BACKGROUND: Rickettsialpox is a febrile illness caused by the mite-borne pathogen Rickettsia akari. Several cases of this disease are reported worldwide annually. Nevertheless, the relationship between the immunogenicity of R. akari and disease development is still poorly understood. Thus, misdiagnosis is frequent. Our study is aiming to identify immunogenic proteins that may improve disease recognition and enhance subsequent treatment. To achieve this goal, two proteomics methodologies were applied, followed by immunoblot confirmation. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixteen unique proteins were identified in the whole-cell extract of R. akari. The most represented protein groups were found to be those involved in translation, post-translational modifications, energy production, and cell wall development. A significant number of proteins belonged to amino acid transport and intracellular trafficking. Also, some proteins affecting the virulence were detected. In silico analysis of membrane enriched proteins revealed 25 putative outer membrane proteins containing beta-barrel structure and 11 proteins having a secretion signal peptide sequence. Using rabbit and human sera, various immunoreactive proteins were identified from which the 44 kDa uncharacterized protein (A8GP63) has demonstrated a unique detection capability. It positively distinguished the sera of patients with Rickettsialpox from other rickettsiae positive human sera. CONCLUSION: Our proteomic analysis certainly contributed to the lack of knowledge of R. akari pathogenesis. The result obtained may also serve as a guideline for a more accurate diagnosis of rickettsial diseases. The identified 44 kDa uncharacterized protein can be certainly used as a unique marker of rickettsialpox or as a target molecule for the development of more effective treatment.
- Klíčová slova
- Outer membrane proteins, Proteome, Rickettsia akari, Rickettsialpox, Surface-exposed proteins,
- MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
- králíci MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- molekulární modely MeSH
- molekulová hmotnost MeSH
- proteiny vnější bakteriální membrány chemie imunologie metabolismus MeSH
- proteomika metody MeSH
- protilátky bakteriální krev MeSH
- Rickettsia akari imunologie izolace a purifikace metabolismus MeSH
- sekundární struktura proteinů MeSH
- skvrnité horečky diagnóza imunologie MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- králíci MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- proteiny vnější bakteriální membrány MeSH
- protilátky bakteriální MeSH
Antibiotic resistance is a global threat with a top concern in healthcare. Doxycycline is an antibiotic highly permeable to cell membrane used for treating a broad variety of bacteria, including Coxiella burnetii. This intracellular pathogen is the causative agent of Q fever, a re-emerging zoonosis found worldwide. Hence, C. burnetii has a considerable impact on the farming industry and public health, it is essential to explore its antibiotic adaptation/tolerance strategy to ensure effective therapy. Herein, we tracked changes in the bacterium induced by doxycycline exposure. Our proteomic analysis detected fifteen significantly altered proteins. Adjustments of some key proteins were verified by gene expression analysis. We also observed an increasing in hydrogen peroxide as a consequence of treatment, indicating deregulation of redox balance. Thus, our data suggests the reduction of protein synthesis to minimal levels, activation of the defense mechanism against oxidative stress and maintenance of cell envelope integrity as the key processes ensuring C. burnetii survival under doxycycline exposure. SIGNIFICANCE: Infection by intracellular microorganisms like C. burnetii requires long periods of treatment, thus antibiotic resistance development is a risk. In this report, 2-DE quantitative proteomics was used to identify changes in the proteome that occurs when C. burnetii is exposed to high concentrations of doxycycline. The identification of pathways impacted by doxycycline could be helpful to understand the mechanism of how C. burnetii is dealing with antibiotic stress.
- Klíčová slova
- Axenic medium, Cell envelope homeostasis, Coxiella burnetii, Doxycycline, Proteomics, ROS,
- MeSH
- bakteriální léková rezistence účinky léků MeSH
- Coxiella burnetii metabolismus MeSH
- doxycyklin farmakologie MeSH
- mikrobiální viabilita účinky léků MeSH
- proteomika MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- doxycyklin MeSH
BACKGROUND: Tick-borne rickettsial diseases are caused by pathogens acquired from hard ticks. In particular, Rickettsia slovaca, a zoonotic infectious bacterium causing tick-borne lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA), is transmitted by the vectors Dermacentor spp. that can be found all over Europe. Although recent studies point out the extreme complexity of bacteria-induced effects in these blood-feeding vectors, the knowledge of individual molecules involved in the preservation and transmission of the pathogen is still limited. System biology tools, including proteomics, may contribute greatly to the understanding of pathogen-tick-host interactions. METHODS: Herein, we performed a comparative proteomics study of the tick vector Dermacentor reticulatus that was experimentally infected with the endosymbiotic bacterium R. slovaca. Rickettsia-free ticks, collected in the southern region of Slovakia, were infected with the bacterium by a capillary tube-feeding system, and the dynamics of infection was assessed by quantitative PCR method after 5, 10, 15 and 27 days. RESULTS: At the stage of controlled proliferation (at 27 dpi), 33 (from 481 profiled) differentially abundant protein spots were detected on a two-dimensional gel. From the aforementioned protein spots, 21 were successfully identified by tandem mass spectrometry. CONCLUSIONS: Although a few discovered proteins were described as having structural or housekeeping functions, the vast majority of the affected proteins were suggested to be essential for tick attachment and feeding on the host, host immune system evasion and defensive response modulation to ensure successful pathogen transmission.
- Klíčová slova
- Bacterial transmission, Blood-feeding, Comparative proteomics, Immune modulation, Protective antigens, TIBOLA, Tick vector,
- MeSH
- Dermacentor genetika mikrobiologie MeSH
- DNA bakterií MeSH
- infekce přenášené vektorem MeSH
- nemoci přenášené klíšťaty mikrobiologie přenos MeSH
- polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- proteomika * MeSH
- Rickettsia genetika patogenita MeSH
- rickettsiové infekce přenos MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika MeSH
- Názvy látek
- DNA bakterií MeSH
Plum pox virus (PPV, family Potyviridae) is one of the most important viral pathogens of Prunus spp. causing considerable damage to stone-fruit industry worldwide. Among the PPV strains identified so far, only PPV-C, PPV-CR, and PPV-CV are able to infect cherries under natural conditions. Herein, we evaluated the pathogenic potential of two viral isolates in herbaceous host Nicotiana benthamiana. Significantly higher accumulation of PPV capsid protein in tobacco leaves infected with PPV-CR (RU-30sc isolate) was detected in contrast to PPV-C (BY-101 isolate). This result correlated well with the symptoms observed in the infected plants. To further explore the host response upon viral infection at the molecular level, a comprehensive proteomic profiling was performed. Using reverse-phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography followed by label-free mass spectrometry quantification, we identified 38 unique plant proteins as significantly altered due to the infection. Notably, the abundances of photosynthesis-related proteins, mainly from the Calvin-Benson cycle, were found more aggressively affected in plants infected with PPV-CR isolate than those of PPV-C. This observation was accompanied by a significant reduction in the amount of photosynthetic pigments extracted from the leaves of PPV-CR infected plants. Shifts in the abundance of proteins that are involved in stimulation of photosynthetic capacity, modification of amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolism may affect plant growth and initiate energy formation via gluconeogenesis in PPV infected N. benthamiana. Furthermore, we suggest that the higher accumulation of H2O2 in PPV-CR infected leaves plays a crucial role in plant defense and development by activating the glutathione synthesis.
- Klíčová slova
- LC−MS, antioxidants, compatible interaction, label-free quantification, photosynthesis, sharka, tobacco,
- MeSH
- chlorofyl biosyntéza MeSH
- chromatografie s reverzní fází MeSH
- energetický metabolismus genetika MeSH
- fotosyntéza genetika MeSH
- genotyp MeSH
- glutathion biosyntéza MeSH
- hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- interakce hostitele a patogenu genetika MeSH
- karotenoidy biosyntéza MeSH
- listy rostlin genetika metabolismus virologie MeSH
- nemoci rostlin genetika virologie MeSH
- oxidace-redukce MeSH
- peroxid vodíku metabolismus MeSH
- proteiny tepelného šoku klasifikace genetika metabolismus MeSH
- Prunus avium virologie MeSH
- regulace genové exprese u rostlin * MeSH
- rostlinné proteiny klasifikace genetika metabolismus MeSH
- slivoň švestka virologie MeSH
- tabák genetika metabolismus virologie MeSH
- virus šarky švestky klasifikace genetika růst a vývoj patogenita MeSH
- vysokoúčinná kapalinová chromatografie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- chlorofyl MeSH
- glutathion MeSH
- karotenoidy MeSH
- peroxid vodíku MeSH
- proteiny tepelného šoku MeSH
- rostlinné proteiny MeSH
Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) is the etiological agent of a Q fever-the re-emerging disease with considerable economic impact. Due to many similar symptoms with commonly occurring infections, its clinical diagnosis is very difficult. Thus, a strong effort should be taken to raise the awareness and develop a robust strategy for an accurate diagnosis. The identification of specific C. burnetii biomarkers could be valuable for a sensitive and selective diagnosis of the disease. Herein, we described a workflow to identify immunoreactive proteins of C. burnetii with a high confidence. It is based on immunocapturing of bacterial antigens by biofunctionalized magnetic microspheres, followed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) identification. We detected dozens of previously reported antigens and proposed 15 novel biomarkers, which specificity was confirmed by in silico epitope analysis. Among them, the cardiolipin synthetase participating in the synthesis of cardiolipin was recognized. This biomarker could play a critical role in the early management of acute Q fever and prevention of Q fever endocarditis.
- Klíčová slova
- Biofunctionalized magnetic beads, Biomarkers, Immunoreactive proteins, LC–MS/MS, Q fever, Serological proteome analysis (SERPA),
- MeSH
- antigeny bakteriální analýza krev imunologie MeSH
- bakteriální proteiny analýza krev imunologie MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
- Coxiella burnetii imunologie MeSH
- imobilizační protilátky krev chemie imunologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- proteomika MeSH
- protilátky bakteriální krev chemie imunologie MeSH
- Q-horečka krev diagnóza imunologie MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- antigeny bakteriální MeSH
- bakteriální proteiny MeSH
- imobilizační protilátky MeSH
- protilátky bakteriální MeSH
Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) is an emerging viral pathogen in cucurbit-growing areas wordwide. Infection causes significant yield losses in several species of the family Cucurbitaceae. To identify proteins potentially involved with resistance toward infection by the severe ZYMV-H isolate, two Cucurbita pepo cultivars (Zelena susceptible and Jaguar partially resistant) were analyzed using a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis-based proteomic approach. Initial symptoms on leaves (clearing veins) developed 6-7 days post-inoculation (dpi) in the susceptible C. pepo cv. Zelena. In contrast, similar symptoms appeared on the leaves of partially resistant C. pepo cv. Jaguar only after 15 dpi. This finding was confirmed by immune-blot analysis which showed higher levels of viral proteins at 6 dpi in the susceptible cultivar. Leaf proteome analyses revealed 28 and 31 spots differentially abundant between cultivars at 6 and 15 dpi, respectively. The variance early in infection can be attributed to a rapid activation of proteins involved with redox homeostasis in the partially resistant cultivar. Changes in the proteome of the susceptible cultivar are related to the cytoskeleton and photosynthesis.
