Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2016-06-28T17:52:25Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Melo-MCA_dissertacao.pdf: 6271738 bytes, checksum: ce55245b114aac78286d16fa3cabf5d4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-28T17:52:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Melo-MCA_dissertacao.pdf: 6271738 bytes, checksum: ce55245b114aac78286d16fa3cabf5d4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-12 / CAPES / O Staphylococcus (S.) aureus é responsável por inúmeros casos de infecções em animais e seres humanos. Essa bactéria secreta uma grande variedade de exoproteínas, incluindo quatro hemolisinas: alfa, beta, gama e delta. A atividade hemolítica da alfa-toxina (α-HL) se deve a formação de poros em membranas celulares. A α-HL é um monômero solúvel em água, que se torna mais estável ao se oligomerizar e formar poros heptaméricos transmembranares. Devido sua importância na patogênese bacteriana, essa proteína tem sido alvo de estudos no desenvolvimento de agentes terapêuticos. Sabe-se que os compostos de base de Schiff têm apresentado significativos resultados em testes de atividade biológica, incluindo antibacteriana. Neste contexto, avaliou-se a atividade de complexos de cobre-base de Schiff no bloqueio de poros da α-HL de S. aureus. Simultaneamente, foram realizados estudos conformacionais da δ-toxina em solução aquosa. Experimentos com eritrócitos de coelho expostos a α-HL foram utilizados na seleção dos compostos. Membranas lipídicas planas artificiais com canais individuais de α-HL, em condições de fixação de voltagem, foram utilizados para entender o mecanismo de ação dos compostos. Finalmente, avaliou-se através de docking molecular a interação entre os compostos e o canal de α-HL, visando corroborar o mecanismo de bloqueio. No estudo da δ-toxina, dinâmica molecular foi usada para determinar sua conformação em solução aquosa. Observou-se que os complexos de cobre inibiram parcialmente a atividade hemolítica da α-HL, devido ao bloqueio parcial dos canais desta toxina. O mecanismo molecular desse bloqueio ocorre pela interação dos compostos com a região de constrição do poro. Observou-se ainda que a δ-toxina em solução aquosa apresenta de 5 a 14 resíduos enovelados. Sugere-se que os complexos de cobre são potenciais candidatos a futuros agentes coadjuvantes no tratamento de infecções por S. aureus. / Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is responsible for a great number of infecctions in animals and humans. This bacteria produces several exoproteins and virulence factors, including four hemolysins: alfa, beta, gama and delta. The alfa-toxin (α-HL) hemolytic activity occurs due to the formation of pores in cellular membranes. α-HL is a soluble monomer in water, but becomes more stable when oligomerize and form transmembranar heptameric pores. Considering its importance for bacterial patogenesis, this protein has been target of studies on new antimicrobial agents. For example, base Schiff copper compounds have been observed to show significative results in biological activity assays, including antibacterial. In this context, the present work intended to evaluate the activity of a base Schiff-copper compounds to block the S. aureus α-HL ion channel. The most effective compounds were selected based on the exposition of rabbit erythrocytes to α-HL, and tested against control conditions. The mechanism of action of these compounds were evaluated through single channel experiments in planar lipid bilayrs, through eletrophisiological techniques. Finally, molecular docking studies were employed to confirm the blocking mechanism of such compounds. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations were used to determine δ-toxin conformation in aqueous solutions. The obtained results indicated that the copper(II) compounds were capable of partially blocking the α-HL hemolytic activity, due to partial blockade of the ionic channels. The molecular mechanis of pore blockade was identified to mainly occur due to the interaction of the compounds to the pore constriction. Additionally, it was observed that δ-toxin in aqueous solution presents from 5 to 14 amino acids showing α-helical content. Based on these results, we suggest that such compound may be further evaluated as a coadjuvante agent for the treatment of staphylococcal infections

Opportunistic bacterial pathogens are present in the intestines of all mammals. These bacteria are symbionts to a certain extent, but under certain conditions these organisms can be deadly. Intestinal opportunistic pathogens encompass many genera and include organisms such as those in the Bacteroides fragilis group (i.e. B. fragilis and B. thetaiotaomicron), Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens, resulting in an array of diseases and serious health risks. Typically these diseases affect individuals in poor or weakened health (elderly, immuno-compromised, neonates, etc.) but can affect healthy individuals as well. The intestinal tract is the main area of infection for these bacteria, however some of these organisms can be involved in wound infections, septicemia, urinary tract infections, and meningitis. This study focused on three areas: 1) Analysis of differences in gene expression between Bacteroides and Escherichia coli, in order to learn more about promoter structure, 2) Establishment of a diabetic mouse model for use in examining bacterial synergy during a polymicrobial infection, and 3) Characterization of Escherichia coli 360A and evaluation of the role of several virulence factors and environmental modulators in the pathogenesis of this strain. We used a newly developed lux gene reporter to evaluate gene expression in Bacteroides. We observed that there are barriers in both transcription and translation initiation that appear to limit the expression of foreign genes in Bacteroides. We were able to establish a mouse model for studying synergy during a polymicrobial infection and observed that E. coli 360A provided synergy towards B. fragilis NCTC 9343. These experiments also showed that the longer a mouse is afflicted with the complications of diabetes the more susceptible it is to polymicrobial infections. Systemic infections were used to evaluate the contribution of several virulence factors and environmental modulators in the pathogenesis of E. coli 360A. The results showed that a strain lacking both virulence factors CNF1 and HlyA, the terminal oxidase cytochrome o, or a double cyo/cyd mutant were, deficient in survival in the spleen, but not the liver of BALB/c mice. / Ph. D.

Salmonella enterica sérovar Typhi (Typhi) est une bactérie pathogène spécifique à l’homme. Typhi est l’agent étiologique de la fièvre typhoïde chez l’humain, causant plus de 16 millions de nouveaux cas par année et plus de 600 000 morts. Il a été démontré que pour causer une infection systémique, Salmonella doit nécessairement survivre dans les macrophages de l'hôte. Paradoxalement, S. enterica sérovar Typhimurium, très apparenté à Typhi (près de 90 % d’homologie), n’a pas la capacité de se disséminer dans l’organisme humain et peut infecter plusieurs espèces animales. Nous avons antérieurement identifié 36 gènes uniques à Typhi (absents chez Typhimurium) situés sur 15 régions différentes et exprimés sélectivement lors de l’infection de macrophages humains. Ainsi, l’une de ces régions a suscité notre attention, soit la région sty4217-4222 et plus particulièrement le produit du gène sty4221, une aminotransférase hypothétique. Ce dernier gène est d’intérêt dû à l’homologie qu’il détient avec une hémolysine connue (Hly) produite par Treponema denticola, possédant elle-même une activité d’aminotransférase. Chez T. denticola, Hly dégrade la cystéine et produit du H2S qui est toxique pour l’hôte. Notre hypothèse est que la spécificité d’hôte et la capacité de produire une infection systémique de Typhi sont dues à l’expression de gènes qui ne se retrouvent pas chez d’autres salmonelles. Le but de cette étude était donc de caractériser le gène sty4221 quant à son activité hémolytique, cytotoxique et tenter de déterminer son rôle dans la virulence de cette bactérie. Le gène sty4221 a été cloné sous le contrôle d’un promoteur inductible à l’arabinose et exprimé par E. coli. L’activité hémolytique du clone a été déterminée par simple observation sur gélose sang. Ce clone a également permis d’observer l’effet cytotoxique du surnageant de culture sur différentes lignées cellulaires, par quantification de la relâche de LDH. Le gène sty4221 a été muté chez la souche sauvage de Typhi, ISP1820, l’implication pathogénique du gène a ainsi pu être étudiée. Des tests de phagocytose, d’invasion et de survie dans des macrophages humains ont été effectués, ainsi que des tests d’adhésion et d’invasion sur des cellules HeLa. Par ailleurs, une première tentative de purification de la protéine a été entreprise. En somme, nous savons maintenant que STY4221 a des propriétés hémolytiques, augmentées par la présence de cystéine. De plus, STY4221 a un effet cytotoxique sur les macrophages THP-I, mais aucun effet sur les HeLa. Or, sty4221 ne semble pas impliqué dans les étapes d’adhésion, d’invasion, de phagocytose ou de survie. La caractérisation de sty4221 permettra sans doute d’approfondir nos connaissances sur les toxines trouvées uniquement chez Typhi. / Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Typhi) is a human restricted pathogen causing typhoid fever, a systemic infection. Annually, at least 16 million new cases with 600, 000 associated deaths are reported. It has been demonstrated that Salmonella has to survive in the macrophages of its host, in order to produce a systemic disease. This ability to cause a disseminated infection in human is unique to Typhi. Our laboratory had isolated 36 genes that were unique to Typhi (absent from Typhimurium’s genome), and that were expressed during human macrophages infection. One of these genes, sty4221, a putative aminotransferase, was of high interest since it shares sequence similarities with a known hemolysin (Hly), which also possesses an aminotransferase activity. That hemolysin is produced by Treponema denticola, it catabolizes cysteine and produces H2S, a toxic metabolite for the host. Our hypothesis is that host specificity and the ability to cause a systemic infection might be explained by the expression of genes that are not found in other salmonellas. The goal of this study was to characterize the gene sty4221, in terms of hemolytic and cytotoxic activity and to determine its role in virulence. The sty4221gene has been cloned in a vector under an arabinose inducible promoter and transformed in a strain of E. coli. The hemolytic activity has been investigated on blood-agar medium. To evaluate the cytotoxicity of the STY4221 protein on human cultured cells, direct observation by photonic microscopy was done. The cytotoxicity activity on human cultured cells has been quantitatively measured with a lactate dehydrogenase release assay. Moreover, the sty4221 gene has been deleted in order to study its implication in the infection and the survival within human macrophages and for adhesion/invasion on epithelial. Protein purification was also attempted. We now know that protein STY4221 has a hemolytic activity that is enhanced by cysteine. Also, we proved that the expression of sty4221 has a cytotoxic effect on THP-I macrophages, but not on epithelial HeLa cells. Meanwhile, sty4221 does not seem to be important during adhesion, invasion, infection nor survival. The characterization of protein STY4221 might extend the list of known exotoxin of Typhi.

O pEO5, que codifica hemolisina, foi isolado de uma amostra de EPEC do sorotipo O26. Este plasmídio mostrou ser conjugativo e compatível com o pO157, e pelos testes de hibridização observou-se que estes plasmídios não são geneticamente relacionados. Para o estudo comparativo de similaridade foi seqüenciada uma região de 9227 pb de DNA do pEO5 que compreende todo o operon hlyCABD e suas regiões a montante e a jusante. A região do operon hemolitico (7225 pb) e a região promotora do operon foram similares às mesmas regiões do pHly152, que em uma amostra de E. coli isolada de roedor, codifica uma a hemolisina. No entanto, verificou-se a presença de elementos de inserção na região a montante do gene hlyC no pHly152. O pEO5 mostrou ser semelhante a outros plasmídios que também codificam a hemolisina em cepas de EPEC O26 de origem humana e de bovinos. A presença de estruturas semelhantes a transposons em ambas as extremidades do operon a hemolítico do pEO5 indica que esse fator de virulência provavelmente foi adquirido por transferência horizontal de genes. / The conjugative pEO5 encoding haemolysin in strains of EPEC O26 was investigated for its relationship with EHEC haemolysin-encoding of EHEC O26 and O157 strains. pEO5 was found to be compatible with EHEC virulence plasmids and did not hybridize in Southern blots with pO157, indicating that both plasmids were unrelated. A 9227 bp stretch pEO5 DNA encompassing the entire operon hlyCABD was sequenced and compared for similarity to plasmid and chromosomally inherited hly determinants. The a hly determinant of pEO5 (7252 bp) and its upstream region was most similar to corresponding sequences of pHly152, in particular, the structural a-hlyCABD and hlyR regions. pEO5 and hly of EPEC O26 strains from humans and cattle were very similar for the regions encompassing the structural a-hlyCABD. The major difference found between the hly regions of pHly152 and pEO5 is caused by the IS2 upstream of the hlyC in pHly152. The presence of transposonlike structures at both ends of hly sequence indicates that pEO5 was probably acquired by horizontal gene transfer.

Salmonella enterica sérovar Typhi (Typhi) est une bactérie pathogène spécifique à l’homme. Typhi est l’agent étiologique de la fièvre typhoïde chez l’humain, causant plus de 16 millions de nouveaux cas par année et plus de 600 000 morts. Il a été démontré que pour causer une infection systémique, Salmonella doit nécessairement survivre dans les macrophages de l'hôte. Paradoxalement, S. enterica sérovar Typhimurium, très apparenté à Typhi (près de 90 % d’homologie), n’a pas la capacité de se disséminer dans l’organisme humain et peut infecter plusieurs espèces animales. Nous avons antérieurement identifié 36 gènes uniques à Typhi (absents chez Typhimurium) situés sur 15 régions différentes et exprimés sélectivement lors de l’infection de macrophages humains. Ainsi, l’une de ces régions a suscité notre attention, soit la région sty4217-4222 et plus particulièrement le produit du gène sty4221, une aminotransférase hypothétique. Ce dernier gène est d’intérêt dû à l’homologie qu’il détient avec une hémolysine connue (Hly) produite par Treponema denticola, possédant elle-même une activité d’aminotransférase. Chez T. denticola, Hly dégrade la cystéine et produit du H2S qui est toxique pour l’hôte. Notre hypothèse est que la spécificité d’hôte et la capacité de produire une infection systémique de Typhi sont dues à l’expression de gènes qui ne se retrouvent pas chez d’autres salmonelles. Le but de cette étude était donc de caractériser le gène sty4221 quant à son activité hémolytique, cytotoxique et tenter de déterminer son rôle dans la virulence de cette bactérie. Le gène sty4221 a été cloné sous le contrôle d’un promoteur inductible à l’arabinose et exprimé par E. coli. L’activité hémolytique du clone a été déterminée par simple observation sur gélose sang. Ce clone a également permis d’observer l’effet cytotoxique du surnageant de culture sur différentes lignées cellulaires, par quantification de la relâche de LDH. Le gène sty4221 a été muté chez la souche sauvage de Typhi, ISP1820, l’implication pathogénique du gène a ainsi pu être étudiée. Des tests de phagocytose, d’invasion et de survie dans des macrophages humains ont été effectués, ainsi que des tests d’adhésion et d’invasion sur des cellules HeLa. Par ailleurs, une première tentative de purification de la protéine a été entreprise. En somme, nous savons maintenant que STY4221 a des propriétés hémolytiques, augmentées par la présence de cystéine. De plus, STY4221 a un effet cytotoxique sur les macrophages THP-I, mais aucun effet sur les HeLa. Or, sty4221 ne semble pas impliqué dans les étapes d’adhésion, d’invasion, de phagocytose ou de survie. La caractérisation de sty4221 permettra sans doute d’approfondir nos connaissances sur les toxines trouvées uniquement chez Typhi. / Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Typhi) is a human restricted pathogen causing typhoid fever, a systemic infection. Annually, at least 16 million new cases with 600, 000 associated deaths are reported. It has been demonstrated that Salmonella has to survive in the macrophages of its host, in order to produce a systemic disease. This ability to cause a disseminated infection in human is unique to Typhi. Our laboratory had isolated 36 genes that were unique to Typhi (absent from Typhimurium’s genome), and that were expressed during human macrophages infection. One of these genes, sty4221, a putative aminotransferase, was of high interest since it shares sequence similarities with a known hemolysin (Hly), which also possesses an aminotransferase activity. That hemolysin is produced by Treponema denticola, it catabolizes cysteine and produces H2S, a toxic metabolite for the host. Our hypothesis is that host specificity and the ability to cause a systemic infection might be explained by the expression of genes that are not found in other salmonellas. The goal of this study was to characterize the gene sty4221, in terms of hemolytic and cytotoxic activity and to determine its role in virulence. The sty4221gene has been cloned in a vector under an arabinose inducible promoter and transformed in a strain of E. coli. The hemolytic activity has been investigated on blood-agar medium. To evaluate the cytotoxicity of the STY4221 protein on human cultured cells, direct observation by photonic microscopy was done. The cytotoxicity activity on human cultured cells has been quantitatively measured with a lactate dehydrogenase release assay. Moreover, the sty4221 gene has been deleted in order to study its implication in the infection and the survival within human macrophages and for adhesion/invasion on epithelial. Protein purification was also attempted. We now know that protein STY4221 has a hemolytic activity that is enhanced by cysteine. Also, we proved that the expression of sty4221 has a cytotoxic effect on THP-I macrophages, but not on epithelial HeLa cells. Meanwhile, sty4221 does not seem to be important during adhesion, invasion, infection nor survival. The characterization of protein STY4221 might extend the list of known exotoxin of Typhi.

Historically, infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) was believed to be under the exclusive competence of Moraxella bovis. However, the roles of other species of Genus Moraxella are also being considered in the pathogenesis of IBK, such as Moraxella ovis and particularly Moraxella bovoculi. This thesis describes phylogenetic and genotypic analysis based on the genes encoding type IV pili Q- and I-type (TfpQ/I) of M. bovis and cytotoxin of M. bovis (MbxA), M. bovoculi (MbvA) and M. ovis (MovA). The distinction between M. bovis, M. bovoculi and M. ovis was previously performed by PCR (16S-23S intergenic region) according to the protocol established in the literature. Then, there is described a molecular analysis based on the 3' region of genes tfpQ/I (including α1-C N-terminal subdomain and C-terminal domain) of 16 field strains and five vaccine strains of M. bovis from South America. All 47 sequences of tfp Q- and I-type genes analyzed resulted in 31 alleles designated 1 to 31. The phylogenetic reconstruction resulted in a distinction of 31 alleles in eleven groups (designated A through J and Epp). The analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence (aa) of the C-terminal region showed similarity levels between 67 and 100% within the groups, while the analysis of the D region (C-terminal subunit) resulted in levels of similarity between 60 and 100%. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis based on the 3' region of the cytotoxin gene was performed to investigate the genetic relationship among M. bovis (n = 17), M. bovoculi (n = 11) and M. ovis (n = 7) strains and reference strains. Phylogenetic reconstruction allowed the differentiation among species, and the older M. bovoculi strains remained in branch closer to M. bovis strains. The amino acid similarity level among the MbxA sequences stood at an average of 99.9%, while among the MbvA and MovA sequences the similarity was respectively 98.8% and 99.3%. The similarity between MbvA and MovA was 96.6%, while MbxA for MbvA and MovA was 77.6%. Thus, it is possible to conclude that the tfp gene may be inferred suitable for differentiate among M. bovis strains, while the cytotoxin-encoding gene is suitable for phylogenetic classification of M. bovis, M. bovoculi and M. ovis strains and perhaps for understanding the evolutionary relationships among three species. / Historicamente, acreditava-se que a ceratoconjuntivite infecciosa bovina (CIB) estáva sob competência exclusiva de Moraxella bovis. Contudo, outras espécies do Gênero Moraxella também vêm sendo estudadas quanto à participação na patogenia da CIB, como Moraxella ovis e principalmente Moraxella bovoculi. Esta tese descreve análises filogenéticas e de dados genotípicos com base nos genes codificadores dos pili tipo IV dos tipos Q e I (TfpQ/I) de M. bovis e da citotoxina de M. bovis (MbxA), M. bovoculi (MbvA) e M. ovis (MovA). A diferenciação entre M. bovis, M. bovoculi e M. ovis foi previamente realizada por PCR (região intergenica 16S-23S) conforme protocolo estabelecido na literatura. Após, é descrita uma análise molecular com base na região 3' dos genes tfpQ/I (compreendendo subdomínio α1-C N-terminal e o domínio C-terminal) de 16 isolados de campo e cinco cepas vacinais de M. bovis, provenientes da América do Sul. Todas as 47 sequencias do gene tfp tipo Q e tipo I analisadas resultaram em 31 alelos designados de 1 até 31. A reconstrução filogenética resultou em uma distinção dos 31 alelos em onze grupos (designados de A até J e Epp). A análise da sequencia de aminoácidos (aa) deduzidos da região C-terminal mostrou níveis de similaridade entre 67 e 100% dentro dos grupos, enquanto a análise da região D (subunidade C-terminal) resultou níveis de similaridade entre 60 e 100%. Além disso, um estudo filogenético com base na região 3' dos genes da citotoxina foi realizado para investigar a relação genética entre os isolados de M. bovis (n = 17), M. bovoculi (n = 11) e M. ovis (n = 7) e cepas de referência. A reconstrução filogenética permitiu a diferenciação entre as espécies, sendo que os isolados mais antigos de M. bovoculi permaneceram em ramo mais próximos aos isolados de M. bovis. O nível de similaridade de aminoácidos entre as sequencias de MbxA ficou em 99.9% de média, enquanto entre as sequencias de MbvA e MovA foi respectivamente de 98.8% e 99.3%. A similaridade entre MbvA e MovA foi de 96.6%, enquanto MbxA em relação a MbvA e MovA foi de 77.6%. Assim, é possível concluir que o gene tfp pode ser adequado para inferir distinção entre os isolados de M. bovis, enquanto o gene codificador da citotoxina é adequado para classificação filogenéticas dos isolados de M. bovis, M. bovoculi e M. ovis, e, talvez para a compreensão das relações evolutivas.

O pEO5, que codifica hemolisina, foi isolado de uma amostra de EPEC do sorotipo O26. Este plasmídio mostrou ser conjugativo e compatível com o pO157, e pelos testes de hibridização observou-se que estes plasmídios não são geneticamente relacionados. Para o estudo comparativo de similaridade foi seqüenciada uma região de 9227 pb de DNA do pEO5 que compreende todo o operon hlyCABD e suas regiões a montante e a jusante. A região do operon hemolitico (7225 pb) e a região promotora do operon foram similares às mesmas regiões do pHly152, que em uma amostra de E. coli isolada de roedor, codifica uma a hemolisina. No entanto, verificou-se a presença de elementos de inserção na região a montante do gene hlyC no pHly152. O pEO5 mostrou ser semelhante a outros plasmídios que também codificam a hemolisina em cepas de EPEC O26 de origem humana e de bovinos. A presença de estruturas semelhantes a transposons em ambas as extremidades do operon a hemolítico do pEO5 indica que esse fator de virulência provavelmente foi adquirido por transferência horizontal de genes. / The conjugative pEO5 encoding haemolysin in strains of EPEC O26 was investigated for its relationship with EHEC haemolysin-encoding of EHEC O26 and O157 strains. pEO5 was found to be compatible with EHEC virulence plasmids and did not hybridize in Southern blots with pO157, indicating that both plasmids were unrelated. A 9227 bp stretch pEO5 DNA encompassing the entire operon hlyCABD was sequenced and compared for similarity to plasmid and chromosomally inherited hly determinants. The a hly determinant of pEO5 (7252 bp) and its upstream region was most similar to corresponding sequences of pHly152, in particular, the structural a-hlyCABD and hlyR regions. pEO5 and hly of EPEC O26 strains from humans and cattle were very similar for the regions encompassing the structural a-hlyCABD. The major difference found between the hly regions of pHly152 and pEO5 is caused by the IS2 upstream of the hlyC in pHly152. The presence of transposonlike structures at both ends of hly sequence indicates that pEO5 was probably acquired by horizontal gene transfer.

S. aureus est un pathogène majeur de l’Homme capable de produire une grande variété de facteurs de virulence tels que les phénol-solubles modulines alpha (PSM) et l’hémolysine delta (Hld). La transmission de S. aureus est essentiellement manu-portée mais les éléments favorisant sa dissémination dans la population restent inconnus. Les mastocytes étant connus pour libérer des médiateurs pruritogènes, nous avons suspecté leur implication dans la physiopathologie et la transmission des infections cutanées staphylococciques. Sur une lignée de mastocytes humains, l’Hld et les PSM1, montrés pour être produits in vivo, déclenchaient la libération de tels médiateurs. Chez S. aureus, la production des toxines est sous la dépendance du système de régulation globale Agr. Les souches de S. aureus appartenant au type Agr1, produisant significativement plus d’Hld et de PSM que les autres souches, ont été les plus fréquemment retrouvées au cours de l’année 2017 dans les infections cutanées staphylococciques. Ceci corrobore l’hypothèse selon laquelle une souche de S. aureus produisant des toxines capables d’interagir avec les mastocytes et induisant un prurit, diffuse plus facilement dans la population. Nous avons ensuite étudié la modulation de l’expression des PSM et d’Hld par des concentrations sub-inhibitrices d’antibiotiques. L’oxacilline induisait une inhibition de l’expression des PSM et d’Hld alors que la clindamycine entraînait plus fréquemment une induction de leur expression. Ces observations nous ont interrogé sur l’utilisation de la clindamycine considérée habituellement comme anti-toxinique et sur l’effet bénéfique ou délétère de l’effet inhibiteur de l’oxacilline / S. aureus is a major human pathogen able to produce several virulence factors such as phenol-solublemodulins alpha (PSMalpha) and delta hemolysin (Hld). S. aureus is essentially spread through hand butthe elements promoting its spreading stay unsolved. Mast cells release several soluble mediatorstriggering itching behavior. We suspect the mast cell involvement in spreading of S. aureus strains andin physiopathology of staphylococcal skin infections. Upon human mast cell line, we showed thatPSMalpha1 and Hld induced the release of mediators triggering itching behavior. Moreover, these toxinswere produced in vivo during staphylococcal skin infections. Expression of staphylococcal virulencefactors is regulated by global regulatory system Agr. Interestingly, we observed that S. aureus strainsbelonging in Agr1 produced higher quantity of PSMalpha and Hld than those belonging to Agr2 and Agr3,and were more frequently responsible to skin infections during the last year. This observation supportsour hypothesis whereby a strain producing toxins able to trigger mast cell mediator inducingscratching behavior, spreads electively in the community. Thereafter, we studied modulation of PSMalphaand Hld expression by sub-inhibitory concentration of antibiotics. We reported that oxacillin inducedan inhibitory effect on PSMalpha and Hld expression, while clindamycin resulted in more frequently aninducer effect. These results are discordant with these observed with Panton-Valentine leucocidin andalpha hemolysin and interrogate on clindamycin use for its anti-toxin activity and on benefic ordeleterious effect of oxacillin inhibitory effect

Increasing antibiotic resistance has created a need to develop rapid and reliable methods to identify bacteria and provide pertinent information to ensure suitable antibiotics or sugar therapeutics can be chosen for treatment. Carbohydrate structures attached to proteins on host cell surfaces provide a binding point for many pathogens, including bacteria. These structures can be mimicked using single monosaccharides glycosylated to alpha-hemolysin (alpha-HL). Alpha-HL is a beta-barrel pore-forming toxin secreted by Staphylococcus aureus that forms an SDS stable heptamer, which can be expressed by coupled in vitro transcription and translation and purified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified heptamers can be reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers and studied at the single channel level. Through single channel recordings the effects of sugar-linker lengths, different glycans and the interaction between the ‘Glycopore’ and sugar binding molecules can be studied. The glycopore, therefore, acts as a scaffold for analysing protein-sugar interactions. Studies in this thesis have focused on the synthesis of carbohydrates for site-selective protein glycosylation; cloning and in vitro transcription translation of alpha-HL monomers; and glycosylation and oligomerisation of alpha-HL to form glycopores suitable for lectin-binding studies. Lectins DC-SIGN and FimH have been expressed in Escherichia coli and these lectins as well as others have been screened using alpha-HL glycopores. The glycopores have also been investigated with bacteria in serum in a controlled molecule-specific manner using single-channel electrical recording. In this work glycosylated alpha-HL-monomers have been found to form stable heptamers which can be formed by oligomerisation on red blood cell membranes. The purified glycopores were reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers and studied at the single-channel level. Through single-channel recordings an optimised glycopore has been shown to be effective in distinguishing lectins alone and in a mixture and has afforded qualitative and quantitative information about the binding interactions between carbohydrates and sugar binding proteins. Furthermore, the glycopore has been used to sense bacteria which may provide an insight into modes of bacterial infection. In addition, a multivalent glycopore has been formed which has proved preliminary information about the effects of multivalency in lectin binding. The design and synthesis of non-beta-lactam antibiotic candidates and their evaluation has also been carried out.

Les protéines membranaires intégrales jouent un rôle essentiel dans le maintien de l’intégrité cellulaire (transports d’ions et de nutriments, transduction de signal, interaction cellule-cellule). Afin de les étudier, ces protéines doivent être produites in vitro. La production classique de ces protéines membranaires intégrales dans des microorganismes présente de nombreuses difficultés liées à leur structure complexe mais aussi à des problèmes de toxicité, empêchant la production de nombre d’entre elles. En outre, pour être produites efficacement, ces protéines ont besoin d’un environnement amphiphile. Dans cette thèse, afin de pallier à ces difficultés, nous avons d’une part utilisé un système d’expression protéique acellulaire, non affecté par la physiologie des cellules vivantes. En outre, nous avons choisi de les intégrer dans des bicouches lipidiques planes reconstituées artificiellement. Dans une première partie, nous avons mis au point l’intégration d’une protéine membranaire intégrale formant un pore, l’alpha hémolysine, dans une bicouche lipidique supportée. Certaines protéines nécessitant un espace plus important de part etd’autre de la membrane, nous avons, dans une seconde partie, développé une bicouche lipidique espacée et ancrée par fusion de liposomes sur des surfaces d’or. Nous démontrons qu’il est possible d’y incorporer des protéines membranaires de type Aquaporine Z sous certaines conditions. Dans une troisième partie, dédiée à la formation de membranes biomimétiques utilisant des molécules lipidiques provenant d’Escherichia coli, nous montrons que la modification de la composition membranaire ne semble pas avoir d’incidence sur l’incorporation de protéines. Enfin, dans une dernière partie, nous avons réalisé des premiers essais d’insertion de protéines membranaires, de type alpha hémolysine, dans des bicouches suspendues afin de montrer que ces protéines produites par le système d’expression acellulaire sont fonctionnelles. / Integral membrane proteins play an essential role in the cell integrity preservation (transport of nutrients and ions, signal transduction, cell-cell interaction). In order to study these proteins, they have to be produced in vitro. Classical production of integral membrane proteins in microorganisms present many difficulties associated with their complex structure and also toxicity problems, preventing production of many of them. Moreover, to be efficiently produced, these proteins require an amphiphilic environment. In order to overcome these difficulties, we used a cell-free protein expression system, unaffected by the physiology ofliving cells. In addition, we chose to integrate them into artificial planar lipid bilayers. In a first part, we have developed the integration of an integral membrane protein forming a pore, the alpha hemolysin, in a supported lipid bilayer. Some proteins require more space on each side of the membrane, therefore in a second part, we have developed a tethered lipid bilayer membrane by liposome fusion on gold surfaces. We demonstrate that it is possible to incorporate membrane protein Aquaporin Z under certain conditions. The third part is dedicated to the formation of biomimetic membranes using lipid molecules from Escherichiacoli, we show that the membrane composition do not affect the protein incorporation. Finally, we have tested alpha hemolysin membrane proteins insertion in suspended lipid bilayers membranes to show that these proteins produced by the cell-free expression system are functional.