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EcoSal Plus Feb 2018, a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium most noted for its swarming motility and urease activity, frequently causes catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)... (Review)
Review
, a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium most noted for its swarming motility and urease activity, frequently causes catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) that are often polymicrobial. These infections may be accompanied by urolithiasis, the development of bladder or kidney stones due to alkalinization of urine from urease-catalyzed urea hydrolysis. Adherence of the bacterium to epithelial and catheter surfaces is mediated by 17 different fimbriae, most notably MR/P fimbriae. Repressors of motility are often encoded by these fimbrial operons. Motility is mediated by flagella encoded on a single contiguous 54-kb chromosomal sequence. On agar plates, undergoes a morphological conversion to a filamentous swarmer cell expressing hundreds of flagella. When swarms from different strains meet, a line of demarcation, a "Dienes line," develops due to the killing action of each strain's type VI secretion system. During infection, histological damage is caused by cytotoxins including hemolysin and a variety of proteases, some autotransported. The pathogenesis of infection, including assessment of individual genes or global screens for virulence or fitness factors has been assessed in murine models of ascending urinary tract infections or CAUTIs using both single-species and polymicrobial models. Global gene expression studies performed in culture and in the murine model have revealed the unique metabolism of this bacterium. Vaccines, using MR/P fimbria and its adhesin, MrpH, have been shown to be efficacious in the murine model. A comprehensive review of factors associated with urinary tract infection is presented, encompassing both historical perspectives and current advances.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Vaccines; Catheter-Related Infections; Disease Models, Animal; Fimbriae, Bacterial; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Mice; Proteus Infections; Proteus mirabilis; Urinary Tract Infections; Virulence
PubMed: 29424333
DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.ESP-0009-2017 -
MSphere Aug 2021Many bacterial species employ systems for interference competition with other microorganisms. Some systems are effective without contact (e.g., through secretion of...
Many bacterial species employ systems for interference competition with other microorganisms. Some systems are effective without contact (e.g., through secretion of toxins), while other systems (e.g., type VI secretion system [T6SS]) require direct contact between cells. Here, we provide the initial characterization of a novel contact-dependent competition system for Proteus mirabilis. In neonatal mice, a commensal P. mirabilis strain apparently eliminated commensal Escherichia coli. We replicated the phenotype and showed that P. mirabilis efficiently reduced the viability of several species but not Gram-positive species or yeast cells. Importantly, P. mirabilis strains isolated from humans also killed E. coli. A reduction of viability occurred from early stationary phase to 24 h of culture and was observed in shaking liquid media as well as on solid media. Killing required contact but was independent of T6SS, which is the only contact-dependent killing system described for P. mirabilis. Expression of the killing system was regulated by osmolarity and components secreted into the supernatant. Stationary-phase P. mirabilis culture supernatant itself did not kill but was sufficient to induce killing in an exponentially growing coculture. In contrast, killing was largely prevented in media with low osmolarity. In summary, we provide the initial characterization of a potentially novel interbacterial competition system used by P. mirabilis. The study of bacterial competition systems has received significant attention in recent years. These systems are important in a multitude of polymicrobial environments and collectively shape the composition of complex ecosystems like the mammalian gut. They are also being explored as narrow-spectrum alternatives to specifically eliminate problematic pathogenic species. However, only a small fraction of the estimated number of interbacterial competition systems has been identified. We discovered a competition system that is novel for Proteus mirabilis. Inspired by an observation in infant mice, we confirmed that P. mirabilis was able to efficiently kill several species. This killing system might represent a new function of a known competition system or even a novel system, as the observed characteristics do not fit with described contact-dependent competition systems. Further characterization of this system might help understand how P. mirabilis competes with other in various niches.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Culture Media; Enterobacteriaceae; Female; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microbial Interactions; Microbial Viability; Phenotype; Proteus mirabilis; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Type VI Secretion Systems
PubMed: 34319125
DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00321-21 -
Infection, Genetics and Evolution :... Aug 2021The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a bacterial defense mechanism against bacteriophages composed of two different parts: the...
The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a bacterial defense mechanism against bacteriophages composed of two different parts: the CRISPR array and the Cas genes. The spacer acquisition is done by the adaptation module consisting of the hallmark Cas1 Cas2 proteins, which inserts new spacers into the CRISPR array. Here we aimed to describe the CRISPR-Cas system in Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis) isolates. CRISPR loci was observed in 30 genomic contents of 109 P. mirabilis isolates that each locus was consisted of two CRISPR arrays and each array had a different preserved leader sequences. Only the type I-E CRISPR-Cas system was common in these isolates. The source of the spacers was identified, including phages and prophages. CRISPR spacer origin analysis also identified a conserved PAM sequence of 5'-AAG-3' nucleotide stretch. Through collecting spacers, CRISPR arrays of P. mirabilis isolates were expanded mostly by integration of bacteriophageal source of spacers. This study shows novel findings in the area of the P-mirabilis CRISPR-Cas system. In this regard, among analyzed genome of P. mirabilis isolates, Class I CRISR-Cas systems were dominant, and all belonged to type I-E. In the flanks of the CRISPR, some other elements with regulatory role were also found. A motif of 11 nt size was found to be preserved among the analyzed genome. We believe that it might has a CRISPR-Cas system transcription facilitator by targeting the Rho element.
Topics: Bacteriophages; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Prophages; Proteus mirabilis
PubMed: 33905883
DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104881 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2019Proteus mirabilis is generally easy to culture, but its tendency to swarm on a wide variety of media can interfere with isolation of single colonies or identification of...
Proteus mirabilis is generally easy to culture, but its tendency to swarm on a wide variety of media can interfere with isolation of single colonies or identification of other species in a sample. Therefore, specialized media may be needed to control swarming or to study the bacteria under chemically defined conditions. Here, methods are described for routine culture of P. mirabilis, isolation of P. mirabilis from mixed cultures, and culture of P. mirabilis on physiologically relevant media.
Topics: Bacteriological Techniques; Culture Media; Humans; Proteus mirabilis; Urine
PubMed: 31309491
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9601-8_2 -
Brazilian Journal of Microbiology :... Sep 2020Given the need to understand the virulence profile of Proteus mirabilis isolates from cellulitis in broiler chickens and their ability to cause lesions, the present...
Given the need to understand the virulence profile of Proteus mirabilis isolates from cellulitis in broiler chickens and their ability to cause lesions, the present study aimed to characterize genotypically and phenotypically the virulence profiles of two strains of P. mirabilis isolated from cellulitis in broilers, as well as to evaluate their ability to experimentally reproduce the lesions in vivo. The strain with the highest virulence potential (LBUEL-A33) possessed mrpA, pmfA, ucaA, atfA (fimbriae), zapA, ptA (proteases), hpmA (hemolysin), and ireA (siderophore) genes, formed a very strong biofilm, and expressed the pattern of aggregative adhesion and cytotoxicity in Vero cells. The strain with the lowest virulence potential (LBUEL-A34) did not present the pmfA and ucaA genes, but expressed the pattern of aggregative adhesion, formed a strong biofilm, and did not show cytotoxicity. Both strains developed cellulitis in an animal model within 24 h post-inoculation (PI), and the degree of lesions was not significantly altered up to 120 h PI. The LBUEL-A33 strain was also inoculated in combination with an avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC 046), and the lesions showed no significant changes from the individual inoculation of these two strains. Histological analysis showed that the LBUEL-A33 strain developed characteristic cellulitis lesions. Thus, both strains of P. mirabilis isolated in our study have several virulence factors and the ability to develop cellulitis in broilers.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Proteins; Cellulitis; Chickens; Chlorocebus aethiops; Poultry Diseases; Proteus Infections; Proteus mirabilis; Virulence
PubMed: 32067208
DOI: 10.1007/s42770-020-00240-1 -
FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology Oct 2007Proteus mirabilis is a common causative agent of cystitis and pyelonephritis in patients with urinary catheters or structural abnormalities of the urinary tract. Several... (Review)
Review
Proteus mirabilis is a common causative agent of cystitis and pyelonephritis in patients with urinary catheters or structural abnormalities of the urinary tract. Several types of fimbriae, which are potentially involved in adhesion to the uroepithelium, can be expressed simultaneously by P. mirabilis: mannose-resistant/Proteus-like (MR/P) fimbriae, P. mirabilis fimbriae (PMF), uroepithelial cell adhesin (UCA), renamed by some authors nonagglutinating fimbriae (NAF), and ambient-temperature fimbriae (ATF). Proteus mirabilis is a common cause of biofilm formation on catheter material and MR/P fimbriae are involved in this process. The considerable serious pathology caused by P. mirabilis in the urinary tract warrants the development of a prophylactic vaccine, and several studies have pointed to MR/P fimbriae as a potential target for immunization. This article reviews P. mirabilis fimbriae with regard to their participation in uropathogenesis, biofilm formation and as vaccine targets.
Topics: Adhesins, Bacterial; Animals; Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Vaccines; Fimbriae, Bacterial; Humans; Mannose; Proteus mirabilis; Urinary Tract Infections
PubMed: 17640292
DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2007.00284.x -
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy May 2019
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Carbapenems; Plasmids; Poland; Proteus mirabilis; beta-Lactamases
PubMed: 30833423
DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00106-19 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2019Bacterial adherence to eukaryotic cells is mediated by different adhesins that can act at different stages in bacteria-host interaction. Abundant evidence has suggested...
Bacterial adherence to eukaryotic cells is mediated by different adhesins that can act at different stages in bacteria-host interaction. Abundant evidence has suggested that adherence is critical for infection by bacterial pathogens. Proteus mirabilis is an opportunistic pathogen which frequently infects the human urinary tract, particularly in patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Sequencing of the genome of this pathogen has revealed the existence of a remarkable amount of complete fimbrial operons. In this chapter, we describe in vitro adherence assays of P. mirabilis to uroepithelial cells, which can provide relevant results to assess virulence of uropathogenic strains.
Topics: Adhesins, Bacterial; Animals; Bacterial Adhesion; Cell Line; Host Microbial Interactions; Humans; Proteus mirabilis; Urothelium; Virulence
PubMed: 31309502
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9601-8_13 -
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2019The opportunistic pathogen Proteus mirabilis engages in visually dramatic and dynamic social behaviors. Populations of P. mirabilis can rapidly occupy surfaces, such as...
The opportunistic pathogen Proteus mirabilis engages in visually dramatic and dynamic social behaviors. Populations of P. mirabilis can rapidly occupy surfaces, such as high-percentage agar and latex, through a collective surface-based motility termed swarming. When in these surface-occupying swarm colonies, P. mirabilis can distinguish between clonal siblings (self) and foreign P. mirabilis strains (nonself). This ability can be assessed by at least two standard methods: boundary formation, aka a Dienes line, and territorial exclusion. Here we describe methods for quantitative analysis of swarm colony expansion, of boundary formation, and of territorial exclusion. These assays can be employed to assess several aspects of P. mirabilis sociality including collective swarm motility, competition, and self versus nonself recognition.
Topics: Bacteriological Techniques; Microbial Interactions; Proteus mirabilis; Surface Properties
PubMed: 31309495
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9601-8_6 -
Archives of Virology Sep 2019Proteus mirabilis is responsible for a wide range of infections that affect the urinary tract, the respiratory tract, burns, wounds and the feet of individuals with...
Proteus mirabilis is responsible for a wide range of infections that affect the urinary tract, the respiratory tract, burns, wounds and the feet of individuals with diabetes. They are highly resistant to antimicrobial agents, and new therapeutic options are therefore needed to combat this pathogen. The use of bacteriophages is one option that may be useful in treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) Proteus mirabilis infections, especially biofilm-based infections. The aim of this study was to control biofilms formed by MDR Proteus mirabilis using bacteriophages. Proteus mirabilis isolates were identified based on biochemical tests, and their resistance profiles were determined by the disk diffusion method. The biofilm-forming capacity of the isolates was assessed by the spectrophotometric method. Bacteriophages attacking Proteus mirabilis were isolated from sewage. The effect of phage on biofilm formation was investigated by the viable count method. A high rate of drug resistance was found (87.2%). Strong biofilm formation was observed in 80.5% of isolates, while moderate production was found in 19.5%. Five bacteriophages were isolated from sewage and were tested for their ability to eliminate biofilms. Significant disruption of pre-formed biofilms was observed that reached up to 99.9% decrease in the number of viable cells. The use of bacteriophages is considered a promising strategy against the biofilm infections caused by MDR Proteus mirabilis isolates.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteriophages; Biofilms; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Proteus mirabilis; Sewage
PubMed: 31197549
DOI: 10.1007/s00705-019-04305-x