Secretome of Transmissible Pseudomonas aeruginosa AES-1R Grown in a Cystic Fibrosis Lung-Like Environment

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant cause of mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). We examined the secretome of an acute, transmissible CF P. aeruginosa (Australian epidemic strain 1-R; AES-1R) compared with laboratory-adapted PAO1. Culture supernatant proteins from rich (LB) and minimal (M9) media were compared using 2-DE and 2DLC-MS/MS, which revealed elevated abundance of PasP protease and absence of AprA protease in AES-1R. CF lung-like artificial sputum medium (ASMDM) contains serum and mucin that generally preclude proteomics of secreted proteins. ASMDM culture supernatants were subjected to 2DLC-MS/MS, which allowed the identification of 57 P. aeruginosa proteins, and qualitative spectral counting was used to estimate relative abundance. AES-1R-specific AES_7139 and PasP were more abundant in AES-1R ASMDM culture supernatants, while AprA could only be identified in PAO1. Relative quantitation was performed using selected reaction monitoring. Significantly elevated levels of PasP, LasB, chitin-binding protein (CbpD), and PA4495 were identified in AES-1R ASMDM supernatants. Quantitative PCR showed elevated pasP in AES-1R during early (18 h) ASMDM growth, while no evidence of aprA expression could be observed. Genomic screening of CF isolates revealed aes_7139 was present in all AES-1 and one pair of sequential nonepidemic isolates. Secreted proteins may be crucial in aiding CF-associated P. aeruginosa to establish infection and for adaptation to the CF lung.