Characterization of a regulatory network of peptide antibiotic detoxification modules in Lactobacillus casei BL23

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Ainhoa Revilla-Guarinos - , Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Paterna, Universidad Europea de Valencia (Author)
  • Susanne Gebhard - (Author)
  • Cristina Alcántara - (Author)
  • Anna Staron - (Author)
  • Thorsten Mascher - , Chair of General Microbiology (Author)
  • Manuel Zúñiga - (Author)

Abstract

Two-component systems (TCS) are major signal transduction pathways that allow bacteria to detect and respond to environmental and intracellular changes. A group of TCS has been shown to be involved in the response against antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). These TCS are characterized by the possession of intramembrane-sensing histidine kinases, and they are usually associated with ABC transporters of the peptide-7 exporter family (Pep7E). Lactobacillus casei BL23 encodes two TCS belonging to this group (TCS09 and TCS12) that are located next to two ABC transporters (ABC09 and ABC12), as well as a third Pep7E ABC transporter not genetically associated with any TCS (orphan ABC). This study addressed the involvement of modules TCS09/ABC09 and TCS12/ABC12 in AMP resistance. Results showed that both systems contribute to L. casei resistance to AMPs, and that each TCS constitutes a functional unit with its corresponding ABC transporter. Analysis of transcriptional levels showed that module 09 is required for the induction of ABC09 expression in response to nisin. In contrast, module 12 controls a wider regulon that encompasses the orphan ABC, the dlt operon (d-alanylation of teichoid acids), and the mprF gene (l-lysinylation of phospholipids), thereby controlling properties of the cell envelope. Furthermore, the characterization of a dltA mutant showed that Dlt plays a major role in AMP resistance in L. casei. This is the first report on the regulation of the response of L. casei to AMPs, giving insight into its ability to adapt to the challenging environments that it encounters as a probiotic microorganism.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3160-3170
Number of pages11
JournalApplied and environmental microbiology
Volume79
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - May 2013
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC3685250
Scopus 84877127954

Keywords

Keywords

  • Adaptation, Physiological, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides/pharmacology, Bacitracin/pharmacology, Bacterial Proteins/genetics, Binding Sites, Consensus Sequence, Drug Resistance, Bacterial, Escherichia coli/genetics, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Genetic Pleiotropy, Genome, Bacterial, Lactobacillus casei/drug effects, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Nisin/pharmacology, Operon, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Regulon, Species Specificity, Transcription, Genetic

Library keywords