RpoN Regulates Virulence Factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa via Modulating the PqsR Quorum Sensing Regulator.

The alternative sigma factor RpoN regulates many cell functions, such as motility, quorum sensing, and virulence in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). P. aeruginosa often evolves rpoN-negative variants during the chronic infection in cystic fibrosis patients. It is unclear how RpoN interacts with other regulatory mechanisms to control virulence of P. aeruginosa. In this study, we show that RpoN modulates the function of PqsR, a quorum sensing receptor regulating production of virulence factors including the phenazine pyocyanin. The ∆rpoN mutant is able to synthesize 4-quinolone signal molecule HHQ but unable to activate PqsR and Pseudomonas quinolone signal (pqs) quorum sensing. The ∆rpoN mutant produces minimal level of pyocyanin and is unable to produce the anti-staphylococcal agents. Providing pqsR in trans in the ∆rpoN mutant restores its pqs quorum sensing and virulence factor production to the wild-type level. Our study provides evidence that RpoN has a regulatory effect on P. aeruginosa virulence through modulating the function of the PqsR quorum sensing regulator.

Comparative systems biology analysis to study the mode of action of the isothiocyanate compound Iberin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Food is now recognized as a natural resource of novel antimicrobial agents, including those that target the virulence mechanisms of bacterial pathogens. Iberin, an isothiocyanate compound from horseradish, was recently identified as a quorum-sensing inhibitor (QSI) of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study, we used a comparative systems biology approach to unravel the molecular mechanisms of the effects of iberin on QS and virulence factor expression of P. aeruginosa. Our study shows that the two systems biology methods used (i.e., RNA sequencing and proteomics) complement each other and provide a thorough overview of the impact of iberin on P. aeruginosa. RNA sequencing-based transcriptomics showed that iberin inhibits the expression of the GacA-dependent small regulatory RNAs RsmY and RsmZ; this was verified by using gfp-based transcriptional reporter fusions with the rsmY or rsmZ promoter regions. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomics showed that iberin reduces the abundance of the LadS protein, an activator of GacS. Taken together, the findings suggest that the mode of QS inhibition in iberin is through downregulation of the Gac/Rsm QS network, which in turn leads to the repression of QS-regulated virulence factors, such as pyoverdine, chitinase, and protease IV. Lastly, as expected from the observed repression of small regulatory RNA synthesis, we also show that iberin effectively reduces biofilm formation. This suggests that small regulatory RNAs might serve as potential targets in the future development of therapies against pathogens that use QS for controlling virulence factor expression and assume the biofilm mode of growth in the process of causing disease.

Matrix Polysaccharides and SiaD Diguanylate Cyclase Alter Community Structure and Competitiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa during Dual-Species Biofilm Development with Staphylococcus aureus.

Mixed-species biofilms display a number of emergent properties, including enhanced antimicrobial tolerance and communal metabolism. These properties may depend on interspecies relationships and the structure of the biofilm. However, the contribution of specific matrix components to emergent properties of mixed-species biofilms remains poorly understood. Using a dual-species biofilm community formed by the opportunistic pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, we found that whilst neither Pel nor Psl polysaccharides, produced by P. aeruginosa, affect relative species abundance in mature P. aeruginosa and S. aureus biofilms, Psl production is associated with increased P. aeruginosa abundance and reduced S. aureus aggregation in the early stages of biofilm formation. Our data suggest that the competitive effect of Psl is not associated with its structural role in cross-linking the matrix and adhering to P. aeruginosa cells but is instead mediated through the activation of the diguanylate cyclase SiaD. This regulatory control was also found to be independent of the siderophore pyoverdine and Pseudomonas quinolone signal, which have previously been proposed to reduce S. aureus viability by inducing lactic acid fermentation-based growth. In contrast to the effect mediated by Psl, Pel reduced the effective crosslinking of the biofilm matrix and facilitated superdiffusivity in microcolony regions. These changes in matrix cross-linking enhance biofilm surface spreading and expansion of microcolonies in the later stages of biofilm development, improving overall dual-species biofilm growth and increasing biovolume severalfold. Thus, the biofilm matrix and regulators associated with matrix production play essential roles in mixed-species biofilm interactions.IMPORTANCE Bacteria in natural and engineered environments form biofilms that include many different species. Microorganisms rely on a number of different strategies to manage social interactions with other species and to access resources, build biofilm consortia, and optimize growth. For example, Pseudomonasaeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are biofilm-forming bacteria that coinfect the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients and diabetic and chronic wounds. P. aeruginosa is known to antagonize S. aureus growth. However, many of the factors responsible for mixed-species interactions and outcomes such as infections are poorly understood. Biofilm bacteria are encased in a self-produced extracellular matrix that facilitates interspecies behavior and biofilm development. In this study, we examined the poorly understood roles of the major matrix biopolymers and their regulators in mixed-species biofilm interactions and development.

Biofilms: Microbial Cities Wherein Flow Shapes Competition.

The phenotypic diversity in biofilms allows bacteria to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Stochastic gene expression and structural differentiation are believed to confer phenotypic diversity. However, two recent publications demonstrate how hydrodynamic flow and substrate topography can also alter the competitive outcomes of different bacterial phenotypes, increasing biofilm phenotypic variation.

Complete Genome Sequence and Transcriptomic Analysis of the Novel Pathogen Elizabethkingia anophelis in Response to Oxidative Stress.

Elizabethkingia anophelis is an emerging pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections in neonates, severely immunocompromised and postoperative patients. The lack of genomic information on E. anophelis hinders our understanding of its mechanisms of pathogenesis. Here, we report the first complete genome sequence of E. anophelis NUHP1 and assess its response to oxidative stress. Elizabethkingia anophelis NUHP1 has a circular genome of 4,369,828 base pairs and 4,141 predicted coding sequences. Sequence analysis indicates that E. anophelis has well-developed systems for scavenging iron and stress response. Many putative virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes were identified, underscoring potential host-pathogen interactions and antibiotic resistance. RNA-sequencing-based transcriptome profiling indicates that expressions of genes involved in synthesis of an yersiniabactin-like iron siderophore and heme utilization are highly induced as a protective mechanism toward oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide treatment. Chrome azurol sulfonate assay verified that siderophore production of E. anophelis is increased in the presence of oxidative stress. We further showed that hemoglobin facilitates the growth, hydrogen peroxide tolerance, cell attachment, and biofilm formation of E. anophelis NUHP1. Our study suggests that siderophore production and heme uptake pathways might play essential roles in stress response and virulence of the emerging pathogen E. anophelis.

Emerging frontiers in detection and control of bacterial biofilms.

Bacteria form surface-attached biofilm communities in nature. In contrast to free-living cells, bacterial cells within biofilms resist sanitizers and antimicrobials. While building biofilms, cells physiologically adapt to sustain the otherwise lethal impacts of a variety of environmental stress conditions. In this development, the production and embedding of cells in extracellular polymeric substances plays a key role. Biofilm bacteria can cause a range of problems to food processing including reduced heat-cold transfer, clogging water pipelines, food spoilage and they may cause infections among consumers. Recent biofilm investigations with the aim of potential control approaches include a combination of bacterial genetics, systems biology, materials and mechanic engineering and chemical biology.

Dynamic remodeling of microbial biofilms by functionally distinct exopolysaccharides.

Biofilms are densely populated communities of microbial cells protected and held together by a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. The structure and rheological properties of the matrix at the microscale influence the retention and transport of molecules and cells in the biofilm, thereby dictating population and community behavior. Despite its importance, quantitative descriptions of the matrix microstructure and microrheology are limited. Here, particle-tracking microrheology in combination with genetic approaches was used to spatially and temporally study the rheological contributions of the major exopolysaccharides Pel and Psl in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Psl increased the elasticity and effective cross-linking within the matrix, which strengthened its scaffold and appeared to facilitate the formation of microcolonies. Conversely, Pel reduced effective cross-linking within the matrix. Without Psl, the matrix becomes more viscous, which facilitates biofilm spreading. The wild-type biofilm decreased in effective cross-linking over time, which would be advantageous for the spreading and colonization of new surfaces. This suggests that there are regulatory mechanisms to control production of the exopolysaccharides that serve to remodel the matrix of developing biofilms. The exopolysaccharides were also found to have profound effects on the spatial organization and integration of P. aeruginosa in a mixed-species biofilm model of P. aeruginosa-Staphylococcus aureus. Pel was required for close association of the two species in mixed-species microcolonies. In contrast, Psl was important for P. aeruginosa to form single-species biofilms on top of S. aureus biofilms. Our results demonstrate that Pel and Psl have distinct physical properties and functional roles during biofilm formation. Importance: Most bacteria grow as biofilms in the environment or in association with eukaryotic hosts. Removal of biofilms that form on surfaces is a challenge in clinical and industrial settings. One of the defining features of a biofilm is its extracellular matrix. The matrix has a heterogeneous structure and is formed from a secretion of various biopolymers, including proteins, extracellular DNA, and polysaccharides. It is generally known to interact with biofilm cells, thus affecting cell physiology and cell-cell communication. Despite the fact that the matrix may comprise up to 90% of the biofilm dry weight, how the matrix properties affect biofilm structure, maturation, and interspecies interactions remain largely unexplored. This study reveals that bacteria can use specific extracellular polymers to modulate the physical properties of their microenvironment. This in turn impacts biofilm structure, differentiation, and interspecies interactions.