The biosynthesis of mycolic acids in Mycobacterium tuberculosis relies on multiple specialized elongation complexes interconnected by specific protein-protein interactions

Tuberculosis kills about two million people every year and remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. As a result of the increasing antibiotic resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains, there is an urgent need for new antitubercular drugs. Several efficient antibiotics, including isoniazid, specifically target the fatty acid synthase-II (FAS-II) complex of mycolic acid biosynthesis. We have previously shown that there are protein-protein interactions between the components of FAS-II that are essential for mycobacterial survival. We have now looked at the potential partners of FAS-II, mtFabD, the methyltransferases MmaAs, and Pks13. A combination of yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that mtFabD interacts with each beta-ketoacyl-synthase (KasA, KasB and mtFabH) and with the core of FAS-II (InhA and MabA). The methyltransferases have a greater affinity for KasA and KasB than for mtFabH, suggesting that modifications on the meromycolic chains may occur during their elongation. Finally, Pks13, which catalyzes the final Claisen condensation of mycolic acids, interacts specifically with KasB. These data allowed us to determine the architecture of the multiple specialized FAS-II complexes, giving us insights into the organization of the complete mycolic acids biosynthesis. Our studies suggest a new and crucial interaction (KasB-Pks13) as a putative target for peptidomimetic antibiotics.     

Bactericidal Efficacy of Oxidized Silver against Biofilms Formed by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens

Bacterial wilt is a re-emerging disease on dry bean and can affect many other crop species within the Fabaceae. The causal agent, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (CFF), is a small, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that is seed-transmitted. Infections in the host become systemic, leading to wilting and economic loss. Clean seed programs and bactericidal seed treatments are two critical management tools. This study characterizes the efficacies of five bactericidal chemicals against CFF. It was hypothesized that this bacterium was capable of forming biofilms, and that the cells within biofilms would be more tolerant to bactericidal treatments. The minimum biocide eradication concentration assay protocol was used to grow CFF biofilms, expose the biofilms to bactericides, and enumerate survivors compared to a non-treated control (water). Streptomycin and oxysilver bisulfate had EC₉₅ values at the lowest concentrations and are likely the best candidates for seed treatment products for controlling seed-borne bacterial wilt of bean. The results showed that CFF formed biofilms during at least two phases of the bacterial wilt disease cycle, and the biofilms were much more difficult to eradicate than their planktonic counterparts. Overall, biofilm formation by CFF is an important part of the bacterial wilt disease cycle in dry edible bean and antibiofilm bactericides such as streptomycin and oxysilver bisulfate may be best suited for use in disease management.     

RetS inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation by disrupting the canonical histidine kinase dimerization interface of GacS

Bacterial signaling histidine kinases (HKs) have long been postulated to function exclusively through linear signal transduction chains. However, several HKs have recently been shown to form complex multikinase networks (MKNs). The most prominent MKN, involving the enzymes RetS and GacS, controls the switch between the motile and biofilm lifestyles in the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While GacS promotes biofilm formation, RetS counteracts GacS using three distinct mechanisms. Two are dephosphorylating mechanisms. The third, a direct binding between the RetS and GacS HK regions, blocks GacS autophosphorylation. Focusing on the third mechanism, we determined the crystal structure of a cocomplex between the HK region of RetS and the dimerization and histidine phosphotransfer (DHp) domain of GacS. This is the first reported structure of a complex between two distinct bacterial signaling HKs. In the complex, the canonical HK homodimerization interface is replaced by a strikingly similar heterodimeric interface between RetS and GacS. We further demonstrate that GacS autophosphorylates in trans, thus explaining why the formation of a RetS-GacS complex inhibits GacS autophosphorylation. Using mutational analysis in conjunction with bacterial two-hybrid and biofilm assays, we not only corroborate the biological role of the observed RetS-GacS interactions, but also identify a residue critical for the equilibrium between the RetS-GacS complex and the respective RetS and GacS homodimers. Collectively, our findings suggest that RetS and GacS form a domain-swapped hetero-oligomer during the planktonic growth phase of P. aeruginosa before unknown signals cause its dissociation and a relief of GacS inhibition to promote biofilm formation.     

山西运城盐湖土壤沉积物细菌多样性及影响因素分析

地处山西省西南部的运城盐湖历史悠久,气候特征与地理环境独特,蕴藏着丰富的微生物资源,研究其土壤沉积物生态系统对了解盐碱地土壤细菌多样性及其功能具有重要意义。【目的】探究运城盐湖土壤与沉积物中细菌的多样性,分析其影响因素,为盐碱地土壤生态系统的可持续管理和纯培养物挖掘提供科学依据与参考。【方法】对运城盐湖6个采样点的18个样品进行土壤理化分析,结合16S rRNA基因的扩增子高通量测序,分析环境因素对细菌多样性的影响。【结果】假单胞菌门(Pseudomonadota)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidota)和芽孢杆菌门(Bacillota)为运城盐湖土壤微生物的优势类群,多样性和群落组成分析显示不同采样点间的微生物存在明显差异。典型相关分析(canonical correlation analysis, CCA)表明,总溶解固体(total dissolved solids, TDS)、总氮(total nitrogen, TN)、总碳(total carbon, TC)和SO₄^2-对土壤微生物多样性的影响最大,其次为Na⁺、Ca²⁺、Cl^-、土壤有效磷(available phosphorous, A-P)和pH,HCO₃^-、硝态氮(nitrate nitrogen, NO₃^--N)、氨态氮(ammonia nitrogen, NH₄⁺-N)、K⁺和Mg²⁺的影响较小。【结论】运城盐湖土壤微生物拥有较高的多样性,与环境因子关系密切。本研究完善了运城盐湖土壤细菌资源的生物信息,为盐湖细菌资源的挖掘和研究提供了理论依据。     

东南极达尔克冰川-183m深处冰层融水细菌多样性研究

【目的】目前对于南极冰层微生物研究较少,而且研究手段多为纯培养和高通量测序,对于其中的微生物群落多样性仍知之甚少。本研究拟研究东南极达尔克冰川冰层中微生物群落组成。【方法】采用纯培养法、单细胞分选和高通量测序3种方法对东南极达尔克冰川冰层微生物进行研究,探究该生境中微生物的群落组成。【结果】从达尔克冰川中分离出10门19纲94属。其中,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)为优势菌门,α-变形菌纲(Alphaproteobacteria)为优势纲,鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas)为优势属,结果显示冰层中存在较为丰富的微生物多样性。其中,纯培养法分离出25株细菌。单细胞分选方法分离得到24株细菌。高通量测序共得到55 183条序列,聚类出116个操作分类单元(operational taxonomic unit, OTU)。3种研究方法得出的优势种群不尽相同。通过单细胞分选和纯培养法共获得7株细菌,它们与数据库最近源16S rRNA基因序列的相似度小于98.65%,其中有2株菌株与最近源16S rRNA基因序列的相似度小于95.00%,推测可能有2个潜在新属,5个潜在新种。【结论】本研究通过纯培养法、单细胞分选以及高通量测序3种方法对东南极达尔克冰川冰层微生物多样性进行研究发现,该生境中细菌多样性复杂。对比3种方法,其各有优势和局限性。这意味着结合使用多种研究方法研究微生物多样性,可获得更加全面的微生物群落组成。研究结果可为挖掘南极微生物资源提供数据基础。     

Effects of Acute Sepsis on Cellular Dynamics and Amyloid Formation in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Our objective was to investigate how sepsis influences cellular dynamics and amyloid formation before and after plaque formation. As such, APP-mice were subjected to a polymicrobial abdominal infection resulting in sepsis at 2 (EarlySepsis) and 4 (LateSepsis) months of age. Behavior was tested before sepsis and at 5 months of age. We could not detect any short-term memory or exploration behavior alterations in APP-mice that were subjected to Early or LateSepsis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a lower area of NeuN⁺ and Iba1⁺ signal in the cortex of Late compared with EarlySepsis animals (p = 0.016 and p = 0.01), with an increased astrogliosis in LateSepsis animals compared with WT-Sepsis (p = 0.0028), EarlySepsis (p = 0.0032) and the APP-Sham animals (p = 0.048). LateSepsis animals had larger areas of amyloid compared with both EarlySepsis (p = 0.0018) and APP-Sham animals (p = 0.0024). Regardless of the analyzed markers, we were not able to detect any cellular difference at the hippocampal level between groups. We were able to detect an increased inflammatory response around hippocampal plaques in LateSepsis compared with APP-Sham animals (p = 0.0003) and a decrease of AQP4 signal far from Sma⁺ vessels. We were able to show experimentally that an acute sepsis event before the onset of plaque formation has a minimal effect; however, it could have a major impact after its onset.     

Determination of microbial respiratory and redox activity in activated sludge

The tetrazolium salt 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyltetrazolium chloride (CTC) was used for the determination of metabolically active bacteria in active sludge. The method was adapted and optimized to the conditions of activated sludge. The colorless and nonfluorescent tetrazolium salt is readily reduced to a water-insoluble fluorescent formazan product via the microbial electron transport system and indicates mainly dehydrogenase activity. After more than 2 h incubation, no further formation of new formazan crystals was observed, although the existing crystals in active cells continued to grow at the optimal CTC-concentration of 4 mM. The dehydrogenase activity determined by direct epifluorescence microscopic enumeration did not correlate with cumulative measured activity as determined by formazan extraction. The addition of nutrients did not lead to an increase of CTC-active cells. Sample storage conditions such as low temperature or aeration resulted in a significant decrease in dehydrogenase activity within 30 min. The rapid and sensitive method is well suited for the detection and enumeration of metabolically active microorganisms in activated sludge. Extracellular redox activity was measured with the tetrazolium salt 3′-{1-[phenylamino-) carbonyl]-3,4-tetrazolium}-bis(4-methoxy-6-nitro)benzene-sulfonic acid hydrate (XTT), which remains soluble in its reduced state, after extraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) with a cation exchange resin. Received 12 August 1996/ Accepted in revised form 29 May 1997     

Type II restriction endonucleases from Bacillus sphaericus

Abstract The galactophilic lectin of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA-I) was used for mitogenic stimulation of peripheral bloodlymphocytes from cancer-bearing patients and healthy subjects. This lectin, which preferentially stimulates sialidase-treated lymphocytes, was shown to be useful in the detection of an impairment in the mitogenic response of the patients' lymphocytes. Its efficiency was at least as that of the Phaseolus vulgaris lectin (PHA), which is widely used for the diagnosis and prognosis of deficient immunocompetence states.     

Dynamics of bacterioplankton in oligotrophic and eutrophic aquatic environments: bottom-up or top-down control?

Measurements of bacterial biomass, production and mortality have been carried out in a large range of aquatic environments, including eutrophic and oligotrophic ones. The general trends of variations of bacterial biomass, size, specific growth rate and mortality rate in all these environments are examined. The overall flux of bacterial production is taken as an index of the flux of organic matter available to bacteria, thus characterizing the richness of the environment. Bacterial biomass is roughly proportional to richness, while mean cell size increases with it. The turnover rate of biomass, as revealed either by growth or by mortality rates, appears to be fairly independent of richness.These observations are compatible with a simple resource-limited (bottom-up controlled) model of the dynamics of bacterioplankton. On the other hand, they are in contradiction with the predictions of a predator-controlled (top-down controlled) model.