Project description:The gastrointestinal tract is colonized by trillions of microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiota. These microbes provide essential signals to support healthy gut function. The microbiota is separated from internal tissue by a single layer of intestinal epithelial cells that not only provides a physical barrier but also relays luminal signals to underlying gut immune cells. Altered microbiota composition including loss of anti-inflammatory microbes or outgrowth of mucosa-associated bacteria such as adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) are hallmarks of inflammatory disease including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In contrast to their hypothesized role in pathology, we recently identified select AIEC isolates that improve outcomes in mouse colitis models. These AIEC induce macrophage production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 which limits gut inflammation and supports barrier repair. These benefits were lost if the AIEC was unable to attach to epithelial cells. However, the epithelial signaling underlying this protection remained unclear. To understand if intestinal epithelial cells signaled to immune cells after microbial attachment, we utilized human colonic organoid monolayers and found co-culture with a subset of AIEC isolates upregulated immune regulatory genes including CCL2, a macrophage recruiting chemokine. This effect was only observed in undifferenced epithelial cells, indicating epithelial stem cell recognition of microbes leads to macrophage recruitment. In vivo, antibody blockade of CCR2 abrogated the protective effect of AIEC colonization. Using bacterial transcriptome analysis, we identified high flagellin expression in AIEC isolates that activated epithelial signaling, with lost signaling in organoids deficient for TLR5, the receptor for flagellin. Together our findings suggest intestinal epithelial cells recognize microbial signals to coordinate macrophage recruitment that support intestinal repair, protecting from colitis.

Project description:The complex reservoir of metabolite-producing bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract contributes tremendously to human health and disease. Bacterial composition, and by extension gut metabolomic composition, is undoubtably influenced by the use of modern antibiotics. Herein, we demonstrate that polymyxin B, a last resort antibiotic used for chronic multidrug resistant infections infections, influences the production of the genotoxic metabolite colibactin from adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) NC101. Colibactin can augment colorectal cancer (CRC) through DNA double stranded breaks and interstrand crosslinks. While the structure and biosynthesis of colibactin has been elucidated, chemical-induced regulation of its biosynthetic gene cluster and subsequent production of the genotoxin by pathogenic E. coli are largely unexplored. This research highlights the regulation of the colibactin-producing biosynthetic gene cluster under polymyxin stress. Using a multi-omic approach, we have identified that polymyxin stress enhances the abundance of colibactin biosynthesis proteins (Clb’s) in multiple pks+ E. coli strains, including pro-carcinogenic AIEC: NC101, the probiotic strain: E. coli Nissle 1917, and the antibiotic testing strain: E. coli ATCC 25922. Expression analysis via qPCR revealed that increased transcription of clb genes likely contributes to elevated Clb protein levels in NC101. Enhanced production of Clb’s by NC101 under polymyxin stress matched an increased production of the colibactin prodrug motif, a proxy for the mature genotoxic metabolite. Furthermore, E. coli with heightened tolerance for polymyxin antibiotics induced greater DNA damage, assessed by quantification of γH2AX staining in cultured intestinal epithelial cells. This study establishes a key link between the polymyxin B stress response and colibactin production in pks+ E. coli. Ultimately, our findings will inform future studies investigating colibactin regulation, the microbial response to antibiotics in the gut, and the ability of seemingly innocuous commensal microbes to induce host disease.

Project description:For over 30 years, serine hydroxamate has been used to chemically stimulate a stringent response in Escherichia coli and other bacteria. These studies have elucidated numerous characteristics of the classical stringent response beyond the simple cellular response to an amino acid shortage, including phospholipid synthesis and protease up-regulation. In this study, the effects of a serine hydroxamate addition on high cell density recombinant E. coli were examined and compared to the effects of recombinant protein production to determine overlaps, as recombinant protein production stress has often been attributed to amino acid shortages. Both the transcriptome and growth characteristics were evaluated and compared. The serine hydroxamate addition profoundly decreased the culture growth rate, whereas, recombinant protein production did not. Conversely, the transcriptome profile of the recombinant E. coli cultures were relatively unaffected by the serine hydroxamate addition, yet recombinant protein production dramatically changed the transcriptome profile. A subset of the classical stringent response genes were effected by the serine hydroxamate addition, whereas, recombinant protein production regulated numerous classical stringent response genes; however, not all. The genes that were regulated by the serine hydroxamate addition include numerous fatty acid synthesis genes, in agreement with altered phospholipids synthesis reports. These results indicate that recombinant protein production and the stringent response have many overlapping responses; however, are far from identical. It was hypothesized that recombinant protein production leads to a stringent response due to the high amino acid synthesis demands related to recombinant protein synthesis. A comparison of the transcriptomes during recombinant protein production and a chemical imposed stringent response would assist with determining what portion of the “metabolic burden” associated with recombinant protein production is due to amino acid shortages. In this study, the transcriptome profiles of recombinant E. coli were examined and compared for the three culture conditions: 1) Normal growth, no external stress; 2) L-serine hydroxamate addition (to mediate a stringent response); and 3) IPTG-induction to produce the recombinant protein chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). The transcriptome profiles from these three conditions were analyzed using Affymetrix Anti-sense E. coli GeneChip® microarrays.

Project description:For over 30 years, serine hydroxamate has been used to chemically stimulate a stringent response in Escherichia coli and other bacteria. These studies have elucidated numerous characteristics of the classical stringent response beyond the simple cellular response to an amino acid shortage, including phospholipid synthesis and protease up-regulation. In this study, the effects of a serine hydroxamate addition on high cell density recombinant E. coli were examined and compared to the effects of recombinant protein production to determine overlaps, as recombinant protein production stress has often been attributed to amino acid shortages. Both the transcriptome and growth characteristics were evaluated and compared. The serine hydroxamate addition profoundly decreased the culture growth rate, whereas, recombinant protein production did not. Conversely, the transcriptome profile of the recombinant E. coli cultures were relatively unaffected by the serine hydroxamate addition, yet recombinant protein production dramatically changed the transcriptome profile. A subset of the classical stringent response genes were effected by the serine hydroxamate addition, whereas, recombinant protein production regulated numerous classical stringent response genes; however, not all. The genes that were regulated by the serine hydroxamate addition include numerous fatty acid synthesis genes, in agreement with altered phospholipids synthesis reports. These results indicate that recombinant protein production and the stringent response have many overlapping responses; however, are far from identical. It was hypothesized that recombinant protein production leads to a stringent response due to the high amino acid synthesis demands related to recombinant protein synthesis. A comparison of the transcriptomes during recombinant protein production and a chemical imposed stringent response would assist with determining what portion of the “metabolic burden” associated with recombinant protein production is due to amino acid shortages. In this study, the transcriptome profiles of recombinant E. coli were examined and compared for the three culture conditions: 1) Normal growth, no external stress; 2) L-serine hydroxamate addition (to mediate a stringent response); and 3) IPTG-induction to produce the recombinant protein chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). The transcriptome profiles from these three conditions were analyzed using Affymetrix Anti-sense E. coli GeneChip® microarrays. Experiment Overall Design: For the serine hydroxamate fermentations, cells were harvested immediately prior to the serine hydroxamate-addition (Time S0) and 1-hour post serine hydroxamate-addition (Time S1). For the IPTG-induced fermentations, cells were harvested immediately prior to the IPTG-addition (Time S0) and 1-hour post-induction (Time S1). For the uninduced (unstressed) fermentations, cells were harvested at Time S0 and Time S1, for which the timing was synchronized with the serine hydroxamate and IPTG fermentations based on OD for Time S0 and time for Time S1. Each fermentation condition was repeated (two biological replicates). RNA from each biological replicates was purified and processed independently. Three biological replicates were obtained for the control condition (Time S0), since prior the serine hydroxamate- or IPTG- addition all fermentations were replicates. Prior to DNA microarray hybridization, where only two biological replicates existed, one of the processed samples was divided into two technical replicates, resulting in three separate hybridized chips. All Time S1 samples contained three technical replicates from two biological duplicates, whereas the control Time S0 measurement contained three biological replicates.

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Microbial metabolic reprogramming regulates intraspecific competition of Enterobacteriaceae in the inflamed gut

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