Bacterial Spores: Mechanisms of Stability and Targets for Modern Biotechnologies

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Bacterial Spores: Mechanisms of Stability and Targets for Modern Biotechnologies Review Article ISSN: 2574 -1241 DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2019.20.003500 Bacterial Spores: Mechanisms of Stability and Targets for Modern Biotechnologies Andryukov BG1,2*, Karpenko AA3, Lyapun IN1, Matosova EV1 and Bynina MP1 1Somov Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russia 2Far Eastern Federal University, Russia 3A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (NSCMB FEB RAS), Vladivostok, Russia *Corresponding author: Andryukov Boris G, Somov Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), School of Biomedicine, Vladivostok, Russia ARTICLE INFO Abstract Received: August 09, 2019 Published: August 21, 2019 in two alternative states: vegetative and in the form of endospores, which are divided into Some gram-positive bacteria of the genus Bacillus spp. and Clostridium spp. can exist have been studied for a long time and yet they remain not fully recognized as objects of Citation: Andryukov BG, Karpenko AA, thetwo microworld.types: having These an outer resting shell (dormant) (exosporium) cells, and recognized not having as it. the Bacterial most stable controversies form of Lyapun IN, Matosova EV, Bynina MP. Bac terial Spores: Mechanisms of Stability - and Targets for Modern Biotechnologies. mainlife on distinguishing Earth, are formed feature in fromthe mother vegetative cell forms,with a andlack their of nutrients. life cycle The contributes extraordinary to the resistance of spores to extreme physical and chemical conditions of existence is the BJSTR. MS.ID.003500 Biomed J Sci & Tech Res 20(5)-2019. wide spread of spore-forming bacteria in various ecosystems. The unique properties Keywords: Bacterial Spores; Endospores; stateof bacterial for tens spores and hundreds cause increased of years. As scientific soon as spores and medical get into interest human or associated animal organisms, with the Microscopy (AFM); Raman Spectroscopy (RS); asepidemiological well as into canned significance foods, ofthey resting germinate cell forms and thatbecome can abe source in a metabolically of serious infectious inactive ModernExospores; Biotechnologies Sporulation; Structure; Atomic Force dangerous are B. anthracis B. cereus asdiseases. representatives Spores are of an the infectious genus Clostridiumform of spore-forming – C. botulinum bacteria, (botulism), among which C. perfringens the most (gas gangrene), and C. difficile (anthrax (nosocomial causative infections). agent), The relevance (toxicoinfection), of the research as well and the prospectiveness of the study of spores mediates the need to disclose their biochemical structure, molecular mechanisms of steadiness, as well as detection and indication using modern analytical tools. The characterized supramolecular structures “learning from Nature”. These biological systems are perspective models for packaging of endo- and exospores become a target for modern biotechnologies on the principle of cells and even intracellular organelles for the treatment of cancerous tumors and the and targeted delivery of enzymes, nucleic acids, antigens and drugs to specific tissues, creation of thermostable vaccines. The unique properties of bacterial spores will soon find application in ecosystem technologies as biofungicides and bioinsecticides in Introduction cell gave reason to call them endospores. It is recognized that bacterial spores are the most stable form of life on Earth [1,2]. They Most microorganisms are widely classified into gram-negative membrane and the thickness of the peptidoglycan layer. In the and gram-positive categories, based on the presence of an external fulfill the important function of preserving the bacterial population the virulence of infectious agents. In some pathogenic species of bacteria, which include the majority of microorganisms pathogenic from extreme environmental influences and are a key factor in event of extreme environmental conditions, some gram-positive Bacillus spp. and Clostridium spp. endospores are independent shape – spores. The nucleation and maturation inside the mother to humans, form extremely stable bodies of a spherical or elliptical infectious agents [3-5]. Copyright@ Andryukov BG | Biomed J Sci & Tech Res | BJSTR. MS.ID.003500. 15329 Volume 20- Issue 5 DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2019.20.003500 medical institutions is also an acute problem associated with the and physiology of bacteria and culminates in the transformation of The fight against bacterial spores of pathogenic bacteria in successive and significant changes in the morphology, biochemistry, prevention of nosocomial infections [3,6,7]. In particular, some pathogenic species of Clostridium spp. (eg, C. difficile) are the a vegetativeAt the beginning cell into a of resting the XXI form century, [11,25-28]. it became apparent that most common causative agent of nosocomial infections on the many bacterial reactions to environmental conditions are regulated planet [8-11]. Among the detected endospores, two categories by the so-called multicomponent molecular genetic systems were identified: those that are enclosed in a spherical outer shell triggers the activation of sporulation genes, among which the key contrast to the well characterized endospores, knowledge of the [16,29-31]. One of these systems, in response to food stress, (exospore, exosporium), and which do not have this structure. In is spo0A, which encodes the synthesis of Spo0A protein [22,32,33]. The phosphorylated form of this protein (Spo0A~ roleThe and relevance structure ofof studying exosporia the is listed less distinct functions [5,12-14]. of bacterial spores Р), in turn, in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of dangerous infections is ( spoIIE, sigH, ftsZ initiates the expression of about two hundred sporulation genes associated with the study of their spatial organization, as well as for example, and others), starting the hours-long the molecular mechanisms of the formation of dormant resistance. Spo0A~ is sigH (spo0H process of endospore formation. One of the genes expressed by This is important for the development of new sterilization and and F, which control the Р ), which encodes the synthesis of spore- specific sigma transcription factors σН σ systems as promising models for modern biotechnologies [8,15]. detection strategies, as well as the use of these unique biological sporulation stages [12,33-35]. Spore Formation in Gram-Positive Bacteria As a result, a vegetative cell undergoes a complex, but clearly which ultimately lead to the formation of mature endospores Endospore: A dormant, non-metabolic, and non- defined sequence of morphological and biochemical events, (Figure 1). After completion of spore formation, the mother cell reproductive structure. The ability of microorganisms to spore formation was one of the key characteristics of their early undergoes programmed autolysis, releasing a mature spore into the environment [36]. bacterial reaction to environmental changes, and on the other classification [16]. Sporulation, on the one hand, is a form of a Heat Resistance of Endospores and Dipicolinic Acid (DPA) the process of cellular morphological differentiation. As a result of hand, a strictly regulated sequence of stages of gene expression and spore formation, metabolically inactive cellular forms (dormants) conditions is still under study. However, the mechanism of are formed, the morphology of which is radically different from the The extreme resistance of endospores to extreme environmental Mature endospores are in a state of reproductive and metabolic their heat resistance, apparently, is one of the most complexes. maternalThe formation vegetative of cell spores [17-19]. is one of the manifestations of the numerous mechanisms of adaptation of microorganisms to carbon compounds (ATP and NADH). The presence of several additional rest, reduced enzymatic activity and low content of high-energy and nitrogen starvation, but unlike other adaptive strategies of membranes compared to a vegetative cell is a barrier against the bacteria, the formation of endospores lasts on average about 8 penetration of water and substances dissolved in it. Dehydration protects the inside proteins from denaturation and irreversible hours and proceeds in several stages [20-22]. Bacterial spores are the ability of spores to survive for a long time (tens, hundreds or extraordinary resistant to extreme environmental factors, such as aggregation at extremely high temperatures, which mediates antibacterial strategies of the host’s immune system, high more years) without a supply of nutrients under conditions when a complete lack of nutrients, exposure to antibiotics, disinfectants, temperature and pressure, ultraviolet radiation, radiation, and for a vegetative Heat resistance cells die [19,37-39]. of endospores is key mechanism of to their Sporulationlong time they Regulationare can remain viable [13,21,23,24]. survival and preservation of the bacterial population. As a rule, Sporulation, as a rule, begins in the stationary phase of the to ensure reliable sterilization of medical devices, heat treatment vegetative cell cycle, is initiated by the depletion of nutrients, of 110°C for 20 min is recommended (steam method) or 120°C and is a morphogenetic process of assembly of supramolecular structures inside the cytoplasm of a vegetative cell (sporangia). Scheldeman (2006) and W. Schubert (2011) with colleagues showed for 45 min (dry air method). However, studies conducted by R. The formation of spores begins
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