scholarly journals A Broad-Host-Range Tailocin from Burkholderia cenocepacia

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guichun W. Yao ◽  
Iris Duarte ◽  
Tram T. Le ◽  
Lisa Carmody ◽  
John J. LiPuma ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) consists of 20 closely related Gram-negative bacterial species that are significant pathogens for persons with cystic fibrosis (CF). Some Bcc strains are highly transmissible and resistant to multiple antibiotics, making infection difficult to treat. A tailocin (phage tail-like bacteriocin), designated BceTMilo, with a broad host range against members of the Bcc, was identified in B. cenocepacia strain BC0425. Sixty-eight percent of Bcc representing 10 species and 90% of non-Bcc Burkholderia strains tested were sensitive to BceTMilo. BceTMilo also showed killing activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and derivatives. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the major BceTMilo proteins was used to identify a 23-kb tailocin locus in a draft BC0425 genome. The BceTMilo locus was syntenic and highly similar to a 24.6-kb region on chromosome 1 of B. cenocepacia J2315 (BCAL0081 to BCAL0107). A close relationship and synteny were observed between BceTMilo and Burkholderia phage KL3 and, by extension, with paradigm temperate myophage P2. Deletion mutants in the gene cluster encoding enzymes for biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the indicator strain B. cenocepacia K56-2 conferred resistance to BceTMilo. Analysis of the defined mutants in LPS biosynthetic genes indicated that an α-d-glucose residue in the core oligosaccharide is the receptor for BceTMilo. IMPORTANCE BceTMilo, presented in this study, is a broad-host-range tailocin active against Burkholderia spp. As such, BceTMilo and related or modified tailocins have potential as bactericidal therapeutic agents against plant- and human-pathogenic Burkholderia.

2011 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 889-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karlene H. Lynch ◽  
Paul Stothard ◽  
Jonathan J. Dennis

ABSTRACTBcep22-like phages are a recently described group of podoviruses that infect strains ofBurkholderia cenocepacia. We have isolated and characterized a novel member of this group named DC1. This podovirus shows many genomic similarities to BcepIL02 and Bcep22, but it infects strains belonging to multipleBurkholderia cepaciacomplex (BCC) species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Arcari ◽  
Federica Maria Di Lella ◽  
Giulia Bibbolino ◽  
Fabio Mengoni ◽  
Marzia Beccaccioli ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In this study, we investigated VIM-1-producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, and Enterobacter cloacae strains, isolated in 2019 during a period of active surveillance of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in a large university hospital in Italy. VIM-1-producing strains colonized the gut of patients, with up to three different VIM-1-positive bacterial species isolated from a single rectal swab, but also caused bloodstream infection in one colonized patient. In the multispecies cluster, blaVIM-1 was identified in a 5-gene cassette class 1 integron, associated with several genetic determinants, including the blaSHV-12, qnrS1, and mph(A) genes, located on a highly conjugative and broad-host-range IncA plasmid. The characteristics and origin of this IncA plasmid were studied.


2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (18) ◽  
pp. 5623-5635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eoghan Casey ◽  
Jennifer Mahony ◽  
Mary O'Connell-Motherway ◽  
Francesca Bottacini ◽  
Anneleen Cornelissen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTIn this study, three phages infectingLactobacillus delbrueckiisubsp.bulgaricus, named Ld3, Ld17, and Ld25A, were isolated from whey samples obtained from various industrial fermentations. These phages were further characterized in a multifaceted approach: (i) biological and physical characterization through host range analysis and electron microscopy; (ii) genetic assessment through genome analysis; (iii) mass spectrometry analysis of the structural components of the phages; and (iv), for one phage, transcriptional analysis by Northern hybridization, reverse transcription-PCR, and primer extension. The three obtained phage genomes display high levels of sequence identity to each other and to genomes of the so-called group bL. delbrueckiiphages c5, LL-Ku, and phiLdb, where some of the observed differences are believed to be responsible for host range variations.


2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 4990-4998 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Doug Wagner ◽  
Shemedia J. Johnson ◽  
Carl E. Cerniglia ◽  
Bruce D. Erickson

ABSTRACTThe veterinary cephalosporin drug ceftiofur is rapidly degraded in the bovine intestinal tract. A cylinder-plate assay was used to detect microbiologically active ceftiofur, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was used to quantify the amount of ceftiofur remaining after incubation with bovine intestinal anaerobic bacteria, which were isolated from colon contents or feces from 8 cattle. Ninety-six percent of the isolates were able to inactivate ceftiofur to some degree, and 54% actually degraded the drug. None of 9 fungal isolates inactivated or degraded ceftiofur. Facultative and obligate anaerobic bacterial species that inactivated or degraded ceftiofur were identified with Vitek and Biolog systems, respectively. A subset of ceftiofur degraders also degraded the chemically similar drug ceftriaxone. Most of the species of bacteria that degraded ceftiofur belonged to the generaBacillusandBacteroides. PCR analysis of bacterial DNA detected specific β-lactamase genes.Bacillus cereusandB. mycoidesisolates produced extended-spectrum β-lactamases and metallo-β-lactamases. Seven isolates ofBacteroidesspp. produced multiple β-lactamases, including possibly CepA, and metallo-β-lactamases. Isolates ofEubacterium biforme,Bifidobacterium breve, and severalClostridiumspp. also produced ceftiofur-degrading β-lactamases. An agar gel overlay technique on isoelectric focusing separations of bacterial lysates showed that β-lactamase enzymes were sufficient to degrade ceftiofur. These results suggest that ceftiofur is inactivated nonenzymatically and degraded enzymatically by multiple β-lactamases from bacteria in the large intestines of cattle.


mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea M. Keller ◽  
Christopher G. Kendra ◽  
Roberto E. Bruna ◽  
David Craft ◽  
Mauricio H. Pontes

ABSTRACT Bacteriophages (phages) are ubiquitous in nature. These viruses play a number of central roles in microbial ecology and evolution by, for instance, promoting horizontal gene transfer (HGT) among bacterial species. The ability of phages to mediate HGT through transduction has been widely exploited as an experimental tool for the genetic study of bacteria. As such, bacteriophage P1 represents a prototypical generalized transducing phage with a broad host range that has been extensively employed in the genetic manipulation of Escherichia coli and a number of other model bacterial species. Here we demonstrate that P1 is capable of infecting, lysogenizing, and promoting transduction in members of the bacterial genus Sodalis, including the maternally inherited insect endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius. While establishing new tools for the genetic study of these bacterial species, our results suggest that P1 may be used to deliver DNA to many Gram-negative endosymbionts in their insect host, thereby circumventing a culturing requirement to genetically manipulate these organisms. IMPORTANCE A large number of economically important insects maintain intimate associations with maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria. Due to the inherent nature of these associations, insect endosymbionts cannot be usually isolated in pure culture or genetically manipulated. Here we use a broad-host-range bacteriophage to deliver exogenous DNA to an insect endosymbiont and a closely related free-living species. Our results suggest that broad-host-range bacteriophages can be used to genetically alter insect endosymbionts in their insect host and, as a result, bypass a culturing requirement to genetically alter these bacteria.


2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 783-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Carattoli ◽  
Laura Villa ◽  
Laurent Poirel ◽  
Rémy A. Bonnin ◽  
Patrice Nordmann

ABSTRACTTheblaNDM-1gene has been reported to be often located on broad-host-range plasmids of the IncA/C type in clinical but also environmental bacteria recovered from the New Delhi, India, area. IncA/C-type plasmids are the main vehicles for the spread of the cephalosporinase geneblaCMY-2, frequently identified in the United States, Canada, and Europe. In this study, we completed the sequence of IncA/C plasmid pNDM-KN carrying theblaNDM-1gene, recovered from aKlebsiella pneumoniaeisolate from Kenya. This sequence was compared with those of three IncA/C-type reference plasmids fromEscherichia coli,Yersinia ruckeri, andPhotobacterium damselae. Comparative analysis showed that theblaNDM-1gene was located on a widely diffused plasmid scaffold known to be responsible for the spread ofblaCMY-2-like genes and consequently for resistance to broad-spectrum cephalosporins. Considering that IncA/C plasmids possess a broad host range, this scaffold might support a large-scale diffusion of theblaNDM-1gene among Gram-negative rods.


2017 ◽  
Vol 199 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Higgins ◽  
Maria Sanchez-Contreras ◽  
Stefano Gualdi ◽  
Marta Pinto-Carbó ◽  
Aurélien Carlier ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The study of the minimum set of genes required to sustain life is a fundamental question in biological research. Recent studies on bacterial essential genes suggested that between 350 and 700 genes are essential to support autonomous bacterial cell growth. Essential genes are of interest as potential new antimicrobial drug targets; hence, our aim was to identify the essential genome of the cystic fibrosis (CF) isolate Burkholderia cenocepacia H111. Using a transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) approach, we identified essential genes required for growth in rich medium under aerobic and microoxic conditions as well as in a defined minimal medium with citrate as a sole carbon source. Our analysis suggests that 398 genes are required for autonomous growth in rich medium, a number that represents only around 5% of the predicted genes of this bacterium. Five hundred twenty-six genes were required to support growth in minimal medium, and 434 genes were essential under microoxic conditions (0.5% O2). A comparison of these data sets identified 339 genes that represent the minimal set of essential genes required for growth under all conditions tested and can be considered the core essential genome of B. cenocepacia H111. The majority of essential genes were found to be located on chromosome 1, and few such genes were located on chromosome 2, where most of them were clustered in one region. This gene cluster is fully conserved in all Burkholderia species but is present on chromosome 1 in members of the closely related genus Ralstonia, suggesting that the transfer of these essential genes to chromosome 2 in a common ancestor contributed toward the separation of the two genera. IMPORTANCE Transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) is a powerful method used to identify genes that are essential for autonomous growth under various conditions. In this study, we have identified a set of “core essential genes” that are required for growth under multiple conditions, and these genes represent potential antimicrobial targets. We also identified genes specifically required for growth under low-oxygen and nutrient-limited environments. We generated conditional mutants to verify the results of our Tn-Seq analysis and demonstrate that one of the identified genes was not essential per se but was an artifact of the construction of the mutant library. We also present verified examples of genes that were not truly essential but, when inactivated, showed a growth defect. These examples have identified so-far-underestimated shortcomings of this powerful method.


2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidya P. Narayanaswamy ◽  
Andrew P. Duncan ◽  
John J. LiPuma ◽  
William P. Wiesmann ◽  
Shenda M. Baker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are often associated with a steady decline in lung function and death. The formation of biofilms and inherent multidrug resistance are virulence factors associated with Bcc infection and contribute to increased risk of mortality in CF patients. New therapeutic strategies targeting bacterial biofilms are anticipated to enhance antibiotic penetration and facilitate resolution of infection. Poly (acetyl, arginyl) glucosamine (PAAG) is a cationic glycopolymer therapeutic being developed to directly target biofilm integrity. In this study, 13 isolates from 7 species were examined, including Burkholderia multivorans, Burkholderia cenocepacia, Burkholderia gladioli, Burkholderia dolosa, Burkholderia vietnamiensis, and B. cepacia. These isolates were selected for their resistance to standard clinical antibiotics and their ability to form biofilms in vitro. Biofilm biomass was quantitated using static tissue culture plate (TCP) biofilm methods and a minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assay. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) visualized biofilm removal by PAAG during treatment. Both TCP and MBEC methods demonstrated a significant dose-dependent relationship with regard to biofilm removal by 50 to 200 μg/ml PAAG following a 1-h treatment (P < 0.01). A significant reduction in biofilm thickness was observed following a 10-min treatment of Bcc biofilms with PAAG compared to that with vehicle control (P < 0.001) in TCP, MBEC, and CLSM analyses. PAAG also rapidly permeabilizes bacteria within the first 10 min of treatment. Glycopolymers, such as PAAG, are a new class of large-molecule therapeutics that support the treatment of recalcitrant Bcc biofilm.


2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 4333-4343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barak Hajaj ◽  
Hasan Yesilkaya ◽  
Rachel Benisty ◽  
Maayan David ◽  
Peter W. Andrew ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTStreptococcus pneumoniaeis an aerotolerant Gram-positive bacterium that causes an array of diseases, including pneumonia, otitis media, and meningitis. During aerobic growth,S. pneumoniaeproduces high levels of H2O2. SinceS. pneumoniaelacks catalase, the question of how it controls H2O2levels is of critical importance. Thepsalocus encodes an ABC Mn2+-permease complex (psaBCA) and a putative thiol peroxidase,tpxD. This study shows thattpxDencodes a functional thiol peroxidase involved in the adjustment of H2O2homeostasis in the cell. Kinetic experiments showed that recombinant TpxD removed H2O2efficiently. However,in vivoexperiments revealed that TpxD detoxifies only a fraction of the H2O2generated by the pneumococcus. Mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that TpxD Cys58undergoes selective oxidationin vivo, under conditions where H2O2is formed, confirming the thiol peroxidase activity. Levels of TpxD expression and synthesisin vitrowere significantly increased in cells grown under aerobic versus anaerobic conditions. The challenge with D39 and TIGR4 with H2O2resulted intpxDupregulation, whilepsaBCAexpression was oppositely affected. However, the challenge of ΔtpxDmutants with H2O2did not affectpsaBCA, implying that TpxD is involved in the regulation of thepsaoperon, in addition to its scavenging activity. Virulence studies demonstrated a notable difference in the survival time of mice infected intranasally with D39 compared to that of mice infected intranasally with D39ΔtpxD. However, when bacteria were administered directly into the blood, this difference disappeared. The findings of this study suggest that TpxD constitutes a component of the organism's fundamental strategy to fine-tune cellular processes in response to H2O2.


2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 718-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Heath Damron ◽  
Elizabeth S. McKenney ◽  
Herbert P. Schweizer ◽  
Joanna B. Goldberg

ABSTRACTWe describe a mini-Tn7-based broad-host-range expression cassette for arabinose-inducible gene expression from the PBADpromoter. This delivery vector, pTJ1, can integrate a single copy of a gene into the chromosome of Gram-negative bacteria for diverse genetic applications, of which several are discussed, usingPseudomonas aeruginosaas the model host.


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