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Analysis of flagellar proteins in Clostridium difficile isolates of clinically relevant PCR-ribotypes
Houdková, Kateřina ; Konečná, Klára (advisor) ; Tichý, Aleš (referee)
Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biochemical Sciences Candidate: Kateřina Houdková MPharm Supervisor: RNDr. Klára Konečná, Ph.D. Consultant: PharmDr. Jiří Dresler, Ph.D. Title of rigorous thesis: Analysis of flagellar proteins in C. difficile isolates of clinically relevant PCR-ribotypes Background: Strains of C. difficile of known human epidemiologic importance are associated with severe clinical features of C. difficile infection (CDI). In this study, a panel of eight different PCR-ribotypes (RTs) with their proteins released in vitro were subjected to analysis. The aim of this work is to monitor the relationship between secretions of individual proteins associated with flagellar formation and function in C. difficile strains of variable virulence. Methods: Within our research, a combination of tandem mass spectrometry with liquid chromatography was used. The semi-quantitative analysis employed label free quantification (LFQ) approach. Results: From the quantifiable proteins, 17 were significantly increased in functional annotations. Among them, several known factors connected with flagellar assembly and other functions were identified. Higher expression of selected flagellar proteins clearly distinguished RTs 027, 176, 005 and 012, confirming the pathogenic...
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Secondary metabolites in fungal pathogenesis
Veselý, Martin ; Čmoková, Adéla (advisor) ; Machová, Lenka (referee)
The ability of fungal pathogens to induce infection and later survive in its host is dependent on virulence factors. Often these factors are based on primary metabolites (hydrophobins, proteases, phospholipases, catalases etc.). Nonetheless many pathogen produced secondary metabolites are also involved in the infection process. Their true role during infection used to be rather undervalued. First part of this bachelor degree thesis aims to describe host-pathogen relation and afterwards introduce reader with some basic, commonly accepted virulence factors of fungi. In the second part of this thesis known roles of secondary metabolites are described in each stages of progressing infection. In the first stage a pathogen needs to create a suitable habitat on host tissues to ensure growth. This is in part done by antimicrobial substances (...). In later stages pathogen prevents phagocytosis of its spores by host (melanins). Successful infection is often accompanied with host tissue damage that is induced by production of cytotoxic substances (xanthomegnin, riboflavin) and immunoregulation of host immune system (gliotoxin, pseurotin). Last but not least there are virulence factors that ensure prolonged survival in host (siderophores). Fungal pathogens of poikiloterm animals are mostly not primary...
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Structure and function of RTX toxins of Gram-negative bacteria
Zhuk, Karyna ; Osička, Radim (advisor) ; Šulc, Miroslav (referee)
RTX toxins (Repeats in ToXin) are produced by Gram-negative bacteria, most of which are important human or animal pathogens. The polypeptide chain of each RTX toxin consists of four conserved regions. An N-terminal hydrophobic domain, which is important for insertion of the RTX toxin into the host cell membrane and pore formation. The hydrophobic domain is followed by an acylated segment containing conserved lysine residues, at which the toxin is acylated and thus activated. The C-terminal portion of each RTX toxin contains a repeat domain to which calcium ions bind. The C-terminus of the toxin contains a secretion signal that is recognized by the type I secretion system, which transports the toxin from the bacterial cytosol to the external environment. After secretion, RTX toxins interact with the cell surface via specific β2 integrins and/or glycosylated structures such as glycoproteins and gangliosides or membrane components such as sphingomyelins and cholesterol. Once bound to the cell, RTX toxin monomers insert into the membrane and oligomerize to form pores. The uncontrolled flow of ions through these pores can lead to disruption of bactericidal functions of myeloid phagocytes, stimulation or suppression of the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulation of various signaling and...
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Virulence factors of Bordetella pertussis
Držmíšek, Jakub ; Večerek, Branislav (advisor) ; Vopálenská, Irena (referee)
Bordetella pertusis is a Gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming coccobacillus. Although it's strictly human pathogen, it's possible to infect other mammals at laboratory conditions. Transmission among hosts is mediated via respiratory tract droplets. Infection could be direct, host to host, alternatively by contaminated environment. Bordetella colonizes upper respiratory tract, wherefrom descends into lungs and causes disease known as whooping cough or pertussis leading to 195 000 deaths of 16 mil. incidences per year (according to WHO report from 2010). More than twenty years before, respectively to found pertussis toxin, that time intensively under examination, pertussis was marked as toxin-mediated disease. In the course of time, more other virulence factors were revealed, that could be divided into groups of adhesins, toxins and others. Adhesins are filamentous haemagglutinin, pertactin and fimbriae. Toxins include pertussis toxin, adenylate cyclase, tracheal cytotoxin, dermonecrotic toxin and lipopolysaccharide. Most of virulence factors are regulated by two component system Bvg. However, it is needed lots of other factors for successful infection as for example autotransporters or so called siderophores serving as iron acquisition from environment. Secretion of virulence factors is mediated by its...
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Heterogeneity of expression of virulence factors of Salmonella.
Mathéová, Paulína ; Černý, Ondřej (advisor) ; Lichá, Irena (referee)
The emergence of phenotypically heterogeneous individuals within an isogenic bacterial population is considered to be an important adaptation to the host environment. It allows survival of some bacterial subpopulations under diverse stress conditions caused by the host immune system, the emergence of a "division of labor" and cooperation between individual bacteria. Bacteria of the genus Salmonella are important pathogens in humans and livestock. Many of the key virulence factors of Salmonella are heterogeneously expressed. The phenotypic diversity of individual bacteria allows certain individuals to escape the host's immune system and ensure that the gene pool is preserved to future generations. In case when change in conditions causes complete extinction of part of the Salmonella population from the environment, the remaining individuals are able to restore the size of the population and phenotypic diversity, after overcoming unfavourable conditions. This work summarises the knowledge about heterogeneity of expression of virulence factors of Salmonella and the characteristics of individual subpopulations in different environmental conditions. Keywords: Salmonella, heterogeneity, virulence factors, bet-hedging, division-of-labor, bacterial subpopulations.
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Regulation of virulence factors of Staphylococcus aureus
Šaňková, Michaela ; Lichá, Irena (advisor) ; Černý, Ondřej (referee)
Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive pathogenic bacterium that regulates virulence factors production in response to changing environmental conditions. S. aureus cells evolved a complex regulatory network, including a number of regulatory proteins, transcriptional factors and two- component systems. One of the most important S. aureus regulatory systems is the Agr system (Accessory gene regulator) that perceives its own population density by sensing a "quorum-sensing" signal in a form of autoinducing peptid (AIP). Agr system encodes a global regulatory RNAIII that regulates the expression of target virulence factors, which includes surface proteins as well as extracellular toxins and enzymes. The family of global protein regulators SarA and transcriptional sigma factor B also play a significant role in the regulation of S. aureus virulence. The production of virulence factors is also regulated in response to specific signals from extracellular environment by two- component-systems, which includes the regulator of exoprotein production SaeRS, the regulator of autolysis ArlRS and the regulator of respiratory response SrrAB. Key words: Staphylococcus aureus, virulence factors, Agr, quorum-sensing, RNAIII, SarA, SigB
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Structural mass spectrometry of Bordetella virulence factors
Jurnečka, David
The Bordetellae are aerobic Gram-negative coccobacilli colonizing the upper respiratory tract of mammals and thereby causing diseases with similar symptoms but different host specificity. The bacteria produce a variety of adhesins and toxins that facilitate their ability to promote infection and evade the innate immune system. Among them, the filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) and the adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) are the major virulence factors providing the adherence to the host epithelial cells and the protection against bactericidal activity of phagocytic cells, respectively. Moreover, CyaA along with the Escherichia coli α-hemolysin (HlyA) and the Kingella kingae cytotoxin (RtxA) represent a prominent group of Repeats in ToXin (RTX) cytotoxins/hemolysins that undergo post-translational acylation on conserved lysine residues. Here, different mass spectrometry approaches were employed to analyze the structural features of FHA and to characterize the acylation status of the RTX toxins and their various hybrid molecules. First, the differential 16O/18O labeling revealed that the mature FHA proteins of B. pertussis (Bp-FHA) and the B. bronchiseptica (Bb-FHA) are processed at different sites, after Ala2348 and Lys2479 of the FhaB precursor, respectively. Second, the bottom-up proteomics of the...
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Analysis of protein cargo of extracellualr vesicles isolated from the yeast Candida albicans
Hlubučková, Lucie ; Konečná, Klára (advisor) ; Janďourek, Ondřej (referee)
Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Study program: Pharmacy Candidate: Lucie Hlubučková Consultant: RNDr. Klára Konečná, Ph.D. Title of thesis: Analysis of protein cargo of extracellular vesicles isolated from the yeast Candida albicans Backgroung: The aim of this diploma thesis was to analyze the protein cargo carried in extracellular vesicles released from the yeast Candida albicans (C. albicans), which is one of the most important mycotic agens. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are utilized as "transport vehicles", for the delivery of effector molecules into extracellular milieu. These molecules and primarilly proteins can play different roles in host-pathogen interactions. Proteins isolated from EVs and identified by proteomic approach were sorted into categories according to their molecular function and localization for the purpose of finding out, which proteins are predominantly distributed via extracellular vesicles into extracellular space after induction of nutrition starvation. Analysis of EVs protein cargo with focus on virulence factors could extend the knowledge about extracellular vesicles and their potential role in pathogenesis. Methods: Chosen C. albicans yeast strain was a clinical isolate strain isolated from a premenopausal women suffering from recurrent...
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Structural mass spectrometry of Bordetella virulence factors
Jurnečka, David
The Bordetellae are aerobic Gram-negative coccobacilli colonizing the upper respiratory tract of mammals and thereby causing diseases with similar symptoms but different host specificity. The bacteria produce a variety of adhesins and toxins that facilitate their ability to promote infection and evade the innate immune system. Among them, the filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) and the adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) are the major virulence factors providing the adherence to the host epithelial cells and the protection against bactericidal activity of phagocytic cells, respectively. Moreover, CyaA along with the Escherichia coli α-hemolysin (HlyA) and the Kingella kingae cytotoxin (RtxA) represent a prominent group of Repeats in ToXin (RTX) cytotoxins/hemolysins that undergo post-translational acylation on conserved lysine residues. Here, different mass spectrometry approaches were employed to analyze the structural features of FHA and to characterize the acylation status of the RTX toxins and their various hybrid molecules. First, the differential 16O/18O labeling revealed that the mature FHA proteins of B. pertussis (Bp-FHA) and the B. bronchiseptica (Bb-FHA) are processed at different sites, after Ala2348 and Lys2479 of the FhaB precursor, respectively. Second, the bottom-up proteomics of the...
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Structural mass spectrometry of Bordetella virulence factors
Jurnečka, David ; Bumba, Ladislav (advisor) ; Novák, Petr (referee) ; Řehulka, Pavel (referee)
The Bordetellae are aerobic Gram-negative coccobacilli colonizing the upper respiratory tract of mammals and thereby causing diseases with similar symptoms but different host specificity. The bacteria produce a variety of adhesins and toxins that facilitate their ability to promote infection and evade the innate immune system. Among them, the filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) and the adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) are the major virulence factors providing the adherence to the host epithelial cells and the protection against bactericidal activity of phagocytic cells, respectively. Moreover, CyaA along with the Escherichia coli α-hemolysin (HlyA) and the Kingella kingae cytotoxin (RtxA) represent a prominent group of Repeats in ToXin (RTX) cytotoxins/hemolysins that undergo post-translational acylation on conserved lysine residues. Here, different mass spectrometry approaches were employed to analyze the structural features of FHA and to characterize the acylation status of the RTX toxins and their various hybrid molecules. First, the differential 16O/18O labeling revealed that the mature FHA proteins of B. pertussis (Bp-FHA) and the B. bronchiseptica (Bb-FHA) are processed at different sites, after Ala2348 and Lys2479 of the FhaB precursor, respectively. Second, the bottom-up proteomics of the...
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