Pseudomonas aeruginosa modulates alginate biosynthesis and type VI secretion system in two critically ill COVID-19 patients

Qu, Jiuxin1; Cai, Zhao2; Duan, Xiangke2; Zhang, Han2; Cheng, Hang2; Han, Shuhong2; Yu, Kaiwei2; Jiang, Zhaofang1; Zhang, Yingdan2; Liu, Yang3; Bai, Fang4; Liu, Yingxia1,5; Liu, Lei1,5; Yang, Liang1,2,6

2022-02-09

10.1186/s13578-022-00748-z

CELL AND BIOSCIENCE   影响因子和分区

2045-3701

Background COVID-19 pneumonia has caused huge impact on the health of infected patients and associated with high morbidity and mortality. Shift in the lung microbial ecology upon such viral infection often worsens the disease and increases host susceptibility to superinfections. Bacterial superinfection contributes to the aggravation of COVID-19 and poses a great challenge to clinical treatments. An in-depth investigation on superinfecting bacteria in COVID-19 patients might facilitate understanding of lung microenvironment post virus infections and superinfection mechanism. Results We analyzed the adaptation of two pairs of P. aeruginosa strains with the same MLST type isolated from two critical COVID-19 patients by combining sequencing analysis and phenotypic assays. Both P. aeruginosa strains were found to turn on alginate biosynthesis and attenuate type VI secretion system (T6SS) during short-term colonization in the COVID-19 patients, which results in excessive biofilm formation and virulence reduction-two distinct markers for chronic infections. The macrophage cytotoxicity test and intracellular reactive oxygen species measurement confirmed that the adapted P. aeruginosa strains reduced their virulence towards host cells and are better to escape from host immune clearance than their ancestors. Conclusion Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection can create a lung environment that allow rapid adaptive evolution of bacterial pathogens with genetic traits suitable for chronic infections.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa COVID-19 Bacterial superinfection Type VI Secretion System Biofilm

SCI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

Guangdong Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholar[2020B1515020003] ; Science and Technology Program of Shenzhen[JCYJ20190809144005609] ; Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation[2020A1515010586] ; Guangdong Province Science and Technology Project[2020B1111170014] ; Shenzhen Innovation Committee of Science and Technology[ZDSYS20200811144002008] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[KQTD20200909113758004]

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

WOS:000753446600002

BMC

2-s2.0-85124764112

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Clin Lab, Shenzhen Third Peoples Hosp,Natl Clin Res Ctr Inf, Hosp Affiliated 2,Guangdong Prov Clin Res Ctr Inf, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Med, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
3.Southern Univ Sci & Technol Hosp, Med Res Ctr, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
4.Nankai Univ, Sch Biol Sci, Tianjin 300071, Peoples R China
5.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Shenzhen Key Lab Pathogen & Immun, State Key Discipline Infect Dis, Shenzhen Third Peoples Hosp,Hosp Affiliated 2, Shenzhen 518112, Peoples R China
6.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Shenzhen Key Lab Gene Regulat & Syst Biol, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China

Qu, Jiuxin,Cai, Zhao,Duan, Xiangke,et al. Pseudomonas aeruginosa modulates alginate biosynthesis and type VI secretion system in two critically ill COVID-19 patients[J]. CELL AND BIOSCIENCE,2022,12(1).

Qu, Jiuxin.,Cai, Zhao.,Duan, Xiangke.,Zhang, Han.,Cheng, Hang.,...&Yang, Liang.(2022).Pseudomonas aeruginosa modulates alginate biosynthesis and type VI secretion system in two critically ill COVID-19 patients.CELL AND BIOSCIENCE,12(1).

Qu, Jiuxin,et al."Pseudomonas aeruginosa modulates alginate biosynthesis and type VI secretion system in two critically ill COVID-19 patients".CELL AND BIOSCIENCE 12.1(2022).