La résistance aux antibiotiques est un problème majeur en santé publique qui mène à développer de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques, notamment en ciblant des facteurs de virulence bactériens. MgtC est un facteur de virulence impliqué dans la survie intra-macrophagique chez plusieurs pathogènes intracellulaires. La protéine MgtC est également présente chez le pathogène extracellulaire Pseudomonas aeruginosa. De plus, un peptide MgtR a été identifié comme étant un antagoniste naturel potentiel de MgtC. Pour étudier le rôle de MgtC dans la virulence des mycobactéries, j'ai analysé un mutant mgtC de Mycobacterium marinum dans les modèles d'infection d'embryons de danio et de macrophages en culture. Cela a permis de mettre en évidence un nouveau rôle de MgtC au niveau de l'étape de phagocytose qui est augmentée avec le mutant mgtC. Chez P. aeruginosa, nous avons montré qu'un mutant mgtC est atténué dans l'embryon de danio et présente une sensibilité accrue à l'action bactéricide du macrophage. Par ailleurs, j'ai montré que les gènes mgtC de M. marinum et de P. aeruginosa sont régulés par le magnésium. De plus, l'expression de mgtC de P. aeruginosa est fortement induite dans les macrophages. Enfin, concernant les propriétés antagonistes de MgtR, des souches de Mycobacterium bovis BCG ou de P. aeruginosa exprimants mgtR semblent se comporter de la même manière que les mutants mgtC, suggérant des propriétés anti-virulence prometteuses pour MgtR et confirmant le choix de MgtC en tant que cible dans le cadre d'une stratégie anti-virulence. / Antibiotic resistance is a major problem in public health, which leads to develop new therapeutics strategies, including strategies targeting bacterial virulence factors. MgtC is a virulence factor involved in intramacrophage survival in several intracellular pathogens. MgtC protein is also present in extracellular pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, a peptide MgtR has been identified as a potential and natural antagonist of MgtC.To study the role of MgtC in mycobacterial virulence, I have analysed a Mycobacterium marinum mgtC mutant in zebrafish embryo and macrophage infection models. This approach allowed us to uncover a new role of MgtC in phagocytosis, which is increased with mgtC mutant. In P. aeruginosa, we have shown that a mgtC mutant is attenuated in zebrafish embryos. In ex vivo experiments, mgtC mutant is more sensitive to macrophage killing. In parallel, I have shown that M. marinum and P. aeruginosa mgtC genes are regulated by magnesium. In addition, expression of P. aeruginosa mgtC is highly induced in macrophages.Finally, regarding MgtR antagonistic properties, Mycobacterium bovis BCG or P. aeruginosa strains expressing mgtR appear to mimic the behaviour of mgtC mutants, suggesting promising anti-virulence properties for MgtR and supporting the choice of MgtC as a suitable target of an anti-virulence strategy.

Kött är skelettmuskler från olika djur som till exempel gris, nötdjur eller får. På kött kan många bakterier tillväxa. Pseudomonas är ett släkte bakterier som vanligen orsakar att mat blir dålig. De finns i vår omgivning och kan ge problem bland annat på grund av biofilmbildning inom sjukvård och på livsmedelsindustrier. Slakteriet KLS Ugglarps har tidigare sett att vissa styckningsdetaljer av gris blivit missfärgade med en blå färg och ville ta reda på orsaken till detta. Berörda delar var främst karré och kotlett. Pseudomonas aeruginosa hade tidigare hittats i lokalerna och misstänktes även i detta fall.Kött, både med och utan missfärgningar, undersöktes med hjälp av olika mikrobiologiska metoder för att se vilken bakterie som var orsaken till den blå färgen. Renodling och isolering utfördes och analyser gjordes med hjälp av API 20NE, gramfärgning och oxidastest för att kunna identifiera bakterien och ett referensisolat användes som kontroll. Det visade sig att det inte var P. aeruginosa utan istället en Pseudomonas fluorescens och denna kunde säkerställas som orsaken till blåfärgen genom att den isolerade bakterien från köttet ympades till sterilt kött och då gav en blå färg igen efter inkubering. En smittspårning utfördes i produktionslokalen för att se om bakterien kunde hittas innan uppstart samt under produktionens gång. Proverna visade vid odling att det fanns ytor i lokalen som var odlingspositiva för Pseudomonas. / Meat is skeletal muscle from different animals, such as pigs, cattle or sheep. Pseudomonas are bacteria that may cause food spoilage. The bacteria live in our environment and can cause problems due to biofilm formation in hospitals and industries. The slaughterhouse KLS Ugglarps has found that some pig cuttings have become discolored with at blue color and they wanted to find out what caused it. Pseudomonas aeruginosa had previously been found in the production area and was suspected as the cause.Meat, with and without discoloration, was investigated using various microbiological methods to see which bacterium cause the blue color. Different colonies were isolated and identified. The methods used were API 20NE, gram staining and oxidation test. A reference isolate was used as control. It was found that it was not P. aeruginosa but instead Pseudomonas fluorescens that caused the blue color. This was confirmed by applying the isolated bacteria to sterile meat and the blue color did appear after incubation. A screening for the source of contamination was performed in the production area to see if the bacterium could be found before start-up and during production. The samples taken showed that there were bacteria at both time points and that the production surfaces at the beginning of the production line were more prone to contamination than the other surfaces.

Les eaux minérales naturelles se distinguent de l’eau potable par leur contenu en sels minéraux et en éléments traces. Leur utilisation à des fins thérapeutiques s’effectue sous contrôle médical dans des établissements thermaux. La gestion des réseaux de distribution ainsi que la qualité microbiologique de l’eau font l’objet de réglementations. Malgré la mise en place de procédures spécifiques, les établissements thermaux sont régulièrement confrontés à des contaminations microbiologiques majoritairement dues à P. aeruginosa. Ce pathogène opportuniste possède d’importantes capacités d’adaptation, de résistance et de persistance dans l’environnement, notamment sous forme de biofilms. L’objectif de ces travaux de thèse est d’apporter des éléments de compréhension sur le comportement de P. aeruginosa dans les réseaux de distribution d’eau minérale naturelle et de valider l’efficacité de produits de traitement. L’influence de la composition minérale de 3 eaux sur les capacités à former du biofilm de 9 souches de P. aeruginosa d’origines diverses a pu être démontrée. Il apparait que les quantités de biofilms produites au bout de 24 h sont moins importantes pour la minéralisation forte. La modulation de la production de facteurs de virulence en fonction de la qualité de l’eau est corrélée à l’action spécifique de certains ions et à la biodisponibilité du fer. En conditions de minéralisation forte il a été montré que les matériaux organiques favorisent la formation de biofilm de P. aeruginosa tandis que les matériaux métalliques ont tendance à la défavoriser. L’efficacité d’une séquence de traitement de postes de soins a pu être validée sur un modèle de biofilm âgé de 24 h et sur tous les matériaux. / Natural mineral waters are distinguished from drinking water bytheir content in minerals and trace elements. Their use for therapeuticpurposes under medical control is performed in spas. Management ofdistribution networks and the microbiological quality of water are subjectto regulations. Despite the establishment of specific procedures, spas areregularly confronted with microbiological contamination mainly due to P.aeruginosa. This opportunistic pathogen has substantial adaptive capacity,resistance and persistence in the environment, under biofilm.The aim of this thesis work is to bring understanding on the P.aeruginosa behaviour in the natural mineral water distribution networksand validate the effectiveness of treatment products.The influence of the mineral composition of 3 waters on biofilmformation capacity of 9 P. aeruginosa strains of various origins could bedemonstrated. It appears that the amount of biofilm produced after 24 hare less important for the strong mineralization. Modulation of theproduction of virulence factors depending on the water quality iscorrelated to the specific action of certain ions and iron bioavailability. Inhigh mineralization conditions it has been shown that organic materialspromote biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa while metallic materials tendto disadvantage it. The efficiency of a treatment sequence of a patient pointof use has been validated on the 24 h biofilm model and on all materials.

Previous research in our laboratory showed that when knockout mutations were created in the pyrB and pyrC genes of the pyrimidine pathway in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, not only were the resultant mutants auxotrophic for pyrimidines but they were also impaired in virulence factor production. Such a correlation had not been previously reported for P. aeruginosa, a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen in humans. In an earlier study it was reported that mutants blocked in one of the first three enzymes of the pyrimidine pathway in the non-pathogenic strain P. putida M produced no pyoverdin pigment while mutants blocked in the later steps produced copious amounts of pigment, just like the wild type. This study probed for the same connection between pyrimidine auxotrophy and pigment production applied in P. aeruginosa. To that end a knockout mutation was created in pyrD, the fourth step in the pyrimidine pathway which encodes dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. The resulting mutant required pyrimidines for growth but produced wild type pigment levels. Since the pigment pyoverdin is a siderophore it may also be considered a virulence factor, other virulence factors were quantified in the mutant. These included casein protease, hemolysin, elastase, swimming, swarming and twitching motility, and iron binding capacity. In all cases these virulence factors were significantly decreased in the mutant. Even supplementing with uracil did not attain wild type levels. Starvation of the pyrimidine mutant for uracil caused increased specific activity of the pyrimidine enzymes, suggesting that regulation of the pyrimidine pathway occurred at the level of transcription. This effect has also been reported for P. oleovorans. The present research consolidates the idea that pyrimidine auxotrophs cause decreased pathogenicity in P. aeruginosa. Such a finding may open the search for chemotherapy targets in cystic fibrosis and burn victims where P. aeruginosa is an infecting agent.

A proteobactéria Pseudomonas aeruginosa é um patógeno oportunista em humanos, sendo associado a queimaduras e infecções pulmonares crônicas em pacientes com fibrose cística. Essas infecções são difíceis de erradicar devido à resistência intrínseca de P. aeruginosa a antibióticos e à formação de biofilmes. Essa bactéria é altamente capaz de adaptar ao ambiente, tem um metabolismo versátil e pode direcionar a expressão de genes por vários fatores sigma alternativos. Estes são subunidades para transcrição de conjuntos específicos de genes em bactérias e interagem com o cerne da RNA polimerase, levando ao reconhecimento do promotor e início da transcrição. Os fatores sigma alternativos permitem que bactérias redirecionem a sua expressão genética. Um grupo de fatores sigma alternativos é o grupo dos fatores sigma de função extracitoplasmática (ECF) que são envolvidos principalmente em funções do envelope celular. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar dois fatores sigma ECF de função desconhecida, PA14_21550 e PA14_46810. A linhagem mutante Δ21550 foi analisada quanto a sua sobrevivência a diferentes estresses, observando-se que é mais resistente ao choque de 45°C que a linhagem selvagem. Esse fator sigma não é essencial para crescimento da bactéria em meio LB e meio mínimo M63 acrescido de glicose ou succinato. Além disso, observou-se que a superexpressão desse fator sigma aumenta a expressão da proteína hipotética PA14_30100, usando-se uma abordagem proteômica. O mutante de transposon para o fator sigma PA14_46810 apresenta melhor crescimento que a bactéria selvagem em meio M63 acrescido de glicose. Essa linhagem mostrou mesmo fenótipo para biofilme e formação de exopolissacarídeo que a bactéria selvagem. Ademais, foi realizada análise de transcritoma por RNA-Seq com a superexpressão do fator sigma PA14_46810 na linhagem selvagem. Na linhagem de superexpressão Observou-se que ocorre indução de genes envolvidos com a desnitrificação, transporte de moléculas e metabolismo de uma maneira geral, em relação à linhagem controle. Por outro lado, o excesso de PA14_46810 reprime principalmente genes envolvidos com a tradução de proteínas e síntese de espermidina. Este trabalho, portanto, trouxe novas informações sobre as funções de diferentes fatores sigma ECF de P. aeruginosa, contribuindo assim para um maior entendimento da fisiologia desta bactéria e sua adaptação a diferentes condições. / The proteobacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen in humans, and it is associated to chronic pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and burn wounds. These infections are difficult to eradicate due to P. aeruginosa intrinsic resistance to antibiotics and formation of biofilms, which allow the bacteria to adhere to biotic and abiotic surfaces. This bacterium is highly adaptaptable to the environment has a versatile metabolism and can direct the expression of genes by several alternative sigma factors. The sigma factors bind to the RNA polymerase core, providing recognition to promoter and transcription initiation. Therefore, the alternative sigma factors can redirect bacterial genetic expression by recognizing specific promoters. One subfamily of alternative sigma factors is the extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors, involved mostly in cell envelope functions. The aim of this work was characterize two ECF sigma factors with unknown function in P. aeruginosa, PA14_21550 and PA14_46810. The strain Δ21550 was analyzed for its survival in different stress conditions and it is more resistant in heat shock conditions at 45°C than the wild type strain. It was also observed that PA14_21550 sigma factor is not essential for bacterial growth in LB and M63 minimal medium added with glucose or succinate as the carbon source. Furthermore, overexpression of this sigma factor increases the expression of hypothetical protein PA14_30100, as verified by a proteomic approach. A strain insertionally inactivated in the PA14_46810 gene has better growth than the wild type strain in M63 added with glucose and the same phenotype regarding to biofilm formation and exopolysaccharide production as the wild type strain. Moreover, transcriptome analysis was carried out by RNA-Seq with overexpression of the PA14_46810 sigma factor in the wild type strain. Induction of genes involved in denitrification, transport of molecules and energetic metabolism in relation to the control strain was observed. On the other hand, excess of PA14_46810 represses genes involved in protein translation and spermidine synthesis. This work, therefore, brought new information about the functions of two ECF sigma of P. aeruginosa, thus contributing to a greater understanding of the physiology of this bacterium and its adaptation to different conditions.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:20:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 rita_cassia_freire_soares_silva.pdf: 20226744 bytes, checksum: bd91f37fc596f2c88c770334e386f466 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-20 / Surfactants are amphipathic powerful agents with application in various industries like oil industries, food, and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Several biosurfactants have been produced, but few are marketed due to the high cost of production and especially in relation to use of substrates and purification processes. In this sense, the use of industrial waste, corn steep liquor and residual canola oil frying, as alternative substrates for the production of a Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 biosurfactant was assessed in order to apply the environmental area, concentrations of constituents in the medium were studied using one central composite rotational design (DCCR) as a statistical tool to reduce surface tension. The biosurfactant produced in medium consisting of 3% corn steep liquor, cooking oil (canola) 2% NaNO3, and 0.2% reduced the surface tension to 26 mN / m after 60 hours under agitation of 250 rpm. In the study of the kinetics observed that the production of the biosurfactant was associated with cellular growth. The isolated biosurfactant yield was 8.0 g / L. The properties of the isolated biosurfactant were investigated and their CMC calculated. A preliminary biochemical characterization revealed the nature of the anion and glicolipídica biosurfactant. The biosurfactant was able to emulsify 90% engine oil and demonstrated stability during exposure to high temperatures (120 ° C for 15 minutes), high salt concentrations (12% NaCl) and in a wide pH range (2-12). Tests performed with crude biosurfactant showed no toxicity against the brine shrimp Artemia salina and two species of cabbage Brassica oleracea. The crude biosurfactant was also efficient in the removal of 75% of motor oil adsorbed on samples of sand and 65% oil dispersion, besides being able to remove 90% of the oil adhered to the solid surface. The results demonstrate the potential of biosurfactant for application in the oil industry, oil recovery, cleaning storage tanks and remediation of oil spills on land and water. / Os surfactantes são poderosos agentes anfipáticos com aplicação em vários segmentos industriais, como as indústrias petrolífera, alimentícia, e farmacêutica, entre outras. Muitos biossurfactantes têm sido produzidos, embora poucos sejam comercializados em virtude do alto custo de produção e principalmente no que se refere à utilização de substratos e aos processos de purificação. Neste sentido, a utilização dos resíduos industriais, milhocina e óleo de canola residual de fritura, como substratos alternativos para a produção de um biossurfactante por Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 foi avaliada com vistas à aplicação na área ambiental, As concentrações dos constituintes do meio foram estudadas utilizando um Delineamento Composto Central Rotacional (DCCR) como ferramenta estatística na redução da tensão superficial. O biossurfactante produzido no meio constituído por milhocina 3%, óleo de fritura (canola) 2% e NaNO3 0,2% reduziu a tensão superficial para 26 mN/m após 60 horas sob agitação de 250 rpm. No estudo da cinética observou-se que a produção do biossurfactante estava associada ao crescimento celular. O rendimento em biossurfactante isolado foi de 8,0 g/L. As propriedades do biossurfactante isolado foram investigadas e sua CMC calculada. A caracterização bioquímica preliminar revelou a natureza glicolipídica e aniônica do biossurfactante. O biossurfactante foi capaz de emulsificar 90% do óleo de motor e demonstrou estabilidade durante exposição a altas temperaturas (120ºC por 15 minutos), altas concentrações salinas (12% NaCl) e em ampla faixa de pH (2-12). Testes realizados com o biossurfactante bruto demonstraram ausência de toxicidade frente ao microcrustáceo Artemia salina e a duas espécies de repolho Brassica oleracea. O biossurfactante bruto também foi eficiente na remoção de 75% do óleo de motor adsorvido em amostras de areia e na dispersão do óleo 65%, além de ser capaz de remover 90% do óleo aderido à superfície sólida. Os resultados obtidos demonstram o potencial do biossurfactante para aplicação na indústria de petróleo, recuperação de óleo, limpeza de tanques de estocagem e na remediação de derramamentos de óleos em solos e água.

A infecção crônica das vias aéreas por Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) é a principal causa de morbidade e mortalidade em pacientes com fibrose cística (FC), devido à contínua degradação do tecido pulmonar, que leva ao declínio da função pulmonar, gerada pela infecção e pelo processo inflamatório. O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar características genéticas de PA que levam à sua adaptação às vias aéreas destes pacientes com infecção pulmonar crônica, atendidos no Centro de Referência em FC do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP e relacionar com resultados de tipagem molecular, resistência a antibióticos, cronicidade e dados clínicos dos pacientes em acompanhamento clínico no período de julho/2011 a abril/2014. As características genéticas dos isolados investigados englobam pesquisa de 18 genes de virulência e genes do sistema quorum sensing (genes lasR e rhlR), associação entre mutações e conversão para fenótipo mucoide (operon algTmucABD) e caracterização de linhagens hipermutantes (genes mutS e mutL). A identificação de P. aeruginosa foi realizada por PCR e MALDI-TOF, que mostraram alta concordância. Foram considerados os dados clínicos dos pacientes: índice de massa corpórea, escore de Shwachman, medidas de capacidade vital forçada e volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo. A porcentagem de pacientes com infecção pulmonar crônica por PA observada foi similar aos dados disponíveis na literatura, entretanto, a alta incidência em pacientes jovens foi preocupante. O perfil de macrorrestrição do DNA genômico por PFGE se mostrou útil para definição de colonização crônica/intermitente em associação com critérios clínicos e, juntamente com a detecção de mutações nos genes mucA e mucD confirmaram transmissão interpacientes. Foi observada alta ocorrência dos genes de fatores de virulência pesquisados para grande maioria dos isolados de pacientes crônicos. A resistência aos antibióticos pesquisados dos isolados de P. aeruginosa foi baixa e está de acordo com a literatura nacional e internacional e com a antibioticoterapia adotada no hospital. Não foi observada resistência aos carbapenêmicos e às fluoroquinolonas devido à presença de genes de resistência plasmideais. As mutações no gene mucA foram o principal mecanismo de conversão para o fenótipo mucoide e o fenótipo revertente não-mucoide ocorreu principalmente por mutações no gene algT. Foram detectadas novas mutações nos genes mutS e mutL que também suportam a ideia que hipermutação em PA está associada com mutações do sistema mismatch de reparo do DNA. O sistema quorum sensing dos isolados estudados está parcialmente prejudicado devido às várias mutações no gene lasR, mas todos conservam o gene rhlR intacto, que sustenta alguma atividade quorum sensing envolvida na produção de fatores de virulência importantes. Pacientes com infecção pulmonar crônica por PA com isolamento de outros bacilos gram-negativos não-fermentadores apresentaram maior alteração da função pulmonar quando comparados com pacientes com infecção pulmonar crônica por PA com ou sem isolamento de Staphylococcus aureus. As alterações presentes no operon algTmucABD, quorum sensing e hipermutabilidade contribuem para a cronicidade dos pacientes com FC em relação à infecção por P. aeruginosa. / The chronic airway infection by P. aeruginosa (PA) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, due to continuous degradation of the pulmonary tissue. This leads to decline in lung function, which is generated by the related infection and inflammation. The aim of this study was to analyze genetic characteristics associated with the adaptation of PA to the airways of patients with chronic pulmonary infection attended at the CF Reference Center from the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP; and to correlate these findings with the results of molecular typing, antibiotic resistance, chronicity and clinical data of patients in clinical follow-up from July/2011 to April/2014. The genetic characteristics of isolates investigated includes the research of 18 virulence genes and the quorum sensing system genes (lasR and rhlR genes), association between mutations and conversion to the mucoid phenotype (algTmucABD operon), and characterization of hypermutable strains (mutS and mutL genes). Identification of PA was performed by PCR and MALDI-TOF, which showed a high correlation. The patients\' clinical data considered were: body mass index, Shwachman score, forced vital capacity measures and forced expiratory volume in one second. The percentage of patients with chronic PA infection observed was similar to the data available in the literature; however, a worrying high incidence in young patients was noticed. The macrorestriction profile of genomic DNA by PFGE proved to be useful to define chronic/intermittent colonization in association with clinical criteria and it confirmed interpatient transmission, in combination with the detection of mutations in the mucA and mucD genes. High occurrence of virulence genes was detected for the vast majority of isolates from chronic CF patients. Antibiotic resistance for PA isolates was low and is in accordance with national and international literature and antibiotic therapy adopted in the hospital. There was no resistance to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones by the presence of plasmid mediated resistance genes. Mutations in the mucA gene were the main mechanism to conversion to mucoidy, and the non-mucoid revertants occurred mainly by mutations in the algT gene. New mutations in mutS and mutL genes were detected, which support the idea that hypermutation in PA is associated with mutations in the DNA mismatch repair system. The quorum sensing system of the isolates is partially damaged due to several mutations in the lasR gene, but all isolates maintain an intact rhlR gene, which holds some quorum sensing activity with production of important virulence factors. Patients with chronic PA infection with isolation of other non-fermenting gram-negative rods had greater change in lung function compared with patients with chronic PA infection with or without isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. The changes presented in the algTmucABD operon, quorum sensing and hypermutability contribute to the chronicity of CF patients in relation to infection by P. aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa é uma gamaproteobactéria com capacidade de colonizar diversos tipos de ambiente e infectar hospedeiros filogeneticamente distintos. Em humanos, comporta-se como um patógeno oportunista,estando frequentemente relacionada à infecções em indivíduos imunocomprometidos e indivíduos portadores de fibrose cística. Um mecanismo importante para a versatilidade de P. aeruginosa é o sistema de percepção de quórum (QS), onde a bactéria pode vincular expressão gênica à densidade populacional e às características do ambiente. Atualmente, sabe-se que muitos outros reguladores estão interligados com QS, entre eles, a proteína reguladora RsmA e os pequenos RNAs RsmZ e RsmY. Além disso, diversos fatores importantes para a patogenicidade da bactéria são reguladas por QS. Em P. aeruginosa PA14, um fator importante para a patogenicidade em diversos hospedeiros é a proteína KerV, cujo envolvimento com QS foi descrito pela primeira vez neste trabalho. A linhagem D12, que possui uma deleção no gene kerV, mostrou alterações em fenótipos regulados por QS, como a maior produção de piocianina, composto que contribui para virulência e persistência das infecções causada por P. aeruginosa. Por ser facilmente detectável e pela regulação de sua síntese não ter sido completamente explorada em PA14, a expressão dos genes responsáveis pela produção de piocianina é um interessante repórter na investigação do possível envolvimento de KerV com QS. Além de piocianina, D12 apresenta níveis reduzidos de ramnolipídeos. Esses fenótipos somados se assemelham aos fenótipos da mutação de rsmA, sugerindo o envolvimento de KerV com os sistemas QS e Gac-Rsm direta ou indiretamente. Neste trabalho, mostramos que KerV exerce um efeito negativo na regulação dos operons phz1 e phz2, responsáveis pela síntese de piocianina, alterando a expressão desses genes. KerV exerce também um efeito positivo na expressão da proteína RsmA, responsável pela repressão de diversos genes alvos, onde RsmA se liga ao sítio de ligação ao ribossomo no mRNA, impedindo a tradução. Ensaios de gel shift mostraram que a ligação direta de RsmA na sequência líder de phzA1 e phzA2 ocorre, elucidando a maneira pela qual KerV está envolvido na regulação da expressão dos operons phz em P. aeruginosa PA14. Mostramos também que phz2 é ativo e contribui para a síntese de piocianina, pois na ausência de phz1, os níveis do pigmento são maiores do que aqueles detectados em PA14. Isso sugere uma maior expressão de phz2 e uma regulação diferencial dos operons de acordo com as condições ambientais como possível estratégia para manter os níveis desse composto. Uma evidência dessa regulação diferencial é vista no mutante lasR. Na fase inicial de crescimento, esse mutante não produz piocianina, porém quando exposto a tempos mais longos de cultivo, a produção de piocianina é maior quando comparada a PA14. Isso é reflexo da ativação da expressão de phz1 no mutante lasR em fase estacionária tardia, enquanto phz2 permanece não expresso. Isso indica que phz2 é dependente de LasR, ainda que indiretamente. Já phz1, embora tenha sua expressão influenciada por LasR no estágio inicial de crescimento, na fase estacionária é regulado por outros fatores independentes de las. / Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gammaproteobacterium that colonizes several environments and infects phylogenetically distinct hosts. It behaves as an opportunistic pathogen in humans, often related to infection in immunocompromised individuals and cystic fibrosis patients. An important mechanism for P. aeruginosa versatility is the quorum sensing (QS) network, that allows bacteria to link gene expression to population density and environmental traits. Several additional regulators are interconnected with QS, as the regulatory mRNA binding protein RsmA and the non-coding small RNAs RsmZ and RsmY. Futhermore, key factors for pathogenicity are QS-regulated. In P. aeruginosa PA14, an important pathogenicity-related factor is the KerV protein, described for the first time here as involved in QS. D12 strain, that harbor a deletion in the kerV gene, shows alterations in QS-regulated phenotypes, such as high production of pyocyanin, a compound that contributes to virulence and persistence of P. aeruginosa infections. As the production of pyocyanin is easily detected and all mechanisms involved in its synthesis regulation are not fully described, the expression of genes responsible for production of this pigment is a good reporter to investigate KerV involvement in the QS network. Additionally, D12 also shows lower levels of rhamnolipids, another QS-regulated trait. Taken together, these phenotypes resemble the effects of a rsmA mutation, suggesting KerV involvement with QS and Gac-Rsm systems. In this work, we propose that KerV exerts a negative effect in the regulation of phz1 and phz2 operons, responsible for pyocyanin synthesis, by alterating the expression of these genes. KerV also has a positive effect on rsmA expression, responsible for the repression of several genes by blocking the ribosome binding site preventing the translation. Gel shift assays showed that RsmA binds directly in the leader sequence of phzA1 and phzA2, elucidating the manner in which KerV is involved in the regulation of phz operons expression in P. aeruginosa PA14. We also demonstrate that phz2 is actively expressed and contributes to pyocyanin production in PA14, since in the phz1 mutant the levels of pyocyanin are even higher than in the wild type strain. This suggests a phz2 higher expression and a differential regulation of phz operons according to environmental changes as a mechanism to maintain the levels of pyocyanin synthesis. An evidence for this regulation is the synthesis of pyocyanin by the lasR mutant, which does not make pyocyanin at early growth stages. However, at late stationary phase, pyocyanin production is even higher than in the wild-type strain, reflecting the LasR-independent regulation of phz1 expression, while phz2 operon remains silent.

Este trabalho utiliza a Análise de Fluxos Metabólicos para estudar o aumento da eficiência da linhagem Burkholderia sacchari (LFM101) na produção de PHB. Foram avaliadas as eficiências de conversão de açúcares em PHA de LFM101. Esta também foi cultivada em batelada alimentada em reator, apresentando o máximo teórico durante um estado pseudo-estacionário sob oferta de glicose. Estes dados, submetidos ao software Metatool, resultaram em mapa metabólico contendo os fluxos das reações centrais ede PHA ocorrido no experimento. Através do cultivo de LFM101 e C. necator sob oferta de glicose marcada com 13C, determinou-se que estas utilizam as mesmas vias para produção de PHA, não justificando a baixa eficiência de LFM101. Em um projeto paralelo, estudou-se a eficiência da produção de PHB utilizando melaço de cana, glicerol cru e acetato, em produtores de hidrogênio e PHA, onde verificou-se não apenas o aumento de PHA em mutantes nifh- de R. capsulatus mas a interação dos parâmetros luz e nitrogênio a partir das metodologias DOE e RSM. / This work applies Metabolic Flux Analysis to discuss the eficiency of Burkholderia sacchari (LFM101) in PHA production from sugars . Conversion yields of LFM101 and Cupriavidus necator from carbohydrates to PHA were assessed. LFM101 was also grown in reactor fed-batch cultivations, and presented the theoretical maximum in a pseudo-steady stage while grown on glucose. These data were submitted to Metatool and resulted in a metabolic network containing the experimental fluxes of central and PHA metabolism. Cultivation of LFM101 and C. necator under 13C- labeled glucose showed that both species use the same metabolic pathways for the biodegradable polymer synthesis. On a parallel project, the efficiency of biopolymer production from molasses, raw glycerol and acetate in strains producing hydrogen and PHA was tested. Results showed that there was not only an increase in PHA production by R. capsulatus nifH- mutants but also the interaction of light and nitrogen effects were studied by DOE and RSM.

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa est un pathogène opportuniste qui adapte son comportement aux molécules présentes dans son milieu. Il augmente en virulence lorsqu’il détecte des peptides natriurétiques dans son environnement. L’isatine est une molécule qui bloque cet effet. Pour mieux comprendre sur quel récepteur l’isatine agit, la conception d’un biocapteur a été menée. Un biocapteur est un outil alliant un bioélément, réagissant spécifiquement avec une cible biologique, et un support physique permettant la transduction du signal pour le rendre mesurable. Les travaux de thèse suivants décrivent la préparation d’un transducteur polymérique, le copolymère d’oléfines cycliques (COC), par greffage de sels de diazonium en surface. La modification de l’isatine par couplage pallado-catalysé compose la partie principale des travaux de synthèse organique effectués. Les méthodes de couplages peptidiques en surface et techniques d’accroche des isatines modifiées sur les surfaces des transducteurs (or ou COC) sont également décrites dans ce manuscrit. Pour finir, l’évaluation des effets biologiques des isatines modifiées et des biocapteurs conçus a été effectuée sur Pseudomonas Aeruginosa et sur d’autres bactéries. / Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen which can adapt its behavior to the present molecules in its surrounding. It increases in virulence when it detects natriuretics peptides in its environment. Isatin is a molecule which can block this effect. To determine on which receptor isatin acts on, the conception of a biosensor have been conducted. A biosensor is a tool combining a bioelement, reacting specifically with a biological target, and a physical support allowing the transduction of the signal to make it measurable. The following thesis describes the preparation of a polymeric transducer, the cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), by diazonium salts surface grafting. Isatin modification by palladium-catalysed coupling reaction represents the major part of the organic synthesis carried out. Surface peptide coupling methods and techniques to link the modified isatins to the surfaces of transducers (gold or COC) are also described in this dissertation. To finish, biological effects of the modified isatins and designed biosensors have been evaluated on Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and others bacteria.