A functional ferric uptake regulator (Fur) protein in the fish pathogen Piscirickettsia salmonis

Piscirickettsia salmonis, a Gram-negative fastidious facultative intracellular pathogen, is the causative agent of the salmonid rickettsial septicemia (SRS). The P. salmonis iron acquisition mechanisms and its molecular regulation are unknown. Iron is an essential element for bacterial pathogenesis. Typically, genes that encode for the iron acquisition machinery are regulated by the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) protein. P. salmonis fur sequence database reveals a diversity of fur genes without functional verification. Due to the fastidious nature of this bacterium, we evaluated the functionality of P. salmonis fur in the Salmonella Δfur heterologous system. Although P. salmonis fur gene strongly differed from the common Fur sequences, it restored the regulatory mechanisms of iron acquisition in Salmonella. We concluded that P. salmonis LF-89 has a conserved functional Fur protein, which reinforces the importance of iron during fish infection. [Int Microbiol 2016; 49-55]Keywords: Piscirickettsia salmonis · ferric uptake regulator protein (Fur) · transcriptional regulatory element · iron acquisition · fish pathogen

Impaired LXRa phosphorylation attenuates progression of fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common indication for liver transplantation. How fat-rich diets promote progression from fatty liver to more damaging inflammatory and fibrotic stages is poorly understood. Here, we show that disrupting phosphorylation at Ser196 (S196A) in the liver X receptor alpha (LXRα, NR1H3) retards NAFLD progression in mice on a high-fat-high-cholesterol diet. Mechanistically, this is explained by key histone acetylation (H3K27) and transcriptional changes in pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, S196A-LXRα expression reveals the regulation of novel diet-specific LXRα-responsive genes, including the induction of Ces1f, implicated in the breakdown of hepatic lipids. This involves induced H3K27 acetylation and altered LXR and TBLR1 cofactor occupancy at the Ces1f gene in S196A fatty livers. Overall, impaired Ser196-LXRα phosphorylation acts as a novel nutritional molecular sensor that profoundly alters the hepatic H3K27 acetylome and transcriptome during NAFLD progression placing LXRα phosphorylation as an alternative anti-inflammatory or anti-fibrotic therapeutic target

The DNA-Binding Protein HU has a Regulatory Role in the Acid Stress Response Mechanism in Helicobacter pylori

Artículo de publicación ISIBackground: Bacterial genomes are compacted by association with histonelike proteins to form a complex known as bacterial chromatin. The histonelike protein HU is capable of binding and bending the DNA molecule, a function related to compaction, protection, and regulation of gene expression. In Helicobacter pylori, HU is the only histone-like protein described so far. Proteomic analysis from our laboratory showed that this protein is overexpressed under acidic stress. Materials and Methods: We used a purified recombinant wild-type protein and two mutant proteins with the amino acid substitutions K3A/S27D and K62R/V63N/P64A to characterize the function of the N-terminal domain and the flexible arm of HU. Results: In vitro assays for DNA protection, bending, and compaction were performed. We also designed a H. pylori hup::cat mutant strain to study the role of HU in the acid stress response. HUwt protein binds DNA and promotes its bending and compaction. Compared with the wild-type protein, both mutant proteins have less affinity for DNA and an impaired bending and compaction ability. By using qRT-PCR, we confirmed overexpression of two genes related to acid stress response (ureA and speA). Such overexpression was abolished in the hup::cat strain, which shows an acid-sensitive phenotype. Conclusions: Altogether, we have shown that HUwt–DNA complex formation is favored under acidic pH and that the complex protects DNA from endonucleolytic cleavage and oxidative stress damage. We also showed that the amino-terminal domain of HU is relevant to DNA–protein complex formation and that the flexible arm of HU is involved in the bending and compaction activities of HU.FONDECYT-Chile 1120126 Universidad de Chile Enlace ENL 11/0

KCTD5 and Ubiquitin Proteasome Signaling Are Required for Helicobacter pylori Adherence

In order to establish infection, bacterial pathogens modulate host cellular processes by using virulence factors, which are delivered from the bacteria to the host cell leading to cellular reprogramming. In this context, several pathogens regulate the ubiquitin proteasome system in order to regulate the cellular effectors required for their successful colonization and persistance. In this study, we investigated how Helicobacter pylori affect the ubiquitination of the host proteins to achieve the adherence to the cells, using AGS gastric epithelial cells cultured with H. pylori strains, H. pylori 26695 and two isogenic mutants H. pylori cag::cat and vacA::apha3, to characterize the ability of H. pylori to reprogram the ubiquitin proteasome systems. The infection assays suggest that the ubiquitination of the total proteins does not change when cells were co-culture with H. pylori. We also found that the proteasome activity is necessary for H. pylori adhesion to AGS cells and the adherence increases when the level of KCTD5, an adaptor of Cullin-3, decrease. Moreover, we found that KCTD5 is ubiquitinated and degraded by the proteasome system and that CagA and VacA played no role on reducing KCTD5 levels. Furthermore, H. pylori impaired KCTD5 ubiquitination and did not increase global proteasome function. These results suggest that H. pylori affect the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) to facilitate the adhesion of this microorganism to establish stable colonization in the gastric epithelium and improve our understanding of how H. pylori hijack host systems to establish the adherence

Helicobacter pylori-induced loss of survivin and gastric cell viability is attributable to secreted bacterial gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity

Helicobacter pylori is the etiologic agent of a series of gastric pathologies that may culminate in the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. An initial step in this process is the loss of glandular structures in the gastric mucosa, presumably as the consequence of increased apoptosis and reduced cellular regeneration, which may be attributed to the combination of several bacterial and host factors and to an unfavorable proinflammatory environment. In a previous study, we showed that survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is expressed in the normal human gastric mucosa and that its levels decrease in the mucosa of infected patients and in gastric cells exposed in culture to the bacteria, coincident with increased cell death in the latter case. We investigated the bacterial factors responsible for loss of survivin in gastric cells exposed to H. pylori. The results of this study indicated that the loss of survivin due to H. pylori infection involves proteasome-mediated degradation of the protein. Studies with isogenic mutants deficient in either CagA, VacA, lipopolysaccharide, or gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) implicated the latter in H. pylori-induced loss of survivin and cell viability. Moreover, experiments with the GGT inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine and purified recombinant GGT protein indicated that secreted bacterial GGT activity was required and sufficient to induce these effects. © 2013 The Author 2013

TRPM4 regulates the number and size of focal adhesions.

<p>A) Representative immunoblot from MEFs subjected to shRNA-mediated TRPM4 knock down. Membranes were incubated with mouse anti-TRPM4 mAb, and anti-Grp75 mAb as a loading control. B) Graph of the densitometric analyses of three independent immunoblot experiments. Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann Whitney test. C) Immunofluorescence labeling of MEFs transfected with shRNA^Scramble, and shRNA^TRPM4. Cells were labeled with Hoechst (blue), and mouse anti-TRPM4 mAb (green); tRFP (red) was used as transfection marker. Scale bar corresponds to 10 μm. D) Immunofluorescence labeling of MEFs transfected with shRNA^Scramble and shRNA^TRPM4. Cells were labeled with Hoechst (blue), and mouse anti-vinculin mAb (green); tRFP (red) was used as transfection marker. Scale bar corresponds to 10 μm. Quantification of FA number (E) and areas (F) from the shRNA-transfected cells (n = 15 cells for shRNA^Scramble and n = 15 cells for shRNA^TRPM4 from 7 independent experiments). G) Immunofluorescence labeling of MEFs treated with DMSO (0.1% v/v) and 10 μM 9-phenanthrol. Cells were labeled with Hoechst (blue) and mouse anti-vinculin mAb (green). Scale bar corresponds to 10 μm. Graphs of FA number (H) and areas (I) are shown (20 cells per condition, n = 3, p<0.05). The number and areas of the FAs were analyzed using NIH/ImageJ software. The graphs correspond to mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney test.</p

TRPM4 controls cellular migration <i>via</i> Rac1 GTPase activity.

<p>A) MEFs were incubated with DMSO (0.1% v/v final) vehicle or 10 μM 9-phenanthrol for 16 h. F-actin was labeled with the F-actin stain Alexa 555 phalloidin (red) and Hoechst (blue). B) Quantified results from A. The percentage of wound closure is expressed as mean ± standard deviation; s.d. (n = 3, p<0.05). *, significant difference (p<0.05) versus DMSO controls. Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney test. C) Graph from Transwell Boyden chamber migration assays of MEFs transfected with shRNA^Scramble and shRNA^TRPM4. Cells were stimulated with 10% v/v serum for 16 h. The bars represent the mean ± s.d. (n = 3; p<0.05 compared to control). *, significant difference (p<0.05) versus shRNA^Scramble controls. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA test. D) Graph from Transwell Boyden chamber migration assays of MEFs transfected with shRNA^Scramble and shRNA^TRPM4 and coexpressing Rac1(Q61L). Cells were stimulated with 10% v/v serum for 16 h. The bars represent the mean ± s.d. (n = 3; p<0.05 compared to control). *, significant difference (p<0.05) versus shRNA^Scramble/Mock controls. **, significant difference (p<0.05) versus shRNA^TRPM4/Mock controls. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA test.</p

TRPM4 promotes cellular contractility and wound healing.

<p>A) Three-dimensional (3D) invasion assay of TREx293-TRPM4 cells. TRPM4 expression was induced by adding 1 μg/mL Tetracycline to the media (n = 3, p<0.05 compared to control). *, significant difference (p<0.05) versus non-stimulated cell control. Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney test. B) Fibroblasts migration from skin grafts (E) treated with DMSO or 20 μM 9-phenanthrol. Grafts were fixed 5 days after explant and labeled with Hoechst (blue). Scale bar: 1 mm. C) Quantification of the experiment shown in (B). The data correspond to cell counts from 3 independent experiments (13 and 12 explants for DMSO and 9-phenanthrol treatments, respectively). *, significant difference (p<0.05) versus DMSO controls. Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney test. D) Three dimensional contraction assay of MEFs transfected with shRNA^Scramble and shRNA^TRPM4. Contraction was induced by incubating the immersed cells with 10% v/v serum for 48 h. The upper graph represents the collected data for 4 independent assays. *, significant difference (p<0.05) versus shRNA^Scramble controls. **, significant difference (p<0.05) versus shRNA^TRPM4. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA test. E) Frames (t = 0 and 14 min) from time lapse of untreated, DMSO and 9-phenanthrol treated wounds in zebrafish tails. Scale bar: 1 mm. F) Quantification of the wound closure experiments from (E) (n = 10 larvae per condition). Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA test. G) Excisional cutaneous wounds were created using a 3 mm biopsy punch. Images from the time course of wound closure in the presence of DMSO (control) and 9-phenanthrol (n = 5 mice). Scale bar: 1.5 mm. H) Wound closure was monitored measuring the area of the wound on the indicated days post-wounding. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA test. I) Images of skin wounds at 3 days post-wounding. Bottom panels show magnifications of the areas marked in the upper panels. Arrowheads mark the epithelial tissue. Scale bar: 50 μm. J) Images of wounds at 5 days post-wounding. The dashed lines indicate the limit of the wound area. Scale bar: 500 μm.</p