Uropathogenic Escherichia coli metabolite-dependent quiescence and persistence may explain antibiotic tolerance during urinary tract infection

Mary P Leatham-Jensen, Matthew E Mokszycki, David C Rowley, Robert Deering, Jodi L Camberg, Evgeni V Sokurenko, Veronika L Tchesnokova, Jakob Frimodt-Møller, Karen A Krogfelt, Karen Leth Nielsen, Niels Frimodt-Møller, Gongqin Sun, Paul S Cohen

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

Abstract

In the present study, it is shown that although Escherichia coli CFT073, a human uropathogenic (UPEC) strain, grows in liquid glucose M9 minimal medium, it fails to grow on glucose M9 minimal medium agar plates seeded with ≤1 06 CFU. The cells on glucose plates appear to be in a "quiescent" state that can be prevented by various combinations of lysine, methionine, and tyrosine. Moreover, the quiescent state is characteristic of ~80% of E. coli phylogenetic group B2 multilocus sequence type 73 strains, as well as 22.5% of randomly selected UPEC strains isolated from community-acquired urinary tract infections in Denmark. In addition, E. coli CFT073 quiescence is not limited to glucose but occurs on agar plates containing a number of other sugars and acetate as sole carbon sources. It is also shown that a number of E. coli CFT073 mini-Tn5 metabolic mutants (gnd, gdhA, pykF, sdhA, and zwf) are nonquiescent on glucose M9 minimal agar plates and that quiescence requires a complete oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In addition, evidence is presented that, although E. coli CFT073 quiescence and persistence in the presence of ampicillin are alike in that both require a complete oxidative TCA cycle and each can be prevented by amino acids, E. coli CFT073 quiescence occurs in the presence or absence of a functional rpoS gene, whereas maximal persistence requires a nonfunctional rpoS. Our results suggest that interventions targeting specific central metabolic pathways may mitigate UPEC infections by interfering with quiescence and persistence.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummere00055-15
TidsskriftmSphere
Vol/bind1
Udgave nummer1
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2016
Udgivet eksterntJa

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