65 research outputs found

    Isolation and Genome Analysis of an Amoeba-Associated Bacterium \u3ci\u3eDyella terrae\u3c/i\u3e Strain Ely Copper Mine From Acid Rock Drainage in Vermont, United States

    Get PDF
    Protozoa play important roles in microbial communities, regulating populations via predation and contributing to nutrient cycling. While amoebae have been identified in acid rock drainage (ARD) systems, our understanding of their symbioses in these extreme environments is limited. Here, we report the first isolation of the amoeba Stemonitis from an ARD environment as well as the genome sequence and annotation of an associated bacterium, Dyella terrae strain Ely Copper Mine, from Ely Brook at the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site in Vershire, Vermont, United States. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis showed this bacterium colonizing cells of Stemonitis sp. in addition to being outside of amoebal cells. This amoeba-resistant bacterium is Gram-negative with a genome size of 5.36Mbp and GC content of 62.5%. The genome of the D. terrae strain Ely Copper Mine encodes de novo biosynthetic pathways for amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and lipids. Genes involved in nitrate (1) and sulfate (7) reduction, metal (229) and antibiotic resistance (37), and secondary metabolite production (6) were identified. Notably, 26 hydrolases were identified by RAST as well as other biomass degradation genes, suggesting roles in carbon and energy cycling within the microbial community. The genome also contains type IV secretion system genes involved in amoebae resistance, revealing how this bacterium likely survives predation from Stemonitis sp. This genome analysis and the association of D. terrae strain Ely Copper Mine with Stemonitis sp. provide insight into the functional roles of amoebae and bacteria within ARD environments

    Environmental Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Hosted by Free-Living Amoebea

    Get PDF
    Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis is responsible for paratuberculosis in animals. This disease, leading to an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, has a high impact on animal health and an important economic burden. The environmental life cycle of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is poorly understood and several studies suggest that free-living amoebae (FLA) might be a potential environmental host. FLA are protozoa found in water and soil that are described as reservoirs of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria in the environment. Indeed, bacteria able to survive within these amoebae would survive phagocytosis from immune cells. In this study, we assessed the in vitro interactions between several strains of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and Acanthamoeba castellanii. The results indicate that the bacteria were able to grow within the amoeba and that they can survive for several days within their host. To explore the presence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in environmental amoebae, we sampled water from farms positive for paratuberculosis. A M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strain was detected within an environmental amoeba identified as related to the poorly described Rosculus genus. The bacterial strain was genotyped, showing that it was similar to previous infectious strains isolated from cattle. In conclusion, we described that various M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains were able to grow within amoebae and that these bacteria could be found on farm within amoebae isolated from the cattle environment. It validates that infected amoebae might be a reservoir and vector for the transmission of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis

    Pathogenic Bacteria Target NEDD8-Conjugated Cullins to Hijack Host-Cell Signaling Pathways

    Get PDF
    The cycle inhibiting factors (Cif), produced by pathogenic bacteria isolated from vertebrates and invertebrates, belong to a family of molecules called cyclomodulins that interfere with the eukaryotic cell cycle. Cif blocks the cell cycle at both the G1/S and G2/M transitions by inducing the stabilization of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21waf1 and p27kip1. Using yeast two-hybrid screens, we identified the ubiquitin-like protein NEDD8 as a target of Cif. Cif co-compartmentalized with NEDD8 in the host cell nucleus and induced accumulation of NEDD8-conjugated cullins. This accumulation occurred early after cell infection and correlated with that of p21 and p27. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that Cif interacted with cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase complexes (CRLs) through binding with the neddylated forms of cullins 1, 2, 3, 4A and 4B subunits of CRL. Using an in vitro ubiquitylation assay, we demonstrate that Cif directly inhibits the neddylated CUL1-associated ubiquitin ligase activity. Consistent with this inhibition and the interaction of Cif with several neddylated cullins, we further observed that Cif modulates the cellular half-lives of various CRL targets, which might contribute to the pathogenic potential of diverse bacteria

    Recruitment of the Major Vault Protein by InlK: A Listeria monocytogenes Strategy to Avoid Autophagy

    Get PDF
    L. monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular bacterium responsible for listeriosis. It is able to invade, survive and replicate in phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells. The infectious process at the cellular level has been extensively studied and many virulence factors have been identified. Yet, the role of InlK, a member of the internalin family specific to L. monocytogenes, remains unknown. Here, we first show using deletion analysis and in vivo infection, that InlK is a bona fide virulence factor, poorly expressed in vitro and well expressed in vivo, and that it is anchored to the bacterial surface by sortase A. We then demonstrate by a yeast two hybrid screen using InlK as a bait, validated by pulldown experiments and immunofluorescence analysis that intracytosolic bacteria via an interaction with the protein InlK interact with the Major Vault Protein (MVP), the main component of cytoplasmic ribonucleoproteic particules named vaults. Although vaults have been implicated in several cellular processes, their role has remained elusive. Our analysis demonstrates that MVP recruitment disguises intracytosolic bacteria from autophagic recognition, leading to an increased survival rate of InlK over-expressing bacteria compared to InlK− bacteria. Together these results reveal that MVP is hijacked by L. monocytogenes in order to counteract the autophagy process, a finding that could have major implications in deciphering the cellular role of vault particles

    Amoebae as Targets for Toxins or Effectors Secreted by Mammalian Pathogens

    No full text
    Numerous microorganisms, pathogenic for mammals, come from the environment where they encounter predators such as free-living amoebae (FLA). The selective pressure due to this interaction could have generated virulence traits that are deleterious for amoebae and represents a weapon against mammals. Toxins are one of these powerful tools that are essential for bacteria or fungi to survive. Which amoebae are used as a model to study the effects of toxins? What amoeba functions have been reported to be disrupted by toxins and bacterial secreted factors? Do bacteria and fungi effectors affect eukaryotic cells similarly? Here, we review some studies allowing to answer these questions, highlighting the necessity to extend investigations of microbial pathogenicity, from mammals to the environmental reservoir that are amoebae

    Escherichia coli producing colibactin triggers premature and transmissible senescence in mammalian cells.

    Get PDF
    Cellular senescence is an irreversible state of proliferation arrest evoked by a myriad of stresses including oncogene activation, telomere shortening/dysfunction and genotoxic insults. It has been associated with tumor activation, immune suppression and aging, owing to the secretion of proinflammatory mediators. The bacterial genotoxin colibactin, encoded by the pks genomic island is frequently harboured by Escherichia coli strains of the B2 phylogenetic group. Mammalian cells exposed to live pks+ bacteria exhibit DNA-double strand breaks (DSB) and undergo cell-cycle arrest and death. Here we show that cells that survive the acute bacterial infection with pks+ E. coli display hallmarks of cellular senescence: chronic DSB, prolonged cell-cycle arrest, enhanced senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) activity, expansion of promyelocytic leukemia nuclear foci and senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. This was accompanied by reactive oxygen species production and pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and proteases secretion. These mediators were able to trigger DSB and enhanced SA-β-Gal activity in bystander recipient cells treated with conditioned medium from senescent cells. Furthermore, these senescent cells promoted the growth of human tumor cells. In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that the E. coli genotoxin colibactin induces cellular senescence and subsequently propel bystander genotoxic and oncogenic effects
    • …
    corecore