Proteome analysis reveals translational inhibition of Caenorhabditis elegans enhances susceptibility to Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 pathogenesis.
Caenorhabditis elegans-Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection model is commonly used for pathogenesis studies over the decades. In the present study, upon exposure to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, the 2D-PAGE was performed to examine the total proteins differences of C. elegans during the PAO1 infection at different time durations (12-48h). Also, the 2D-DIGE using the cyanine dyes were performed (48h) to identify the differentially regulated proteins against the PAO1 infection. Among the 19 short-listed proteins, 5 proteins were down-regulated and 14 proteins were up-regulated. Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (EEF-2), a GTP binding protein involves in protein elongation process was down regulated during the pathogen infection. The 2D-PAGE analysis and MS data for the 12 and 24h infections identified the NDK-1 and other essential protein includes, ACS-18, ACT-1, GPD-3, GDH-1 and LBP-6 which are involved in important cellular homeostasis were down regulated. Validation studies using qPCR analysis for eef-2 and other selected genes, western blot analysis for EEF-2 and effect of host translational inhibition studies using Cycloheximide during PAO1 infection suggests that P. aeruginosa systematically restrains the function of host by arresting the expression of EEF-2 and thereby inhibiting protein translational events. Further, in silico analysis revealed the Exotoxin A could directly bind with the host EEF-2 and NDK-1 during the C. elegans- PAO1 interactions.



Model system, C. elegans facilitates the identification of virulence mechanisms during bacterial pathogenesis. Upon infection by the fungal and bacterial pathogens, the C. elegans system induces an array of transcriptional responses, including differential expression of effector/modulator genes that provide safeguard and fight against infection. However, the in-depth knowledge of host response by the pathogen at protein level remains unclear. Much of the studies were carried out only at the transcripts level and scarce reports are available at the protein level for the host-pathogen interaction studies. In order to provide few interesting clues at the protein level, the nematode, C. elegans was infected with the human pathogen P. aeruginosa and the response(s) of host was investigated at the protein level by 2D-DIGE analysis and further validation studies using qPCR and western blotting techniques. Our differential proteomics data suggest that translational inhibition as one of the patterns of pathogenesis in C. elegans during P. aeruginosa infection. Since many of the effectors identified through C. elegans are conserved in other systems including human, our data pave the way for understanding important regulatory pathways involved during bacterial pathogenesis that can be translated into higher eukaryotic organisms.
Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India.
Vigneshkumar
V
Balasubramanian
Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India.
Durai
D
Sellegounder
Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India.
Kundu
K
Suman
Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India. Electronic address: bsuryar@yahoo.com.
Balamurugan
B
Krishnaswamy
D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000209:etiology; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D020652:Peptide Elongation Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D005098:Exotoxins; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase; D020652:Peptide Elongation Factor 2; D020543:Proteome; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
2D-DIGE; C. elegans; EEF-2; Exotoxin A; Host-pathogen interactions; P. aeruginosa