Whole genome transcritptional comparison of Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) serotype M1 pre-epidemic and epidemic isolates
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ABSTRACT: This transcriptional analysis is a follow up to a population genomic investigation of 3615 Streptococcus pyogenes serotype M1 strains whch are responsible for an epidemic of human invasive infections (www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1403138111), The goal was to assess gene expression differences between predecessor pre-epidemic M1 strains and their descendent epidemic M1 strains to gain insights into the underlying genetic basis for the shift in the frequency and severity of human infections caused by these pathogenic bacteria The transcriptomes of 7 GAS M1 strains, 4 pre-epidemic and 3 epidemic, were compared at two phases of growth, mid-exponential and early-stationary, using 3 biologial replicates, to identify genes differentially expressed between the pre-epidemic and epidemic isolates with the goal of to gaining insight into the underlying genetic basis for the evolutionary emergence, increased frequency and severity of the epidemic strains relative to the pre-epidemic strains
Project description:This transcriptional analysis is a follow up to a population genomic investigation of 3615 Streptococcus pyogenes serotype M1 strains whch are responsible for an epidemic of human invasive infections (www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1403138111), The goal was to assess gene expression differences between predecessor pre-epidemic M1 strains and their descendent epidemic M1 strains to gain insights into the underlying genetic basis for the shift in the frequency and severity of human infections caused by these pathogenic bacteria
Project description:Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive, food-borne pathogen responsible for invasive infections with high overall mortality. Early host defenses encountered by L. monocytogenes following ingestion include low pH of the stomach and bile present in the small intestinal lumen. We hypothesized that “epidemic” strains are better able to withstand exposure to low pH and bile encountered in the gastrointestinal tract as compared to most “environmental” strains. Furthermore, we hypothesized that epidemic and environmental strains would have distinct transcriptional programs upon exposure to these conditions. Our treatments included 1 hr exposure to acid (pH 5.5 and 3.5) and bile (0.3%) stress. Strains were pre-exposed to pH 5.5 (1 hr) before being treated with pH 3.5. We used a collection of 12 previously characterized epidemic and environmental strains and each strainXtreatment combination included 3 biological replicates for each microarray experiment. All microarray experiments were two color competitive hybridizations that paired experimental conditions with the same strain at neutral pH for acid stress and pH 5.5 for bile stress. Transcriptomes of environmental strains exposed to acid and bile stress showed remarkably greater number of genes with differences of ≥2-fold expression levels as compared to epidemic strains (5 and 7, respectively). Environmental strains were characterized by up-regulation of several stress related genes and down-regulation of several cell envelope biosynthesis and virulence related genes, suggesting that complex regulatory networks orchestrate the cellular changes in the environmental strains to overcome stressful environments. The transcriptome of epidemic strains, in contrast, showed muted responses to these stress conditions implying their pre-adaptability to acid and bile stress encountered during natural infection that may enable epidemic strains to survive and become “primed” for subsequent colonization and infection in the lower gastrointestinal tract. Keywords: stress response, comparative transcriptomics, acid-adaptation, differential virulence, acid-stress response, bile-stress response
Project description:The goal was to perform global transcriptome analysis on genetically representaive pre-epidemic and epidemic M89 strains to investigate how the genetic differnces may have altered gene expression potentially contributing to epidemic emergence and persistence.
Project description:Whole genome transcritptional comparison of Group A Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) serotype M1 pre-epidemic and epidemic isolates
Project description:A new variant of group A Streptococcus (GAS) serotype M1 (designated ‘M1UK’) has been reported in the United Kingdom, linked with seasonal scarlet fever surges, marked increase in invasive infections, and exhibiting enhanced expression of the superantigen SpeA. The progenitor GAS ‘M1global’ and M1UK clones can be differentiated by 27 SNPs and 4 indels, yet the mechanism for speA upregulation is unknown. Here we investigate the previously unappreciated expansion of M1UK in Australia, now isolated from the majority of serious infections caused by serotype M1 GAS. M1UK sub-lineages circulating in Australia also contain a novel toxin repertoire associated with epidemic scarlet fever causing GAS in Asia. A single SNP in the M1UK tmRNA gene ssrA drives enhanced SpeA superantigen expression as a result of ssrA terminator readthrough in the M1UK lineage. This represents a new paradigm of toxin expression and urges enhanced international surveillance.
Project description:A new variant of group A Streptococcus (GAS) serotype M1 (designated ‘M1UK’) has been reported in the United Kingdom, linked with seasonal scarlet fever surges, marked increase in invasive infections, and exhibiting enhanced expression of the superantigen SpeA. The progenitor GAS ‘M1global’ and M1UK clones can be differentiated by 27 SNPs and 4 indels, yet the mechanism for speA upregulation is unknown. Here we investigate the previously unappreciated expansion of M1UK in Australia, now isolated from the majority of serious infections caused by serotype M1 GAS. M1UK sub-lineages circulating in Australia also contain a novel toxin repertoire associated with epidemic scarlet fever causing GAS in Asia. A single SNP in the M1UK tmRNA gene ssrA drives enhanced SpeA superantigen expression as a result of ssrA terminator readthrough in the M1UK lineage. This represents a new paradigm of toxin expression and urges enhanced international surveillance.
Project description:A new variant of group A Streptococcus (GAS) serotype M1 (designated ‘M1UK’) has been reported in the United Kingdom, linked with seasonal scarlet fever surges, marked increase in invasive infections, and exhibiting enhanced expression of the superantigen SpeA. The progenitor GAS ‘M1global’ and M1UK clones can be differentiated by 27 SNPs and 4 indels, yet the mechanism for speA upregulation is unknown. Here we investigate the previously unappreciated expansion of M1UK in Australia, now isolated from the majority of serious infections caused by serotype M1 GAS. M1UK sub-lineages circulating in Australia also contain a novel toxin repertoire associated with epidemic scarlet fever causing GAS in Asia. A single SNP in the M1UK tmRNA gene ssrA drives enhanced SpeA superantigen expression as a result of ssrA terminator readthrough in the M1UK lineage. This represents a new paradigm of toxin expression and urges enhanced international surveillance.
Project description:A new variant of group A Streptococcus (GAS) serotype M1 (designated ‘M1UK’) has been reported in the United Kingdom, linked with seasonal scarlet fever surges, marked increase in invasive infections, and exhibiting enhanced expression of the superantigen SpeA. The progenitor GAS ‘M1global’ and M1UK clones can be differentiated by 27 SNPs and 4 indels, yet the mechanism for speA upregulation is unknown. Here we investigate the previously unappreciated expansion of M1UK in Australia, now isolated from the majority of serious infections caused by serotype M1 GAS. M1UK sub-lineages circulating in Australia also contain a novel toxin repertoire associated with epidemic scarlet fever causing GAS in Asia. A single SNP in the M1UK tmRNA gene ssrA drives enhanced SpeA superantigen expression as a result of ssrA terminator readthrough in the M1UK lineage. This represents a new paradigm of toxin expression and urges enhanced international surveillance.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most dominant human pathogen, responsible for a variety of chronic and severe infections. As a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, Epidemic Prevention Sachets have been used clinically for centuries to treat infectious diseases. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil (EO) from Epidemic Prevention Sachets against the S. aureus has not been investigated. In this study, the EO was tested for its antimicrobial activity against S. aureus. We identified that the EOs has high activity against S. aureus. It showed higher activity than the known antibacterial drug combination of Penicillin streptomycin. The same results were demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy. The impact of the EO on transcription of genes from S. aureus was analyzed. SAOUHSC_01002, SAOUHSC_02444, SAOUHSC_00282 and SAOUHSC_00325, which are involved in cation transport (GO:0006812), were significantly affected by the essential oil as defined in the Gene Ontology Biological Process (GO BP), whereas SAOUHSC_00114 and SAOUHSC_03000, which are involved in the protein tyrosine kinase modulator pathway (K19420), were significantly enriched in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway. Analysis of clusters of orthologous groups (COG) found that there are differences in multiple metabolic pathways, mainly including secondary biosynthesis metabolism, biofilm related genes and energy metabolism. Our study indicates that the essential oil from Epidemic Prevention Sachets is an effective herbal formula against S. aureus.
Project description:Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a predominant pathogen in chronic lung infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Epidemic strains of P. aeruginosa, such as the Liverpool Epidemic Strain (LES), are capable of transferring between CF patients and have been associated with increased hospital visits and antibiotic treatments. Comparative genomics and phenotypic assays have shown that antibiotic resistance profiles differ among LES isolates and that genotype–phenotype associations are difficult to establish for resistance phenotypes in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa based on these comparisons alone. We compared two LES isolates, LESlike1 and LESB58, and the common laboratory strain P. aeruginosa PAO1 using label-free quantitative proteomics to more accurately predict functional differences between strains. The proteomes of the LES isolates were found to be more similar to each other than to PAO1. However, we also observed a number of differences in the abundance of proteins involved in quorum sensing, virulence, and antibiotic resistance, including in the comparison of LESlike1 and LESB58. Specifically, the proteomic data revealed a higher abundance of proteins involved in polymyxin and aminoglycoside resistance in LESlike1. Minimum inhibitory concentration assays confirmed that LESlike1 has higher resistance to antibiotics from these classes. These findings provide an example of the ability of proteomic data to complement genotypic and phenotypic studies to understand resistance in clinical isolates.