Deletion of mtrC in Haemophilus ducreyi increases sensitivity to human antimicrobial peptides and activates the CpxRA regulon

Infect Immun. 2011 Jun;79(6):2324-34. doi: 10.1128/IAI.01316-10. Epub 2011 Mar 28.

Abstract

Haemophilus ducreyi resists killing by antimicrobial peptides encountered during human infection, including cathelicidin LL-37, α-defensins, and β-defensins. In this study, we examined the role of the proton motive force-dependent multiple transferable resistance (MTR) transporter in antimicrobial peptide resistance in H. ducreyi. We found a proton motive force-dependent effect on H. ducreyi's resistance to LL-37 and β-defensin HBD-3, but not α-defensin HNP-2. Deletion of the membrane fusion protein MtrC rendered H. ducreyi more sensitive to LL-37 and human β-defensins but had relatively little effect on α-defensin resistance. The mtrC mutant 35000HPmtrC exhibited phenotypic changes in outer membrane protein profiles, colony morphology, and serum sensitivity, which were restored to wild type by trans-complementation with mtrC. Similar phenotypes were reported in a cpxA mutant; activation of the two-component CpxRA regulator was confirmed by showing transcriptional effects on CpxRA-regulated genes in 35000HPmtrC. A cpxR mutant had wild-type levels of antimicrobial peptide resistance; a cpxA mutation had little effect on defensin resistance but led to increased sensitivity to LL-37. 35000HPmtrC was more sensitive than the cpxA mutant to LL-37, indicating that MTR contributed to LL-37 resistance independent of the CpxRA regulon. The CpxRA regulon did not affect proton motive force-dependent antimicrobial peptide resistance; however, 35000HPmtrC had lost proton motive force-dependent peptide resistance, suggesting that the MTR transporter promotes proton motive force-dependent resistance to LL-37 and human β-defensins. This is the first report of a β-defensin resistance mechanism in H. ducreyi and shows that LL-37 resistance in H. ducreyi is multifactorial.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / immunology
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / immunology*
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / physiology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / physiology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cathelicidins
  • Chancroid / immunology
  • Chancroid / microbiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / physiology
  • Genes, Bacterial / genetics
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / genetics
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / immunology
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / pathogenicity*
  • Haemophilus ducreyi / physiology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / physiology
  • Regulon / genetics*
  • Regulon / physiology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis
  • alpha-Defensins / immunology
  • alpha-Defensins / metabolism
  • beta-Defensins / immunology
  • beta-Defensins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • alpha-Defensins
  • beta-Defensins
  • CpxR protein, Bacteria
  • Protein Kinases
  • CpxA protein, bacteria
  • Cathelicidins

Associated data

  • GENBANK/HQ712073
  • GENBANK/HQ712074
  • GENBANK/HQ712075
  • GENBANK/HQ712076
  • GENBANK/HQ712077
  • GENBANK/HQ712078
  • GENBANK/HQ712079
  • GENBANK/HQ712080
  • GENBANK/HQ712081