Characterization of abalone Haliotis tuberculata–Vibrio harveyi interactions in gill primary cultures

The decline of European abalone Haliotis tuberculata populations has been associated with various pathogens including bacteria of the genus Vibrio. Following the summer mortality outbreaks reported in France between 1998 and 2000, Vibrio harveyi strains were isolated from moribund abalones, allowing in vivo and in vitro studies on the interactions between abalone H. tuberculata and V. harveyi. This work reports the development of primary cell cultures from abalone gill tissue, a target tissue for bacterial colonisation, and their use for in vitro study of host cell—V. harveyi interactions. Gill cells originated from four-day-old explant primary cultures were successfully sub-cultured in multi-well plates and maintained in vitro for up to 24 days. Cytological parameters, cell morphology and viability were monitored over time using flow cytometry analysis and semi-quantitative assay (XTT). Then, gill cell cultures were used to investigate in vitro the interactions with V. harveyi. The effects of two bacterial strains were evaluated on gill cells: a pathogenic bacterial strain ORM4 which is responsible for abalone mortalities and LMG7890 which is a non-pathogenic strain. Cellular responses of gill cells exposed to increasing concentrations of bacteria were evaluated by measuring mitochondrial activity (XTT assay) and phenoloxidase activity, an enzyme which is strongly involved in immune response. The ability of gill cells to phagocyte GFP-tagged V. harveyi was evaluated by flow cytometry and gill cells-V. harveyi interactions were characterized using fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. During phagocytosis process we evidenced that V. harveyi bacteria induced significant changes in gill cells metabolism and immune response. Together, the results showed that primary cell cultures from abalone gills are suitable for in vitro study of host-pathogen interactions, providing complementary assays to in vivo experiments.     

Virulence of Vibrio harveyi ORM4 towards the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata involves both quorum sensing and a type III secretion system

Environmental Vibrio strains represent a major threat in aquaculture, but the understanding of their virulence mechanisms heavily relies on the transposition of knowledge from human-pathogen vibrios. Here, the genetic bases of the virulence of Vibrio harveyi ORM4 towards the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata were characterized. We demonstrated that luxO, encoding a major regulator of the quorum sensing system, is crucial for the virulence of this strain, and that its deletion leads to a decrease in swimming motility, biofilm formation, and exopolysaccharide production. Furthermore, the biofilm formation by V. harveyi ORM4 was increased by abalone serum, which required LuxO. The absence of LuxO in V. harveyi ORM4 yielded opposite phenotypes compared with other Vibrio species including V. campbellii (still frequently named V. harveyi). In addition, we report a full type III secretion system (T3SS) gene cluster in the V. harveyi ORM4 genome. LuxO was shown to negatively regulate the promoter activity of exsA, encoding the major regulator of the T3SS genes, and the deletion of exsA abolished the virulence of V. harveyi ORM4. These results unveil virulence mechanisms set up by this environmentally important bacterial pathogen and pave the way for a better molecular understanding of the regulation of its pathogenicity.     

Characterization of Bacterial Communities Associated with the Tyrian Purple Producing Gland in a Marine Gastropod

Dicathais orbita is a marine mollusc recognised for the production of anticancer compounds that are precursors to Tyrian purple. This study aimed to assess the diversity and identity of bacteria associated with the Tyrian purple producing hypobranchial gland, in comparison with foot tissue, using a high-throughput sequencing approach. Taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of variable region V1-V3 of 16S rRNA bacterial gene amplicons in QIIME and MEGAN were carried out. This analysis revealed a highly diverse bacterial assemblage associated with the hypobranchial gland and foot tissues of D. orbita. The dominant bacterial phylum in the 16S rRNA bacterial profiling data set was Proteobacteria followed by Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes and Spirochaetes. In comparison to the foot, the hypobranchial gland had significantly lower bacterial diversity and a different community composition, based on taxonomic assignment at the genus level. A higher abundance of indole producing Vibrio spp. and the presence of bacteria with brominating capabilities in the hypobranchial gland suggest bacteria have a potential role in biosynthesis of Tyrian purple in D. orbita.     

Suppressive subtractive hybridisation transcriptomics provides a novel insight into the functional role of the hypobranchial gland in a marine mollusc

The hypobranchial gland present in gastropods is an organ whose function is not clearly understood. Involved in mucus production, within members of the family Muricidae it is also the source of the ancient dye Tyrian purple and its bioactive precursors. To gain further insights into hypobranchial gland biology, suppressive subtractive hybridisation was performed on hypobranchial gland and mantle tissue from the marine snail Dicathais orbita creating a differentially expressed cDNA library. 437 clones were randomly sequenced, analysed and annotated and 110 sequences had their functions putatively identified. Importantly this approach identified a putative gene involved in Tyrian purple biosynthesis, an arylsulphatase gene. Confirmation of the upregulation of arylsulphatase in the hypobranchial gland compared to the mantle was demonstrated using quantitative real-time PCR. Other genes identified as playing an important role in the hypobranchial gland were those involved in mucus protein synthesis, choline ester regulation, protein and energy production. This study confirms that the hypobranchial gland is involved in the production of mucus secretion and also identifies it as a site of chemical interaction and biosynthesis. This study lays the foundation for a better understanding of the enzymatic production of Tyrian purple precursors within the gland.     

Pathogenic Vibrio harveyi,in contrast to non‐pathogenic strains,intervenes with the p38 MAPK pathway to avoid an abalone haemocyte immune response

Vibrio harveyi is a marine bacterial pathogen responsible for episodic abalone epidemics associated with massive mortalities in France, Japan, and Australia. The aim of this study was the understanding of a possible role of the p38 MAPK in abalone haemocyte responses towards this bacterium. First, the pathogenicity of different V. harveyi strains was compared in both immersion and injection trials, and clear differences were detected. The three strains, ORM4, 04/092, and 05/053, all isolated from moribund abalone, induced up to 80% mortalities in immersion or injection challenges (LD₅₀ (ORM4) = 2.5 × 10² CFU animal^?1). The two strains, LMG 4044T and LMG 7890 were non‐pathogenic towards abalone in immersion trials, and needed very high numbers for killing by intramuscular injections (LD₅₀ = 8.9 × 10⁴ and 1.6 × 10⁵ CFU animal^?1, respectively). To start unraveling the mechanism explaining these differences, the p38‐MAPK, a keyplayer in antimicrobial immune response, was studied. The non‐pathogenic strain, LMG 7890 can be eliminated by abalone haemocytes and induces haemocyte phagocytosis and high ROS production. With different concentrations of a p38‐specific inhibitor, SB203580, p38 implication was shown. This inhibitor reduced phagocytosis and ROS induction leading to LMG 7890 proliferation. In the case of the pathogenic ORM4 which can not be eliminated by abalone haemocytes, no phagocytosis and ROS production was induced, and a retarded p38 activation was observed. Taken together, our results suggest that p38 MAPK modulation may be one of the ways of virulent V. harveyi to attack its host and escape abalone immune response. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 152–160, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Genetically Modified Vibrio harveyi Strains as Potential Bioindicators of Mutagenic Pollution of Marine Environments

For biodetection of mutagenic pollution of marine environments, an organism naturally occurring in these habitats should be used. We found that marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi may be an appropriate bioindicator of mutagenic pollution. For positive selection of mutants, we developed a simple method for isolation of V. harveyi mutants resistant to neomycin. We constructed genetically modified V. harveyi strains that produce significantly more neomycin-resistant mutants upon treatment with low concentrations of mutagens than the wild-type counterpart. The sensitivity of the mutagenicity test with the V. harveyi strains is at least comparable to (if not higher than) that of the commonly used Ames test, which uses Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains. Therefore, we consider that the V. harveyi strains described in this report could be used as potential bioindicators of mutagenic pollution of marine environments.     

Draft Genome Sequence of the Fish Pathogen Vibrio harveyi Strain ZJ0603

Vibrio harveyi is an important pathogen that causes vibriosis in various aquatic organisms. Here, we announce the draft genome sequence of V. harveyi strain ZJ0603, which was isolated from diseased Orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) in Guangdong, China.     

Proteomic Analysis of Protein Expression in the Induction of the Viable But Nonculturable State of Vibrio harveyi SF1

Vibrio harveyi has been reported to enter into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state. One marine V. harveyi strain, SF1 became nonculturable when incubated in seawater microcosm at 4 °C within 60 days. We investigated protein expression in the exponential phase of V. harveyi SF1 and compared it to the VBNC state. Cytosolic proteins were resolved by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using pH 4–7 linear gradients. Among these proteins, sixteen proteins which were strongly downregulated or upregulated in the VBNC cells were identified by MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry. The results indicated that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly focused on stress response proteins and key components of central and intermediary metabolism, like carbohydrate metabolism, transport, and translation. This study provided clues for understanding the mechanism of adaptation to the VBNC state.     

Routes of entry of Piscirickettsia salmonis in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Since 1989, Piscirickettsia salmonis, the causal agent of piscirickettsiosis, has killed millions of farmed salmonids each year in southern Chile. The portal of entry for the pathogen was investigated by use of selected experimental infections in juvenile rainbow trout (12 g). The methods used were intraperitoneal injection, subcutaneous injection, patch contact on skin, patch contact on gills, intestinal intubation and gastric intubation. Cumulative mortalities at Day 33 post-inoculation were 98, 100, 52, 24, 24, and 2%, respectively. It was shown that intact skin and gills could be penetrated by P. salmonis. The high mortality obtained in subcutaneously injected fish indicated that skin injuries could facilitate the invasion of this pathogen. Results suggested that the main entry sites are through the skin and gills and that the oral route may not be the normal method by which P. salmonis initiates infection of salmonids.     

Role of Chitin-Binding Proteins in the Specific Attachment of the Marine Bacterium Vibrio harveyi to Chitin

We examined the mechanism of attachment of the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi to chitin. Wheat germ agglutinin and chitinase bind to chitin and competitively inhibited the attachment of V. harveyi to chitin, but not to cellulose. Bovine serum albumin and cellulase do not bind to chitin and had no effect on bacterial attachment to chitin. These data suggest that this bacterium recognizes specific attachment sites on the chitin particle. The level of attachment of a chitinase-overproducing mutant of V. harveyi to chitin was about twice as much as that of the uninduced wild type. Detergent-extracted cell membranes inhibited attachment and contained a 53-kDa peptide that was overproduced by the chitinase-overproducing mutant. Three peptides (40, 53, and 150 kDa) were recovered from chitin which had been exposed to membrane extracts. Polyclonal antibodies raised against extracellular chitinase cross-reacted with the 53- and 150-kDa chitin-binding peptides and inhibited attachment, probably by sterically hindering interactions between the chitin-binding peptides and chitin. The 53- and 150-kDa chitin-binding peptides did not have chitinase activity. These results suggest that chitin-binding peptides, especially the 53-kDa chitin-binding peptide and chitinase and perhaps the 150-kDa peptide, mediate the specific attachment of V. harveyi to chitin.     

A simple and rapid immunochromatographic test strip for detection of pathogenic isolates of Vibrio harveyi

Mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and rabbit polyclonal antibody (PAb) against Vibrio harveyi were generated from immunization of mice and rabbits with highly virulent isolate of V. harveyi. Two MAbs specific to virulent isolates of V. harveyi were obtained and one of them (VH4) was selected to conjugate with colloidal gold as the detector antibody was laid on a sample pad. Rabbit polyclonal antibody was used as the capture antibody at the test line (T) and goat anti-mouse IgG antibody (GAM) was used as the capture antibody at the control line (C) of nitrocellulose strip. The ready-to-use strip was held in a plastic case and then stored in a desiccated plastic bag. A sample volume of 100 μl of bacterial suspension from various sources mixed with application buffer was applied to the sample chamber at one end of the strip and allowed to flow by chromatography through the nitrocellulose membrane to the other end. In test samples containing virulent isolates of V. harveyi, the bacteria would bind to the monoclonal antibody conjugated with colloidal gold and the resulting complex would be captured by the antibodies at the test line to give a reddish-purple band. Any unbound monoclonal antibody conjugated with colloidal gold moved across the test line would be captured by the GAM and form a band at the control line (C). In sample without V. harveyi or with V. harveyi below the limit (< 10⁶ CFU/ml) of detection for the kit, only the control line band was observed. If the test sample was pre-enriched in tryptic soy broth (TSB) for 6 h before application to the strip, the sensitivity would increase to 1–10 CFU/ml which is comparable to that of PCR. This method could be used to detect pathogenic isolates of V. harveyi in pond water or infected shrimp in order to monitor and to reduce the risk of V. harveyi outbreak in the shrimp culture. The beneficial features of this kit are that simple, convenient and quick results (within 15 min) can be obtained without the requirement of sophisticated tools or special equipments and skills.     

Plasmid- and chromosome-encoded siderophore anguibactin systems found in marine vibrios: biosynthesis, transport and evolution

Vibrio anguillarum is a marine pathogen that causes vibriosis, a hemorrhagic septicemia in aquatic invertebrate as well as vertebrate animals. The siderophore anguibactin system is one of the most important virulence factors of this bacterium. Most of the anguibactin biosynthesis and transport genes are located in the 65-kb pJM1 virulence plasmid although some of them are found in the chromosome of this fish pathogen. Over 30 years of research unveiled the role numerous chromosomal and pJM1 genes play in the synthesis of anguibactin and the transport of cognate ferric complexes into the bacterial cell. Furthermore, these studies showed that pJM1-carrying strains might be originated from pJM1-less strains producing the chromosome-mediated siderophore vanchrobactin. Additionally, we recently identified a chromosome-mediated anguibactin system in V. harveyi suggesting the possible evolutional origin of the V. anguillarum anguibactin system. In this review, we present our current understanding of the mechanisms and evolution hypothesis of the anguibactin system that might have occurred in these pathogenic vibrios.     

NMR Solution Structure and Biophysical Characterization of Vibrio harveyi Acyl Carrier Protein A75H: EFFECTS OF DIVALENT METAL IONS*

Bacterial acyl carrier protein (ACP) is a highly anionic, 9 kDa protein that functions as a cofactor protein in fatty acid biosynthesis. Escherichia coli ACP is folded at neutral pH and in the absence of divalent cations, while Vibrio harveyi ACP, which is very similar at 86% sequence identity, is unfolded under the same conditions. V. harveyi ACP adopts a folded conformation upon the addition of divalent cations such as Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and a mutant, A75H, was previously identified that restores the folded conformation at pH 7 in the absence of divalent cations. In this study we sought to understand the unique folding behavior of V. harveyi ACP using NMR spectroscopy and biophysical methods. The NMR solution structure of V. harveyi ACP A75H displays the canonical ACP structure with four helices surrounding a hydrophobic core, with a narrow pocket closed off from the solvent to house the acyl chain. His-75, which is charged at neutral pH, participates in a stacking interaction with Tyr-71 in the far C-terminal end of helix IV. pH titrations and the electrostatic profile of ACP suggest that V. harveyi ACP is destabilized by anionic charge repulsion around helix II that can be partially neutralized by His-75 and is further reduced by divalent cation binding. This is supported by differential scanning calorimetry data which indicate that calcium binding further increases the melting temperature of V. harveyi ACP A75H by ∼20 °C. Divalent cation binding does not alter ACP dynamics on the ps-ns timescale as determined by ¹⁵N NMR relaxation experiments, however, it clearly stabilizes the protein fold as observed by hydrogen-deuterium exchange studies. Finally, we demonstrate that the E. coli ACP H75A mutant is similarly unfolded as wild-type V. harveyi ACP, further stressing the importance of this particular residue for proper protein folding.     

Characterization of DegQVh, a Serine Protease and a Protective Immunogen from a Pathogenic Vibrio harveyi Strain

Vibrio harveyi is an important marine pathogen that can infect a number of aquaculture species. V. harveyi degQ (degQ_Vh), the gene encoding a DegQ homologue, was cloned from T4, a pathogenic V. harveyi strain isolated from diseased fish. DegQ_Vh was closely related to the HtrA family members identified in other Vibrio species and could complement the temperature-sensitive phenotype of an Escherichia coli strain defective in degP. Expression of degQ_Vh in T4 was modulated by temperature, possibly through the σ^E-like factor. Enzymatic analyses demonstrated that the recombinant DegQ_Vh protein expressed in and purified from E. coli was an active serine protease whose activity required the integrity of the catalytic site and the PDZ domains. The optimal temperature and pH of the recombinant DegQ_Vh protein were 50°C and pH 8.0. A vaccination study indicated that the purified recombinant DegQ_Vh was a protective immunogen that could confer protection upon fish against infection by V. harveyi. In order to improve the efficiency of DegQ_Vh as a vaccine, a genetic construct in the form of the plasmid pAQ1 was built, in which the DNA encoding the processed DegQ_Vh protein was fused with the DNA encoding the secretion region of AgaV, an extracellular β-agarase. The E. coli strain harboring pAQ1 could express and secrete the chimeric DegQ_Vh protein into the culture supernatant. Vaccination of fish with viable E. coli expressing chimeric degQ_Vh significantly (P < 0.001) enhanced the survival of fish against V. harveyi challenge, which was possibly due to the relatively prolonged exposure of the immune system to the recombinant antigen produced constitutively, albeit at a gradually decreasing level, by the carrier strain.     

Determination of the heterogeneous interactome between Edwardsiella tarda and fish gills

Edwardsiellosis caused by Edwardsiella tarda is a frequent occurrence throughout the world and has resulted in extensive losses in aquaculture. However, information regarding to protein-protein interaction between the pathogenic cells and host is not available although the portal of entry of the pathogen is determined. In this study, fish gill and bacterial pull-down approaches were used to isolate both bacterial outer membrane proteins that bind to gills and fish gill proteins that interact with bacterial cells, respectively. Eight interacting bacterial proteins and twelve interacting fish proteins were obtained. The genes of seven bacterial proteins were cloned and expressed for preparation of antibodies. The prepared antibodies were used to investigate protein-protein interactions between bacterial cells and fish gills. Five heterogeneous protein-protein interactions were determined. Moreover, the protective ability of three of the bacterial recombinant proteins, selected at random, was investigated in a mouse model where they showed significant protection. The gill proteins were highly homologous proteins with from humans and other animals where they are known to be involved in host immunity. These findings indicate that the heterogeneous interactome has significantly biological significance. Our results demonstrate a way to determine and understand the heterogeneous interaction between of E. tarda and gills.     

Transmission to Eels, Portals of Entry, and Putative Reservoirs of Vibrio vulnificus Serovar E (Biotype 2)

Vibrio vulnificus serovar E (formerly biotype 2) is the etiologic agent that is responsible for the main infectious disease affecting farmed eels. Although the pathogen can theoretically use water as a vehicle for disease transmission, it has not been isolated from tank water during epizootics to date. In this work, the mode of transmission of the disease to healthy eels, the portals of entry of the pathogen into fish, and their putative reservoirs have been investigated by means of laboratory and field experiments. Results of the experiments of direct and indirect host-to-host transmission, patch contact challenges, and oral-anal intubations suggest that water is the prime vehicle for disease transmission and that gills are the main portals of entry into the eel body. The pathogen mixed with food can also come into the fish through the gastrointestinal tract and develop the disease. These conclusions were supported by field data obtained during a natural outbreak in which we were able to isolate this microorganism from tank water for the first time. The examination of some survivors from experimental infections by indirect immunofluorescence and scanning electron microscopy showed that V. vulnificus serovar E formed a biofilm-like structure on the eel skin surface. In vitro assays demonstrated that the ability of the pathogen to colonize both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces was inhibited by glucose. The capacity to form biofilms on eel surface could constitute a strategy for surviving between epizootics or outbreaks, and coated survivors could act as reservoirs for the disease.