bis(3--5-)-cyclic-diguanylic-acid and Respiratory-Tract-Infections

Although bacterial cellulose synthase (bcs) operons are widespread within the Proteobacteria phylum, subunits required for the partial-acetylation of the polymer appear to be restricted to a few γ-group soil, plant-associated and phytopathogenic pseudomonads, including Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and several Pseudomonas syringae pathovars. However, a bcs operon with acetylation subunits has also been annotated in the unrelated β-group respiratory pathogen, Bordetella avium 197N. Our comparison of subunit protein sequences and GC content analyses confirms the close similarity between the B. avium 197N and pseudomonad operons and suggests that, in both cases, the cellulose synthase and acetylation subunits were acquired as a single unit. Using static liquid microcosms, we can confirm that B. avium 197N expresses low levels of cellulose in air-liquid interface biofilms and that biofilm strength and attachment levels could be increased by elevating c-di-GMP levels like the pseudomonads, but cellulose was not required for biofilm formation itself. The finding that B. avium 197N is capable of producing cellulose from a highly-conserved, but relatively uncommon bcs operon raises the question of what functional role this modified polymer plays during the infection of the upper respiratory tract or survival between hosts, and what environmental signals control its production.

Topics: Animals; Bacterial Adhesion; Biofilms; Bird Diseases; Birds; Bordetella avium; Bordetella Infections; Cellulose; Cyclic GMP; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Glucosyltransferases; Humans; Operon; Opportunistic Infections; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Respiratory Tract Infections

Biofilm formation is important for infection by many pathogens. Bordetella bronchiseptica causes respiratory tract infections in mammals and forms biofilm structures in nasal epithelium of infected mice. We previously demonstrated that cyclic di-GMP is involved in biofilm formation in B. bronchiseptica. In the present work, based on their previously reported function in Pseudomonas fluorescens, we identified three genes in the B. bronchiseptica genome likely involved in c-di-GMP-dependent biofilm formation: brtA, lapD and lapG. Genetic analysis confirmed a role for BrtA, LapD and LapG in biofilm formation using microtiter plate assays, as well as scanning electron and fluorescent microscopy to analyze the phenotypes of mutants lacking these proteins. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that the protease LapG of B. bronchiseptica cleaves the N-terminal domain of BrtA, as well as the LapA protein of P. fluorescens, indicating functional conservation between these species. Furthermore, while BrtA and LapG appear to have little or no impact on colonization in a mouse model of infection, a B. bronchiseptica strain lacking the LapG protease has a significantly higher rate of inducing a severe disease outcome compared to the wild type. These findings support a role for c-di-GMP acting through BrtA/LapD/LapG to modulate biofilm formation, as well as impact pathogenesis, by B. bronchiseptica.

Topics: Animals; Bacterial Proteins; Biofilms; Blotting, Western; Bordetella bronchiseptica; Bordetella Infections; Cyclic GMP; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Genetic Complementation Test; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Mutation; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Respiratory Tract Infections; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Signal Transduction

Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic respiratory pathogen that can cause severe infections in immune-compromised individuals and is associated with poor prognosis for patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. The second messenger cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) has been shown to control a wide range of functions in bacteria, but little is known about these regulatory mechanisms in B. cenocepacia. Here we investigated the role that c-di-GMP plays in the regulation of biofilm formation and virulence in B. cenocepacia. Elevated intracellular levels of c-di-GMP promoted wrinkly colony, pellicle and biofilm formation in B. cenocepacia. A screen for transposon mutants unable to respond to elevated levels of c-di-GMP led to the identification of the mutant bcam1349 that did not display increased biofilm and pellicle formation with excessive c-di-GMP levels, and displayed a biofilm defect with physiological c-di-GMP levels. The bcam1349 gene is predicted to encode a transcriptional regulator of the CRP/FNR superfamily. Analyses of purified Bcam1349 protein and truncations demonstrated that it binds c-di-GMP in vitro. The Bcam1349 protein was shown to regulate the production of a number of components, including cellulose and fimbriae. It was demonstrated that the Bcam1349 protein binds to the promoter region of the cellulose synthase genes, and that this binding is enhanced by the presence of c-di-GMP. The bcam1349 mutant showed reduced virulence in a Galleria mellonella wax moth larvae infection model. Taken together, these findings suggest that the Bcam1349 protein is a transcriptional regulator that binds c-di-GMP and regulates biofilm formation and virulence in B. cenocepacia in response to the level of c-di-GMP.

Topics: Animals; Bacterial Proteins; Biofilms; Burkholderia cenocepacia; Burkholderia Infections; Cyclic GMP; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Humans; Moths; Multigene Family; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Binding; Respiratory Tract Infections; Transcription Factors; Virulence