hospital and community settings. This bacterium is so closely associated with prophages that it is rare to find S. aureus isolates without prophages. Two phages are known to be important for staphylococcal virulence: the beta-hemolysin (hlb) converting phage and the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) converting phage. The hlb-converting phage is found in more than 90% of clinical isolates of S. aureus. This phage produces exotoxins and immune modulatory molecules, which inhibit human innate immune responses. The PVL-converting phage produces the two-component exotoxin PVL, which can kill human leucocytes. This phage is wide-spread among community-associated methicillin resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA). It also shows strong association with soft tissue infections and necrotizing pneumonia. Several lines of evidence suggest that staphylococcal prophages increase bacterial virulence not only by providing virulence factors but also by altering bacterial gene expression: 1) Transposon insertion into prophage regulatory genes, but not into the genes of virulence factors, reduced S. aureus killing of Caenorhabditis elegans.; 2) Although the toxins and immune modulatory molecules encoded by the hlb- converting phages do not function in the murine system, deletion of NM3, the hlb-converting phage in S. aureus Newman, reduced staphylococcal virulence in the murine abscess formation model. 3) In a preliminary microarray experiment, prophages in S. aureus Newman altered the expression of more than 300 genes. In this research proposal, using microarray and high-throughput quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) technologies, we will identify the effects of the two important staphylococcal phages on the gene expression of S. aureus in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. This project is intended to be completed within one year. All the data – microarray, qRT-PCR and all the primer sequences- will be made available to public 6 month after completion. Data from this project will help us to understand the role of prophages in the S. aureus pathogenesis and can lead to development of a strategy to interfere with the pathogenesis process. Staphylococcus aureus subsp.aureus strain Newman (reference) and Staphylococcus aureus subsp.aureus strain Newman yhcR knockout(query) were grown in TSA broth.Samples were grown under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and RNA samples harvested at mid log, stationary, and log phases.Samples were hybridized on aminosilane coated slides with 70-mer oligos.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens in humans and animals, multiply resistant strains are increasingly widespread, new agents are needed for the treatment of S. aureus. Rhein, a natural plant product, has potential antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. We employed Affymetrix Staphylococcus aureus GeneChipsTM arrays to investigate the global transcriptional profiling of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 treated with rhein. Results provided insight into mechanisms involved in rhein - Staphylococcus aureus interactions. Keywords: rhein response
Project description:Small RNAs (sRNAs) remain an understudied class of regulatory molecules in bacteria. Hundreds of sRNAs have been identified in the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus; however, only a few have been characterized in detail. In this study we investigate the role of the sRNA Teg41 in S. aureus virulence. We demonstrate that Teg41, an sRNA divergently transcribed from the locus that encodes the cytolytic alpha phenol soluble modulin (αPSM) peptides, plays a critical role in αPSM production. Overproduction of Teg41 leads to an increase in αPSM levels and a corresponding increase in hemolytic activity from S. aureus cells and cell-free culture supernatants. We demonstrate that the increase in αPSM production is post-transcriptional, as expression of the αPSM transcript is unaltered upon Teg41 overproduction. To identify regions of Teg41 important for its function we performed an in silico RNA:RNA interaction analysis which predicted an interaction between the 3’ end of Teg41 and the αPSM transcript. Deleting a 24-nucleotide region from the S. aureus genome, corresponding to the 3’ end of Teg41, led to a 10-fold reduction in αPSM-dependent hemolytic activity and attenuation of virulence in a murine abscess model of infection. Together these results demonstrate, for the first time, post-transcriptional regulation of the αPSM peptides by an sRNA in S. aureus.