Respiration of Microbiota-Derived 1,2-propanediol Drives Salmonella Expansion during Colitis

PLoS Pathog. 2017 Jan 5;13(1):e1006129. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006129. eCollection 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Intestinal inflammation caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium increases the availability of electron acceptors that fuel a respiratory growth of the pathogen in the intestinal lumen. Here we show that one of the carbon sources driving this respiratory expansion in the mouse model is 1,2-propanediol, a microbial fermentation product. 1,2-propanediol utilization required intestinal inflammation induced by virulence factors of the pathogen. S. Typhimurium used both aerobic and anaerobic respiration to consume 1,2-propanediol and expand in the murine large intestine. 1,2-propanediol-utilization did not confer a benefit in germ-free mice, but the pdu genes conferred a fitness advantage upon S. Typhimurium in mice mono-associated with Bacteroides fragilis or Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Collectively, our data suggest that intestinal inflammation enables S. Typhimurium to sidestep nutritional competition by respiring a microbiota-derived fermentation product.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Respiration / physiology
  • Colitis / microbiology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Propylene Glycol / metabolism*
  • Salmonella Infections, Animal / metabolism*
  • Salmonella typhimurium / growth & development
  • Salmonella typhimurium / pathogenicity*
  • Virulence Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Virulence Factors
  • Propylene Glycol