Quick-Freeze, Deep-Etch Electron Microscopy Reveals the Characteristic Architecture of the Fission Yeast Spore

The spore of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a dormant cell that is resistant to a variety of environmental stresses. The S. pombe spore is coated by a proteinaceous surface layer, termed the Isp3 layer because it comprises mainly Isp3 protein. Although thin-section electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy have revealed the fundamental structure of the spore, its architecture remains unclear. Here we visualized S. pombe spores by using a quick-freeze replica electron microscopy (QFDE-EM) at nanometer resolution, which revealed novel characteristic structures. QFDE-EM revealed that the Isp3 layer exists as an interwoven fibrillar layer. On the spore cell membrane, many deep invaginations, which are longer than those on the vegetative cell membrane, are aligned in parallel. We also observed that during spore germination, the cell surface changes from a smooth to a dendritic filamentous structure, the latter being characteristic of vegetative cells. These findings provide significant insight into not only the structural composition of the spore, but also the mechanism underlying the stress response of the cell.

Features of changes in spectra of fatty acids of the bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family in the process of forming stable (dormant) cell forms

Introduction. With the advent of the paradigm of heterogeneity of the bacterial population, attention has been drawn to the phenotype of dormant cells, the active generation of which occurs when adverse environmental conditions of microorganisms appear. These cells are characterized by metabolic and reproductive dormancy, as well as antibiotic resistance. However, upon the occurrence of favorable living conditions, they are able to germinate again and cause an exacerbation of infectious diseases. In recent years, a threatening decrease in the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy and an increase in the incidence of persistent, chronic and hospital infections have been associated with these phenotypes of pathogenic bacteria. Given the key role of fatty acid (FA) in the adaptation of bacteria, the aim of this study was to identify the specific features of changes in the fatty acid composition of gram-negative bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family during their long-term storage under extreme conditions and the formation of dormant (uncultured) subpopulations of cell forms.Materials and methods. Static cultures of following reference strains were used in the study: Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, and Escherichia coli, stored under vaseline oil at 4-8°С for 5-10 years. Dormant cell forms were obtained by removing the oil layer and collecting the microbial mass. The ultrastructural features of the dormant cell forms were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The viability of dormant cells was assessed by a molecular genetic method. The lack of reproductive activity of dormant forms was checked by repeated inoculations on LB broth, Endo and Serov media and incubation at 4-6°C, 22-24°C, and 37°С. Methyl esters of total FAs were obtained according to the procedure approved by the European Committee for Standardization and recommended by the Sherlock MIS protocol. Analysis of fatty acid methyl esters was carried out by gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry. After preliminary homogenization of the bacterial masses, lipids were extracted, and FA spectra were obtained by electron impact at 70 eVResults. It was demonstrated that phenotypic uncultured generation of dormant cells is formed under extreme conditions (low temperature, nutrient deficiency, hypoxia) in populations of E. coli, Y. pseudotuberculosis and S. Typhimurium. A comparative analysis of changes in the fatty acid spectrum in the dormant phenotype revealed certain features compared to vegetative cells associated with a decrease in the unsaturation index and the dominance of long-chain saturated FAs (C14-C18).Conclusion. The biological significance of the observed transformations is apparently associated with the special role of these FA fractions in the reversible formation of dormant (uncultivated) cell phenotype and as an alternative source of carbohydrates in a metabolically inactive state, as well as their subsequent reversal to vegetative cells upon favorable living conditions.

Neutrophil extracellular traps produced during inflammation awaken dormant cancer cells in mice

Cancer cells from a primary tumor can disseminate to other tissues, remaining dormant and clinically undetectable for many years. Little is known about the cues that cause these dormant cells to awaken, resume proliferating, and develop into metastases. Studying mouse models, we found that sustained lung inflammation caused by tobacco smoke exposure or nasal instillation of lipopolysaccharide converted disseminated, dormant cancer cells to aggressively growing metastases. Sustained inflammation induced the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and these were required for awakening dormant cancer. Mechanistic analysis revealed that two NET-associated proteases, neutrophil elastase and matrix metalloproteinase 9, sequentially cleaved laminin. The proteolytically remodeled laminin induced proliferation of dormant cancer cells by activating integrin α3β1 signaling. Antibodies against NET-remodeled laminin prevented awakening of dormant cells. Therapies aimed at preventing dormant cell awakening could potentially prolong the survival of cancer patients.

The fission yeast spore is coated by a proteinaceous surface layer comprising mainly Isp3

The spore is a dormant cell that is resistant to various environmental stresses. As compared with the vegetative cell wall, the spore wall has a more extensive structure that confers resistance on spores. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the polysaccharides glucan and chitosan are major components of the spore wall; however, the structure of the spore surface remains unknown. We identify the spore coat protein Isp3/Meu4. The isp3 disruptant is viable and executes meiotic nuclear divisions as efficiently as the wild type, but isp3∆ spores show decreased tolerance to heat, digestive enzymes, and ethanol. Electron microscopy shows that an electron-dense layer is formed at the outermost region of the wild-type spore wall. This layer is not observed in isp3∆ spores. Furthermore, Isp3 is abundantly detected in this layer by immunoelectron microscopy. Thus Isp3 constitutes the spore coat, thereby conferring resistance to various environmental stresses.

Characterization of Bacillus anthracis Germinant Receptors In Vitro

ABSTRACT Bacillus anthracis begins its infectious cycle as a metabolically dormant cell type, the endospore. Upon entry into a host, endospores rapidly differentiate into vegetative bacilli through the process of germination, thus initiating anthrax. Elucidation of the signals that trigger germination and the receptors that recognize them is critical to understanding the pathogenesis of B. anthracis. Individual mutants deficient in each of the seven putative germinant receptor-encoding loci were constructed via temperature-dependent, plasmid insertion mutagenesis and used to correlate these receptors with known germinant molecules. These analyses showed that the GerK and GerL receptors are jointly required for the alanine germination pathway and also are individually required for recognition of either proline and methionine (GerK) or serine and valine (GerL) as cogerminants in combination with inosine. The germinant specificity of GerS was refined from a previous study in a nonisogenic background since it was required only for germination in response to aromatic amino acid cogerminants. The gerA and gerY loci were found to be dispensable for recognition of all known germinant molecules. In addition, we show that the promoter of each putative germinant receptor operon, except that of the gerA locus, is active during sporulation. A current model of B. anthracis endospore germination is presented.

The Bacillus Spore Coat

Bacilli, which are abundant in the soil, form highly resistant dormant cell types, called spores, in response to starvation. The spore is organized into a series of concentrically arranged structures, each of which contribute in a different way to resistance against environmental stress. In certain bacteria, including Bacillus subtilis, the outermost of these structures is a multilayered protein shell, called the coat. The coat is both an armor plating and, almost certainly, possesses enzymatic activities, allowing it to have active roles as well. Assembly of the proteins comprising the coat is carefully controlled during spore assembly, resulting in a distinct pattern of layers, seen in cross section, and a discreet pattern of ridges on the surface. Although our understanding of spore coat composition and assembly is deepening, we still know little about the roles of the coat in interactions between spores and other organisms, particularly in the soil. Critical future directions for spore coat research include continued identification of the proteins that comprise the coat surface, characterization of the global chemical characteristics of this surface, and elucidation of how these features impact on other organisms in the soil.

Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat

SUMMARY In response to starvation, bacilli and clostridia undergo a specialized program of development that results in the production of a highly resistant dormant cell type known as the spore. A proteinacious shell, called the coat, encases the spore and plays a major role in spore survival. The coat is composed of over 25 polypeptide species, organized into several morphologically distinct layers. The mechanisms that guide coat assembly have been largely unknown until recently. We now know that proper formation of the coat relies on the genetic program that guides the synthesis of spore components during development as well as on morphogenetic proteins dedicated to coat assembly. Over 20 structural and morphogenetic genes have been cloned. In this review, we consider the contributions of the known coat and morphogenetic proteins to coat function and assembly. We present a model that describes how morphogenetic proteins direct coat assembly to the specific subcellular site of the nascent spore surface and how they establish the coat layers. We also discuss the importance of posttranslational processing of coat proteins in coat morphogenesis. Finally, we review some of the major outstanding questions in the field.