Ziveri, J. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2021

The Pentose Phosphate Pathway constitutes a major metabolic hub in pathogenic Francisella

Metabolic pathways are now considered as intrinsic virulence attributes of pathogenic bacteria and hence represent potential targets for anti-bacterial strategies. Here, we addressed the role of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and its connections with other metabolic pathways in the pathophysiology of Francisella novicida. The involvement of the PPP in Francisella intracellular life cycle was first demonstrated with the study of PPP inactivation mutants. Indeed, inactivation of tktA, rpiA or rpe genes, severely impaired intramacrophagic multiplication during the first 24 hours. Time-lapse video microscopy demonstrated that rpiA and rpe mutants were able to resume late intracellular bacterial multiplication. To get further insight into the links between the PPP and other metabolic networks of the bacterium, we next performed a thorough proteo-metabolomic analysis of these mutants. We show that the PPP constitutes a major bacterial metabolic hub with multiple connections with glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle and other pathways, such as fatty acid degradation and sulfur metabolism. Hence, our study highlights how the PPP is instrumental to Francisella pathogenesis and growth in its intracellular niche.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Transketolase is involved in the control of Sigma B during chronic infection by Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of both acute and chronic infections in humans. The importance of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) during S. aureus infection is currently largely unexplored. Here, we focused on one key PPP enzyme, transketolase. We showed that inactivation of the unique gene encoding transketolase activity in S. aureus USA300 ({triangleup}tkt) led to drastic metabolomic changes. Using time-lapse video imaging and mice infection, we observed a major defect of the {triangleup}tkt strain compared to wild-type strain in early intracellular proliferation and in the ability to colonise kidneys. Transcriptional activity of the two master regulators Sigma B and RpiRc was drastically reduced in the {triangleup}tkt mutant during host cells invasion. The concomitant increased RNAIII transcription, suggests that TKT-or a functional PPP-strongly influences the ability of S. aureus to proliferate within host cells by modulating key transcriptional regulators.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2018

Phosphorylation of the Type VI secretion system sheath controls Francisella virulence

Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes the zoonotic disease tularemia in human and animal hosts. This bacterium possesses a non-canonical type VI secretion systems (T6SS) required for phagosomal escape and access to its replicative niche in the cytosol of infected macrophages. KCl stimulation has been previously used to trigger assembly and secretion of the Francisella T6SS in culture. We found that the amounts of essentially all the TSS6 proteins remained unchanged upon KCl stimulation. We therefore hypothesized that a post-translational modification might be involved in T6SS assembly. A whole cell phosphoproteomic analysis allowed us to identify a unique phosphorylation site on IglB, the TssC homologue and key component of the T6SS sheath. Importantly, the phosphorylated form of IglB was not present in the contracted sheath and 3D modeling indicated that the charge repulsion provoked by addition of a phosphogroup on tyrosine 139 was likely to weaken the stability of the sheath structure. Substitutions of the phosphorylatable residue of IglB (tyrosine 139) with alanine or with phosphomimetics prevented T6SS formation and totally impaired phagosomal escape. In contrast, the substitution with the non-phosphorylatable aromatic analog phenylalanine impaired but did not prevent phagosomal escape and cytosolic bacterial multiplication in J774-1 macrophages. Altogether these data suggest that phosphorylation of the sheath participates to T6SS disassembly. Post-translational modifications of the sheath may represent a previously unrecognized mechanism to finely modulate the dynamics of T6SS assembly-disassembly. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD012507. SynopsisFrancisella possesses a non-canonical T6SS that is essential for efficient phagosomal escape and access to the cytosol of infected macrophages. KCl stimulation has been previously used to trigger assembly and secretion of the Francisella T6SS in culture. We found that KCl stimulation did not result in an increased production of TSS6 proteins. We therefore hypothesized that a post-translational modification might be involved in T6SS assembly. Using a global and site-specific phosphoproteomic analysis of Francisella we identified a unique phosphorylation site on IglB, the TssC homologue and a key component of the T6SS contractile sheath. We show that this site plays a critical role in T6SS biogenesis and propose that phosphorylation may represent a new mechanism affecting the dynamics of sheath formation.

microbiology↗