The great promise of human microbiome research is that managing microbiome composition will prevent and cure disease. To this end, our long-term goals are to identify molecular mechanisms that drive bacterial community dynamics in nasal and skin microbiota and to uncover new antibiotics for controlling pathogen colonization and infection. Previous research shows that nasal microbiome composition and Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization are strongly impacted by environmental factors, including other members of the microbiome. However, the molecular underpinnings of this are largely unknown. This proposal focuses on Propionibacterium species that colonize the skin and nasal passages of most adult humans. Our overarching hypothesis is that cutaneous Propionibacterium species produce antibiotics that control colonization by and proliferation of S. aureus and pathogenic Streptococcus species. Our preliminary data indicate that cutaneous Propionibacterium encode a distinct set of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) predicted to produce antibiotics. We recently purified and structurally characterized one we call propimycin, a Propionibacterium-produced thiopeptide with potent activity against S. aureus in vitro. Our objectives are to identify more of these antibiotics and to define their role in shaping microbiome in vivo. Our rationale is that these Propionibacterium-produced compounds are likely to be important drivers of skin/nasal microbiome composition and, thus, key to developing new approaches to manage microbiome to promote health. To date, we have identified two Propionibacterium antibiotic BGCs specifically induced by coculture with S. aureus, propimycin and a nonribosomal peptide (NRP) that is widely distributed on human skin based on metagenomic data. We will use chemistry, bioinformatic, transcriptomic and bacterial genetics approaches to achieve the Specific Aims of this proposal: (1) determine the role of propimycin on human skin, focusing on skin follicles; (2A) purify and solve the structure of the NRP, a second candidate Propionibacterium antibiotic predicted to have anti-S. aureus activity; (2B) determine the mechanism of the NRP's increased transcription in response to Staphylococcus; and (3) identify additional candidate Propionibacterium antibiotic BGCs expressed in the context of the skin or nasal microbiome. Our strategy has four main innovations: (1) doing molecular experimental work in cutaneous Propionibacterium, which are recalcitrant to genetic manipulation; (2) using sebaceous plugs from human skin follicles to develop ex vivo assays to assess the impact of Propionibacterium antibiotics on S. aureus; (3) coupling a genetic screen in a heterologous system with next-gen-sequencing-based identification of promoters bound by candidate Propionibacterium acnes transcriptional regulators; and (4) using interactions between commensal Propionibacterium and the pathogens S. aureus and S. pneumoniae to uncover molecular mechanisms governing microbiome community dynamics. The significance will be to uncover new antibiotics produced by Propionibacterium and define their role in structuring skin/nasal microbial communities.

Public Health Relevance

Knowing how to manage which bacteria live on human skin and nasal passages would benefit public health. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae are important causes of infection and the risk for infection is increased when either one lives on the skin or nasal passages. It is unknown why some people are not colonized by these bacteria, while others are, but beneficial bacteria might play a role. Our preliminary data indicate that Propionibacterium species commonly living on human skin and nasal passages produce antibiotics that can inhibit S. aureus and S. pneumoniae. We will identify these Propionibacterium-produced antibiotics and define their role in shaping the composition of bacterial communities on skin/nasal passages.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01AI101018-08
Application #
10071816
Study Section
Clinical Research and Field Studies of Infectious Diseases Study Section (CRFS)
Program Officer
Lu, Kristina
Project Start
2012-08-01
Project End
2021-12-31
Budget Start
2020-01-01
Budget End
2020-12-31
Support Year
8
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
Fischbach, Michael A (2018) Microbiome: Focus on Causation and Mechanism. Cell 174:785-790
Ridaura, Vanessa K; Bouladoux, Nicolas; Claesen, Jan et al. (2018) Contextual control of skin immunity and inflammation by Corynebacterium. J Exp Med 215:785-799
Markey, Laura; Shaban, Lamyaa; Green, Erin R et al. (2018) Pre-colonization with the commensal fungus Candida albicans reduces murine susceptibility to Clostridium difficile infection. Gut Microbes 9:497-509
Klein, Brian A; Lemon, Katherine P; Gajare, Prasad et al. (2017) Draft Genome Sequences ofDermacoccus nishinomiyaensisStrains UCD-KPL2534 and UCD-KPL2528 Isolated from an Indoor Track Facility. Genome Announc 5:
Bomar, Lindsey; Brugger, Silvio D; Yost, Brian H et al. (2016) Corynebacterium accolens Releases Antipneumococcal Free Fatty Acids from Human Nostril and Skin Surface Triacylglycerols. MBio 7:e01725-15
Fischbach, Michael A; Segre, Julia A (2016) Signaling in Host-Associated Microbial Communities. Cell 164:1288-1300
Ramsey, Matthew M; Freire, Marcelo O; Gabrilska, Rebecca A et al. (2016) Staphylococcus aureus Shifts toward Commensalism in Response to Corynebacterium Species. Front Microbiol 7:1230
Brugger, Silvio D; Bomar, Lindsey; Lemon, Katherine P (2016) Commensal-Pathogen Interactions along the Human Nasal Passages. PLoS Pathog 12:e1005633
Klein, Brian A; Lemon, Katherine P; Faller, Lina L et al. (2016) Draft Genome Sequence of Curtobacterium sp. Strain UCD-KPL2560 (Phylum Actinobacteria). Genome Announc 4:
Medema, Marnix H; Fischbach, Michael A (2015) Computational approaches to natural product discovery. Nat Chem Biol 11:639-48

Showing the most recent 10 out of 19 publications