Systematic mining of the human microbiome identifies antimicrobial peptides with diverse activity spectra.

Human-associated bacteria secrete modified peptides to control host physiology and remodel the microbiota species composition. Here we scanned 2,229 Human Microbiome Project genomes of species colonizing skin, gastrointestinal tract, urogenital tract, mouth and trachea for gene clusters encoding RiPPs (ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides). We found 218 lanthipeptides and 25 lasso peptides, 70 of which were synthesized and expressed in E. coli and 23 could be purified and functionally characterized. They were tested for activity against bacteria associated with healthy human flora and pathogens. New antibiotics were identified against strains implicated in skin, nasal and vaginal dysbiosis as well as from oral strains selectively targeting those in the gut. Extended- and narrow-spectrum antibiotics were found against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. Mining natural products produced by human-associated microbes will enable the elucidation of ecological relationships and may be a rich resource for antimicrobial discovery.

A Cardiolipin from Muribaculum intestinale Induces Antigen-Specific Cytokine Responses.

An systematic phenotypic screen of the mouse gut microbiome for metabolites with an immunomodulatory effect identified Muribaculum intestinale as one of only two members with an oversized effect on T-cell populations. Here we report the identification and characterization of a lipid, MiCL-1, as the responsible metabolite. MiCL-1 is an 18:1-16:0 cardiolipin, whose close relatives are found on concave lipid surfaces of both mammals and bacteria. MiCL-1 was synthesized to confirm the structural analysis and functionally characterized in cell-based assays. It has a highly restrictive structure-activity profile, as its chain-switched analog fails to induce responses in any of our assays. MiCL-1 robustly induces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-23, but has no detectable effect on the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. As is the case with other recently discovered immunomodulatory lipids, MiCL-1 requires functional TLR2 and TLR1 but not TLR6 in cell-based assays.

Revisiting Coley's Toxins: Immunogenic Cardiolipins from Streptococcus pyogenes.

Coley's toxins, an early and enigmatic form of cancer (immuno)therapy, were based on preparations of Streptococcus pyogenes. As part of a program to explore bacterial metabolites with immunomodulatory potential, S. pyogenes metabolites were assayed in a cell-based immune assay, and a single membrane lipid, 18:1/18:0/18:1/18:0 cardiolipin, was identified. Its activity was profiled in additional cellular assays, which showed it to be an agonist of a TLR2-TLR1 signaling pathway with a 6 µM EC50 and robust TNF-α induction. A synthetic analog with switched acyl chains had no measurable activity in immune assays. The identification of a single immunogenic cardiolipin with a restricted structure-activity profile has implications for immune regulation, cancer immunotherapy, and poststreptococcal autoimmune diseases.

Discovering functional small molecules in the gut microbiome.

The human microbiome has emerged as a source of bacterially produced, functional small molecules that help regulate health and disease, and their discovery and annotation has become a popular research topic. Identifying these molecules provides an essential step in unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying biological outcomes. The relevance of specific bacterial members of the microbiome has been demonstrated in a variety of correlative studies, and there are many possible paths from these correlations to the responsible metabolites. Herein, we summarize two studies that have recently identified gut microbiome metabolites that modulate immune responses or promote physical activity. Aside from the deep insights gained, these studies provide blueprints for successfully uncovering the molecules and mechanisms that control important physiological pathways.

Collinsella aerofaciens Produces a pH-Responsive Lipid Immunogen.

Some members of the human gut microbiota profoundly influence their host's physiology, health, and therapeutic responses, but the responsible molecules and mechanisms are largely unknown. As part of a project to identify immunomodulators produced by gut microbes, we analyzed the metabolome of Collinsella aerofaciens, an actinomycete that figures prominently in numerous association studies. The associations are typically positive correlations of C. aerofaciens with pro-inflammatory responses and undesirable outcomes, but an association with favorable responses to PD-1/PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy is a notable exception. A phenotypic assay-guided screen using dendritic cells (mBMDCs) and cytokine readouts identified the active compound, which was structurally characterized as a lysoglycoglycerolipid with an acetal-bearing ß-galactofuranose head group (CaLGL-1, 1). The structural assignment was confirmed through total synthesis. Assays with tlr2-/-, tlr4-/-, and wt mBMDCs revealed TLR2-dependent signaling. CaLGL-1 is produced by a conversion of a bacterially biosynthesized plasmalogen (CaPlsM, 3) to CaLGL-1 (1) in a low-pH environment.

Gut microbiome lipid metabolism and its impact on host physiology.

Metabolites produced by commensal gut microbes impact host health through their recognition by the immune system and their influence on numerous metabolic pathways. Notably, the gut microbiota can both transform and synthesize lipids as well as break down dietary lipids to generate secondary metabolites with host modulatory properties. Although lipids have largely been consigned to structural roles, particularly in cell membranes, recent research has led to an increased appreciation of their signaling activities, with potential impacts on host health and physiology. This review focuses on studies that highlight the functions of bioactive lipids in mammalian physiology, with a special emphasis on immunity and metabolism.

Identification of a growth factor required for culturing specific fastidious oral bacteria.

Aims: The aim of this research was to isolate oral bacteria that are dependent for growth on adjacent bacteria producing a required growth factor and to identify the chemical structure of the growth factor. Methods: Porphyromonas pasteri strain KLE1280, could be cultivated with Staphylococcus hominis and Escherichia coli as helper strains. A deletion mutant library of E. coli was screened to determine genes involved in production of the growth factor. Compounds produced by the growth factor's pathway were screened to see if they would stimulate growth of strain P. pasteri KLE1280. The genomes of species related to P. pasteri KLE1280 were screened for presence of the factor's synthetic pathway. Results: Analysis of the E. coli deletion mutant library and growth studies identified 1,2-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (DHNA) and menaquinone-4 (MK4) as the growth factors. Strain P. pasteri KLE1280 was shown to lack five genes in the menaquinone synthesis pathway but to possess the two genes necessary to convert DHNA to menaquinone. Genome analysis found that 8 species in genera Porphyromonas and Tannerella lack five genes in the menaquinone synthesis pathway. Conclusions: Addition of DHNA to culture media allows isolation of strains of several oral species that are not recovered using standard media.

Akkermansia muciniphila phospholipid induces homeostatic immune responses.

Multiple studies have established associations between human gut bacteria and host physiology, but determining the molecular mechanisms underlying these associations has been challenging1-3. Akkermansia muciniphila has been robustly associated with positive systemic effects on host metabolism, favourable outcomes to checkpoint blockade in cancer immunotherapy and homeostatic immunity4-7. Here we report the identification of a lipid from A. muciniphila's cell membrane that recapitulates the immunomodulatory activity of A. muciniphila in cell-based assays8. The isolated immunogen, a diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine with two branched chains (a15:0-i15:0 PE), was characterized through both spectroscopic analysis and chemical synthesis. The immunogenic activity of a15:0-i15:0 PE has a highly restricted structure-activity relationship, and its immune signalling requires an unexpected toll-like receptor TLR2-TLR1 heterodimer9,10. Certain features of the phospholipid's activity are worth noting: it is significantly less potent than known natural and synthetic TLR2 agonists; it preferentially induces some inflammatory cytokines but not others; and, at low doses (1% of EC50) it resets activation thresholds and responses for immune signalling. Identifying both the molecule and an equipotent synthetic analogue, its non-canonical TLR2-TLR1 signalling pathway, its immunomodulatory selectivity and its low-dose immunoregulatory effects provide a molecular mechanism for a model of A. muciniphila's ability to set immunological tone and its varied roles in health and disease.

Lyme Disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Lipid Immunogens.

The human immune system detects potentially pathogenic microbes with receptors that respond to microbial metabolites. While the overall immune signaling pathway is known in considerable detail, the initial molecular signals, the microbially produced immunogens, for important diseases like Lyme disease (LD) are often not well-defined. The immunogens for LD are produced by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, and a galactoglycerolipid (1) has been identified as a key trigger for the inflammatory immune response that characterizes LD. This report corrects the original structural assignment of 1 to 3, a change of an α-galactopyranose to an α-galactofuranose headgroup. The seemingly small change has important implications for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of LD.

Bacillimidazoles A-F, Imidazolium-Containing Compounds Isolated from a Marine Bacillus.

Chemical investigations of a marine sponge-associated Bacillus revealed six new imidazolium-containing compounds, bacillimidazoles A-F (1-6). Previous reports of related imidazolium-containing natural products are rare. Initially unveiled by timsTOF (trapped ion mobility spectrometry) MS data, extensive HRMS and 1D and 2D NMR analyses enabled the structural elucidation of 1-6. In addition, a plausible biosynthetic pathway to bacillimidazoles is proposed based on isotopic labeling experiments and invokes the highly reactive glycolytic adduct 2,3-butanedione. Combined, the results of structure elucidation efforts, isotopic labeling studies and bioinformatics suggest that 1-6 result from a fascinating intersection of primary and secondary metabolic pathways in Bacillus sp. WMMC1349. Antimicrobial assays revealed that, of 1-6, only compound six displayed discernible antibacterial activity, despite the close structural similarities shared by all six natural products.

Benefiting from big data in natural products: importance of preserving foundational skills and prioritizing data quality.

Systematic, large-scale, studies at the genomic, metabolomic, and functional level have transformed the natural product sciences. Improvements in technology and reduction in cost for obtaining spectroscopic, chromatographic, and genomic data coupled with the creation of readily accessible curated and functionally annotated data sets have altered the practices of virtually all natural product research laboratories. Gone are the days when the natural products researchers were expected to devote themselves exclusively to the isolation, purification, and structure elucidation of small molecules. We now also engage with big data in taxonomic, genomic, proteomic, and/or metabolomic collections, and use these data to generate and test hypotheses. While the oft stated aim for the use of large-scale -omics data in the natural products sciences is to achieve a rapid increase in the rate of discovery of new drugs, this has not yet come to pass. At the same time, new technologies have provided unexpected opportunities for natural products chemists to ask and answer new and different questions. With this viewpoint, we discuss the evolution of big data as a part of natural products research and provide a few examples of how discoveries have been enabled by access to big data. We also draw attention to some of the limitations in our existing engagement with large datasets and consider what would be necessary to overcome them.

Neuronal control of maternal provisioning in response to social cues.

Mothers contribute cytoplasmic components to their progeny in a process called maternal provisioning. Provisioning is influenced by the parental environment, but the molecular pathways that transmit environmental cues between generations are not well understood. Here, we show that, in Caenorhabditis elegans, social cues modulate maternal provisioning to regulate gene silencing in offspring. Intergenerational signal transmission depends on a pheromone-sensing neuron and neuronal FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe)-like peptides. Parental FMRFamide-like peptide signaling dampens oxidative stress resistance and promotes the deposition of mRNAs for translational components in progeny, which, in turn, reduces gene silencing. This study identifies a previously unknown pathway for intergenerational communication that links neuronal responses to maternal provisioning. We suggest that loss of social cues in the parental environment represents an adverse environment that stimulates stress responses across generations.

A Machine Learning Bioinformatics Method to Predict Biological Activity from Biosynthetic Gene Clusters.

Research in natural products, the genetically encoded small molecules produced by organisms in an idiosyncratic fashion, deals with molecular structure, biosynthesis, and biological activity. Bioinformatics analyses of microbial genomes can successfully reveal the genetic instructions, biosynthetic gene clusters, that produce many natural products. Genes to molecule predictions made on biosynthetic gene clusters have revealed many important new structures. There is no comparable method for genes to biological activity predictions. To address this missing pathway, we developed a machine learning bioinformatics method for predicting a natural product's antibiotic activity directly from the sequence of its biosynthetic gene cluster. We trained commonly used machine learning classifiers to predict antibacterial or antifungal activity based on features of known natural product biosynthetic gene clusters. We have identified classifiers that can attain accuracies as high as 80% and that have enabled the identification of biosynthetic enzymes and their corresponding molecular features that are associated with antibiotic activity.

Burkholderia from Fungus Gardens of Fungus-Growing Ants Produces Antifungals That Inhibit the Specialized Parasite Escovopsis.

Within animal-associated microbiomes, the functional roles of specific microbial taxa are often uncharacterized. Here, we use the fungus-growing ant system, a model for microbial symbiosis, to determine the potential defensive roles of key bacterial taxa present in the ants' fungus gardens. Fungus gardens serve as an external digestive system for the ants, with mutualistic fungi in the genus Leucoagaricus converting the plant substrate into energy for the ants. The fungus garden is host to specialized parasitic fungi in the genus Escovopsis. Here, we examine the potential role of Burkholderia spp. that occur within ant fungus gardens in inhibiting Escovopsis. We isolated members of the bacterial genera Burkholderia and Paraburkholderia from 50% of the 52 colonies sampled, indicating that members of the family Burkholderiaceae are common inhabitants in the fungus gardens of a diverse range of fungus-growing ant genera. Using antimicrobial inhibition bioassays, we found that 28 out of 32 isolates inhibited at least one Escovopsis strain with a zone of inhibition greater than 1 cm. Genomic assessment of fungus garden-associated Burkholderiaceae indicated that isolates with strong inhibition all belonged to the genus Burkholderia and contained biosynthetic gene clusters that encoded the production of two antifungals: burkholdine1213 and pyrrolnitrin. Organic extracts of cultured isolates confirmed that these compounds are responsible for antifungal activities that inhibit Escovopsis but, at equivalent concentrations, not Leucoagaricus spp. Overall, these new findings, combined with previous evidence, suggest that members of the fungus garden microbiome play an important role in maintaining the health and function of fungus-growing ant colonies. IMPORTANCE Many organisms partner with microbes to defend themselves against parasites and pathogens. Fungus-growing ants must protect Leucoagaricus spp., the fungal mutualist that provides sustenance for the ants, from a specialized fungal parasite, Escovopsis. The ants take multiple approaches, including weeding their fungus gardens to remove Escovopsis spores, as well as harboring Pseudonocardia spp., bacteria that produce antifungals that inhibit Escovopsis. In addition, a genus of bacteria commonly found in fungus gardens, Burkholderia, is known to produce secondary metabolites that inhibit Escovopsis spp. In this study, we isolated Burkholderia spp. from fungus-growing ants, assessed the isolates' ability to inhibit Escovopsis spp., and identified two compounds responsible for inhibition. Our findings suggest that Burkholderia spp. are often found in fungus gardens, adding another possible mechanism within the fungus-growing ant system to suppress the growth of the specialized parasite Escovopsis.

Capsular polysaccharide correlates with immune response to the human gut microbe Ruminococcus gnavus.

Active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often coincides with increases of Ruminococcus gnavus, a gut microbe found in nearly everyone. It was not known how, or if, this correlation contributed to disease. We investigated clinical isolates of R. gnavus to identify molecular mechanisms that would link R. gnavus to inflammation. Here, we show that only some isolates of R. gnavus produce a capsular polysaccharide that promotes a tolerogenic immune response, whereas isolates lacking functional capsule biosynthetic genes elicit robust proinflammatory responses in vitro. Germ-free mice colonized with an isolate of R. gnavus lacking a capsule show increased measures of gut inflammation compared to those colonized with an encapsulated isolate in vivo. These observations in the context of our earlier identification of an inflammatory cell-wall polysaccharide reveal how some strains of R. gnavus could drive the inflammatory responses that characterize IBD.

Specialized Metabolites Reveal Evolutionary History and Geographic Dispersion of a Multilateral Symbiosis.

Fungus-growing ants engage in a multilateral symbiosis: they cultivate a fungal garden as their primary food source and host symbiotic actinobacteria (Pseudonocardia spp.) that provide chemical defenses. The bacterial symbionts produce small specialized metabolites that protect the fungal garden from specific fungal pathogens (Escovopsis spp.), and in return, they are fed by the ant hosts. Multiple studies on the molecules underlying this symbiotic system have led to the discovery of a large number of structurally diverse antifungal molecules, but somewhat surprisingly no shared structural theme emerged from these studies. A large systematic study of Brazilian nests led to the discovery of the widespread production of a potent but overlooked antifungal agent, which we named attinimicin, by nearly two-thirds of all Pseudonocardia strains from multiple sites in Brazil. Here we report the structure of attinimicin, its putative biosynthetic gene cluster, and the evolutionary relationship between attinimicin and two related peptides, oxachelin A and cahuitamycin A. All three nonribosomal peptides are structural isomers with different primary peptide sequences. Attinimicin shows iron-dependent antifungal activity against specific environmental fungal parasites but no activity against the fungal cultivar. Attinimicin showed potent in vivo activity in a mouse Candida albicans infection model comparable to clinically used azole-containing antifungals. In situ detection of attinimicin in both ant nests and on worker ants supports an ecological role for attinimicin in protecting the fungal cultivar from pathogens. The geographic spread of the attinimicin biosynthetic gene cluster in Brazilian Pseudonocardia spp. marks attinimicin as the first specialized metabolite from ant-associated bacteria with broad geographic distribution.

Pollen Streptomyces Produce Antibiotic That Inhibits the Honey Bee Pathogen Paenibacillus larvae.

Humans use natural products to treat disease; similarly, some insects use natural products produced by Actinobacteria to combat infectious pathogens. Honey bees, Apis mellifera, are ecologically and economically important for their critical role as plant pollinators and are host to diverse and potentially virulent pathogens that threaten hive health. Here, we provide evidence that Actinobacteria that can suppress pathogenic microbes are associated with A. mellifera. We show through culture-dependent approaches that Actinobacteria in the genus Streptomyces are commonly isolated from foraging bees, and especially common in pollen stores. One strain, isolated from pollen stores, exhibited pronounced inhibitory activity against Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood. Bioassay-guided HPLC fractionation, followed by NMR and mass spectrometry, identified the known macrocyclic polyene lactam, piceamycin that was responsible for this activity. Further, we show that in its purified form, piceamycin has potent inhibitory activity toward P. larvae. Our results suggest that honey bees may use pollen-derived Actinobacteria and their associated small molecules to mediate colony health. Given the importance of honey bees to modern agriculture and their heightened susceptibility to disease, the discovery and development of antibiotic compounds from hives could serve as an important strategy in supporting disease management within apiaries.

Bacterial diketopiperazines stimulate diatom growth and lipid accumulation.

Diatoms are photosynthetic microalgae that fix a significant fraction of the world's carbon. Because of their photosynthetic efficiency and high-lipid content, diatoms are priority candidates for biofuel production. Here, we report that sporulating Bacillus thuringiensis and other members of the Bacillus cereus group, when in co-culture with the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, significantly increase diatom cell count. Bioassay-guided purification of the mother cell lysate of B. thuringiensis led to the identification of two diketopiperazines (DKPs) that stimulate both P. tricornutum growth and increase its lipid content. These findings may be exploited to enhance P. tricornutum growth and microalgae-based biofuel production. As increasing numbers of DKPs are isolated from marine microbes, the work gives potential clues to bacterial-produced growth factors for marine microalgae.

Chemical Exchanges between Multilateral Symbionts.

Herein is a report on the molecular exchange occurring between multilateral symbiosis partners-a tit-for-tat exchange that led to the characterization of two new metabolites, conocandin B (fungal-derived) and dentigerumycin F (bacterial-derived). The structures were determined by NMR, mass spectrometry, genomic analysis, and chemical derivatizations. Conocandin B exhibits antimicrobial activity against both the bacterial symbionts of fungus-growing ant and human pathogenic strains by selectively inhibiting FabH, thus disrupting fatty acid biosynthesis.

Plasmalogen Biosynthesis by Anaerobic Bacteria: Identification of a Two-Gene Operon Responsible for Plasmalogen Production in Clostridium perfringens.

Plasmalogens are vinyl ether-containing lipids produced by mammals and bacteria. The aerobic biosynthetic pathway in eukaryotes and bacteria is known, but the anaerobic pathway has remained a mystery. Here, we describe a two-gene operon (plasmalogen synthase, pls) responsible for plasmalogen production in the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium perfringens. While aerobic plasmalogen biosynthesis involves an oxidative conversion of an ether to a vinyl ether, anaerobic plasmalogen biosynthesis uses the reductive conversion of an ester to an aldehyde equivalent. Heterologous expression of the C. perfringens pls operon in E. coli conferred the ability to produce plasmalogens. The pls operon is predicted to encode a multidomain complex similar to benzoyl-CoA reductase/hydroxylacyl-CoA dehydratase (BCR/HAD) enzymes. Versions of this operon can be found in a wide range of obligate and facultative anaerobic bacteria, including many human gut microbes.