MICRO - Week 2 Flashcards
Define: Oligotrophic Environment
Oligotrophic Environment: Low in nutrients
What are 2 consequences/causes of an oligotrophic environement?
- Nutrients are quickly depleted
- Lots of competition - Nutrients may be in forms that resist breakdown
- Could cause long generation time
What activates a cells stringent response?
Nutrient limitation activates a cells stringent response
What are 4 stringent responses?
- Overall cell metabolism decreases
- Genes for growth are down regulated
- Stress response genes are unregulated
- Make proteins that protect DNA, cell wall ect
What promotes the formation of persister cells?
- starvation
- stress (if under normal conditions)
Properties of persister cells
- growth arrested bacteria
- genetically identical to “normal” cells
- small subset of the population
- less susceptible to antibiotics
Why are persister cells less susceptible to antibiotics?
Antibiotics work best against actively growing cells. For example, an antibiotic might target the ribosome, but if the cell isn’t using the ribosome then can’t kill.
How do persister cells lead to recurrent infections?
Persister cells are in a dormant state, therefore, after the antibiotic is removed these cells can reestablish the population
Persister cells vs Endospores
- Persister cells are growth arrested cells and they make up a small portion of the population. They are genetically identical to “normal cells”. Promoted by starvation.
- Endospores can also be formed due to starvation. They have a different composition than “normal cells” but the same DNA. Also metabolically inactive. Form inside vegetative mother cells
Define: Endospore
Endospore: spores that are formed within vegetative mother cells to ensure the cells survival in adverse environmental conditions.
Endospore - General Overview
Endospore - General Overview
Caused by environmental stress like starvation. Mostly gram-positive bacteria which have a thicker peptidoglycan cell wall. They have a different structure compared to “normal” cells, but the same DNA. They are metabolically inactive like persisters.
What are endospores resistant to? How to kill?
Resistant to:
- heat
- UV light
- Desiccation
- chemicals
- antibiotics
- phage
To kill:
- autoclaving
How are endospores released from the inside of vegetative mother cells?
Endospores are released via lysis
What is the endospore life cycle?
- Invagination of the membrane
- Septum formation and forespore development
- Engulfment of forespore
- Cortex formation
- Coat synthesis
- Lysis of sporangium, endospore liberation
Describe the structure of an endospore:
Endospore Structure:
- Core: contains nucleoid, ribosomes ect. Contains the proteins that protect the DNA from heat, UV…
- Cortex: surrounds the core (peptidoglycan)
- Coat: protein layers
- Exosporium
outside in = outer coat, inner coat, cortex, core, nucleoid
- note: core wall and coat are impermeable
What are 2 heath implications caused by endospores
Botulism
- found in home-canned foods
- spores germinate to produce botulinum toxin
Anthrax
- caused by bacillus anthracis spores
- cutaneous anthrax = skin infection
- pulmonary anthrax = spores inhaled (untreated - deadly)
Define: Biofilm
Biofilm: communities of cells embedded in slimy matrix. Have EPS = extracellular polymeric substances found in the matrix and provides compositional support and protection
Define: planktonic
Planktonic: free floating bacteria, don’t live in community
Define: Quorum sensing
Quorum sensing: is the regulation of gene expression in response to fluctuations in cell-population density. Quorum sensing bacteria produce and release chemical signal molecules called autoinducers that increase in concentration as a function of cell density
What molecule do cells in a biofilm secrete, and what does it do?
Cells in a biofilm secrete autoinducer (AI) molecules, these signaling molecules are produced in response to cell population. A low concentration of AI signals the cell to work alone. High concentrations signals that the cell is not alone, can work together. AI concentration controls gene expression. At high AI bacteria might become more adhesive (ex. make pili), produce EPS.
Describe the formation of biofilm
- Planktonic phase: planktonic bacteria adhere to a surface
- Irreversible attachment: sessile state
- Growth and microcolony formation
- biofilm grows
- cells stick to each other
- cells stick to EPS
- other bacteria can join - Maturation
- Dispersal
Describe factors of bacterial attachment in regards to biofilms.
- Bacteria can attach to host cells
- Use adhesions (eg. pili)
- Specific - Can attack to abiotic surfaces
- non specific
- uses bacterial components
(ex. lipoplysaccharide)
- Surfaces can be conditioned (there might be things there to help the bacteria grow - can attach to early colonizers, EPS
Describe: Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS)
- Slime-like matrix
- glycoproteins, polysaccharides, DNA…
- some are secreted others are released by cell death
- EPS helps bacteria stick to biofil
- EPS trap nutrients
- channels distribute nutrients
- retains secreted digestive enzymes near cells
- highly hydrated (holds onto water)
Describe the environment biofilms create for bacterial growth (ie inside vs near surface)
- The structure creates a nutrient oxygen gradient
- Cells near the surface have access to more nutrients
= more metabolically active
= similar to planktonic cells
= waste more easily disposed - Cells near middle have limited nutrients/O2
= dormant (persisters)
= favors anaerobic
= waste accumulates
Name 3 benefits of biofilm
- Nutrition:
- can grow in nutrient poor environment bc it traps nutrients and other digestive enzymes, waste, lysed cells - Genetic Diversity
- can acquire new DNA - Protection
- EPS protects from predators, UV, desiccation …
What % of bacterial infections are caused by biofilms, name 4.
> 65%
- endocarditis
- UTI
- Corneal infection
- Dental plaque
What are 2 ways in which a biofilm protects itself against infection
- Protect from antimicrobials
- get stuck in EPS
- persister cells (middle) are less susceptible - Protect from immune system
Innate vs Adaptive Immune Response
Innate
- nonspecific
- first line of defense
Adaptive
- specific
- slower to response to unfamiliar pathogens
Name 3 components of innate immunity
- Physical barriers = skin, mucous membrane
- Cells, tissues = phagocytes engulf and destroy bacterial cells, recognize common features
- Chemical Mediators = antimicrobial peprides,
- complement (promotes inflammation, forms holes in cell walls, helps phagocytes recognize bacteria (opsonization))
What is opsonization?
Opsonization: an immune process which uses opsonins to tag foreign pathogens for elimination by phagocytes
Describe the process of opsonization and phagocytosis
- complement protein C3b binds to surface of bacterium
- phagocytes have complement receptors
- leads to phagocytosis
- taken into phagosome
- fuses with lysosome
- bacterium is degraded
Adaptive immunity - describe
- Activated by innate response,
- Dendritic cells (DC) a type of phagocyte degrade bacterial proteins (antigens) and display them on their suface
- DCs activate T cells and B cells (B cells make antibodies that bind antigen)
- Antibodies bind to bacteria, are recognized by phagocytes
Commensals vs Pathogens
Pathogens: bacteria that causes infection/disease
Commensals: usually beneficial, can compete for nutrients, space, produce inhibitory substances, alter conditions, making it harder for pathogens to grow
- commensals can cause disease, opportunistic pathogens,
Ex. E.coli is good in gut, if migrates to urinary tract causes UTI
Define: Virulence
Virulence: severity of disae
Describe virulence factors
They enhance the ability of pathogens to cause infection
- ex. cell structures, toxins ect
Infection Component - Adhesion and Colonization
- pathogens enter via skin, inhalation, ingestion…
- body can clear bacteria = swallowing, mucociliary escalator, urination
- pathogens must adhere, colonize to infect (use adhesions like pili or capsules, biofilms)
Infection have 4 major components:
- Adhesion
- Proliferation
- Invasion
- Tissue damage
Infection Component - Toxins
Endotoxin vs Exotoxin
Endotoxin
- lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
- released if cell is lysed
- systemic effect (fever, shock)
- activates severe response, may lead to septic shock
Exotoxin
- secreted
- target host cell function, metabolism
- may be tissue specific
Infection Component - Invasion
Why?
- Access more nutrients
- Less competition
Infection Component - Immune invasion
- pathogen must overcome immune system to invade
- avoid detection
- avoid recognition (decrease amount of antigen, modify antigen structure, hide antigens)
Infection Component - Immune Evasion
How could a pathogen interfere with immune response
- degrade antibodies, complement proteins
- hide bound antibodies from phagocytes (capsules, biofilms)
- bind to antibodies (ex. S.aureus protein A binds to Fc region of antibody, no opsonization)