scholarly journals EssD, a Nuclease Effector of the Staphylococcus aureus ESS Pathway

2016 ◽  
Vol 199 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Jay Ohr ◽  
Mark Anderson ◽  
Miaomiao Shi ◽  
Olaf Schneewind ◽  
Dominique Missiakas
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Nuclease Activity ◽  
Selective Advantage ◽  
Staphylococcal Infection ◽  
Interleukin 12 ◽  
Secretion Systems ◽  
Knockout Mutant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mrsa Infection

ABSTRACT Specialized secretion systems of bacteria evolved for selective advantage, either killing microbial competitors or implementing effector functions during parasitism. Earlier work characterized the ESAT-6 secretion system (ESS) of Staphylococcus aureus and demonstrated its contribution to persistent staphylococcal infection of vertebrate hosts. Here, we identify a novel secreted effector of the ESS pathway, EssD, that functions as a nuclease and cleaves DNA but not RNA. EssI, a protein of the DUF600 family, binds EssD to block its nuclease activity in the staphylococcal cytoplasm. An essD knockout mutant or a variant lacking nuclease activity, essD L546P, elicited a diminished interleukin-12 (IL-12) cytokine response following bloodstream infection of mice, suggesting that the effector function of EssD stimulates immune signaling to support the pathogenesis of S. aureus infections. IMPORTANCE Bacterial type VII or ESAT-6-like secretion systems (ESS) may have evolved to modulate host immune responses during infection, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of important diseases such as tuberculosis and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection. The molecular mechanisms whereby type VII secretion systems achieve their goals are not fully elucidated as secreted effectors with biochemical functions have heretofore not been identified. We show here that MRSA infection relies on the secretion of a nuclease effector that cleaves DNA and contributes to the stimulation of IL-12 signaling during infection. These results identify a biological mechanism for the contribution of the ESS pathway toward the establishment of MRSA disease.

scholarly journals Superantigens Subvert the Neutrophil Response To Promote Abscess Formation and Enhance Staphylococcus aureus SurvivalIn Vivo

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 3588-3598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey X. Xu ◽  
Kevin J. Gilmore ◽  
Peter A. Szabo ◽  
Joseph J. Zeppa ◽  
Miren L. Baroja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Staphylococcal Infection ◽  
Infection Process ◽  
Interleukin 12 ◽  
Bacterial Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knockout Strain ◽  
Neutrophil Response

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusis a versatile bacterial pathogen that produces T cell-activating toxins known as superantigens (SAgs). Although excessive immune activation by SAgs can induce a dysregulated cytokine storm as a component of what is known as toxic shock syndrome (TSS), the contribution of SAgs to the staphylococcal infection process is not well defined. Here, we evaluated the role of the bacterial superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) in a bacteremia model using humanized transgenic mice expressing SAg-responsive HLA-DR4 molecules. Infection withS. aureusNewman induced SEA-dependent Vβ skewing of T cells and enhanced bacterial survival in the liver compared with infection byseaknockout strain. SEA-induced gamma interferon, interleukin-12, and chemokine responses resulted in increased infiltration of CD11b+Ly6G+neutrophils into the liver, promoting the formation of abscesses that contained large numbers of viable staphylococci. Hepatic abscesses occurred significantly more frequently inS. aureusNewman-infected livers than in livers infected with the Newmanseaknockout strain, promoting the survival ofS. aureusin vivo. This represents a novel mechanism during infection wherebyS. aureusutilizes SAgs to form a specialized niche and manipulate the immune system.

scholarly journals Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Adaptation to Human Keratinocytes

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Soong ◽  
Franklin Paulino ◽  
Sarah Wachtel ◽  
Dane Parker ◽  
Matthew Wickersham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Human Skin ◽  
Human Keratinocytes ◽  
Staphylococcal Infection ◽  
Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Caspase 1 ◽  
Mrsa Infection ◽  
Selection Of

ABSTRACT Skin is the most common site of Staphylococcus aureus infection. While most of these infections are self-limited, recurrent infections are common. Keratinocytes and recruited immune cells participate in skin defense against infection. We postulated that S. aureus is able to adapt to the milieu within human keratinocytes to avoid keratinocyte-mediated clearance. From a collection of S. aureus isolated from chronically infected patients with atopic dermatitis, we noted 22% had an agr mutant-like phenotype. Using several models of human skin infection, we demonstrate that toxin-deficient, agr mutants of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) USA300 are able to persist within keratinocytes by stimulating autophagy and evading caspase-1 and inflammasome activation. MRSA infection induced keratinocyte autophagy, as evidenced by galectin-8 and LC3 accumulation. Autophagy promoted the degradation of inflammasome components and facilitated staphylococcal survival. The recovery of more than 58% agr or RNAIII mutants (P < 0.0001) of an inoculum of wild-type (WT) MRSA from within wortmannin-treated keratinocytes compared to control keratinocytes reflected the survival advantage for mutants no longer expressing agr-dependent toxins. Our results illustrate the dynamic interplay between S. aureus and keratinocytes that can result in the selection of mutants that have adapted specifically to evade keratinocyte-mediated clearance mechanisms. IMPORTANCE Human skin is a major site of staphylococcal infection, and keratinocytes actively participate in eradication of these pathogens. We demonstrate that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is ingested by keratinocytes and activates caspase-1-mediated clearance through pyroptosis. Toxin-deficient MRSA mutants are selected within keratinocytes that fail to induce caspase-1 activity and keratinocyte-mediated clearance. These intracellular staphylococci induce autophagy that enhances their intracellular survival by diminishing inflammasome components. These findings suggest that S. aureus mutants, by exploiting autophagy, can persist within human keratinocytes.

scholarly journals EssE Promotes Staphylococcus aureus ESS-Dependent Protein Secretion To Modify Host Immune Responses during Infection

2016 ◽  
Vol 199 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Anderson ◽  
Ryan Jay Ohr ◽  
Khaled A. Aly ◽  
Salvatore Nocadello ◽  
Hwan K. Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Interleukin 12 ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Host Immune Responses ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Host Infection

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus, an invasive pathogen of humans and animals, requires a specialized ESS pathway to secrete proteins (EsxA, EsxB, EsxC, and EsxD) during infection. Expression of ess genes is required for S. aureus establishment of persistent abscess lesions following bloodstream infection; however, the mechanisms whereby effectors of the ESS pathway implement their virulence strategies were heretofore not known. Here, we show that EssE forms a complex with other members of the ESS secretion pathway and its substrates, promoting the secretion of EsxA, EsxB, EsxC, EsxD, and EssD. During bloodstream infection of mice, the S. aureus essE mutant displays defects in host cytokine responses, specifically in the production of interleukin-12 (IL-12) (p40/p70) and the suppression of RANTES (CCL5), activators of TH1 T cell responses and immune cell chemotaxis, respectively. Thus, essE-mediated secretion of protein effectors via the ESS pathway may enable S. aureus to manipulate host immune responses by modifying the production of cytokines. IMPORTANCE Staphylococcus aureus and other firmicutes evolved a specialized ESS (EsxA/ESAT-6-like secretion system) pathway for the secretion of small subsets of proteins lacking canonical signal peptides. The molecular mechanisms for ESS-dependent secretion and their functional purpose are still unknown. We demonstrate here that S. aureus EssE functions as a membrane assembly platform for elements of the secretion machinery and their substrates. Furthermore, S. aureus EssE-mediated secretion contributes to the production or the suppression of specific cytokines during host infection, thereby modifying immune responses toward this pathogen.

scholarly journals Daptomycin plus Fosfomycin, a Synergistic Combination in Experimental Implant-Associated Osteomyelitis Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Rats

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 859-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilman Lingscheid ◽  
Wolfgang Poeppl ◽  
Dominik Bernitzky ◽  
Luzia Veletzky ◽  
Manuel Kussmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Bacterial Counts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Cultures ◽  
Development Of Resistance ◽  
Bacterial Inoculum ◽  
Titanium Wire ◽  
Mrsa Infection

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to evaluate the combination of daptomycin and fosfomycin in experimental chronic implant-associated osteomyelitis due to methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA). Infection was induced in the tibiae of rats by the insertion of a bacterial inoculum (1 to 5 × 108CFU/ml) of a clinical MRSA isolate and a titanium wire. Four weeks after infection, each animal was assigned to a treatment group: daptomycin monotherapy at 60 mg/kg of body weight once daily (n= 10), fosfomycin monotherapy at 40 mg/kg once daily (n= 10), or daptomycin and fosfomycin combined at 60 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, respectively, once daily (n= 9). Ten animals were left untreated. After a 3-week treatment period, the animals were euthanized, and the infected tibiae and implants were processed for quantitative bacterial cultures. The bacterial cultures from bones were positive for MRSA in all animals in the untreated group, the daptomycin group, and the fosfomycin group, with median bacterial counts of 2.34 × 106CFU/g bone, 1.57 × 106CFU/g bone, and 3.48 × 102CFU/g bone, respectively. In the daptomycin-fosfomycin group, 6 out of 9 animals were positive for MRSA, with a median count of 7.92 CFU/g bone. Bacterial cultures derived from the titanium wires were negative in the fosfomycin- and daptomycin-fosfomycin-treated groups. Based on bacterial counts in bones, treatment with daptomycin-fosfomycin was statistically significantly superior to all that of the other groups (P≤ 0.003). Fosfomycin was superior to daptomycin and no treatment (P< 0.0001). No development of resistance was observed in any treatment arm. The combination of daptomycin and fosfomycin demonstrated synergism against MRSA in experimental implant-associated osteomyelitis.

scholarly journals In VitroPharmacodynamics of Human Simulated Exposures of Ceftaroline and Daptomycin against MRSA, hVISA, and VISA with and without Prior Vancomycin Exposure

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 672-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amira A. Bhalodi ◽  
Mao Hagihara ◽  
David P. Nicolau ◽  
Joseph L. Kuti
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Sequential Therapy ◽  
Free Drug ◽  
Pharmacodynamic Model ◽  
Prior Exposure ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mrsa Infection

ABSTRACTThe effects of prior vancomycin exposure on ceftaroline and daptomycin therapy against methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) have not been widely studied. Humanized free-drug exposures of vancomycin at 1 g every 12 h (q12h), ceftaroline at 600 mg q12h, and daptomycin at 10 mg/kg of body weight q24h were simulated in a 96-hin vitropharmacodynamic model against three MRSA isolates, including one heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediateS. aureus(hVISA) isolate and one VISA isolate. A total of five regimens were tested: vancomycin, ceftaroline, and daptomycin alone for the entire 96 h, and then sequential therapy with vancomycin for 48 h followed by ceftaroline or daptomycin for 48 h. Microbiological responses were measured by the changes in log10CFU during 96 h from baseline. Control isolates grew to 9.16 ± 0.32, 9.13 ± 0.14, and 8.69 ± 0.28 log10CFU for MRSA, hVISA, and VISA, respectively. Vancomycin initially achieved ≥3 log10CFU reductions against the MRSA and hVISA isolates, followed by regrowth beginning at 48 h; minimal activity was observed against VISA. The change in 96-h log10CFU was largest for sequential therapy with vancomycin followed by ceftaroline (−5.22 ± 1.2,P= 0.010 versus ceftaroline) and for sequential therapy with vancomycin followed by ceftaroline (−3.60 ± 0.6,P= 0.037 versus daptomycin), compared with daptomycin (−2.24 ± 1.0), vancomycin (−1.40 ± 1.8), and sequential therapy with vancomycin followed by daptomycin (−1.32 ± 1.0,P> 0.5 for the last three regimens). Prior exposure of vancomycin at 1 g q12h reduced the initial microbiological response of daptomycin, particularly for hVISA and VISA isolates, but did not affect the response of ceftaroline. In the scenario of poor vancomycin response for high-inoculum MRSA infection, a ceftaroline-containing regimen may be preferred.

scholarly journals Modulation of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Matrix by Subinhibitory Concentrations of Clindamycin

2016 ◽  
Vol 60 (10) ◽  
pp. 5957-5967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Schilcher ◽  
Federica Andreoni ◽  
Vanina Dengler Haunreiter ◽  
Kati Seidl ◽  
Barbara Hasse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transcriptional Stress ◽  
Sigma Factor B ◽  
Subinhibitory Concentrations ◽  
Biofilm Matrix

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusbiofilms are extremely difficult to treat. They provide a protected niche for the bacteria, rendering them highly recalcitrant toward host defenses as well as antibiotic treatment. Bacteria within a biofilm are shielded from the immune system by the formation of an extracellular polymeric matrix, composed of polysaccharides, extracellular DNA (eDNA), and proteins. Many antibiotics do not readily penetrate biofilms, resulting in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. Here, we show that subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin triggered a transcriptional stress response inS. aureusvia the alternative sigma factor B (σB) and upregulated the expression of the major biofilm-associated genesatlA,lrgA,agrA, thepsmgenes,fnbA, andfnbB. Our data suggest that subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin alter the ability ofS. aureusto form biofilms and shift the composition of the biofilm matrix toward higher eDNA content. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying biofilm assembly and dispersal in response to subinhibitory concentrations of clinically relevant antibiotics such as clindamycin is critical to further optimize antibiotic treatment strategies of biofilm-associatedS. aureusinfections.

scholarly journals Nonredundant Roles of Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and IL-22 in Murine Host Defense against Cutaneous and Hematogenous Infection Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
pp. 4427-4437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liana C. Chan ◽  
Siyang Chaili ◽  
Scott G. Filler ◽  
Kevin Barr ◽  
Huiyuan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Host Defense ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Neutrophil Infiltration ◽  
Renal Tissue ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Interleukin 17A ◽  
Mrsa Infection

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureusis the leading cause of skin and skin structure infections (SSSI) in humans. Moreover, the high frequency of recurring SSSI due toS. aureus, particularly methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA) strains, suggests that infection induces suboptimal anamnestic defenses. The present study addresses the hypothesis that interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and IL-22 play distinct roles in immunity to cutaneous and invasive MRSA infection in a mouse model of SSSI. Mice were treated with specific neutralizing antibodies against IL-17A and/or IL-22 and infected with MRSA, after which the severity of infection and host immune response were determined. Neutralization of either IL-17A or IL-22 reduced T cell and neutrophil infiltration and host defense peptide elaboration in lesions. These events corresponded with increased abscess severity, MRSA viability, and CFU density in skin. Interestingly, combined inhibition of IL-17A and IL-22 did not worsen abscesses but did increase gamma interferon (IFN-γ) expression at these sites. The inhibition of IL-22 led to a reduction in IL-17A expression, but not vice versa. These results suggest that the expression of IL-17A is at least partially dependent on IL-22 in this model. Inhibition of IL-17A but not IL-22 led to hematogenous dissemination to kidneys, which correlated with decreased T cell infiltration in renal tissue. Collectively, these findings indicate that IL-17A and IL-22 have complementary but nonredundant roles in host defense against cutaneous versus hematogenous infection. These insights may support targeted immune enhancement or other novel approaches to address the challenge of MRSA infection.

scholarly journals Comparative Genomics of Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains and Their Positions within the Clade Most Commonly Associated with Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus Hospital-Acquired Infection in the United States

mBio ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica N. Kos ◽  
Christopher A. Desjardins ◽  
Allison Griggs ◽  
Gustavo Cerqueira ◽  
Andries Van Tonder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
The United States ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mrsa Infection ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant ◽  
Foreign Dna ◽  
Mrsa Strains ◽  
Hospital Acquired

ABSTRACTMethicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strains are leading causes of hospital-acquired infections in the United States, and clonal cluster 5 (CC5) is the predominant lineage responsible for these infections. Since 2002, there have been 12 cases of vancomycin-resistantS. aureus(VRSA) infection in the United States—all CC5 strains. To understand this genetic background and what distinguishes it from other lineages, we generated and analyzed high-quality draft genome sequences for all available VRSA strains. Sequence comparisons show unambiguously that each strain independently acquired Tn1546and that all VRSA strains last shared a common ancestor over 50 years ago, well before the occurrence of vancomycin resistance in this species. In contrast to existing hypotheses on what predisposes this lineage to acquire Tn1546, the barrier posed by restriction systems appears to be intact in most VRSA strains. However, VRSA (and other CC5) strains were found to possess a constellation of traits that appears to be optimized for proliferation in precisely the types of polymicrobic infection where transfer could occur. They lack a bacteriocin operon that would be predicted to limit the occurrence of non-CC5 strains in mixed infection and harbor a cluster of unique superantigens and lipoproteins to confound host immunity. A frameshift indprA, which in other microbes influences uptake of foreign DNA, may also make this lineage conducive to foreign DNA acquisition.IMPORTANCEInvasive methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) infection now ranks among the leading causes of death in the United States. Vancomycin is a key last-line bactericidal drug for treating these infections. However, since 2002, vancomycin resistance has entered this species. Of the now 12 cases of vancomycin-resistantS. aureus(VRSA), each was believed to represent a new acquisition of the vancomycin-resistant transposon Tn1546from enterococcal donors. All acquisitions of Tn1546so far have occurred in MRSA strains of the clonal cluster 5 genetic background, the most common hospital lineage causing hospital-acquired MRSA infection. To understand the nature of these strains, we determined and examined the nucleotide sequences of the genomes of all available VRSA. Genome comparison identified candidate features that position strains of this lineage well for acquiring resistance to antibiotics in mixed infection.

scholarly journals Chlorhexidine and Mupirocin Susceptibility of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in the REDUCE-MRSA Trial

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (11) ◽  
pp. 2735-2742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary K. Hayden ◽  
Karen Lolans ◽  
Katherine Haffenreffer ◽  
Taliser R. Avery ◽  
Ken Kleinman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Cluster Randomized Trial ◽  
Confidence Limits ◽  
Methicillin Resistant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mrsa Infection ◽  
Mupirocin Resistance ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
High Level

Whether targeted or universal decolonization strategies for the control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) select for resistance to decolonizing agents is unresolved. The REDUCE-MRSA trial (ClinicalTrials registration no. NCT00980980) provided an opportunity to investigate this question. REDUCE-MRSA was a 3-arm, cluster-randomized trial of either screening and isolation without decolonization, targeted decolonization with chlorhexidine and mupirocin, or universal decolonization without screening to prevent MRSA infection in intensive-care unit (ICU) patients. Isolates from the baseline and intervention periods were collected and tested for susceptibility to chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) by microtiter dilution; mupirocin susceptibility was tested by Etest. The presence of the qacA or qacB gene was determined by PCR and DNA sequence analysis. A total of 3,173 isolates were analyzed; 2 were nonsusceptible to CHG (MICs, 8 μg/ml), and 5/814 (0.6%) carried qacA or qacB . At baseline, 7.1% of MRSA isolates expressed low-level mupirocin resistance, and 7.5% expressed high-level mupirocin resistance. In a mixed-effects generalized logistic regression model, the odds of mupirocin resistance among clinical MRSA isolates or MRSA isolates acquired in an ICU in intervention versus baseline periods did not differ across arms, although estimates were imprecise due to small numbers. Reduced susceptibility to chlorhexidine and carriage of qacA or qacB were rare among MRSA isolates in the REDUCE-MRSA trial. The odds of mupirocin resistance were no different in the intervention versus baseline periods across arms, but the confidence limits were broad, and the results should be interpreted with caution.

scholarly journals Identification of Point Mutations in Clinical Staphylococcus aureus Strains That Produce Small-Colony Variants Auxotrophic for Menadione

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1600-1605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Dean ◽  
Randall J. Olsen ◽  
S. Wesley Long ◽  
Adriana E. Rosato ◽  
James M. Musser
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pathway Analysis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Biosynthesis Pathway ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Small Colony Variants ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Small Colony

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureussmall-colony variants (SCVs) are implicated in chronic and relapsing infections that are difficult to diagnose and treat. Despite many years of study, the underlying molecular mechanisms and virulence effect of the small-colony phenotype remain incompletely understood. We sequenced the genomes of fiveS. aureusSCV strains recovered from human patients and discovered previously unidentified nonsynonymous point mutations in three genes encoding proteins in the menadione biosynthesis pathway. Analysis of genetic revertants and complementation with wild-type alleles confirmed that these mutations caused the SCV phenotype and decreased virulence for mice.

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