ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88

Abstract Background The neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) strain S88 carries a ColV plasmid named pS88 which is involved in meningeal virulence. Transcriptional analysis of pS88 in human serum revealed a strong upregulation of an ORF of unknown function: shiF, which is adjacent to the operon encodi...

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Main Authors: Mathieu Genuini, Philippe Bidet, Jean-François Benoist, Dimitri Schlemmer, Chloé Lemaitre, André Birgy, Stéphane Bonacorsi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019-12-01
Series:BMC Microbiology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-019-1677-2
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author Mathieu Genuini
Philippe Bidet
Jean-François Benoist
Dimitri Schlemmer
Chloé Lemaitre
André Birgy
Stéphane Bonacorsi
author_facet Mathieu Genuini
Philippe Bidet
Jean-François Benoist
Dimitri Schlemmer
Chloé Lemaitre
André Birgy
Stéphane Bonacorsi
author_sort Mathieu Genuini
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) strain S88 carries a ColV plasmid named pS88 which is involved in meningeal virulence. Transcriptional analysis of pS88 in human serum revealed a strong upregulation of an ORF of unknown function: shiF, which is adjacent to the operon encoding the siderophore aerobactin. The aim of this work is to investigate the role of shiF in aerobactin production in strain S88. Results Study of the prevalence of shiF and aerobactin operon in a collection of 100 extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli strains (ExPEC) and 50 whole genome-sequenced E. coli strains revealed the colocalization of these two genes for 98% of the aerobactin positive strains. We used Datsenko and Wanner’s method to delete shiF in two S88 mutants. A cross-feeding assay showed that these mutants were able to excrete aerobactin meaning that shiF is dispensable for aerobactin excretion. Our growth assays revealed that the shiF-deleted mutants grew significantly slower than the wild-type strain S88 in iron-depleted medium with a decrease of maximum growth rates of 23 and 28% (p < 0.05). Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, we identified and quantified siderophores in the supernatants of S88 and its shiF deleted mutants after growth in iron-depleted medium and found that these mutants secreted significantly less aerobactin than S88 (− 52% and - 49%, p < 0.001). Conclusions ShiF is physically and functionally linked to aerobactin. It provides an advantage to E. coli S88 under iron-limiting conditions by increasing aerobactin secretion and may thus act as an auxiliary virulence factor.
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spelling doaj.art-cccc7fa8cd9f4d38a5b7bb703b794ae42022-12-21T23:20:28ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802019-12-011911810.1186/s12866-019-1677-2ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88Mathieu Genuini0Philippe Bidet1Jean-François Benoist2Dimitri Schlemmer3Chloé Lemaitre4André Birgy5Stéphane Bonacorsi6University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IAMEUniversity Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IAMEService de Biochimie-Hormonologie, AP-HP Hôpital Robert DebréService de Biochimie-Hormonologie, AP-HP Hôpital Robert DebréUniversity Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IAMEUniversity Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IAMEUniversity Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, IAMEAbstract Background The neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) strain S88 carries a ColV plasmid named pS88 which is involved in meningeal virulence. Transcriptional analysis of pS88 in human serum revealed a strong upregulation of an ORF of unknown function: shiF, which is adjacent to the operon encoding the siderophore aerobactin. The aim of this work is to investigate the role of shiF in aerobactin production in strain S88. Results Study of the prevalence of shiF and aerobactin operon in a collection of 100 extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli strains (ExPEC) and 50 whole genome-sequenced E. coli strains revealed the colocalization of these two genes for 98% of the aerobactin positive strains. We used Datsenko and Wanner’s method to delete shiF in two S88 mutants. A cross-feeding assay showed that these mutants were able to excrete aerobactin meaning that shiF is dispensable for aerobactin excretion. Our growth assays revealed that the shiF-deleted mutants grew significantly slower than the wild-type strain S88 in iron-depleted medium with a decrease of maximum growth rates of 23 and 28% (p < 0.05). Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, we identified and quantified siderophores in the supernatants of S88 and its shiF deleted mutants after growth in iron-depleted medium and found that these mutants secreted significantly less aerobactin than S88 (− 52% and - 49%, p < 0.001). Conclusions ShiF is physically and functionally linked to aerobactin. It provides an advantage to E. coli S88 under iron-limiting conditions by increasing aerobactin secretion and may thus act as an auxiliary virulence factor.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-019-1677-2Escherichia coliSiderophoreAerobactinShiF
spellingShingle Mathieu Genuini
Philippe Bidet
Jean-François Benoist
Dimitri Schlemmer
Chloé Lemaitre
André Birgy
Stéphane Bonacorsi
ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88
BMC Microbiology
Escherichia coli
Siderophore
Aerobactin
ShiF
title ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88
title_full ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88
title_fullStr ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88
title_full_unstemmed ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88
title_short ShiF acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis Escherichia coli strain S88
title_sort shif acts as an auxiliary factor of aerobactin secretion in meningitis escherichia coli strain s88
topic Escherichia coli
Siderophore
Aerobactin
ShiF
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-019-1677-2
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