Browsing by Subject "Bacteria"
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Item A gut-derived metabolite alters brain activity and anxiety behaviour in mice(Springer Nature, 2022) Needham, Brittany D.; Funabashi, Masanori; Adame, Mark D.; Wang, Zhuo; Boktor, Joseph C.; Haney, Jillian; Wu, Wei-Li; Rabut, Claire; Ladinsky, Mark S.; Hwang, Son-Jong; Guo, Yumei; Zhu, Qiyun; Griffiths, Jessica A.; Knight, Rob; Bjorkman, Pamela J.; Shapiro, Mikhail G.; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Holschneider, Daniel P.; Fischbach, Michael A.; Mazmanian, Sarkis K.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of MedicineIntegration of sensory and molecular inputs from the environment shapes animal behaviour. A major site of exposure to environmental molecules is the gastrointestinal tract, in which dietary components are chemically transformed by the microbiota1 and gut-derived metabolites are disseminated to all organs, including the brain2. In mice, the gut microbiota impacts behaviour3, modulates neurotransmitter production in the gut and brain4,5, and influences brain development and myelination patterns6,7. The mechanisms that mediate the gut-brain interactions remain poorly defined, although they broadly involve humoral or neuronal connections. We previously reported that the levels of the microbial metabolite 4-ethylphenyl sulfate (4EPS) were increased in a mouse model of atypical neurodevelopment8. Here we identified biosynthetic genes from the gut microbiome that mediate the conversion of dietary tyrosine to 4-ethylphenol (4EP), and bioengineered gut bacteria to selectively produce 4EPS in mice. 4EPS entered the brain and was associated with changes in region-specific activity and functional connectivity. Gene expression signatures revealed altered oligodendrocyte function in the brain, and 4EPS impaired oligodendrocyte maturation in mice and decreased oligodendrocyte-neuron interactions in ex vivo brain cultures. Mice colonized with 4EP-producing bacteria exhibited reduced myelination of neuronal axons. Altered myelination dynamics in the brain have been associated with behavioural outcomes7,9-14. Accordingly, we observed that mice exposed to 4EPS displayed anxiety-like behaviours, and pharmacological treatments that promote oligodendrocyte differentiation prevented the behavioural effects of 4EPS. These findings reveal that a gut-derived molecule influences complex behaviours in mice through effects on oligodendrocyte function and myelin patterning in the brain.Item Antibiotic Discovery Targeting Bacterial GroEL/GroES Chaperonin Systems(2018-07-29) Kunkle, Trent A.; Johnson, Steven M.; Georgiadis, Millie M.; Hoang, Quyen Q.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organizations (WHO) have highlighted six species of highly drug-resistant bacteria, commonly termed the ESKAPE pathogens, that new antibacterials are urgently needed to treat). The ESKAPE pathogens account for over two-million infections and have healthcare costs upwards of $20 billion dollars annually. Over the past several decades, pharmaceutical companies have drastically reduced their research programs for developing new antibacterial agents. As well, bacteria are predisposed to rapidly generate resistance against these “me too” drugs, making this strategy a temporary stop-gap in our ability to fight these pathogens. This has left the burden to identify new antibiotics that function through fundamentally unique mechanisms of action to academia. Towards this goal, we are developing a unique antibacterial strategy that functions through targeting the bacterial GroEL chaperonin systems. GroEL is a molecular chaperone that helps fold proteins into their functional states. Being an essential protein, inhibiting GroEL activity leads to global aggregation and bacterial cell death. We previously reported a high-throughput screening effort that identified 235 GroEL inhibitors. A subsequent study with a subset of these inhibitors identified several that kill bacteria. To follow-up, we have synthesized 43 analogs of a hit-to-lead molecule, compound 1, containing systematic deletions of substituents and substructures to determine the essential parts of the scaffold for inhibiting GroEL and killing bacteria. Along with inhibiting GroEL, several compound 1 analogs exhibit >50-fold therapeutic windows between antibacterial efficacy and cytotoxicity to human liver and kidney cells in cell culture. Evaluation of two lead candidates (1 and 11) in a gain-of-resistance assay indicated that MRSA bacteria were not able to easily generate resistance to this compound class. Compound 1 also exhibited the ability to permeate through already established S. aureus biofilms and maintain its bactericidal effects, whereas vancomycin could not. Having established initial structure-activity relationships for the compound 1 substituents and substructures in this study, future efforts will focus on optimizing the antibacterial effects of lead candidates and reducing their off-target toxicity to human cells.Item Antimicrobial Effects of Novel Triple Antibiotic Paste-Mimic Scaffolds on Actinomyces naeslundii Biofilm(Elsevier, 2015-08) Albuquerque, Maria T.P.; Ryan, Stuart J.; Münchow, Eliseu A.; Kamocka, Maria M.; Gregory, Richard L.; Valera, Marcia C.; Bottino, Marco C.; Department of Medicine, IU School of MedicineINTRODUCTION: Actinomyces naeslundii has been recovered from traumatized permanent teeth diagnosed with necrotic pulps. In this work, a triple antibiotic paste (TAP)-mimic scaffold is proposed as a drug-delivery strategy to eliminate A. naeslundii dentin biofilm. METHODS: Metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and minocycline were added to a polydioxanone (PDS) polymer solution and spun into fibrous scaffolds. Fiber morphology, mechanical properties, and drug release were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy, microtensile testing, and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Human dentin specimens (4 × 4 × 1 mm(3), n = 4/group) were inoculated with A. naeslundii (ATCC 43146) for 7 days for biofilm formation. The infected dentin specimens were exposed to TAP-mimic scaffolds, TAP solution (positive control), and pure PDS (drug-free scaffold). Dentin infected (7-day biofilm) specimens were used for comparison (negative control). Confocal laser scanning microscopy was done to determine bacterial viability. RESULTS: Scaffolds displayed a submicron mean fiber diameter (PDS = 689 ± 312 nm and TAP-mimic = 718 ± 125 nm). Overall, TAP-mimic scaffolds showed significantly (P ≤ .040) lower mechanical properties than PDS. Within the first 24 hours, a burst release for all drugs was seen. A sustained maintenance of metronidazole and ciprofloxacin was observed over 4 weeks, but not for minocycline. Confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated complete elimination of all viable bacteria exposed to the TAP solution. Meanwhile, TAP-mimic scaffolds led to a significant (P < .05) reduction in the percentage of viable bacteria compared with the negative control and PDS. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that TAP-mimic scaffolds hold significant potential in the eradication/elimination of bacterial biofilm, a critical step in regenerative endodontics.Item Antimicrobial Efficacy of Triple Antibiotic-Eluting Polymer Nanofibers against Multispecies Biofilm(Elsevier, 2017-09) Albuquerque, Maria T.P.; Nagata, Juliana; Bottino, Marco C.; Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care, School of DentistryThe elimination of microbial flora in cases of immature permanent teeth with necrotic pulp is both key and a challenging goal for the long-term success of regenerative therapy. Recent research has focused on the development of cell-friendly intracanal drug delivery systems. This in vitro study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial action of 3-dimensional (3D) tubular-shaped triple antibiotic-eluting nanofibrous constructs against a multispecies biofilm on human dentin. Polydioxanone polymer solutions, antibiotic-free or incorporated with metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and minocycline, were electrospun into 3D tubular-shaped constructs. A multispecies biofilm consisting of Actinomyces naeslundii, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Enterococcus faecalis was forced inside the dentinal tubules via centrifugation in a dentin slice in vitro model. The infected specimens were exposed to 2 experimental groups (ie, 3D tubular-shaped triple antibiotic-eluting constructs and triple antibiotic paste [TAP]) and 2 control groups (7-day biofilm untreated and antibiotic-free 3D tubular-shaped constructs). Biofilm elimination was quantitatively analyzed with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Confocal laser scanning microscopic (CLSM) analysis showed a dense population of viable (green) bacteria adhered to dentin and penetrated into the dentinal tubules. Upon 3D tubular-shaped triple antibiotic-eluting nanofibrous construct exposure, nearly complete elimination of viable bacteria on the dentin surface and inside the dentinal tubules was shown in the CLSM images, which was similar (P < .05) to the bacterial death promoted by the TAP group but significantly greater when compared with both the antibiotic-free 3D tubular-shaped constructs and the control (saline). The proposed 3D tubular-shaped antibiotic-eluting construct showed pronounced antimicrobial effects against the multispecies biofilm tested and therefore holds significant clinical potential as a disinfection strategy before regenerative endodontics.Item Association of Host and Microbial Species Diversity across Spatial Scales in Desert Rodent Communities(PLOS (Public Library of Science), 2014-10-24) Gavish, Yoni; Kedem, Hadar; Messika, Irit; Cohen, Carmit; Toh, Evelyn; Munro, Daniel; Dong, Qunfeng; Fuqua, Clay; Clay, Keith; Hawlena, Hadas; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of MedicineRelationships between host and microbial diversity have important ecological and applied implications. Theory predicts that these relationships will depend on the spatio-temporal scale of the analysis and the niche breadth of the organisms in question, but representative data on host-microbial community assemblage in nature is lacking. We employed a natural gradient of rodent species richness and quantified bacterial communities in rodent blood at several hierarchical spatial scales to test the hypothesis that associations between host and microbial species diversity will be positive in communities dominated by organisms with broad niches sampled at large scales. Following pyrosequencing of rodent blood samples, bacterial communities were found to be comprised primarily of broad niche lineages. These communities exhibited positive correlations between host diversity, microbial diversity and the likelihood for rare pathogens at the regional scale but not at finer scales. These findings demonstrate how microbial diversity is affected by host diversity at different spatial scales and suggest that the relationships between host diversity and overall disease risk are not always negative, as the dilution hypothesis predicts.Item Bacteria in Milk(Indiana State Board of Health, 1924-02)Illustration of the increase of bacteria in milk when not kept under proper conditionsItem Bile reflux alters the profile of the gastric mucosa microbiota(Frontiers Media, 2022-09-09) Huang, Gang; Wang, Sui; Wang, Juexin; Tian, Lin; Yu, Yanbo; Zuo, Xiuli; Li, Yanqing; Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of MedicineBackground: Bile reflux can cause inflammation, gastric mucosa atrophy, and diseases such as stomach cancer. Alkaline bile flowing back into the stomach affects the intragastric environment and can alter the gastric bacterial community. We sought to identify the characteristics of the stomach mucosal microbiota in patients with bile reflux. Methods: Gastric mucosal samples were collected from 52 and 40 chronic gastritis patients with and without bile reflux, respectively. The bacterial profile was determined using 16S rRNA gene analysis. Results: In the absence of H. pylori infection, the richness (based on the Sobs and Chao1 indices; P <0.05) and diversity (based on Shannon indices; P <0.05) of gastric mucosa microbiota were higher in patients with bile reflux patients than in those without. There was a marked difference in the microbiota structure between patients with and without bile reflux (ANOSIM, R=0.058, P=0.011). While the genera, Comamonas, Halomonas, Bradymonas, Pseudomonas, Marinobacter, Arthrobacter, and Shewanella were enriched in patients with bile reflux, the genera, Haemophilus, Porphyromonas, and Subdoligranulum, were enriched in those without bile reflux. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that bile reflux significantly alters the composition of the gastric microbiota.Item Biofilm Management in Wound Care(Wolters Kluwer, 2021) Sen, Chandan K.; Roy, Sashwati; Mathew-Steiner, Shomita S.; Gordillo, Gayle M.; Surgery, School of MedicineLearning objectives: After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Understand the basics of biofilm infection and be able to distinguish between planktonic and biofilm modes of growth. 2. Have a working knowledge of conventional and emerging antibiofilm therapies and their modes of action as they pertain to wound care. 3. Understand the challenges associated with testing and marketing antibiofilm strategies and the context within which these strategies may have effective value. Summary: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate for human infectious diseases caused by bacteria with a biofilm phenotype is 65 percent and the National Institutes of Health estimate is closer to 80 percent. Biofilms are hostile microbial aggregates because, within their polymeric matrix cocoons, they are protected from antimicrobial therapy and attack from host defenses. Biofilm-infected wounds, even when closed, show functional deficits such as deficient extracellular matrix and impaired barrier function, which are likely to cause wound recidivism. The management of invasive wound infection often includes systemic antimicrobial therapy in combination with débridement of wounds to a healthy tissue bed as determined by the surgeon who has no way of visualizing the biofilm. The exceedingly high incidence of false-negative cultures for bacteria in a biofilm state leads to missed diagnoses of wound infection. The use of topical and parenteral antimicrobial therapy without wound débridement have had limited impact on decreasing biofilm infection, which remains a major problem in wound care. Current claims to manage wound biofilm infection rest on limited early-stage data. In most cases, such data originate from limited experimental systems that lack host immune defense. In making decisions on the choice of commercial products to manage wound biofilm infection, it is important to critically appreciate the mechanism of action and significance of the relevant experimental system. In this work, the authors critically review different categories of antibiofilm products, with emphasis on their strengths and limitations as evident from the published literature.Item Characterization of Vaginal Microbial Community Dynamics in the Pathogenesis of Incident Bacterial Vaginosis, a Pilot Study(Wolters Kluwer, 2023) Elnaggar, Jacob H.; Lammons, John W.; Taylor, Christopher M.; Toh, Evelyn; Ardizzone, Caleb M.; Dong, Amy; Aaron, Kristal J.; Luo, Meng; Tamhane, Ashutosh; Lefkowitz, Elliot J.; Quayle, Alison J.; Nelson, David E.; Muzny, Christina A.; Microbiology and Immunology, School of MedicineBackground: Despite more than 60 years of research, the etiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) remains controversial. In this pilot study, we used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize vaginal microbial community changes before the development of incident BV (iBV). Methods: A cohort of African American women with a baseline healthy vaginal microbiome (no Amsel criteria, Nugent score 0-3 with no Gardnerella vaginalis morphotypes) were followed for 90 days with daily self-collected vaginal specimens for iBV (≥2 consecutive days of a Nugent score of 7-10). Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on select vaginal specimens from 4 women, every other day for 12 days before iBV diagnosis. Sequencing data were analyzed through Kraken2 and bioBakery 3 workflows, and specimens were classified into community state types. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to compare the correlation of read counts with bacterial abundance. Results: Common BV-associated bacteria such as G. vaginalis , Prevotella bivia , and Fannyhessea vaginae were increasingly identified in the participants before iBV. Linear modeling indicated significant increases in G. vaginalis and F . vaginae relative abundance before iBV, whereas the relative abundance of Lactobacillus species declined over time. The Lactobacillus species decline correlated with the presence of Lactobacillus phages. We observed enrichment in bacterial adhesion factor genes on days before iBV. There were also significant correlations between bacterial read counts and abundances measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Conclusions: This pilot study characterizes vaginal community dynamics before iBV and identifies key bacterial taxa and mechanisms potentially involved in the pathogenesis of iBV.Item DescribePROT: database of amino acid-level protein structure and function predictions(Oxford University Press, 2021-01-08) Zhao, Bi; Katuwawala, Akila; Oldfield, Christopher J.; Dunker, A. Keith; Faraggi, Eshel; Gsponer, Jörg; Kloczkowski, Andrzej; Malhis, Nawar; Mirdita, Milot; Obradovic, Zoran; Söding, Johannes; Steinegger, Martin; Zhou, Yaoqi; Kurgan, Lukasz; Medicine, School of MedicineWe present DescribePROT, the database of predicted amino acid-level descriptors of structure and function of proteins. DescribePROT delivers a comprehensive collection of 13 complementary descriptors predicted using 10 popular and accurate algorithms for 83 complete proteomes that cover key model organisms. The current version includes 7.8 billion predictions for close to 600 million amino acids in 1.4 million proteins. The descriptors encompass sequence conservation, position specific scoring matrix, secondary structure, solvent accessibility, intrinsic disorder, disordered linkers, signal peptides, MoRFs and interactions with proteins, DNA and RNAs. Users can search DescribePROT by the amino acid sequence and the UniProt accession number and entry name. The pre-computed results are made available instantaneously. The predictions can be accesses via an interactive graphical interface that allows simultaneous analysis of multiple descriptors and can be also downloaded in structured formats at the protein, proteome and whole database scale. The putative annotations included by DescriPROT are useful for a broad range of studies, including: investigations of protein function, applied projects focusing on therapeutics and diseases, and in the development of predictors for other protein sequence descriptors. Future releases will expand the coverage of DescribePROT. DescribePROT can be accessed at http://biomine.cs.vcu.edu/servers/DESCRIBEPROT/.