Project description:Background Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, the etiologic agent of furunculosis, is a major pathogen of fisheries worldwide. Despite the identification of several virulence factors the pathogenesis is still poorly understood. We have used high-throughput proteomics to display the differences between in vitro secretome of A. salmonicida wild-type (wt, hypervirulent, JF5054) and T3SS-deficient (isogenic DeltaascV, extremely low-virulent, JF2747) strains in exponential (GP) and stationary (SP) phases of growth. Results Among the different experimental conditions we obtained semi-quantitative values for a total of 2136 A. salmonicida proteins. Proteins of specific A. salmonicida species were proportionally less detected than proteins common to the Aeromonas genus or those shared with other Aeromonas species, suggesting that in vitro growth did not induce the expression of these genes. Four detected proteins which are unidentified in the genome of reference strains of A. salmonicida were homologous to components of the conjugative T4SS of A. hydrophila pRA1 plasmid. Polypeptides of three proteins which are specific to the 01-B526 strain were also discovered. In supernatants (SNs), the number of detected proteins was higher in SP (326 for wt vs 329 for mutant) than in GP (275 for wt vs 263 for mutant). In pellets, the number of identified proteins (a total of 1536) was approximately the same between GP and SP. Numerous highly conserved cytoplasmic proteins were present in A. salmonicida SNs (mainly EF-Tu, EF-G, EF-P, EF-Ts, TypA, AlaS, ribosomal proteins, HtpG, DnaK, peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases, GAPDH, Enolase, FbaA, TpiA, Pgk, TktA, AckA, AcnB, Mdh, AhpC, Tpx, SodB and PNPase), and several evidences support the theory that their extracellular localization was not the result of cell lysis. According to the Cluster of Orthologous Groups classification, 29% of excreted proteins in A. salmonicida SNs were currently poorly characterized. Conclusions In this part of our work we elucidated the whole in vitro exoproteome of hypervirulent A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida and showed the secretion of several highly conserved cytoplasmic proteins with putative moonlighting functions and roles in virulence. All together, our results offer new information about the pathogenesis of furunculosis and point out potential candidates for vaccine development.
Project description:Aeromonas salmonicida is a fish pathogen that causes furunculosis. Virulent strains of this bacterium are able to infect salmonid macrophages and survive within them, although mechanisms favouring intracellular survival are not completely understood. It is known that A. salmonicida cultured in vivo in the peritoneal cavity of the host undergoes changes in gene expression and surface architecture compared with cultures grown in vitro in broth. Therefore, in this study, the macrophage responses to A. salmonicida grown in vivo and in vitro were compared. Enriched macrophages isolated from head kidney of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were infected in vitro in 96-well microtitre dishes and changes in gene expression during the infection process were monitored using a custom Atlantic salmon cDNA microarray. A. salmonicida cultures grown in tryptic soy broth and in peritoneal implants were used to infect the macrophages. The macrophages were harvested at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 h after addition of the bacteria to the medium. Significant changes in gene expression were evident by microarray analysis at 2.0 h post-infection in macrophages infected with broth-grown and implant-grown bacteria; however, qPCR analysis revealed earlier up-regulation of JunB and TNF-alpha in macrophages exposed to the implant-grown bacteria. Up-regulation of those genes and others is consistent with the effects of extracellular products of aeromonad bacteria on macrophages and also suggests initiation of the innate immune response. Keywords: time course
Project description:Aliivibrio salmonicida causes âcold-water vibriosisâ (or âHitra diseaseâ) in fish, including marine-reared Atlantic salmon. During development of the disease the bacterium will encounter macrophages with antibacterial activities such as production of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS). To defend itself the bacterium will presumably start producing detoxifying enzymes, reducing agents, and proteins involved in DNA and protein repair systems. Even though responses to oxidative stress are well studied for a few model bacteria, little work has been done in general to explain how important groups of pathogens, like members of the Vibrionaceae family, can survive at high levels of ROS. We have used bioinformatic tools and an âomics approach to study how A. salmonicida responds to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). First, we used the recently published genome sequence to predict potential binding sites for OxyR (H2O2 response regulator). The computer-based search identified OxyR sites associated with 20 single genes and 8 operons, and these predictions were compared to experimental data from Northern blot analysis, microarray analysis and 2D gel electrophoresis. In general, OxyR binding site predictions and experimental results are in agreement. Up- and down-regulated genes are distributed among all functional gene categories, but a striking number of â¥2 fold up-regulated genes encode proteins involved in detoxification or DNA protection and repair, are part of reduction systems, or are involved in carbon metabolism and regeneration of NADH/NADPH. Our predictions and âomics data corroborates well with findings from other model bacteria, but also suggest species-specific gene regulation. Two-condition experiment, cells grown in LB medium (control samples) vs. cells grown under oxidative stress (H2O2) (stimulated samples). Samples collected from three different timepoints (15, 30 and 60 min). Technical replicates for each timepoint: 3 control, 3 stimulated, independently grown and harvested. One replicate per array.
Project description:Aliivibrio salmonicida causes “cold-water vibriosis” (or “Hitra disease”) in fish, including marine-reared Atlantic salmon. During development of the disease the bacterium will encounter macrophages with antibacterial activities such as production of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS). To defend itself the bacterium will presumably start producing detoxifying enzymes, reducing agents, and proteins involved in DNA and protein repair systems. Even though responses to oxidative stress are well studied for a few model bacteria, little work has been done in general to explain how important groups of pathogens, like members of the Vibrionaceae family, can survive at high levels of ROS. We have used bioinformatic tools and an –omics approach to study how A. salmonicida responds to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). First, we used the recently published genome sequence to predict potential binding sites for OxyR (H2O2 response regulator). The computer-based search identified OxyR sites associated with 20 single genes and 8 operons, and these predictions were compared to experimental data from Northern blot analysis, microarray analysis and 2D gel electrophoresis. In general, OxyR binding site predictions and experimental results are in agreement. Up- and down-regulated genes are distributed among all functional gene categories, but a striking number of ≥2 fold up-regulated genes encode proteins involved in detoxification or DNA protection and repair, are part of reduction systems, or are involved in carbon metabolism and regeneration of NADH/NADPH. Our predictions and –omics data corroborates well with findings from other model bacteria, but also suggest species-specific gene regulation.
Project description:Aeromonas salmonicida is a fish pathogen that causes furunculosis. Virulent strains of this bacterium are able to infect salmonid macrophages and survive within them, although mechanisms favouring intracellular survival are not completely understood. It is known that A. salmonicida cultured in vivo in the peritoneal cavity of the host undergoes changes in gene expression and surface architecture compared with cultures grown in vitro in broth. Therefore, in this study, the macrophage responses to A. salmonicida grown in vivo and in vitro were compared. Enriched macrophages isolated from head kidney of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were infected in vitro in 96-well microtitre dishes and changes in gene expression during the infection process were monitored using a custom Atlantic salmon cDNA microarray. A. salmonicida cultures grown in tryptic soy broth and in peritoneal implants were used to infect the macrophages. The macrophages were harvested at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 h after addition of the bacteria to the medium. Significant changes in gene expression were evident by microarray analysis at 2.0 h post-infection in macrophages infected with broth-grown and implant-grown bacteria; however, qPCR analysis revealed earlier up-regulation of JunB and TNF-alpha in macrophages exposed to the implant-grown bacteria. Up-regulation of those genes and others is consistent with the effects of extracellular products of aeromonad bacteria on macrophages and also suggests initiation of the innate immune response. Keywords: time course Enriched macrophages from 24 responder fish that showed positive respiratory burst in response to phorbol myristate acetate were plated in individual wells of 96-well flat-bottom polystyrene tissue culture plates. A. salmonicida were added to the macrophages, and incubated for 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 h. Control wells received 10 ul of HBSS. Three replicate infections were performed for each type of bacteria. Hybridizations were carried out in duplicate, reversing the fluors for each sample on the second chip.