The regulation of pyocyanin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Summary Pyocyanin was produced only after the exponential phase of growth on all media examined. Pyocyanin was also found to be produced in response to some nutrient limitation (for example, carbon or oxygen). Furthermore, by controlling the growth rate at less than approximately 0.1 h^–1 the repression of pyocyanin production could be overcome to a large degree. An inverse relationship existed at low growth rates between growth rate and pyocyanin production, with a decrease in growth rate resulting in increased pyocyanin levels.Therefore, pyocyanin production appeared to be regulated by the energy status of the cell which would be lowered under conditions of low nutrient concentration, resulting in a decrease in growth rate and an increase in the level of pyocyanin produced. Under conditions of readily available nutrients the energy generating capacity of the cell was increased resulting in an increased growth rate and repression of pyocyanin.The ability of uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation (e.g. CCCP and FCCP) to induce pyocyanin production, and of inhibitors of the membrane-bound ATPase (e.g. DCCD and sodium azide) to repress pyocyanin production, confirmed the existance of an energy mediated regulatory mechanism. Indeed, the evidence presented here along with the reported regulatory role of inorganic phosphate in pyocyanin production, suggests that production of this antibiotic may be regulated by intracellular ATP levels.     

Metabolic engineering of E. coli for pyocyanin production

Pyocyanin is a secondary metabolite from Pseudomonas aeruginosa that belongs to the class of phenazines, which are aromatic nitrogenous compounds with numerous biological functions. Besides its antifungal and antimicrobial activities, pyocyanin is a remarkable redox-active molecule with potential applications ranging from the pharma industry to the development of microbial fuel cells. Nevertheless, pyocyanin production has been restricted to P. aeruginosa strains, limiting its practical applicability. In this study, the pyocyanin biosynthetic pathway was engineered for the first time for high level production of this compound in a heterologous host. Escherichia coli cells harboring the nine-gene pathway divided into two plasmids were able to produce and secrete pyocyanin at higher levels than some Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. The influence of culture and induction parameters were evaluated, and the optimized conditions led to an increase of 3.5-fold on pyocyanin accumulation. Pathway balancing was achieved by testing a set of plasmids with different copy numbers to optimize the expression levels of pyocyanin biosynthetic genes, resulting in a fourfold difference in product titer among the engineered strains. Further improvements were achieved by co-expression of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin Vhb, which relieved oxygen limitations and led to a final titer of 18.8 mg/L pyocyanin. These results show promise to use E. coli for phenazines production, and the engineered strain developed here has the potential to be used in electro-fermentation systems where pyocyanin plays a role as electron-shuttle.     

Importance of the RpoE Regulon in Maintaining the Lipid Bilayer during Antimicrobial Treatment with the Polycationic Agent,Chlorhexidine

The emergence of multidrug resistance in bacteria has reached alarming levels. To solve this growing problem, discovery of novel cellular targets or pathways important for antimicrobial resistance is urgently needed. In this study, we explored how the alternative sigma factor, RpoE, protects Escherichia coli O157 against the toxic effects of the polycationic antimicrobial agent, chlorhexidine (CHX). Susceptibility of this organism to CHX was found to directly correlate to the growth rate, with the faster replicating wild‐type being more susceptible to CHX than its more slowly replicating ΔrpoE O157 mutant. Once the wild‐type and rpoE mutant strains had undergone growth arrest (entered the stationary growth phase), their resistance to CHX became entirely dependent on the functionality of RpoE. The RpoE regulon plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of the asymmetric lipid bilayer of E. coli, thereby preventing the intracellular accumulation of CHX. Finally, using a single‐cell, high‐resolution, synchrotron‐based approach, we discovered a subpopulation of the rpoE mutant strain with no detectable intracellular CHX, a predominant characteristic of the wild‐type CHX‐resistant population. This finding reveals a role of phenotypic heterogeneity in antimicrobial resistance.     

Glutathione modulates the toxicity of, but is not a biologically relevant reductant for, the Pseudomonas aeruginosa redox toxin pyocyanin

Pyocyanin is an important redox toxin produced by the common human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that alter intracellular redox status and cell function. Reducing equivalents for pyocyanin are provided by intracellular NAD(P)H and, it has been reported, glutathione (GSH). Cellular GSH levels are at least 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than NAD(P)H; therefore GSH should represent the major reductant for pyocyanin and potentiate its toxicity. Paradoxically, GSH has been found to inhibit pyocyanin toxicity in cellular models. This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of GSH as a biologically relevant reductant for pyocyanin. As observed using spectrophotometry, under aerobic conditions pyocyanin readily oxidized NADPH, whereas oxidation of GSH could not be detected. Under anaerobic conditions pyocyanin was reduced by NADPH, but reduction by GSH could not be detected. Reduction of molecular oxygen and the formation of ROS readily proceeded in the presence of pyocyanin and NADPH, whereas GSH was without effect. Finally, exposure of normal human dermal fibroblasts to subcytotoxic concentrations of pyocyanin did not lead to depletion of endogenous GSH, but exogenous GSH provided protection against the senescence-inducing effects of the toxin. In summary, GSH does not reduce pyocyanin under physiologically relevant conditions or contribute to pyocyanin toxicity. However, GSH does provide protection against the deleterious effects of this important bacterial toxin on mammalian cells.     

Bacterial cyclic β‐(1,2)‐glucans sequester iron to protect against iron‐induced toxicity

Cellular iron homeostasis is critical for survival and growth. Bacteria employ a variety of strategies to sequester iron from the environment and to store intracellular iron surplus that can be utilized in iron‐restricted conditions while also limiting the potential for the production of iron‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we report that membrane‐derived oligosaccharide (mdo) glucan, an intrinsic component of Gram‐negative bacteria, sequesters the ferrous form of iron. Iron‐binding, uptake, and localization experiments indicated that both secreted and periplasmic β‐(1,2) ‐ glucans bind iron specifically and promote growth under iron‐restricted conditions. Xanthomonas campestris and Escherichia coli mutants blocked in the production of β‐(1,2) ‐ glucan accumulate low amounts of intracellular iron under iron‐restricted conditions, whereas they exhibit elevated ROS production and sensitivity under iron‐replete conditions. Our results reveal a critical role of glucan in intracellular iron homeostasis conserved in Gram‐negative bacteria.     

Solar and Temporal Effects on Escherichia coli Concentration at a Lake Michigan Swimming Beach

Studies on solar inactivation of Escherichia coli in freshwater and in situ have been limited. At 63rd St. Beach, Chicago, Ill., factors influencing the daily periodicity of culturable E. coli, particularly insolation, were examined. Water samples for E. coli analysis were collected twice daily between April and September 2000 three times a week along five transects in two depths of water. Hydrometeorological conditions were continuously logged: UV radiation, total insolation, wind speed and direction, wave height, and relative lake level. On 10 days, transects were sampled hourly from 0700 to 1500 h. The effect of sunlight on E. coli inactivation was evaluated with dark and transparent in situ mesocosms and ambient lake water. For the study, the number of E. coli samples collected (n) was 2,676. During sunny days, E. coli counts decreased exponentially with day length and exposure to insolation, but on cloudy days, E. coli inactivation was diminished; the E. coli decay rate was strongly influenced by initial concentration. In situ experiments confirmed that insolation primarily inactivated E. coli; UV radiation only marginally affected E. coli concentration. The relationship between insolation and E. coli density is complicated by relative lake level, wave height, and turbidity, all of which are often products of wind vector. Continuous importation and nighttime replenishment of E. coli were evident. These findings (i) suggest that solar inactivation is an important mechanism for natural reduction of indicator bacteria in large freshwater bodies and (ii) have implications for management strategies of nontidal waters and the use of E. coli as an indicator organism.     

Phosphatidylserine externalization and procoagulant activation of erythrocytes induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factor pyocyanin

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes a wide range of infections in multiple hosts by releasing an arsenal of virulence factors such as pyocyanin. Despite numerous reports on the pleiotropic cellular targets of pyocyanin toxicity in vivo, its impact on erythrocytes remains elusive. Erythrocytes undergo an apoptosis‐like cell death called eryptosis which is characterized by cell shrinkage and phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization; this process confers a procoagulant phenotype on erythrocytes as well as fosters their phagocytosis and subsequent clearance from the circulation. Herein, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa pyocyanin‐elicited PS exposure and cell shrinkage in erythrocyte while preserving the membrane integrity. Mechanistically, exposure of erythrocytes to pyocyanin showed increased cytosolic Ca²⁺ activity as well as Ca²⁺‐dependent proteolytic processing of μ‐calpain. Pyocyanin further up‐regulated erythrocyte ceramide abundance and triggered the production of reactive oxygen species. Pyocyanin‐induced increased PS externalization in erythrocytes translated into enhanced prothrombin activation and fibrin generation in plasma. As judged by carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl‐ester labelling, pyocyanin‐treated erythrocytes were cleared faster from the murine circulation as compared to untreated erythrocytes. Furthermore, erythrocytes incubated in plasma from patients with P. aeruginosa sepsis showed increased PS exposure as compared to erythrocytes incubated in plasma from healthy donors. In conclusion, the present study discloses the eryptosis‐inducing effect of the virulence factor pyocyanin, thereby shedding light on a potentially important mechanism in the systemic complications of P. aeruginosa infection.     

GWAS研究大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌种间互作进化机制

【目的】通过实验室培养模拟自然环境微生物相互作用,进而找到影响细菌基因型和表型的基因。【方法】将大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌在实验室条件下进行单独培养和两两混合培养并连续转接,通过得到的数量表型与最大生长速率表型做全基因组关联分析(GWAS),对得到的与表型相关的SNP进行注释与分析。【结果】162个SNP位点影响到大肠杆菌原始菌株与共培养菌株的生长,36个SNP位点影响大肠杆菌菌株在单独培养和共同培养的生长。总共有85个SNP位点影响金黄色葡萄球菌的原始菌株与单独培养。其中5个基因在之前文献中已有报道。对影响不同时间点细菌数量变化形状的SNP位点进行功能注释,大肠杆菌中有706个与生长性能相关。金黄色葡萄球菌中,129个和不同的生长性能相关。大肠杆菌SNP位点的13个基因在之前的研究中已有报道。【结论】混合培养和单独培养都检测到与生长相关的显著基因,本研究表明了GWAS在研究细菌互作进化机制方面的潜力。     

Zum Vorkommen von Tomatenrassen des Pilzes Phytophthora injestans im Gebiet der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik

Occurrence of a new disease, shoot blight was observed afflicting mulberry (Morus spp.) in the southern peninsula of India. The disease initiated as marginal burning or blackening of leaf lamina which later spread across the whole lamina and then to the stems of affected shoots, resulting in the drooping of the entire shoot and complete death of the affected plants. On isolation of the causal organism, a bacterial isolate was found to be associated with the disease symptoms, which was identified as Xanthomonas campestris pv. mori. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of cross sections of stems revealed the presence of rod-shaped bacteria inside xylem vessels of affected plants. This indicates the vascular translocation and colonization of X. campestris pv. mori which resulted in shoot blight in mulberry.     

Cloning of the Xanthomonas campestris pv glycines 8ra gene for glycinecin A secretion

Glycinecin A is a narrow-spectrum bacteriocin that is produced by Xanthomonas campestris pv glycines 8ra, and which has potential as a control agent for Xanthomonas phytopathogens. Most of the glycinecin A produced by Xanthomonas campestris pv glycines 8ra was found in the culture medium, whereas the recombinant glycinecin A expressed in E. coli was located intracellularly (S. Heu, J. Oh, Y. Kang, S. Ryu, S.K. Cho, Y. Cho & M. Cho. 2001 Applied and Environmental Microbiololgy 67, 4105–4110). The plasmid pBL5, which contains a 6-kb DNA fragment that includes the glyA and glyB genes, secreted glycinecin A into the medium when expressed in E. coli. Serial deletions of pBL5 were performed, to clone the gene (glyC) that was involved in secreting the recombinant glycinecin A from E. coli. The glyC gene was located upstream of glyA and glyB, and encoded a protein of 51 amino acids. Complementation of the glyC mutation restored the secretion of recombinant glycinecin A in E. coli. The glyC gene appears to be critical for recombinant glycinecin A secretion, since deletion of glyC dramatically reduced glycinecin A secretion into the culture medium.     

A new method of preparation of pyocyanin and demonstration of an unusual bacterial sensitivity.

Pyocyanin was prepared in 60% yield from phenazine methoxysulfate by a photooxidation procedure and purification by silica gel chromatography. Monitoring was performed by thin-layer chromatography. Approximately 50% of clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were found to produce pyocyanin at 37°C. Among Proteus strains, P. morganii strains were sensitive to concentrations of pyocyanin 16 to 64 times lower than concentrations that inhibited the growth of P. mirabilis and P. vulgaris strains.     

Clues fromXanthomonas campestris about the evolution of aromatic biosynthesis and its regulation

Summary The recent placement of major Gramnegative prokaryotes (Superfamily B) on a phylogenetic tree (including, e.g., lineages leading toEscherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, andAcinetobacter calcoaceticus) has allowed initial insights into the evolution of the biochemical pathway for aromatic amino acid biosynthesis and its regulation to be obtained. Within this prokaryote grouping,Xanthomonas campestris ATCC 12612 (a representative of the Group V pseudomonads) has played a key role in facilitating deductions about the major evolutionary events that shaped the character of aromatic biosynthesis within this grouping.X. campestris is likeP. aeruginosa (and unlikeE. coli) in its possession of dual flow routes to bothl-phenylalanine andl-tyrosine from prephenate. Like all other members of Superfamily B,X. campestris possesses a bifunctional P-protein bearing the activities of both chorismate mutase and prephenate dehydratase. We have found an unregulated arogenate dehydratase similar to that ofP. aeruginosa inX. campestris. We separated the two tyrosine-branch dehydrogenase activities (prephenate dehydrogenase and arogenate dehydrogenase); this marks the first time this has been accomplished in an organism in which these two activities coexist. Superfamily B organisms possess 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-P (DAHP) synthase as three isozymes (e.g., inE. coli), as two isozymes (e.g., inP. aeruginosa), or as one enzyme (inX. campestris). The two-isozyme system has been deduced to correspond to the ancestral state of Superfamily B. Thus,E. coli has gained an isozyme, whereasX. campestris has lost one. We conclude that the single, chorismate-sensitive DAHP synthase enzyme ofX. campestris is evolutionarily related to the tryptophan-sensitive DAHP synthase present throughout the rest of Superfamily B. InX. campestris, arogenate dehydrogenase, prephenate dehydrogenase, the P-protein, chorismate mutase-F, anthranilate synthase, and DAHP synthase are all allosteric proteins; we compared their regulatory properties with those of enzymes of other Superfamily B members with respect to the evolution of regulatory properties. The network of sequentially operating circuits of allosteric control that exists for feedback regulation of overall carbon flow through the aromatic pathway inX. campestris is thus far unique in nature.     

Pyocyanin alters redox homeostasis and carbon flux through central metabolic pathways in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces colorful, redox-active antibiotics called phenazines. Excretion of pyocyanin, the best-studied natural phenazine, is responsible for the bluish tint of sputum and pus associated with P. aeruginosa infections in humans. Although the toxicity of pyocyanin for other bacteria, as well as its role in eukaryotic infection, has been studied extensively, the physiological relevance of pyocyanin metabolism for the producing organism is not well understood. Pyocyanin reduction by P. aeruginosa PA14 is readily observed in standing liquid cultures that have consumed all of the oxygen in the medium. We investigated the physiological consequences of pyocyanin reduction by assaying intracellular concentrations of NADH and NAD+ in the wild-type strain and a mutant defective in phenazine production. We found that the mutant accumulated more NADH in stationary phase than the wild type. This increased accumulation correlated with a decrease in oxygen availability and was relieved by the addition of nitrate. Pyocyanin addition to a phenazine-null mutant also decreased intracellular NADH levels, suggesting that pyocyanin reduction facilitates redox balancing in the absence of other electron acceptors. Analysis of extracellular organic acids revealed that pyocyanin stimulated stationary-phase pyruvate excretion in P. aeruginosa PA14, indicating that pyocyanin may also influence the intracellular redox state by decreasing carbon flux through central metabolic pathways.     

Genetic analysis of mutants from Escherichia coli K12 unable to grow anaerobically without exogenous acceptor

Summary The ana mutation leads E. coli to need an exogenous electron acceptor for anaerobic growth. The affected gene maps near 26 min between chlC and tdk on the chromosome of the organism.     

Toxicity and accumulation of thallium in bacteria and yeast

Thallium sulphate inhibited microbial growth, withBacillus megaterium KM, more sensitive to the metal thanSaccharomyces cerevisiae andEscherichia coli. Inhibition ofB. megaterium KM andS. cerevisiae, but not ofE. coli, was alleviated by increasing the potassium concentration of the medium; inhibition of respiration ofS. cerevisiae, but not ofE. coli, was similarly alleviated. Thallium was rapidly bound, presumably to cell surfaces, byS. cerevisiae andE. coli, and was progressively accumulated by energy-dependent transport systems (probably concerned primarily with potassium uptake) with both organisms. Thallium uptake kinetics suggested more than one transport system operated in yeast, possibly reflecting a multiplicity of potassium transport systems. ApparentK _m andK _i values for competitive inhibition of thallium uptake by potassium indicatedS. cerevisiae to have a higher affinity for thallium uptake than for potassium, whileE. coli had a transport system with a higher affinity for potassium than for thallium. The likely systems for thallium transport are discussed. A mutant ofE. coli with tenfold decreased sensitivity to thallium was isolated and apparently effected surface binding of thallium in amounts equivalent to the wild type organism, but showed no subsequent uptake and accumulation of the metal from buffer, even though it was able to accumulate potassium to normal intracellular concentrations during growth. Abbreviations: Metal are referred to by their recognised atomic symbols (e.g. TI = Thallium; K = potassium; Co = cobalt)     

Die Geschichte der Kolibakterien. Vom Darmbewohner zum Bioreaktor

The history of colibacteria The E. coli bacterium discovered by Theodor Escherich 125 years ago has influenced the development of molecular‐biological research and medicinal and industrial biotechnology like no other bacterium. In particular, the characteristics of the K12‐strain with respect to apathogenicity, culturability and transformability made E. coli the “workhorse” of geneticists and molecular biologists. The easiness with which genetically modified E. coli can be made let this bacterium become a popular production organism of modern biotechnology for the making of drugs and fine chemicals. As a physiological inhabitant of the intestine of humans and animals, E. coli is used as an indicator organism of faecal pollution of ground and drinking water. Alongside its micro‐ecological role in the gastrointestinal tract, the E. coli bacterium, in terms of pathogenic strains, also has significance as a causative agent of diarrhoeal diseases.     

核桃黑斑病拮抗放线菌WMF106的筛选、鉴定及防效

【背景】核桃黑斑病是由2种病原菌引起的细菌性病害,目前缺乏有效的生物防治方法。【目的】从核桃树根际土壤中筛选对核桃黑斑病病原菌具有拮抗效果的放线菌菌株,为该病害生防菌剂的开发提供基础。【方法】采用稀释涂布法分离放线菌,并以病原菌野油菜黄单胞菌(Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris)和成团泛菌(Pantoea agglomerans)作为指示菌,利用平板对峙法和改良牛津杯法筛选具有高拮抗活性的菌株,通过形态学特征、生理生化特性和16SrRNA基因序列分析确定其分类地位,并测定其无菌发酵液的抗菌谱和室内防效。【结果】筛选到一株对野油菜黄单胞菌和成团泛菌均有较强拮抗作用的放线菌菌株WMF106,该菌株对2种病原菌的抑菌圈直径分别为2.38 cm和1.82 cm,无菌发酵液对2种病原菌的抑菌圈直径分别为1.75 cm和1.55 cm。根据菌株形态学、生理生化特性及16SrRNA基因序列分析,将菌株WMF106鉴定为暗蓝色链霉菌(Streptomyces caeruleatus)。该菌株对尖孢镰刀菌、腐皮镰孢菌、辣椒刺盘孢菌、灰葡萄孢菌、胶孢炭疽菌5种植物病原菌及大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、铜绿假单胞菌、白色念珠菌、黑曲霉5种指示菌均有抑制作用,抗菌性能广谱高效,其无菌发酵液原液对离体叶片上由野油菜黄单胞菌和成团泛菌造成的核桃黑斑病防效分别为77.44%和58.33%。【结论】菌株WMF106可作为防治核桃黑斑病的生防材料,具有良好的开发价值和应用前景。     

A Genomically Modified Marker Strain of Escherichia coli

Contamination of the environment with human sewage represents a serious public health concern in which Escherichia coli plays a central role, either directly as a human pathogen or indirectly through its use as an indicator organism. There is thus an ongoing effort to better understand the behavior of E. coli within such environments. Useful to such studies is the ability to readily detect a specific E. coli population and distinguish it from similar indigenous bacteria. Herein, we report the construction of an E. coli strain (PCPHR) that expresses a Stable Artificial RNA (SAR) from the chromosomal rrnH operon. The SAR product is present in large numbers of copies/cell and thus provides an enhanced detection signal without significant effect on the wild-type growth rate. Detection can be accomplished by any of several routine molecular methods. Preliminary studies suggest SAR expression levels correlate positively with growth. PCPHR is immediately available for use as a marker strain for E. coli in application in the arena of public health or environmental studies. Received: 14 April 1998 / Accepted: 17 June 1998     

The Contribution of Superoxide Radical to Cadmium Toxicity in E. coli

Numerous reports suggest the involvement of oxidative stress in cadmium toxicity, but the nature of the reactive species and the mechanism of Cd-induced oxidative damage are not clear. In this study, E. coli mutants were used to investigate mechanisms of Cd toxicity. Effects of Cd on metabolic activity, production of superoxide radical by the respiratory chain, and induction of enzymes controlled by the soxRS regulon were investigated. In E. coli, the soxRS regulon controls defense against O₂·⁻and univalent oxidants. Suppression of metabolic activity, inability of E. coli to adapt to new environment, and slow cell division were among the manifestations of Cd toxicity. Cd increased production of O₂·⁻ by the electron transport chain and prevented the induction of soxRS-controlled protective enzymes, even when the regulon was induced by the redox-cycling agent, paraquat. The effect was not limited to soxRS-dependent proteins and can be attributed to previously reported suppression of protein synthesis by Cd. Increased production of superoxide, combined with inability to express protective enzymes and to replace damaged proteins by de novo protein synthesis, seems to be the main reason for growth stasis and cell death in Cd poisoning.

     

Screening Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Clostridium perfringens as Indicator Organisms in Evaluating Pathogen-Reducing Capacity in Biogas Plants

This study was conducted to identify an indicator organism(s) in evaluating the pathogen-reducing capacity of biogas plants. Fresh cow manure containing 10⁴ to 10⁵ colony forming unit (CFU) per milliliter of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis along with an inoculated Clostridium perfringens strain were exposed to 37°C for 15 days, 55°C for 48 h, and 70°C for 24 h. C. perfringens was the most heat-resistant organism followed by E. faecalis, while E. coli was the most heat-sensitive organism. E. coli was reduced below detection limit at all temperatures with log₁₀ reductions of 4.94 (10 s), 4.37 (40 min), and 2.6 (5 days) at 70°C, 55°C, and 37°C, respectively. Maximum log₁₀ reductions for E. faecalis were 1.77 at 70°C (1 day), 1.7 at 55°C (2 days) and 3.13 at 37°C (15 days). For C. perfringens, maximum log₁₀ reduction at 37°C was 1.35 log₁₀ units (15 days) compared to less than 1 unit at 55 and 70°C. Modeling results showed that E. faecalis and C. perfringens had higher amount of heat-resistant fraction than E. coli. Thus, E. faecalis and C. perfringens can be used as indicator organisms to evaluate pathogen-reducing capacity in biogas plants at high temperatures of 55°C and 70°C while at 37°C E. coli could also be included as indicator organism.