Parasite resistance and parasite tolerance: insights into transgenerational immune priming in an invertebrate host

Parasites impose different selection regimes on their hosts, which respond by increasing their resistance and/or tolerance. Parental challenge with parasites can enhance the immune response of their offspring, a phenomenon documented in invertebrates and termed transgenerational immune priming. We exposed two parental generations of the model organism Daphnia magna to the horizontally transmitted parasitic yeast Metschnikowia bicuspidata and recorded resistance- and tolerance-related traits in the offspring generation. We hypothesized that parentally primed offspring will increase either their resistance or their tolerance to the parasite. Our susceptibility assays revealed no impact of parental exposure on offspring resistance. Nonetheless, different fitness-related traits, which are indicative of tolerance, were altered. Specifically, maternal priming increased offspring production and decreased survival. Grandmaternal priming positively affected age at first reproduction and negatively affected brood size at first reproduction. Interestingly, both maternal and grandmaternal priming significantly reduced within-host–parasite proliferation. Nevertheless, Daphnia primed for two consecutive generations had no competitive advantage in comparison to unprimed ones, implying additive maternal and grandmaternal effects. Our findings do not support evidence of transgenerational immune priming from bacterial infections in the same host species, thus, emphasizing that transgenerational immune responses may not be consistent even within the same host species.     

Lead resistance and sensitivity in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract Five lead-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated. Plasmid-free lead-sensitive variants were obtained from the three plasmid-bearing strains. Lead-resistant strains tolerated an approximately 600 × higher Pb(NO₃)₂ concentration than lead-sensitive strains. Both types of strains initially bound lead, but only the resistant strains accumulated the metal as an intracellular lead-phosphate.     

Development of a bacterial model for studying anthracycline-membrane interactions

Abstract Growth of wild-type Escherichia coli strain MRE600 was severely affected up to 9 h following treatment with the anthracycline doxorubicin (15 μM), however, after 9 h, the cells became resistant. The onset of resistance coincided with some changes in the relative proportions of total saturated, monounsaturated and cyclopropane fatty acids. The anionic lipid content in E. coli strain HDL11 is under lac control and synthesis can be induced by incubation with the lac inducer IPTG. HDL11, with low levels of anionic phospholipid, was unaffected by doxorubicin (100 μM) over 9 h, with only slight inhibition of growth seen over 24 h. When the anionic lipid content of HDL11 was increased, there was a slight increase in the efficacy of doxorubicin, providing evidence for a membrane-based step in doxorubicin action.     

Plasmid-borne mercury resistance in aquatic bacteria

Abstract Bacteria isolated from the River Mersey were analysed for their tolerance to mercury (HgCl₂). About 40% of the population was tolerant to mercury and in 13 of 52 mercury-tolerant isolates tested the mercury resistance (Hg^®) was transferred to Escherichia coli in conjugal matings. These 13 isolates represented a range of gram-negative genera and in each case mercury resistance was coded by a conjugative plasmid. These plasmids (75 kb to > 250 kb in size) all expressed mercury resistance of the narrow spectrum variety, volatilised HgCl₂ to elemental Hg° vapour and showed some degree of temperature sensitivity of transfer. None expressed resistance to nine different antibiotics. These 13 Hg^R plasmids were classified by restriction mapping into three distinct groups typified by pMER11, pMER327 and pMER610. The eight pMER610 group plasmids are identical and belong to the IncHI-2 group. Two of the four pMER327 group plasmids are closely related while the other two contain some common restriction fragments. pMER11 is quite distinct from the other groups. These results imply that within this aquatic environment plasmids play an important role in the response of bacteria to contaminating mercury and that there is widespread plasmid transfer and considerable genetic rearrangement.     

Molecular epidemiology of plasmid mediated resistance to fosfomycin among bacteria isolated from different environments

In this report we present data on the dispersion of a gene responsible for the plasmid-mediated resistance to fosfomycin among bacteria isolated from four hospitals and seven geographically separated domestic sewage treatment plants. Colony hybridization experiments, using a 0.85 kbp DNA fragment which carried the fosfomycin resistance determinant, have shown that the gene was present in isolates from three hospitals and six sewage plants although with different incidence and that it is carried by species of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus and Bacillus .     

Atypical activation of signaling downstream of inactivated Bcr-Abl mediates chemoresistance in chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) epitomises successful targeted therapy, where inhibition of tyrosine kinase activity of oncoprotein Bcr-Abl1 by imatinib, induces remission in 86% patients in initial chronic phase (CP). However, in acute phase of blast crisis, 80% patients show resistance, 40% among them despite inhibition of Bcr-Abl1 activity. This implies activation of either Bcr-Abl1- independent signalling pathways or restoration of signalling downstream of inactive Bcr-Abl1. In the present study, mass spectrometry and subsequent in silico pathway analysis of differentiators in resistant CML-CP cells identified key differentiators, 14–3-3ε and p38 MAPK, which belong to Bcr-Abl1 pathway. Their levels and activity respectively, indicated active Bcr-Abl1 pathway in CML-BC resistant cells, though Bcr-Abl1 is inhibited by imatinib. Further, contribution of these components to resistance was demonstrated by inhibition of Bcr-Abl1 down-stream signalling by knocking-out of 14–3-3ε and inhibition of p38 MAPK activity. The observations merit clinical validation to explore their translational potential.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12079-021-00647-x.     

松萝内生酿酒酵母菌株耐酸生理特性与分子机制探究

【目的】对我国西藏地区来源的不同酵母菌株进行有机酸发酵性能测试,此外,对具有良好产酸性能的分离自松萝内部的酿酒酵母菌株Saccharomy cescerevisiae 2-2进行耐酸性能分析,并探究其耐酸较强的分子机制。【方法】比较不同糖浓度培养基液体发酵培养过程中pH的变化,并比较低pH胁迫条件下菌株的生长,检测酿酒酵母菌株的产酸潜力和耐酸特性;对菌株2-2和模式酵母菌株S288C进行比较基因组分析,并利用实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction,RT-qPCR)分析关键基因的转录,探究菌株2-2耐酸分子机制。【结果】松萝内生酿酒酵母2-2在所有检测的菌株中产酸潜力较大,耐酸性能较好。在菌株2-2中与胁迫耐受性相关的基因PDR15、PDR12和SUR1在低pH胁迫条件下存在显著的上调或下调,但这些基因转录变化趋势与菌株S288C相反。【结论】松萝内生酿酒酵母2-2是一株产酸耐酸性能较好的菌株,对其独特的调节机制进行深入分析,有希望选育性能更好的产酸酵母菌株。     

Salmonella typhimurium acrB-like gene: identification and role in resistance to biliary salts and detergents and in murine infection

Abstract Salmonella serotype typhimurium transpositional mutants altered in resistance to biliary salts and detergents were isolated previously. We have characterized further the LX1054 mutant strain, the most sensitive of them. The chromosomal DNA segment flanking transposon insertion was cloned and sequenced. The highest level of identity was found for the acrB (formerly acrE ) gene of Escherichia coli , a gene encoding a drug efflux pump of the Acr family. LX1054 exhibited a reduced capacity to colonize the intestinal tract. After passages in mice, the mutant strain lost the sensitive phenotype. In vitro, a resumption of growth appeared after 17 h of culture in medium with cholate or other tested biological or chemical detergents. Then, the acquired resistant phenotype seemed stable. The data suggested a role of S. typhimurium acrB -like gene in resistance to biliary salts and detergents and in mice intestinal colonization. However, the local and transient sensitivity observed in vivo, and the in vitro adaptations suggest that several detergent-resistance mechanisms operate in S. typhimurium .