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Protein expression profiling of Staphylococcus aureus in response to the bacteriocin bovicin HC5

  • Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Alternative strategies to antibiotic treatment are required to inhibit pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteriocins, such as the lantibiotic bovicin HC5, have shown potential to control pathogens. This study aims to evaluate the stress response of S. aureus to bovicin HC5 using a proteomic approach. Sublethal concentrations of the bacteriocin repressed the synthesis of 62 cytoplasmic proteins, whereas 42 proteins were induced in S. aureus COL. Specifically, synthesis of several proteins involved in amino acid biosynthesis, mainly products of ilv-leu operon, and DNA metabolism, such as DNA polymerase I, decreased following bovicin treatment while proteins involved in catabolism, mainly tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism, and chaperones were over-expressed. The levels of CodY and CcpA, important regulators involved in the stationary phase adaptation and catabolite repression, respectively, also increased in the presence of the bacteriocin. These results indicate that stress caused by the sublethal concentration of bovicin HC5 in the cell membrane results in growth reduction, reduced protein synthesis, and, at the same time, enhanced the levels of chaperones and enzymes involved in energy-efficient catabolism in an attempt to restore energy and cell homeostasis. These results bring relevant information to amplify the knowledge concerning the bacterial physiological changes in response to the stress caused by the cell exposition to bovicin HC5. New potential targets for controlling this pathogen can also be determined from the new protein expression pattern presented.

Key points

Bovicin HC5 changed the synthesis of cytoplasmic proteins of S. aureus.

Bovicin HC5 interfered in the synthesis of proteins of amino acids biosynthesis.

Synthesis of chaperones enhanced in the presence of sublethal dosage of bovicin HC5.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, MCDV, upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Veronica Peterson for Fig. 3 preparation and Paula M. O’Connor for the criticism and English language review.

Funding

NJPF was supported by a fellowship (PDSE 8974/11–0) from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Brasília, Brazil).

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

NJPF, SF, KR, and MCDV conceived the study. NJPF carried out the major experiments, analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. SF supervised proteomic experiments, analyzed the data, and revised and edited the manuscript. MCBP, HCM, and KR revised and edited the manuscript. MCDV supervised, revised, and edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Cristina Dantas Vanetti.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animals performed by any of the authors.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Pimentel-Filho, N.d., Fuchs, S., Baracat-Pereira, M.C. et al. Protein expression profiling of Staphylococcus aureus in response to the bacteriocin bovicin HC5. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 105, 7857–7869 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11594-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-021-11594-3

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