Nitrate respiration protects hypoxic Mycobacterium tuberculosis against acid- and reactive nitrogen species stresses

There are strong evidences that Mycobacterium tuberculosis survives in a non-replicating state in the absence of oxygen in closed lesions and granuloma in vivo. In addition, M. tuberculosis is acid-resistant, allowing mycobacteria to survive in acidic, inflamed lesions. The ability of M. tuberculosis to resist to acid was recently shown to contribute to the bacillus virulence although the mechanisms involved have yet to be deciphered. In this study, we report that M. tuberculosis resistance to acid is oxygen-dependent; whereas aerobic mycobacteria were resistant to a mild acid challenge (pH 5.5) as previously reported, we found microaerophilic and hypoxic mycobacteria to be more sensitive to acid. In hypoxic conditions, mild-acidity promoted the dissipation of the protonmotive force, rapid ATP depletion and cell death. Exogenous nitrate, the most effective alternate terminal electron acceptor after molecular oxygen, protected hypoxic mycobacteria from acid stress. Nitrate-mediated resistance to acidity was not observed for a respiratory nitrate reductase NarGH knock-out mutant strain. Furthermore, we found that nitrate respiration was equally important in protecting hypoxic non-replicating mycobacteria from radical nitrogen species toxicity. Overall, these data shed light on a new role for nitrate respiration in protecting M. tuberculosis from acidity and reactive nitrogen species, two environmental stresses likely encountered by the pathogen during the course of infection.     

Synthesis and antitubercular activity of quaternized promazine and promethazine derivatives

Quaternized chlorpromazine, triflupromazine, and promethazine derivatives were synthesized and examined as antitubercular agents against both actively growing and non-replicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. Impressively, several compounds inhibited non-replicating M. tuberculosis at concentrations equal to or double their MICs against the actively growing strain. All active compounds were non-toxic toward Vero cells (IC50 > 128 microM). N-Allylchlorpromazinium bromide was only weakly antitubercular, but replacing allyl with benzyl or substituted benzyl improved potency. An electron-withdrawing substituent on the phenothiazine ring was also essential. Branching at the carbon chain decreased antitubercular activity. The optimum antitubercular structures possessed N-(4- or 3-chlorobenzyl) substitution on triflupromazine.     

Quinones as antimycobacterial agents

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a serious worldwide health threat, killing almost 3 million people per year. Other mycobacterial species, especially Mycobacterium avium, are emerging pathogens in the immunocompromised population, most notably AIDS patients. These nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous in the environment, and naturally resistant to many disinfection procedures. Treatment options are limited, and no new antibiotics have been developed against mycobacteria since the 1970s. There is a desperate need for new biocides and antibiotics to prevent and treat mycobacterial infections. A small aromatic compound library has been screened for effectiveness in growth inhibition or killing of mycobacteria. Four species, representing the M. tuberculosis complex, the slow-growing NTM, and the rapid-growing NTM were used. Active compounds had minimal inhibitory concentrations as low as 12.5 microg/mL, with the active component being a quinone. The primarily bactericidal activity observed represents a unique mechanism of action. A fluorescent assay involving M. smegmatis expressing gfp was analyzed as a rapid assay for predicting inhibitory activity, but failed to predict activity well. Our compounds may have significant utility as soluble biocides against mycobacteria and other hardy nosocomial pathogens.     

Activity of Trifluoperazine against Replicating, Non-Replicating and Drug Resistant M. tuberculosis

Trifluoperazine, a knowm calmodulin antagonist, belongs to a class of phenothiazine compounds that have multiple sites of action in mycobacteria including lipid synthesis, DNA processes, protein synthesis and respiration. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of TFP to be used as a lead molecule for development of novel TB drugs by showing its efficacy on multiple drug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and non-replicating dormant M.tb. Wild type and MDR M.tb were treated with TFP under different growth conditions of stress like low pH, starvation, presence of nitric oxide and in THP-1 infection model. Perturbation in growth kinetics of bacilli at different concentrations of TFP was checked to determine the MIC of TFP for active as well as dormant bacilli. Results show that TFP is able to significantly reduce the actively replicating as well as non-replicating bacillary load. It has also shown inhibitory effect on the growth of MDR M.tb. TFP has shown enhanced activity against intracellular bacilli, presumably because phenothiazines are known to get accumulated in macrophages. This concentration was, otherwise, found to be non-toxic to macrophage in vitro. Our results show that TFP has the potential to be an effective killer of both actively growing and non-replicating bacilli including MDR TB. Further evaluation and in vivo studies with Trifluoperazine can finally help us know the feasibility of this compound to be used as either a lead compound for development of new TB drugs or as an adjunct in the current TB chemotherapy.     

Anti-mycobacterial activity of biocides

The effects of different biocides on the growth and viability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria were studied. Mycobacterium phlei was the most sensitive of the test strains with a strain of the M. avium intracellulare (MAI) complex the most resistant. Chlorhexidine diacetate, quaternary ammonium compounds, a phenolic and esters of para (4)-hydroxybenzoic acid were inhibitory but not lethal to MAI, whereas 2% glutaraldehyde was bactericidal against all strains.     

Recombinase-based reporter system and antisense technology to study gene expression and essentiality in hypoxic nonreplicating mycobacteria

The study of the mechanisms used by Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive in the absence of growth is hampered by the absence of appropriate genetic tools. Here, we report two strategies, a recombinase-based reporter system and an antisense technology, to study gene expression and essentiality in hypoxic nonreplicating mycobacteria. The recombinase-based reporter system relies on the resolution of an antibiotic marker flanked by the gammadelta-res sites. This system was developed to identify M. tuberculosis promoters, which are specifically expressed under anaerobic conditions. The antisense strategy was designed to study the role of a gene candidate during anaerobic survival. To validate this approach, the dosR, narK2 and rv2466c promoters were selected to drive dosR antisense mRNA expression in quiescent mycobacteria. The conditional knockout strains were found to be attenuated to adapt and survive under anaerobic conditions, as observed for the dosR knockout strain. Together, our work demonstrates that the recombinase-based reporter system and antisense technology represent two genetic tools useful for the identification and characterization of genes essential for the survival of hypoxic nonreplicating M. tuberculosis.     

High-throughput microplate phosphorylation assays based on DevR-DevS/Rv2027c 2-component signal transduction pathway to screen for novel antitubercular compounds

DevR-DevS (Rv3133c-Rv3132c) and DevR-Rv2027c have been established through their autophosphorylation and phospho-transfer properties to constitute bonafide regulatory 2-component systems of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. DevR has also been shown by others to play a key regulatory role in the expression of M. tuberculosis genes comprising the dormancy regulon. The authors describe high-throughput phosphorylation assays in a microplate format using DevS and Rv2027c histidine kinases and DevR response regulator proteins from M. tuberculosis. The assays were designed to measure [gamma-(32)P]ATP-dependent autophosphorylation of DevS/Rv2027c and also the phosphotransfer reaction to DevR. First, the optimal reaction conditions were established using the conventional method of radiolabeling the 2-component proteins by [gamma-(32)P]ATP and followed by gel electrophoresis-based analysis. Next, the assays were converted to a high-throughput format in which the radiolabeled protein retained on a filter using mixed cellulose ester-based 96-well filter plates was analyzed for radioactivity retention by scintillation counting. The utility of these assays to screen for inhibitors is illustrated using 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, ethidium bromide, and EDTA. The high quality and flexibility of these assays will enable their use in high-throughput screening for new antitubercular compounds directed against 2-component systems that comprise a novel target in dormant mycobacteria.     

Correlations between structure and antimycobacterial activity in a series of 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazones

The antimycobacterial activity of a new series of 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazones was determined in vitro using Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607. The resulting log minimal inhibitory concentration (mumol l-1) values were plotted against the partition coefficient (log P) values for each compound, and fell on a parabolic distribution curve having a log P opt of 3.0. Compounds having partition coefficients outside the range 2.0 to 4.0 were inactive against M. smegmatis. When similar assays were carried out using M. tuberculosis, M. kansasii, M. marinum, M. simiae, M. avium and M. intracellulare, a similar series of parabolic activity curves were obtained having log P opt values around 4.0. The significance of this shift in the log P opt value obtained using the slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria compared to that observed with the rapid-growing M. smegmatis is discussed in relation to the structures of the variable substituents of these new 2-acetylpyridine thiosemicarbazone compounds.     

Pyruvate carboxylase from Mycobacterium smegmatis: stabilization, rapid purification, molecular and biochemical characterization and regulation of the cellular level

This is the first report on the purification and characterization of an anaplerotic enzyme from a Mycobacterium. The anaplerotic reactions play important roles in the biochemical differentiation of mycobacteria into non-replicating stages. We have purified and characterized a pyruvate carboxylase (PYC) from Mycobacterium smegmatis and cloned and sequenced its gene. We have developed a very rapid and efficient purification protocol that provided PYC with very high specific activities (up to 150 U/mg) that remained essentially unchanged over a month. The enzyme was found to be a homomultimer of 121 kDa subunits, mildly thermophilic, absolutely dependent on acyl-CoAs for activity and inhibited by ADP, by excess Mg(2+), Co(2+), and Mn(2+), by aspartate, but not by glutamate and alpha-ketoglutarate. Supplementation of minimal growth medium with aspartate did not lower the cellular PYC level, rather doubled it; with glutamate the level remained unchanged. These observations would not fit the idea that the M. smegmatis enzyme fulfills a straightforward anaplerotic function; in a closely related organism, Corynebacterium glutamicum, PYC is the major anaplerotic enzyme. Growth on glucose provided 2-fold higher cellular PYC level than that observed with glycerol. The PYCs of M. smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were highly homologous to each other. In M. smegmatis, M. tuberculosis and M. lepra, pyc was flanked by a putative methylase and a putative integral membrane protein genes in an identical operon-like arrangement. Thus, M. smegmatis could serve as a model for studying PYC-related physiological aspects of mycobacteria. Also, the ease of purification and the extraordinary stability could make the M. smegmatis enzyme a model for studying the structure-function relationships of PYCs in general. It should be noted that no crystal structure is available for this enzyme of paramount importance in all three domains of life, archaea, bacteria, and eukarya.     

应用多重PCR方法检测石蜡包埋组织标本中的分枝杆菌DNA

应用多重PCR方法检测并鉴别石蜡包埋组织中的结核分枝杆菌复合体与非结核分枝杆菌DNA扩增片段类型 ,为结核分枝杆菌复合体感染与非结核分枝杆菌感染的病理学诊断提供一种补充的鉴别诊断方法。应用三对具有特异性的寡核苷酸引物 ,进行多重PCR扩增。这三对引物分别对应于分枝杆菌 6 5kD表面抗原、结核分枝杆菌插入序列IS6 1 1 0及人类β 珠蛋白基因的部分序列 ,其扩增产物分别为 3 83bp、1 2 3bp和 2 6 8bp。此种多重PCR方法检测的灵敏度为 0 6pg。经多重PCR扩增后进行凝胶电泳 ,结核分枝杆菌复合体 (结核分枝杆菌、牛型结核分枝杆菌、BCG)均可见 3 83bp、1 2 3bp片段 ,而非结核分枝杆菌 (鸟、龟、瘰疬、蟾蜍、堪萨斯、胞内、耻垢分枝杆菌 )仅见 3 83bp片段 (猿猴分枝杆菌与结核分枝杆菌复合体相同 )。与上述相比 ,分枝杆菌感染的临床标本分别增加了一条 2 6 8bp片段。对 2 0 9例临床初步诊断为淋巴结结核病人的石蜡包埋组织标本进行了多重PCR检测 ,1 93例病理诊断为淋巴结结核、结核性肉芽组织、结核性肉芽肿性炎症病人的标本 ,检测结果符合结核分枝杆菌复合体感…     

Evaluation of NTF1836 as an inhibitor of the mycothiol biosynthetic enzyme MshC in growing and non-replicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The mycothiol biosynthesis enzyme MshC catalyzes the ligation of cysteine with the pseudodisaccharide GlcN-Ins and has been identified as an essential enzyme in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We now report on the development of NTF1836 as a micromolar inhibitor of MshC. Using commercial libraries, we conducted preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies on NTF1836. Based on this data, NTF1836 and five structurally related compounds showed similar activity towards clinical strains of M. tuberculosis. A gram scale synthesis was developed to provide ample material for biological studies. Using this material, we determined that inhibition of M. tuberculosis growth by NTF1836 was accompanied by a fall in mycothiol and an increase in GlcN-Ins consistent with the targeting of MshC. We also determined that NTF1836 kills non-replicating M. tuberculosis in the carbon starvation model of latency.     

In vivo efficiency of targeted norfloxacin against persistent, isoniazid-insensitive, Mycobacterium bovis BCG present in the physiologically hypoxic mouse liver

Persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a hypoxia-inducible state in which the bacteria are phenotypically insensitive to currently available antituberculous drugs. In humans, persistent M. tuberculosis is found in granulomatous lesions, either inside macrophages or in necrotic tissue, where the partial oxygen pressure (pO(2)) is very low. Persistent bacteria can remain silent for decades before overt tuberculosis develops. Due to insensitivity to classical drugs, M. tuberculosis persistence prevents rapid and definitive clearance of bacteria. Consequently, therapeutic molecules are required that are both active against persistent bacilli and able to reach their intramacrophagic location. In contrast to its native form, norfloxacin is active in vivo against Mycobacterium bovis BCG present in the lungs when temporarily linked to a macromolecular carrier targeted to macrophages. To study the efficiency of this macromolecular prodrug targeted to persistent mycobacteria confined inside macrophages, we established a short-term in vivo model based on the physiological pO(2) differences between lungs, spleen and liver. Whereas lungs and spleen are well oxygenated, the liver has a low pO(2) due to its portal irrigation. Therefore, studying mycobacteria in the liver yields information about in vivo persistent bacilli exposed to low pO(2). To our knowledge, no similar short-term in vivo model has been published to date. Using this model, we demonstrated the insensitivity to isoniazid of M. bovis BCG present in hypoxic sites, and showed that norfloxacin given as a mannosylated macrophage-targeted prodrug was able to kill these isoniazid-insensitive mycobacteria. This demonstrates that intracellular persistent mycobacteria are amenable to antibiotic treatment.     

Serodiagnosis of environmental mycobacterial infections

To demonstrate the usefulness of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of mycobacterioses due to environmental mycobacteria we utilized a panel of glycolipid antigens selective for Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium xenopi, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum and Mycobacterium gordonae. The levels of circulating antibodies were determined against the environmental mycobacteria, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus-negative and -positive patient sera. The method used immunomagnetic separation of the antigens, with covalent immobilization of antibodies to superparamagnetic amine and carboxyl terminated particles in solutions of the specific antigens. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed on 195 patient sera: 34 with infections due to environmental mycobacteria, 114 with tuberculosis, 47 with other respiratory diseases. There were 46 human immunodeficiency virus-1 infected individuals. Among the 34 infections due to environmental mycobacteria, 9 patients were singularly infected with an environmental mycobacterium, and 25 co-infected with both M. tuberculosis and an environmental mycobacterium. Sensitivity, specificity and false positivity ranges were determined for each of the volunteer groups: tuberculosis positive, human immunodeficiency virus negative; tuberculosis positive, human immunodeficiency virus positive; those with infections due to individual environmental mycobacteria (such as M. scrofulaceum and M. kansasii); and those with other respiratory diseases. We demonstrate that such multiple assays, can be useful for the early diagnosis of diverse environmental mycobacterial infections to allow the start of treatment earlier than henceforth.     

Decreased outer membrane permeability protects mycobacteria from killing by ubiquitin-derived peptides

Ubiquitin-derived peptides are bactericidal in vitro and contribute to the mycobactericidal activity of the lysosome. To further define interactions of ubiquitin-derived peptides with mycobacteria, we screened for mutants with increased resistance to the bactericidal activity of the synthetic ubiquitin-derived peptide Ub2. The four Ub2-resistant Mycobacterium smegmatis mutants were also resistant to the bactericidal action of other antimicrobial peptides and macrophages. Two mutants were in the mspA gene encoding the main M. smegmatis porin. Using a translocation-deficient MspA point mutant, we showed that susceptibility of M. smegmatis to Ub2 was independent of MspA channel activity. Instead, the M. smegmatis Ub2-resistant mutants shared a common phenotype of decreased cell wall permeability compared with wild-type bacteria. Expression of mspA rendered Mycobacterium tuberculosis CDC1551 more susceptible both to ubiquitin-derived peptides in vitro and to lysosomal killing in macrophages. Finally, biochemical assays designed to assess membrane integrity indicated that Ub2 treatment impairs membrane function of M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis cells . The M. smegmatis Ub2-resistant mutants were more resistant than wild-type M. smegmatis to this damage. We conclude that Ub2 targets mycobacterial membranes and that reduced membrane permeability provides mycobacteria intrinsic resistance against antimicrobial compounds including bactericidal ubiquitin-derived peptides.     

In vitro efficacy of Linezolid on clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacteria

Linezolid, an oxazolidinone that acts by inhibiting protein synthesis, was evaluated in strains of tuberculosis and non-tubercular mycobacteria resistant to one or more drugs isolated in northern Sardinia. The in vitro activity of Linezolid (Pfizer) was assessed on different isolates of Mycobacterium spp. from clinical samples by the Proportional Method. Linezolid demonstrated an excellent activity against the 24 strains of M. tuberculosis and against M. gordonae, M. marinum, M. aurum, M. phlei, and M. avium, with MIC values ranging from 0.5 to 2 microg/ml. Linezolid can be used in combination with the standard antitubercular medications, or as an effective therapeutic alternative in infections caused by M. tuberculosis or by other species of non-tubercular mycobacteria.     

ATP synthase in slow- and fast-growing mycobacteria is active in ATP synthesis and blocked in ATP hydrolysis direction

ATP synthase is a validated drug target for the treatment of tuberculosis, and ATP synthase inhibitors are promising candidate drugs for the treatment of infections caused by other slow-growing mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium ulcerans. ATP synthase is an essential enzyme in the energy metabolism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis; however, no biochemical data are available to characterize the role of ATP synthase in slow-growing mycobacterial strains. Here, we show that inverted membrane vesicles from the slow-growing model strain Mycobacterium bovis BCG are active in ATP synthesis, but ATP synthase displays no detectable ATP hydrolysis activity and does not set up a proton-motive force (PMF) using ATP as a substrate. Treatment with methanol as well as PMF activation unmasked the ATP hydrolysis activity, indicating that the intrinsic subunit ? and inhibitory ADP are responsible for the suppression of hydrolytic activity. These results suggest that the enzyme is needed for the synthesis of ATP, not for the maintenance of the PMF. For the development of new antimycobacterial drugs acting on ATP synthase, screening for ATP synthesis inhibitors, but not for ATP hydrolysis blockers, can be regarded as a promising strategy.     

Antimycobacterial compounds. New pyrrole derivatives of BM212

We have identified BM212 as a lead compound among a series of pyrrole derivatives with good in vitro activity against mycobacteria and candidae. First studies led us to synthesize some pyrrole compounds in which the thiomorpholine fragment was present. Some compounds revealed very active and these findings prompted us to prepare new pyrrole derivatives 2-15 in the hope of increasing the activity. The microbiological data showed interesting in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and atypical mycobacteria.     

Comparative genomic structures of Mycobacterium CRISPR-Cas

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are inheritable genetic elements of many archaea and bacteria, conferring acquired immunity against invading nucleic acids. CRISPR might be indicative of the bacterial niche adaptation and evolutionary. Mycobacterium is an important genus occupying diverse niches with profound medical and environmental significance. To present a comparative genomic landscape of the Mycobacterium CRISPR, the feature of mycobacterium CRISPR structures with sequenced complete genomes were bioinformatically analyzed. The results show that CRISPR structures can be found among 14 mycobacteria, and all loci are chromosomally located. Long CRISPRs present in three species, namely M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. avium. Integrated CRISPR-Cas system can only be found in M. tuberculosis and M. bovis, with highly conserved repeat sequences, very short leaders, and promoterless. M. tuberculosis and M. bovis repeat sequences cannot form stable RNA secondary structure, consistent with a Cas6-binding sequence. M. avium repeat sequences can form classical stem-loop structure. A three-step model of M. tuberculosis CRISPR-Cas system action was put forward based on the composition and function of cas genes cluster. M. tuberculosis and M. bovis CRISPRs might interfere with the invading nucleic acids, but have somehow lost the capacity to incorporate new spacers and co-evolve with corresponding mycobacteriophages.     

Mechanisms involved in the intrinsic isoniazid resistance of Mycobacterium avium

Isoniazid (INH), which acts by inhibiting mycolic acid biosynthesis, is very potent against the tuberculous mycobacteria. It is about 100-fold less effective against Mycobacterium avium . This difference has often been attributed to a decreased permeability of the cell wall. We measured the rate of conversion of radiolabelled INH to 4-pyridylmethanol by whole cells and cell-free extracts and estimated the permeability barrier imposed by the cell wall to INH influx in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M . avium . There was no significant difference in the relative permeability to INH between these two species. However, the total conversion rate in M . tuberculosis was found to be four times greater. Examination of in vitro -generated mutants revealed that the major resistance mechanism for both species is loss of the catalase-peroxidase KatG. Analysis of lipid and protein biosynthetic profiles demonstrated that the molecular target of activated INH was identical for both species. M . avium , however, formed colonies at INH concentrations inhibitory for mycolic acid biosynthesis. These mycolate-deficient M . avium exhibited altered colony morphologies, modified cell wall ultrastructure and were 10-fold more sensitive to treatment with hydrophobic antibiotics, such as rifampin. These findings may significantly impact the design of new therapeutic regimens for the treatment of infections with atypical mycobacteria.     

Identification of cyclic AMP-regulated genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria under low-oxygen conditions

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the etiological agent of tuberculosis (TB), which kills approximately 2 million people a year despite current treatment options. A greater understanding of the biology of this bacterium is needed to better combat TB disease. The M. tuberculosis genome encodes as many as 15 adenylate cyclases, suggesting that cyclic AMP (cAMP) has an important, yet overlooked, role in mycobacteria. This study examined the effect of exogenous cAMP on protein expression in Mycobacterium bovis BCG grown under hypoxic versus ambient conditions. Both shaking and shallow standing cultures were examined for each atmospheric condition. Different cAMP-dependent changes in protein expression were observed in each condition by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Shaking low-oxygen cultures produced the most changes (12), while standing ambient conditions showed the fewest (2). Five upregulated proteins, Rv1265, Rv2971, GroEL2, PE_PGRS6a, and malate dehydrogenase, were identified from BCG by mass spectrometry and were shown to also be regulated by cAMP at the mRNA level in both M. tuberculosis H37Rv and BCG. To our knowledge, these data provide the first direct evidence for cAMP-mediated gene regulation in TB complex mycobacteria.