Construction of Escherichia coli Mutant with Decreased Endotoxic Activity by Modifying Lipid A Structure

Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and its derivatives are widely used for the production of recombinant proteins, but these purified proteins are always contaminated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS is recognized by the toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 2 complex of mammalian immune cells and leads to release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. It is a vital step to remove LPS from the proteins before use for therapeutic purpose. In this study, we constructed BL21 (DE3) ∆msbB28 ∆pagP38 mutant, which produces a penta-acylated LPS with reduced endotoxicity. The plasmids harboring pagL and/or lpxE were then introduced into this mutant to further modify the LPS. The new strain (S004) carrying plasmid pQK004 (pagL and lpxE) produced mono-phosphoryated tetra-acylated lipid A, which induces markedly less production of tumor necrosis factor-α in the RAW264.7 and IL-12 in the THP1, but still retains ability to produce recombinant proteins. This study provides a strategy to decrease endotoxic activity of recombinant proteins purified from E. coli BL21 backgrounds and a feasible approach to modify lipid A structure for alternative purposes such as mono-phosphoryl lipid A (MPL) as vaccine adjuvants.     

Construction and Characterization of an Escherichia coli Mutant Producing Kdo2-Lipid A

3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo)₂-lipid A is the conserved structure domain of lipopolysaccharide found in most Gram-negative bacteria, and it is believed to stimulate the innate immune system through the TLR4/MD2 complex. Therefore, Kdo₂-lipid A is an important stimulator for studying the mechanism of the innate immune system and for developing bacterial vaccine adjuvants. Kdo₂-lipid A has not been chemically synthesized to date and could only be isolated from an Escherichia coli mutant strain, WBB06. WBB06 cells grow slowly and have to grow in the presence of tetracycline. In this study, a novel E. coli mutant strain, WJW00, that could synthesize Kdo₂-lipid A was constructed by deleting the rfaD gene from the genome of E. coli W3110. The rfaD gene encodes ADP-l-glycero-d-manno-heptose-6-epimerase RfaD. Based on the analysis by SDS-PAGE, thin layer chromatography (TLC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS), WJW00 could produce similar levels of Kdo₂-lipid A to WBB06. WJW00 cells grow much better than WBB06 cells and do not need to add any antibiotics during growth. Compared with the wild-type strain, W3110, WJW00 showed increased hydrophobicity, higher cell permeability, greater autoaggregation and decreased biofilm-forming ability. Therefore, WJW00 could be a more suitable strain than WBB06 for producing Kdo₂-lipid A and a good base strain for developing lipid A adjuvants.     

Lipopolysaccharides from Commensal and Opportunistic Bacteria: Characterization and Response of the Immune System of the Host Sponge Suberites domuncula

Marine sponges harbor a rich bacterioflora with which they maintain close relationships. However, the way these animals make the distinction between bacteria which are consumed to meet their metabolic needs and opportunistic and commensal bacteria which are hosted is not elucidated. Among the elements participating in this discrimination, bacterial cell wall components such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) could play a role. In the present study, we investigated the LPS chemical structure of two bacteria associated with the sponge Suberites domuncula: a commensal Endozoicomonas sp. and an opportunistic Pseudoalteromonas sp. Electrophoretic patterns indicated different LPS structures for these bacteria. The immunomodulatory lipid A was isolated after mild acetic acid hydrolysis. The electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectra revealed monophosphorylated molecules corresponding to tetra- and pentaacylated structures with common structural features between the two strains. Despite peculiar structural characteristics, none of these two LPS influenced the expression of the macrophage-expressed gene S. domuncula unlike the Escherichia coli ones. Further research will have to include a larger number of genes to understand how this animal can distinguish between LPS with resembling structures and discriminate between bacteria associated with it.     

Complete Lipooligosaccharide Structure from Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens Sq02-Rifr and Study of Its Immunomodulatory Activity

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are surface glycoconjugates embedded in the external leaflet of the outer membrane (OM) of the Gram-negative bacteria. They consist of three regions: lipid A, core oligosaccharide (OS), and O-specific polysaccharide or O-antigen. Lipid A is the glycolipid endotoxin domain that anchors the LPS molecule to the OM, and therefore, its chemical structure is crucial in the maintenance of membrane integrity in the Gram-negative bacteria. In this paper, we reported the characterization of the lipid A and OS structures from Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens Sq02-Rif^r, which is a psychrotrophic Gram-negative bacterium isolated from the intestine of Seriola quinqueradiata. The immunomodulatory activity of both LPS and lipid A was also examined.     

The Structure of the Lipid A of Gram-Negative Cold-Adapted Bacteria Isolated from Antarctic Environments

Gram-negative Antarctic bacteria adopt survival strategies to live and proliferate in an extremely cold environment. Unusual chemical modifications of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the main component of their outer membrane are among the tricks adopted to allow the maintenance of an optimum membrane fluidity even at particularly low temperatures. In particular, the LPS’ glycolipid moiety, the lipid A, typically undergoes several structural modifications comprising desaturation of the acyl chains, reduction in their length and increase in their branching. The investigation of the structure of the lipid A from cold-adapted bacteria is, therefore, crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying the cold adaptation phenomenon. Here we describe the structural elucidation of the highly heterogenous lipid A from three psychrophiles isolated from Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. All the lipid A structures have been determined by merging data that was attained from the compositional analysis with information from a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and MS² investigation. As lipid A is also involved in a structure-dependent elicitation of innate immune response in mammals, the structural characterization of lipid A from such extremophile bacteria is also of great interest from the perspective of drug synthesis and development inspired by natural sources.     

Marine Fungal Cerebroside Flavuside B Protects HaCaT Keratinocytes against Staphylococcus aureus Induced Damage

Cerebrosides are glycosylated sphingolipids, and in mammals they contribute to the pro-/anti-inflammatory properties and innate antimicrobial activity of the skin and mucosal surfaces. Staphylococcus aureus infection can develop, not only from minor scratches of the skin, but this pathogen can also actively promote epithelial breach. The effect of cerebroside flavuside B from marine sediment-derived fungus Penicillium islandicum (Aniva Bay, the Sea of Okhotsk) on viability, apoptosis, total caspase activity, and cell cycle in human epidermal keratinocytes HaCaT line co-cultivated with S. aureus, as well as influence of flavuside B on LPS-treated HaCaT cells were studied. Influence of flavuside B on bacterial growth and biofilm formation of S. aureus and its effect on the enzymatic activity of sortase A was also investigated. It was found S. aureus co-cultivated with keratinocytes induces caspase-depended apoptosis and cell death, arrest cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase, and increases in cellular immune inflammation. Cerebroside flavuside B has demonstrated its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, substantially eliminating all the negative consequences caused by co-cultivation of keratinocytes with S. aureus or bacterial LPS. The dual action of flavuside B may be highly effective in the treatment of bacterial skin lesions and will be studied in the future in in vivo experiments.     

Gram-Negative Marine Bacteria: Structural Features of Lipopolysaccharides and Their Relevance for Economically Important Diseases

Gram-negative marine bacteria can thrive in harsh oceanic conditions, partly because of the structural diversity of the cell wall and its components, particularly lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS is composed of three main parts, an O-antigen, lipid A, and a core region, all of which display immense structural variations among different bacterial species. These components not only provide cell integrity but also elicit an immune response in the host, which ranges from other marine organisms to humans. Toll-like receptor 4 and its homologs are the dedicated receptors that detect LPS and trigger the immune system to respond, often causing a wide variety of inflammatory diseases and even death. This review describes the structural organization of selected LPSes and their association with economically important diseases in marine organisms. In addition, the potential therapeutic use of LPS as an immune adjuvant in different diseases is highlighted.     

Recognition of LPS by TLR4: Potential for Anti-Inflammatory Therapies

LPS molecules of marine bacteria show structures distinct from terrestrial bacteria, due to the different environment that marine bacteria live in. Because of these different structures, lipid A molecules from marine bacteria are most often poor stimulators of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway. Due to their low stimulatory potential, these lipid A molecules are suggested to be applicable as antagonists of TLR4 signaling in sepsis patients, where this immune response is amplified and unregulated. Antagonizing lipid A molecules might be used for future therapies against sepsis, therapies that currently do not exist. In this review, we will discuss these differences in lipid A structures and their recognition by the immune system. The modifications present in marine lipid A structures are described, and their potential as LPS antagonists will be discussed. Finally, since clinical trials built on antagonizing lipid A molecules have proven unsuccessful, we propose to also focus on different aspects of the TLR4 signaling pathway when searching for new potential drugs. Furthermore, we put forward the notion that bacteria probably already produce inhibitors of TLR4 signaling, making these bacterial products interesting molecules to investigate for future sepsis therapies.     

Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Hemocytes Release Extracellular Traps That Confer Protection Against Bacterial Infection in the Hemocoel

Extracellular traps (ETs) released from vertebrate and invertebrate immune cells consist of chromatin and toxic granule contents that are capable of immobilizing and killing microbes. This recently described innate immune response is not well documented in insects. The present study found that ETs were released by hemocytes of Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in vivo and ex vivo after bacterial stimulation. ET release (ETosis), hemolymph coagulation, and melanization likely contributed to the immobilization and killing of the bacteria. The injection of G. mellonella hemocyte deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the presence of bacteria increased bacterial clearance rate and prolonged insect survival. Taken together, these results indicate the presence of insect hemocyte extracellular traps (IHETs) that protect the insect against microbial infection in the hemocoel and represent the first documentation of ETs in insects in vivo.     

Vibrio vulnificus MO6-24/O Lipopolysaccharide Stimulates Superoxide Anion,Thromboxane B2, Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, Cytokine and Chemokine Release by Rat Brain Microglia in Vitro

Although human exposure to Gram-negative Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been reported to result in septic shock, its impact on the central nervous system’s innate immunity remains undetermined. The purpose of this study was to determine whether V. vulnificus MO6-24/O LPS might activate rat microglia in vitro and stimulate the release of superoxide anion (O₂⁻), a reactive oxygen species known to cause oxidative stress and neuronal injury in vivo. Brain microglia were isolated from neonatal rats, and then treated with either V. vulnificus MO6-24/O LPS or Escherichia coli O26:B6 LPS for 17 hours in vitro. O₂⁻ was determined by cytochrome C reduction, and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 by gelatinase zymography. Generation of cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), IL-6, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-1α)/chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3), MIP-2/chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 (CXCL2), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)/CCL2, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-2alpha/beta (CINC-2α/β)/CXCL3, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were determined by specific immunoassays. Priming of rat microglia by V. vulnificus MO6-24/O LPS in vitro yielded a bell-shaped dose-response curve for PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate)-stimulated O₂⁻ generation: (1) 0.1–1 ng/mL V. vulnificus LPS enhanced O₂⁻ generation significantly but with limited inflammatory mediator generation; (2) 10–100 ng/mL V. vulnificus LPS maximized O₂⁻ generation with concomitant release of thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and several cytokines and chemokines; (3) 1000–100,000 ng/mL V. vulnificus LPS, with the exception of TXB₂, yielded both attenuated O₂⁻ production, and a progressive decrease in MMP-9, cytokines and chemokines investigated. Thus concentration-dependent treatment of neonatal brain microglia with V. vulnificus MO6-24/O LPS resulted in a significant rise in O₂⁻ production, followed by a progressive decrease in O₂⁻ release, with concomitant release of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), and generation of TXB₂, MMP-9, cytokines and chemokines. We hypothesize that the inflammatory mediators investigated may be cytotoxic to microglia in vitro, by an as yet undetermined autocrine mechanism. Although V. vulnificus LPS was less potent than E. coli LPS in vitro, inflammatory mediator release by the former was clearly more efficacious. Finally, we hypothesize that should V. vulnificus LPS gain entry into the CNS, it would be possible that microglia might become activated, resulting in high levels of O₂⁻ as well as neuroinflammatory TXB₂, MMP-9, cytokines and chemokines.     

Alterins Produced by Oyster-Associated Pseudoalteromonas Are Antibacterial Cyclolipopeptides with LPS-Binding Activity

Discovery after discovery, host-associated microbiota reveal a growing list of positive effects on host homeostasis by contributing to host nutrition, improving hosts’ immune systems and protecting hosts against pathogens. In that context, a collection of oyster associated bacteria producing antibacterial compounds have been established to evaluate their role in non-host-derived immunity. Here, we described alterins; potent anti-Gram negative compounds produced by Pseudoalteromonas hCg-6 and hCg-42 isolated from different healthy oyster hemolymph. The strains hCg-6 and hCg-42 produce a set of at least seven antibacterial compounds, ranging from 926 to 982 Da structurally characterized as cyclolipopeptides (CLPs). Alterins share the same cationic heptapeptidic cycle connected via an amido bond to different hydrophobic hydrocarbon tails. Their MICs disclosed a potent antibacterial activity directed against Gram-negative bacteria including oyster and human pathogens that may confer a beneficial defense mechanism to the host but also represents an untapped source of new antibiotics. The alterins’ mechanisms of action have been deciphered: after binding to lipopolysaccharides (LPS), alterins provoke a membrane depolarization and permeabilization leading to bacterial lysis. As hCg-6 and hCg-42 produced a set of natural derivatives, the structure/activity relationship linked to the carbon tail is clarified. We showed that the hydrocarbon tail determines the LPS-binding properties of alterins and consequently their antibacterial activities. Its length and saturation seem to play a major role in this interaction.     

Surface Glucan Structures in Aeromonas spp.

Aeromonas spp. are generally found in aquatic environments, although they have also been isolated from both fresh and processed food. These Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria are mostly infective to poikilothermic animals, although they are also considered opportunistic pathogens of both aquatic and terrestrial homeotherms, and some species have been associated with gastrointestinal and extraintestinal septicemic infections in humans. Among the different pathogenic factors associated with virulence, several cell-surface glucans have been shown to contribute to colonization and survival of Aeromonas pathogenic strains, in different hosts. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), capsule and α-glucan structures, for instance, have been shown to play important roles in bacterial–host interactions related to pathogenesis, such as adherence, biofilm formation, or immune evasion. In addition, glycosylation of both polar and lateral flagella has been shown to be mandatory for flagella production and motility in different Aeromonas strains, and has also been associated with increased bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation, and induction of the host proinflammatory response. The main aspects of these structures are covered in this review.     

Temperature-Dependence of Lipid A Acyl Structure in Psychrobacter cryohalolentis and Arctic Isolates of Colwellia hornerae and Colwellia piezophila

Lipid A is a fundamental Gram-negative outer membrane component and the essential element of lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin), a potent immunostimulatory molecule. This work describes the metabolic adaptation of the lipid A acyl structure by Psychrobacter cryohalolentis at various temperatures in its facultative psychrophilic growth range, as characterized by MALDI-TOF MS and FAME GC-MS. It also presents the first elucidation of lipid A structure from the Colwellia genus, describing lipid A from strains of Colwellia hornerae and Colwellia piezophila, which were isolated as primary cultures from Arctic fast sea ice and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. The Colwellia strains are obligate psychrophiles, with a growth range restricted to 15 °C or less. As such, these organisms have less need for fluidity adaptation in the acyl moiety of the outer membrane, and they do not display alterations in lipid A based on growth temperature. Both Psychrobacter and Colwellia make use of extensive single-methylene variation in the size of their lipid A molecules. Such single-carbon variations in acyl size were thought to be restricted to psychrotolerant (facultative) species, but its presence in these Colwellia species shows that odd-chain acyl units and a single-carbon variation in lipid A structure are present in obligate psychrophiles, as well.     

Structural and Immunochemical Studies of the Lipopolysaccharide from the Fish Pathogen,Aeromonas bestiarum Strain K296, Serotype O18

Chemical analyses and mass spectrometry were used to study the structure of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) isolated from Aeromonas bestiarum strain K296, serotype O18. ESI-MS revealed that the most abundant A. bestiarum LPS glycoforms have a hexa-acylated or tetra-acylated lipid A with conserved architecture of the backbone, consisting of a 1,4′-bisphosphorylated β-(1→6)-linked d-GlcN disaccharide with an AraN residue as a non-stoichiometric substituent and a core oligosaccharide composed of Kdo₁Hep₆Hex₁HexN₁P₁. 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy revealed that the O-specific polysaccharide (OPS) of A. bestiarum K296 consists of a branched tetrasaccharide repeating unit containing two 6-deoxy-l-talose (6dTalp), one Manp and one GalpNAc residues; thus, it is similar to that of the OPS of A. hydrophila AH-3 (serotype O34) in both the sugar composition and the glycosylation pattern. Moreover, 3-substituted 6dTalp was 2-O-acetylated and additional O-acetyl groups were identified at O-2 and O-4 (or O-3) positions of the terminal 6dTalp. Western blots with polyclonal rabbit sera showed that serotypes O18 and O34 share some epitopes in the LPS. The very weak reaction of the anti-O34 serum with the O-deacylated LPS of A. bestiarum K296 might have been due to the different O-acetylation pattern of the terminal 6dTalp. The latter suggestion was further confirmed by NMR.     

Functional Genomics of the Aeromonas salmonicida Lipopolysaccharide O-Antigen and A-Layer from Typical and Atypical Strains

The A. salmonicida A450 LPS O-antigen, encoded by the wb_salmo gene cluster, is exported through an ABC-2 transporter-dependent pathway. It represents the first example of an O-antigen LPS polysaccharide with three different monosaccharides in their repeating unit assembled by this pathway. Until now, only repeating units with one or two different monosaccharides have been described. Functional genomic analysis of this wb_salmo region is mostly in agreement with the LPS O-antigen structure of acetylated l-rhamnose (Rha), d-glucose (Glc), and 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-mannose (ManN). Between genes of the wb_salmo we found the genes responsible for the biosynthesis and assembly of the S-layer (named A-layer in these strains). Through comparative genomic analysis and in-frame deletions of some of the genes, we concluded that all the A. salmonicida typical and atypical strains, other than A. salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica strains, shared the same wb_salmo and presence of A-layer. A. salmonicida subsp. pectinolytica strains lack wb_salmo and A-layer, two major virulence factors, and this could be the reason they are the only ones not found as fish pathogens.     

Endotoxin Structures in the Psychrophiles Psychromonas marina and Psychrobacter cryohalolentis Contain Distinctive Acyl Features

Lipid A is the essential component of endotoxin (Gram-negative lipopolysaccharide), a potent immunostimulatory compound. As the outer surface of the outer membrane, the details of lipid A structure are crucial not only to bacterial pathogenesis but also to membrane integrity. This work characterizes the structure of lipid A in two psychrophiles, Psychromonas marina and Psychrobacter cryohalolentis, and also two mesophiles to which they are related using MALDI-TOF MS and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) GC-MS. P. marina lipid A is strikingly similar to that of Escherichia coli in organization and total acyl size, but incorporates an unusual doubly unsaturated tetradecadienoyl acyl residue. P. cryohalolentis also shows structural organization similar to a closely related mesophile, Acinetobacter baumannii, however it has generally shorter acyl constituents and shows many acyl variants differing by single methylene (-CH₂-) units, a characteristic it shares with the one previously reported psychrotolerant lipid A structure. This work is the first detailed structural characterization of lipid A from an obligate psychrophile and the second from a psychrotolerant species. It reveals distinctive structural features of psychrophilic lipid A in comparison to that of related mesophiles which suggest constitutive adaptations to maintain outer membrane fluidity in cold environments.     

Anti-Inflammatory Polyketides from an Alga-Derived Fungus Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SCSIO 41020

A new linear polyketide, named aspormisin A (1), together with five known polyketides (2–6), were isolated from the alga-derived fungus Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SCSIO 41020. Their structures were elucidated through a detailed comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, as well as a comparison with the literature. An anti-inflammatory evaluation showed that compounds 2, 5, and 6 possessed inhibitory activity against the excessive production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Further studies revealed that compound 2 was active in blocking the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α) induced by LPS both in vivo and in vitro. Our findings provide a basis for the further development of linear polyketides as promising anti-inflammatory agents.