Smegmatis MSMEG Research Articles

Inactivation of a New Potassium Channel Increases Rifampicin Resistance and Induces Collateral Sensitivity to Hydrophilic Antibiotics in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Rifampicin is a critical first-line antibiotic for treating mycobacterial infections such as tuberculosis, one of the most serious infectious diseases worldwide. Rifampicin resistance in mycobacteria is mainly caused by mutations in the rpoB gene; however, some rifampicin-resistant strains showed no rpoB mutations. Therefore, alternative mechanisms must explain this resistance in mycobacteria. In this work, a library of 11,000 Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2 155 insertion mutants was explored to search and characterize new rifampicin-resistance determinants. A transposon insertion in the MSMEG_1945 gene modified the growth rate, pH homeostasis and membrane potential in M. smegmatis, producing rifampicin resistance and collateral susceptibility to other antitubercular drugs such as isoniazid, ethionamide and aminoglycosides. Our data suggest that the M. smegmatis MSMEG_1945 protein is an ion channel, dubbed MchK, essential for maintaining the cellular ionic balance and membrane potential, modulating susceptibility to antimycobacterial agents. The functions of this new gene point once again to potassium homeostasis impairment as a proxy to resistance to rifampicin. This study increases the known repertoire of mycobacterial ion channels involved in drug susceptibility/resistance to antimycobacterial drugs and suggests novel intervention opportunities, highlighting ion channels as druggable pathways.

A mycobacterial DivIVA domain-containing protein involved in cell length and septation

Mycobacterial cells elongate via polar deposition of cell wall material, similar to the filamentous Streptomyces species, which contain a tip-organizing centre. Coiled-coiled proteins such as DivIVA play an important role in this process. The genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the causative agent of tuberculosis, encodes many coiled-coil proteins that are homologous to DivIVA with a potential role in mycobacterial cell elongation. Here we describe studies on Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_2416, a homologue of M. tuberculosis Rv2927c. Two previous independent studies showed that MSMEG_2416 was involved in septation (subsequently referred to as sepIVA). Contrary to these previous reports, we found sepIVA to be dispensable for growth in laboratory media by generating a viable null mutant. The mutant strain did, however, show a number of differences, including a change in colony morphology and biofilm formation that could be reversed on complementation with sepIVA as well as Rv2927c, the sepIVA homologue from M. tuberculosis . However, analysis of cell wall lipids did not reveal any alterations in lipid profiles of the mutant strain. Microscopic examination of the mutant revealed longer cells with more septa, which occurred at irregular intervals, often generating mini-compartments, a profile similar to that observed in the previous studies following conditional depletion, highlighting a role for sepIVA in mycobacterial growth.

Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_0129 is a nutrition-associated regulator that interacts with CarD and ClpP2.

Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_0129 and Rv0164, its homologue in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are single START-domain proteins essential for bacterial growth and survival, but their biochemical activities and biological roles remain undetermined. Here, we probed the possible functions of MSMEG_0129 and its underlying mechanisms by determining its cellular location, searching for its interaction partners and monitoring its transcription profile. MSMEG_0129, and Rv0164 by extension, were found to be cytosolic proteins rather than secreted components as previously understood. Increases in MSMEG_0129 expression at physiological levels accelerated bacterial growth in a proportional manner, but additional growth acceleration was not observed when MSMEG_0129 was overexpressed up to 20 fold. MSMEG_0129 is a short-lived protein, unstable at both the mRNA and protein levels. Co-IP and GST pull-down assays showed that MSMEG_0129 interacts with the ClpP2 protease and a global transcription factor, CarD, their expression being correlated with that of MSMEG_0129. Nutrient deficiency led to the downregulation of MSMEG_0129 but upregulation of CarD. However, in the context of constitutive MSMEG_0129 overexpression under nutrient-rich or starvation conditions, the mRNA level of CarD was reduced 3 fold. Conversely, expression of ClpP2 decreased with MSMEG_0129 downregulation under starvation conditions, but increased 4-8 fold when MSMEG_0129 was overexpressed. Our data suggest that MSMEG_0129, and Rv0164 by analogy, are likely to be nutrition sensing factors that regulate mycobacterial growth and may be involved in signal transfer under nutrient deficiency, possibly via physical and regulatory interactions with CarD and ClpP2.

A recently evolved diflavin-containing monomeric nitrate reductase is responsible for highly efficient bacterial nitrate assimilation

Nitrate is one of the major inorganic nitrogen sources for microbes. Many bacterial and archaeal lineages have the capacity to express assimilatory nitrate reductase (NAS), which catalyzes the rate-limiting reduction of nitrate to nitrite. Although a nitrate assimilatory pathway in mycobacteria has been proposed and validated physiologically and genetically, the putative NAS enzyme has yet to be identified. Here, we report the characterization of a novel NAS encoded by Mycolicibacterium smegmatis Msmeg_4206, designated NasN, which differs from the canonical NASs in its structure, electron transfer mechanism, enzymatic properties, and phylogenetic distribution. Using sequence analysis and biochemical characterization, we found that NasN is an NADPH-dependent, diflavin-containing monomeric enzyme composed of a canonical molybdopterin cofactor-binding catalytic domain and an FMN-FAD/NAD-binding, electron-receiving/transferring domain, making it unique among all previously reported hetero-oligomeric NASs. Genetic studies revealed that NasN is essential for aerobic M. smegmatis growth on nitrate as the sole nitrogen source and that the global transcriptional regulator GlnR regulates nasN expression. Moreover, unlike the NADH-dependent heterodimeric NAS enzyme, NasN efficiently supports bacterial growth under nitrate-limiting conditions, likely due to its significantly greater catalytic activity and oxygen tolerance. Results from a phylogenetic analysis suggested that the nasN gene is more recently evolved than those encoding other NASs and that its distribution is limited mainly to Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. We observed that among mycobacterial species, most fast-growing environmental mycobacteria carry nasN, but that it is largely lacking in slow-growing pathogenic mycobacteria because of multiple independent genomic deletion events along their evolution.

Mycobacterium smegmatis msmeg_3314 is involved in pyrazinamide and fluoroquinolones susceptibility via NAD+/NADH dysregulation.

Aim: To identify and characterize new mycobacterium pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance genes in addition to pncA, rpsA and panD. Materials & methods: To screen a Tn7 M. smegmatis mc2155 transposon library using 50μM PZA and a PZA hypersensitive mutant (M492) was obtained. MIC was further used to confirm the hypersensitivity of M492 mutant by culturing the mutant in Middlebrook 7H9 liquid medium at 37°C. Results:msmeg_3314 is the gene underlying the hypersensitive phenotype of mutant M492. The observed resistance to PZA and fluoroquinolones involved the alteration of Mycobacterium cell wall permeability and the dissipation of the proton motive force. NAD+/NADH dysregulation and attenuated glyoxylate shunt might underlie the declined scavenging capacity of reactive oxygen species in the msmeg_3314-deficient mutants. Conclusion:msmeg_ 3314 is a novel gene involved in pyrazinamide resistance and might be a new candidate for drugs target.

Effect of peptidoglycan amidase MSMEG_6281 on fatty acid metabolism in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_6281, a peptidoglycan (PG) amidase, is essential in maintaining cell wall integrity. To address the potential roles during the MSMEG_6281-mediated biological process, we compared proteomes from wild-type M.smegmatis and MSMEG_6281 gene knockout strain (M.sm-ΔM_6281) using LC-MS/MS analysis. Peptide analysis revealed that 851 proteins were differentially produced with at least 1.2-fold changes, including some proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism such as acyl-CoA synthase, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, MCE-family proteins, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and MmpL4. Some proteins related to fatty acid degradation were enriched through protein-protein interaction analysis. Therefore, proteomic data showed that a lack of MSMEG_6281 affected fatty acid metabolism. Mycobacteria can produce diverse lipid molecules ranging from single fatty acids to highly complex mycolic acids, and mycobacterial surface-exposed lipids may impact biofilm formation. In this study, we also assessed the effects of MSMEG_6281 on biofilm phenotype using semi-quantitative and morphology analysis methods. These results found that M.sm-ΔM_6281 exhibited a delayed biofilm phenotype compared to that of the wild-type M.smegmatis, and the changes were recovered when PG amidase was rescued in a ΔM_6281::Rv3717 strain. Our results demonstrated that MSMEG_6281 impacts fatty acid metabolism and further interferes with biofilm formation. These results provide a clue to study the effects of PG amidase on mycobacterial pathogenicity.

Structural diversity in the Mycobacteria DUF3349 superfamily.

A protein superfamily with a "Domain of Unknown Function,", DUF3349 (PF11829), is present predominately in Mycobacterium and Rhodococcus bacterial species suggesting that these proteins may have a biological function unique to these bacteria. We previously reported the inaugural structure of a DUF3349 superfamily member, Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv0543c. Here, we report the structures determined for three additional DUF3349 proteins: Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_1063 and MSMEG_1066 and Mycobacterium abscessus MAB_3403c. Like Rv0543c, the NMR solution structure of MSMEG_1063 revealed a monomeric five α-helix bundle with a similar overall topology. Conversely, the crystal structure of MSMEG_1066 revealed a five α-helix protein with a strikingly different topology and a tetrameric quaternary structure that was confirmed by size exclusion chromatography. The NMR solution structure of a fourth member of the DUF3349 superfamily, MAB_3403c, with 18 residues missing at the N-terminus, revealed a monomeric α-helical protein with a folding topology similar to the three C-terminal helices in the protomer of the MSMEG_1066 tetramer. These structures, together with a GREMLIN-based bioinformatics analysis of the DUF3349 primary amino acid sequences, suggest two subfamilies within the DUF3349 family. The division of the DUF3349 into two distinct subfamilies would have been lost if structure solution had stopped with the first structure in the DUF3349 family, highlighting the insights generated by solving multiple structures within a protein superfamily. Future studies will determine if the structural diversity at the tertiary and quaternary levels in the DUF3349 protein superfamily have functional roles in Mycobacteria and Rhodococcus species with potential implications for structure-based drug discovery.

Lack of MSMEG_6281, a peptidoglycan amidase, affects cell wall integrity and virulence of Mycobacterium smegmatis

Mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan (mAGP) is the major content of the mycobacterium cell wall structure and essential for mycobacterial survival. Peptidoglycan (PG) plays an important role in maintenance of cell division, cell wall integrity and pathogenesis. Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_6281, a peptidoglycan amidase, is vital for mycobacterial cell division. However, the effects of MSMEG_6281on cell wall integrity and mycobacterial virulence remain unknown. In the current study, we demonstrate that MSMEG_6281gene knockout in M.smegmatis alters the microbiological characteristics. Our results revealed that MSMEG_6281gene knockout bacteria (M. sm-ΔM_6281) lost their acid-fastness, increased their sensitivity to lipophilic compounds and presented an abnormal morphology. Our results revealed that MSMEG_6281was related to maintaining the cell wall integrity. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of MSMEG_6281 inactivation on mycobacterial virulence using mice models infected by different M.smegmatis strains. MSMEG_6281 inactivation in the M sm-ΔM_6281 infected group caused less mycobacterial colonization, reduced pathological signs, decreased the anti-microbial enzymes production including iNOS and β-defensins in mouse lungs. Moreover, IL-1β and TLR2 expression were significantly down-regulated, while the production of IFN-γ and TNF-α was up-regulated. These findings indicated the diversity of host immune responses induced by different strains of M.smegmatis, suggesting that MSMEG_6281 inactivation impact mycobacterial virulence. In conclusion, the MSMEG_6281 protein plays important roles in maintaining cell wall integrity and mycobacterial virulence.

Binding of NADP+ triggers an open-to-closed transition in a mycobacterial FabG β-ketoacyl-ACP reductase.

The ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase FabG catalyzes the NADPH/NADH dependent reduction of β-ketoacyl-ACP substrates to β-hydroxyacyl-ACP products, the first reductive step in the fatty acid biosynthesis elongation cycle. FabG proteins are ubiquitous in bacteria and are part of the type II fatty acid synthase system. Mining the Mycobacterium smegmatis genome uncovered several putative FabG-like proteins. Among them, we identified M. smegmatis MSMEG_6753 whose gene was found adjacent to MSMEG_6754, encoding a recently characterized enoyl-CoA dehydratase, and to MSMEG_6755, encoding another potential reductase. Recombinantly expressed and purified MSMEG_6753 exhibits ketoacyl reductase activity in the presence of acetoacetyl-CoA and NADPH. This activity was subsequently confirmed by functional complementation studies in a fabG thermosensitive Escherichia coli mutant. Furthermore, comparison of the apo and the NADP+-bound MSMEG_6753 crystal structures showed that cofactor binding induces a closed conformation of the protein. A ΔMSMEG_6753 deletion mutant could be generated in M. smegmatis, indicating that this gene is dispensable for mycobacterial growth. Overall, these results showcase the diversity of FabG-like proteins in mycobacteria and new structural features regarding the catalytic mechanism of this important family of enzymes that may be of importance for the rational design of specific FabG inhibitors.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv0431 expressed in Mycobacterium smegmatis, a potentially mannosylated protein, mediated the immune evasion of RAW 264.7 macrophages

Tuberculosis remains a global major problem. The immune responses of host against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) are complicated. M. tuberculosis lives mainly within host cells, usually macrophages which constitute the first line of host defense. Mycobacterial proteins, especially cell wall-associated proteins, interact with macrophages of host to regulate the functions and cytokine production. Recent studies indicate that glycoproteins are involved in this process. Here, we investigated the function of Rv0431, a cell wall-associated protein in the M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain. Rv0431 protein was heterologously overexpressed in the fast-growing and nonpathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. smegmatis). Binding assay to concanavalin A (ConA) lectin was performed and the result indicated that Rv0431 protein was a potentially mannosylated protein. M. smegmatis MSMEG_5447 gene encoding a polyprenol-phosphate-mannose-protein mannosyl-transferase (PMT) which catalyzes the O-mannosylation of protein was knocked out. The Rv0431 protein overexpressed in MSMEG_5447 gene knockout stain, ΔM5447, lost its reactivity to ConA, providing evidence that Rv0431 was likely O-mannosylated. M. smegmatis overexpressed Rv0431 evaded the killing of RAW264.7 macrophages and altered the cytokine production of macrophages compared to M. smegmatis carrying empty vector. These results suggested that Rv0431, a probably mannosylated protein might promote the evasion of immune responses during mycobacterial infection.

Functional identification of MSMEG_6402 protein from Mycobacterium smegmatis in decaprenylphosphoryl-D-arabinose biosynthesis

The arabinogalactan (AG) of the mycobacterial cell wall consists of an arabinan region, a galactan region and a disaccharide linker. Decaprenylphosphoryl-D-arabinose (DPA) is the donor for arabinofuran residues, which are formed from phosphoribose diphosphate (PRPP) and decaprenyl phosphate (DP). DP is sequentially catalyzed by a three-step process that involves a transferase, a phosphatase and an epimerase. Rv3807c is a putative phospholipid phosphatase that might generate the intermediate product of decaprenyl-phosphoryl-ribose (DPR) in DPA biosynthesis. Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_6402 is a homolog gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3807c and was substituted for the functional identification of Rv3807c. Previously, we generated a conditional MSMEG_6402 gene knockout strain (M. sm-ΔM_6402) that exhibited significantly affected cell wall structure. To understand the function of MSMEG_6402 in DPA biosynthesis, this gene was amplified and expressed, and the resulting protein was identified and purified using a His-tagged approach. A MSMEG_6402 enzymatic reaction system with PRPP and DP as substrates was utilized, and the reaction products were separated using thin layer chromatography (TLC). The results revealed a specific lipid-linked sugar band that appeared in the reaction with the addition of MSMEG_6402. Furthermore, ESI-MS detection was utilized in this study, and the results revealed that the enzymatic reaction products involving MSMEG_6402 included DPPR and a sodium ion adduct of DPR. Additionally, the phosphatase activity of MSMEG_6402 was also determined through phosphate group detection using the colorimetric method. Based on our results together with the results of previous studies, including the functional identification and bioinformatics analysis of M. tuberculosis Rv3807c, we propose that MSMEG_6402, as a phosphatase, has an intimate relationship with DPA biosynthesis.

Functional analysis of serine acetyltransferase from Mycobacterium smegmatis

Serine acetyltransferase (CysE) is involved in L-cysteine biosynthesis in Mycobacterium, and it is important for the self-defense mechanism of the bacteria. Mycobacterium tuberculosis CysE (Rv2335) has been identified as a serine acetyltransferase, and it is orthologous to Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_5947. In this study, the MSMEG_5947 gene was cloned, expressed, and identified as a serine acetyltransferase. To investigate the function of M. smegmatis CysE, a MSMEG_5947 knockout mutant strain (M. sm-ΔM_5947) was generated through homologous recombination. The growth and morphological characteristics of this strain were studied using growth curves and electron microscopy, respectively. M. sm-ΔM_5947 grew slower than M. smegmatis mc(2) 155. Electron microscopy revealed that the lack of the M. smegmatis CysE protein caused drastic morphological changes. Therefore, deletion of the serine acetyltransferase retards the growth of the Mycobacterium, but serine acetyltransferase expression is not essential for the survival of the bacteria.

The effect of MSMEG_6402 gene disruption on the cell wall structure of Mycobacterium smegmatis

Arabinogalactan (AG) of mycobacterial cell wall consists of arabinan region, galactan region and disaccharide linker. The arabinan is composed of d-arabinofuranose residues, and decaprenyphosphoryl- d-arabinose (DPA) is the donor of the d-arabinofuranose residues. DPA is formed from phosphoribose diphosphate (PRPP) in a four-step process catalyzed by transferase, phosphatase and epimerase, respectively. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3806c has been identified as PRPP: decaprenyl-phosphate 5-phosphoribosyltransferase，and heteromeric Rv3790/Rv3791 has epimerase activity. Rv3807c is putative phospholipid phosphatase. However, there is no direct biochemical evidence since expression of Rv3807c has been unsuccessful. Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_6402 is ortholog of Rv3807c. To investigate the function of MSMEG_6402 on AG biosynthesis, a conditional MSMEG_6402 gene knock out ( M. sm-Δ M_6402) strain was constructed through homologous recombination technique. The morphological and compositional changes of cell wall were examined in the M. sm-Δ M_6402 strain. The M. sm-Δ M_6402 strain grew at non-permissive temperature slower than that at permissive temperature, indicating that MSMEG_6402 is non-essential for growth of M. smegmatis. The change of cell shape and detectable bulging on the cell surface of M. sm-Δ M_6402 strain were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and curled as well as deformed cell wall of M. sm-Δ M_6402 strain was revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Analysis of sugar composition in the cell wall by HPLC indicated that the ratio of arabinofuran to galacto furan in M. sm-Δ M_6402 strain was changed to 1.7:1 comparing with 2:1 in the wild type. It demonstrates that the lacking MSMEG_6402 interferes the biosynthesis of arabinan. Analyzing 5′ P-DPR and DPR from both M. sm-Δ M_6402 strain and wild type M. smegmatis is undergoing in this lab.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv1302 and Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG___4947 have WecA function and MSMEG__4947 is required for the growth of M. smegmatis

The disaccharide d-N-acetylglucosamine-l-rhamnose plays an important role in the mycobacterial cell wall as a linker connecting arabinogalactan and peptidoglycan via a phosphodiester linkage. The first step of the disaccharide linker is the formation of decaprenyl phosphate-GlcNAc, which is catalyzed by GlcNAc-1-phosphate transferase. In Gram-negative bacteria, the wecA gene specifies the UDP-GlcNAc: undecaprenyl phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphate transferase (WecA), which catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide O-antigen. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv1302 and Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_4947 show homology to Escherichia coli WecA protein. We cloned Rv1302 and MSMEG_4947 and introduced plasmids pYJ-1 (carrying Rv1302) and pYJ-2 (carrying MSMEG_4947) into a wecA-defective strain of E. coli MV501, respectively. Lipopolysaccharide analysis demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide synthesis in MV501 (pYJ-1) and MV501 (pYJ-2) was restored upon complementation with Rv1302 and MSMEG_4947, respectively. This provides the first evidence that Rv1302 and MSMEG_4947 have the same function as E. coli WecA. We also generated an M. smegmatis MSMEG_4947 knockout mutant using a homologous recombination strategy. The disruption of MSMEG_4947 in the M. smegmatis genome resulted in the loss of viability at a nonpermissive temperature. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results showed that the lack of the MSMEG_4947 protein causes drastic morphological changes in M. smegmatis.