Differential expression of groEL-1, incB, pyk-F, tal, hctA and omcB genes during Chlamydia trachomatis developmental cycle

PLoS One. 2021 Apr 15;16(4):e0249358. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249358. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis infects squamous and columnar epithelia at the mucosal surface. Research on gene expression patterns of C. trachomatis has predominantly focused on non-native host cells, with limited data on growth kinetics and gene expression of chlamydia in keratinocytes. Here, we investigated whether early, mid, and late chlamydial genes observed in HeLa cell line studies were co-ordinately regulated at the transcriptional level even in the keratinized cell line model and whether the expression was stage-specific during the developmental cycle. HaCaT cell lines were infected with chlamydia clinical isolates (US151and serovar E) and reference strain (L2 434). Expression of groEL-1, incB, pyk-F, tal, hctA, and omcB genes was conducted with comparative real-time PCR and transcriptional events during the chlamydial developmental cycle using transmission electron microscopy. The relative expression level of each gene and fold difference were calculated using the 2-ΔΔCT method. The expression of groEL-1 and pyk-F genes was highest at 2 hours post-infection (hpi) in the L2 434 and serovar E. The expression of incB gene increased at 2 hpi in L2 434 and serovar E but peaked at 12 hpi in serovar E. L2 434 and US151 had similar tal expression profiles. Increased expression of hctA and omcB genes were found at 2 and 36 hpi in L2 434. Both clinical isolates and reference strains presented the normal chlamydial replication cycle comprising elementary bodies and reticulate bodies within 36 hpi. We show different gene expression patterns between clinical isolates and reference strain during in vitro infection of keratinocytes, with reference strain-inducing consistent expression of genes. These findings confirm that keratinocytes are appropriate cell lines to interrogate cell differentiation, growth kinetics, and gene expression of C. trachomatis infection. Furthermore, more studies with different clinical isolates and genes are needed to better understand the Chlamydial pathogenesis in keratinocytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Chaperonin 60 / genetics
  • Chaperonin 60 / metabolism
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / genetics*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / growth & development
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / physiology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Humans
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Pyruvate Kinase / genetics
  • Pyruvate Kinase / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription Activator-Like Effectors / genetics
  • Transcription Activator-Like Effectors / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Chaperonin 60
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • OmcB protein, bacteria
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Transcription Activator-Like Effectors
  • Pyruvate Kinase

Grants and funding

This study was funded by grants from the National Research Foundation (SFH14061869970) and The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal College of Health Sciences. GFM is funded with a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Research Foundation (SFP180507326699). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.