Genome-Wide Analysis of the Response of Brucella melitensis NI to Polymyxin B

Title:Genome-Wide Analysis of the Response of Brucella melitensis NI to Polymyxin B

Volume: 22 Issue: 14

Author(s): Zhen Wang*, Jiawei Wang, Jie Cheng, Xiaowen Yang, Hai Jiang and Qingmin Wu*

Affiliation:

• Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science and Technology College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206,China

• Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193,China

Keywords: Brucella, RNA-seq, virulence, antimicrobial peptides, gene expression, polymyxin B, flagellar biosynthesis.

Abstract:

Background: The ability of pathogenic bacteria to survive Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) in various host niches may contribute to their virulence. Polymyxin B is a cationic AMP, and polymyxin drugs are considered to be the "last line of defense" in the clinical treatment of bacterial infections.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to comprehensively study the response of Brucella melitensis strain NI to polymyxin B treatment and to identify the target genes in Brucella induced by polymyxin B stimulation.

Methods: Following treatment with polymyxin B, differentially expressed genes in Brucella were detected using RNA-seq and validated using qRT-PCR.

Results: In total, 874 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 560 up-regulated and 314 down-regulated genes. Functional annotation and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that many of these genes are involved in metabolism, two-component systems, transcriptional regulation, transport/ membrane proteins, and virulence factors. Expression of genes involved in T4SS and flagellar biosynthesis and assembly, which are important virulence factors in Brucella, were up-regulated by polymyxin B treatment.

Discussion: Additionally, genes encoding the ABC transporters YejABEF and the cold-shock protein CspA were also up-regulated. These genes confer resistance to AMPs and contribute to the virulence of Brucella. The NIΔsufC, NIΔsufD, NIΔompW, NIΔexbB, NIΔtetR, and NIΔcspA mutants were also more sensitive than B. melitensis NI to polymyxin B.

Conclusion: The results of this study provide important insights into the comprehensive response of Brucella in response to polymyxin B stimulation.

Cite this article as:

Wang Zhen *, Wang Jiawei , Cheng Jie , Yang Xiaowen, Jiang Hai and Wu Qingmin*, Genome-Wide Analysis of the Response of Brucella melitensis NI to Polymyxin B, Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 2021; 22 (14) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1389201021666201218125148