Galleria mellonella as a model host to study infection by the Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain

Aperis, George; Fuchs, Beth Burgwyn; Anderson, Charles M.; Warner, John E.; Calderwood, Stephen B.; Mylonakis, Eleftherios

doi:10.1016/j.micinf.2007.02.016

Cited by 112 publications

(116 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(28 reference statements)

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“…These results suggest the exciting possibility that the G. mellonella model can be used as a model organism to study potential therapeutic agents. Indeed, a number of studies indicate that this is the case for other bacterial pathogens (2,16,27,55).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Mutations That Impact the Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Cpx Envelope Stress Response Attenuate Virulence in Galleria mellonella

Leuko

Raivio

2012

Infect Immun

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ABSTRACTIn this paper, we show that the larvae of the greater wax moth,Galleria mellonella, can be used as a model to study enteropathogenicEscherichia coli(EPEC) virulence.G. mellonellalarvae are killed after infection with EPEC type strain E2348/69 but not by an attenuated derivative that expresses diminished levels of the major virulence determinants or by a mutant specifically defective in type III secretion (T3S). Infecting EPEC inhabit the larval hemocoel only briefly and then become localized to melanized capsules, where they remain extracellular. Previously, it was shown that mutations affecting the Cpx envelope stress response lead to diminished expression of the bundle-forming pilus (BFP) and the type III secretion system (T3SS). We demonstrate that mutations that activate the Cpx pathway have a dramatic effect on the ability of the bacterium to establish a lethal infection, and this is correlated with an inability to growin vivo. Infection with allE. colistrains led to increased expression of the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) gloverin and cecropin, although strain- and AMP-specific differences were observed, suggesting that theG. mellonellahost perceives attenuated strains and Cpx mutants in unique manners. Overall, this study shows thatG. mellonellais an economical, alternative infection model for the preliminary study of EPEC host-pathogen interactions, and that induction of the Cpx envelope stress response leads to defects in virulence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Mutations That Impact the Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Cpx Envelope Stress Response Attenuate Virulence in Galleria mellonella

Leuko

Raivio

2012

Infect Immun

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“…Reduced susceptibility to antibiotics in SCVs is likely to be multifactorial, depending on whether the particular SCV is attributable to aminoglycoside-selected auxotrophy or was generated by other means, since electron transport chain defects result in reduced electrochemical gradients which may impair the uptake of aminoglycosides and other cationic molecules (4,37). Additionally, the lowered growth rate in SCVs could reduce antimicrobial susceptibility by nonspecific mechanisms associated with reduced expression of pharmacological targets.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Attenuated Virulence and Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus following Sublethal Exposure to Triclosan

Latimer

Forbes

McBain

2012

Antimicrob Agents Chemother

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Subeffective exposure of Staphylococcus aureus to the biocide triclosan can reportedly induce a small-colony variant (SCV) phenotype. S. aureus SCVs are characterized by low growth rates, reduced pigmentation, and lowered antimicrobial susceptibility. While they may exhibit enhanced intracellular survival, there are conflicting reports regarding their pathogenicity. The current study reports the characteristics of an SCV-like strain of S. aureus created by repeated passage on sublethal triclosan concentrations. S. aureus ATCC 6538 (the passage 0 [P0] strain) was serially exposed 10 times to concentration gradients of triclosan to generate strain P10. This strain was then further passaged 10 times on triclosan-free medium (designated strain ؋10). The MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations of triclosan for P0, P10, and ؋10 were determined, and growth rates in biofilm and planktonic cultures were measured. Hemolysin, DNase, and coagulase activities were measured, and virulence was determined using a Galleria mellonella pathogenicity model. Strain P10 exhibited decreased susceptibility to triclosan and characteristics of an SCV phenotype, including a considerably reduced growth rate and the formation of pinpoint colonies. However, this strain also had delayed coagulase production, had impaired hemolysis (P < 0.01), was defective in biofilm formation and DNase activity, and displayed significantly attenuated virulence. Colony size, hemolysis, coagulase activity, and virulence were only partially restored in strain ؋10, whereas the planktonic growth rate was fully restored. However, ؋10 was at least as defective in biofilm formation and DNase production as P10. These data suggest that although repeated exposure to triclosan may result in an SCVlike phenotype, this is not necessarily associated with increased virulence and adapted bacteria may exhibit other functional deficiencies.

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“…Burkholderia cepacia, 19 Candida albicans, 20 Cryptococcus neoformans, 21 Francisella tularensis, 22 Listeria spp. 23 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.…”

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Virulence of serotype M3 Group AStreptococcusstrains in wax worms (Galleria mellonellalarvae)

et al. 2011

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Galleria mellonella as a model host to study infection by the Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain

Cited by 112 publications

References 23 publications

Mutations That Impact the Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Cpx Envelope Stress Response Attenuate Virulence in Galleria mellonella

Mutations That Impact the Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Cpx Envelope Stress Response Attenuate Virulence in Galleria mellonella

Attenuated Virulence and Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus following Sublethal Exposure to Triclosan

Virulence of serotype M3 Group AStreptococcusstrains in wax worms (Galleria mellonellalarvae)

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