Project description:Novel anti-infective agents targeting Staphylococcus aureus and capable of increasing S. aureus susceptibility towards antibiotics are needed. One alternative approach is targeting the bacterial quorum sensing (QS) system. QS is a process by which bacteria produce and detect signal molecules and thereby coordinate their behaviour, virulence and biofilm formation in a cell-density-dependent manner. Hamamelitannin (HAM) was previously suggested to target the S. aureus QS system, thereby increasing the susceptibility of S. aureus biofilms towards vancomycin. However, mechanistic insights are still lacking. For this reason, we evaluated the effect of Hamamelitannin, vancomycin and combination treatment of Hamamelitannin and vancomycin on gene expression in S. aureus Mu50 biofilms.
Project description:In Staphylococcus aureus, the role of the GGDEF domain containing protein GdpS remains poorly understood. Previous studies reported that gdpS mutant strains had decreased biofilm formation due to changes in icaADBC expression that were independent of cyclic-di-GMP levels. We deleted gdpS in three unrelated S. aureus isolates, and analyzed the resultant mutants for alterations in biofilm formation, metabolism and transcription. Dynamic imaging during biofilm development showed that GdpS inhibited early biofilm formation in only two out of the three strains examined, without affecting bacterial survival. However, quantification of biofilm formation using crystal violet staining revealed that inactivation of gdpS affected biofilm formation in all three studied strains. Extraction of metabolites from S. aureus cells confirmed the absence of cyclic-di-GMP, suggesting that biofilm formation in this species differs from that in other Gram-positive organisms. In addition, targeted mutagenesis demonstrated that the GGDEF domain was not required for GdpS activity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the vast majority of GGDEF-regulated genes were involved in virulence, metabolism, cell wall biogenesis and eDNA release. Finally, expression of lrgAB or deletion of cidABC in a strain lacking gdpS confirmed the role of GdpS on regulation of eDNA production that occurred without an increase in cell autolysis. In summary, S. aureus GdpS contributes to cell-to-cell interactions during early biofilm formation by influencing expression of lrgAB and cidABC mediated eDNA release. We conclude that GdpS acts as a negative regulator of eDNA release. Three strains UAMS-1, SA113 and SA564 were used in this study to compare wt with gdpS mutant after 5 hours of growth in static conditions (biofilm formation).
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing various infections ranging from superficial skin infections to life-threatening severe diseases, including pneumonia and sepsis. This bacterium is attached to biotic and abiotic surfaces and forms biofilms that are resistant to conventional antimicrobial agents and clearance by host defenses. Infections associated with biofilms may result in longer hospitalizations, a need for surgery, and may even result in death. Agents that inhibit the formation of biofilms and virulence without affecting bacterial growth to avoid the development of drug resistance could be useful for therapeutic purposes. In this regard, we identified and isolated a small cyclic peptide, gurmarin, from a plant source that inhibited the formation of S. aureus biofilm without affecting the growth rate of the bacterium. We determined the gene expression of S. aureus biofilm treated with gurmarin and compared it to the untreated control biofilms. Differentially expressed genes were identified and their roles in the inhibition of S. aureus biofilms by gurmarin were analyzed.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most important pathogens in humans and animals. The formation of S. aureus biofilm is considered an important mechanism of antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, finding effective drugs against the biofilm produced by S. aureus has been a high priority. Licochalcone A, a natural plant product, was reported to have antibacterial activities and showed good activity against all 21 tested strains of S. aureus biofilm and planktonic cells. To detect the possible molecular mechanism of Licochalcone A against S. aureus biofillm or planktonic cells, Affymetrix GeneChips were used to determine the global comparative transcription of S. aureus biofilm and planktonic cells triggered by treatment with sub-bactericidal and sub-inhibitory concentrations of Licochalcone A, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus planktonic cells and biofilm were exposed for 60 minutes to Licochalcone A at concentration of 2 M-NM-<g/ml (1/2M-CM-^W MIC) and 64 M-NM-<g/ml (4M-CM-^W MIBC), respectively. 4 samples including 4 control samples are analyzed.
Project description:In Staphylococcus aureus, the role of the GGDEF domain containing protein GdpS remains poorly understood. Previous studies reported that gdpS mutant strains had decreased biofilm formation due to changes in icaADBC expression that were independent of cyclic-di-GMP levels. We deleted gdpS in three unrelated S. aureus isolates, and analyzed the resultant mutants for alterations in biofilm formation, metabolism and transcription. Dynamic imaging during biofilm development showed that GdpS inhibited early biofilm formation in only two out of the three strains examined, without affecting bacterial survival. However, quantification of biofilm formation using crystal violet staining revealed that inactivation of gdpS affected biofilm formation in all three studied strains. Extraction of metabolites from S. aureus cells confirmed the absence of cyclic-di-GMP, suggesting that biofilm formation in this species differs from that in other Gram-positive organisms. In addition, targeted mutagenesis demonstrated that the GGDEF domain was not required for GdpS activity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the vast majority of GGDEF-regulated genes were involved in virulence, metabolism, cell wall biogenesis and eDNA release. Finally, expression of lrgAB or deletion of cidABC in a strain lacking gdpS confirmed the role of GdpS on regulation of eDNA production that occurred without an increase in cell autolysis. In summary, S. aureus GdpS contributes to cell-to-cell interactions during early biofilm formation by influencing expression of lrgAB and cidABC mediated eDNA release. We conclude that GdpS acts as a negative regulator of eDNA release.
Project description:These cultures were grown to examine the differences in Agr-regulated virulence factor gene expression between wild-type S. aureus FRI1169 and a non-hemolytic variant isolated from a biofilm inoculated with FRI1169. The study is described more thoroughly in the paper "Generation of virulence factor variants in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms", Yarwood et al., J. Bacteriol. 2007. Keywords: Wild-type versus mutant comparison, single time-point
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus is a medically important pathogen that exhibit high metabolic versatility allowing it to infect various niches within a host. S. aureus utilizes two major transcriptional regulators, CodY and CcpA, to remodel metabolic and virulence gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions. Previous studies revealed that inactivation of either codY or ccpA has a pronounced impact on different aspects of staphylococcal physiology and pathogenesis. To determine the contribution and interplay of these two regulators in modulating central metabolism, virulence, and biofilm development we constructed and characterized codY ccpA double mutant in S. aureus UAMS-1. In line with previous studies, we found that CcpA and CodY control cellular metabolic status by altering carbon flow through the central and overflow metabolic pathways. Our results demonstrate that ccpA inactivation impairs biofilm formation and decreases incorporation of eDNA into the biofilm matrix while disrupting codY resulted in a robust structured biofilm tethered together with eDNA and PIA. Interestingly, inactivation of both codY and ccpA decreases biofilm biomass and neglects eDNA release in the double mutant. Compared to inactivation of codY, the codY ccpA mutant did not overexpress toxins but maintained overexpression of amino acid metabolism pathways. Furthermore, codY ccpA mutant produced higher amounts of PIA, in contrast to the wild-type strain and ccpA mutant. Overall, results of this study suggest that interplay between CodY and CcpA modulates central metabolism to optimize growth on preferred carbon sources while repressing virulence gene expression until nutrient limitation requires scavenging nutrients from the host.
Project description:Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most important pathogens in humans and animals. The formation of S. aureus biofilm is considered an important mechanism of antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, finding effective drugs against the biofilm produced by S. aureus has been a high priority. Licochalcone A, a natural plant product, was reported to have antibacterial activities and showed good activity against all 21 tested strains of S. aureus biofilm and planktonic cells. To detect the possible molecular mechanism of Licochalcone A against S. aureus biofillm or planktonic cells, Affymetrix GeneChips were used to determine the global comparative transcription of S. aureus biofilm and planktonic cells triggered by treatment with sub-bactericidal and sub-inhibitory concentrations of Licochalcone A, respectively.