Pneumococcus rolls epigenetic dice with a six phase random switch that controls virulence
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ABSTRACT: We sequenced mRNA form 4 Streptococcus pneumoniae which expressed only a single HsdS variant of the phase variable type I restriction modification system. Samples were from mid log exponential growth phase in standard glucose containing growth medium. Examination of the mRNA profiles for evaluation of epigenetic regulation by a phase variable restriction modification system
Project description:We sequenced mRNA form 4 Streptococcus pneumoniae which expressed only a single HsdS variant of the phase variable type I restriction modification system. Samples were from mid log exponential growth phase in standard glucose containing growth medium.
Project description:Pneumococcal bacteriocins (pneumocins) are antibacterial toxins that mediate intra- and interspecies competition within the human host. What triggers pneumocin expression is poorly understood. Using RNA-sequencing, we mapped the regulon of the pneumocin cluster (blp) of Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 and show that several antibiotics activate the blp-genes. Real-time gene expression measurements showed that while the promoter driving expression of the two-component regulatory system blpS/H was constitutive, the remaining blp-promoters (e.g. controlling pneumocin expression, immunity and the inducer peptide BlpC) was pH-dependent, induced in the late exponential phase and occurred in all cells. Intriguingly, competence for genetic transformation, mediated by the ComD/E two-component quorum system, was induced by the same stimuli. To test for regulatory interplay, we utilized synthetic BlpC and competence-stimulating peptide (CSP). Strikingly, immediately upon addition of CSP, the blp-promoters were activated in a comD/E dependent manner. After a delay, blp-expression was highly induced but strictly dependent on the presence of blpRH and blpC. This raised the question how BlpC is exported since phylogenetic analysis showed that the putative exporter for BlpC, blpAB, is not intact in strain D39 and most other strains. However, all sequenced pneumococcal strains contain intact comAB genes, encoding the transport system for CSP. In fact, we show that high expression of the blp-genes requires comAB. Together, we demonstrate that regulation of pneumocin expression is intertwined with competence, explaining why certain antibiotics induce blp-expression. Antibiotic-induced pneumocin expression might promote survival under antibiotic stress by killing and liberating DNA from neighboring (antibiotic-resistant) bacteria, which can then be used for transformation or repair. Pairwise comparison of untreated and antibiotic-treated cells (either DNA-seq or RNA-seq). It was performed with deep sequencing, using an Illumina HiSeq 2000 machine with 100 nt paired-end reads. Control and HPUra-treated samples were analysed from duplicate samples, while other conditions were from single samples.
Project description:We show that treatment with HPUra (for S. pneumoniae) and trimethoprim (for E. coli) leads to a skewed gene dosage profile (increase around the origin of replication), which is also propagated to the transcriptome level. Kanamycin, however, does not have this effect. In case of S. pneumoniae this shift in gene dosage distribution leads to the population-wide activation of competence. Pairwise comparison of untreated to antibiotic-treated cells (either DNA-seq or RNA-seq). It was performed with deep sequencing, using an Illumina HiSeq 2000 machine with 100 bp read length. S. pneumoniae samples treated with kanamycin was analysed from a single sample, while all other conditions were from duplicate samples.
Project description:We found that the homologous proteins of SPD_0310 of Streptococcus pneumoniae widely exists in Gram-positive bacteria. SPD_0310 has heme binding ability. In the GST pull-down experiment, we found that it can interact with several proteins.
Project description:Transcriptome analysis of D39 rel+Spn and delta-relSpn strains treated with mupirocin revealed relSpn-independent (translation stress), relSpn-dependent (stringent response), and delta-relSpn-dependent changes suggesting that relSpn and (p)ppGpp amount play wide-ranging homeostatic roles in pneumococcal physiology, besides adjusting macromolecular synthesis and transport in response to nutrient availability. Wildtype and rel deletion mutant (Delta rel) bacteria were grown statically in BHI broth at 37C in an atmosphere of 5% CO2. Cultures were divided in two upon reaching a density of OD620 ~0.1, and lithium mupirocin was added to one culture (t=0) to a final concentration of 100 ng per mL. Treated and untreated cultures were harvested after 20 min further incubation and RNA was extracted by a hot lysis-acid phenol protocol. We performed the following comparisons: Wildtype + mupirocin versus Wildtype untreated (reference); Delta rel + mupirocin versus Delta rel untreated (reference); Delta rel untreated versus Wildtype untreated (reference); Delta rel + mupirocin versus Wildtype + mupirocin (reference). For each comparison, microarray data were obtained from three independent biological replicates and included one dye swap.
Project description:Treatment of pneumococcal infections is limited by antibiotic resistance and exacerbation of disease by bacterial lysis releasing pneumolysin toxin and other inflammatory factors. We identified a novel peptide in the Klebsiella pneumoniae secretome, which enters Streptococcus pneumoniae via its AmiA-AliA/AliB permease. Subsequent downregulation of genes for amino acid biosynthesis and peptide uptake was associated with reduction of pneumococcal growth in defined medium and human cerebrospinal fluid, irregular cell shape, decreased chain length and decreased genetic transformation. The bacteriostatic effect was specific to S. pneumoniae and Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae with no effect on Streptococcus mitis, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus or K. pneumoniae. Peptide sequence and length were crucial to growth suppression. The peptide reduced pneumococcal adherence to primary human airway epithelial cell cultures and colonization of rat nasopharynx, without toxicity. We also analysed the effect of peptide on the proteome of S. pneumoniae. We found alteration of the proteome by the peptide with some proteins turned on or off in line with the transcriptomic changes. We therefore identified a peptide with potential as a therapeutic for pneumococcal diseases suppressing growth of multiple clinical isolates, including antibiotic resistant strains, while avoiding bacterial lysis and dysbiosis.
Project description:Helicobacter pylori genome is rich in restriction - modification (R-M) systems. Around 4 % of the genome codes for components of R-M systems. hpyAVIBM, which codes for a putative phase-variable C5 - cytosine methyltransferase (MTase) from H. pylori lacks a cognate restriction enzyme.
Project description:Helicobacter pylori genome is rich in restriction - modification (R-M) systems. Around 4 % of the genome codes for components of R-M systems. hpyAVIBM, which codes for a putative phase-variable C5 - cytosine methyltransferase (MTase) from H. pylori lacks a cognate restriction enzyme.
Project description:Epithelial cells are the first line of defense within the lung. Disruption of the epithelial barrier by pathogens enables the systematic dissemination of bacteria or viruses within the host, leading to severe diseases with fatal outcomes. Thus, the lung epithelium can be damaged by seasonal and pandemic influenza A viruses. Influenza A virus infection induced dysregulation of the immune system is beneficial for the dissemination of bacteria to the lower respiratory tract, causing bacterial and viral co-infection. Host cells regulate protein homeostasis and the response to different stimuli, for instance pathogen infections, by post translational modification of proteins. Aside from protein phosphorylation, ubiquitination of proteins is an essential regulatory tool in virtually every cellular process, such as protein homeostasis, the host immune response, cell morphology, and in clearing of cytosolic pathogens. Here, we analyzed the proteome and ubiquitinome of A549 cells in response to Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 Δcps and influenza A virus H1N1 as well as bacterial and viral co-infection. Pneumococcal infection induced alterations in the ubiquitination of proteins involved in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and Rho GTPases, but had minor effects on the abundance of host proteins. H1N1 infection is reflected by an anti-viral state of A549 cells. Finally, co infection resembled the imprints of both infecting pathogens with a minor increase in the observed alterations in protein and ubiquitination abundance.