The alternative sigma factor σ54 has been shown to regulate the expression of a wide array of virulence-associated genes, as well as central metabolism, in bacterial pathogens. In Gram-positive organisms, the σ54 is commonly associated with carbon metabolism. In this study, we show that the Enterococcus faecalis alternative sigma factor σ54 (RpoN) and its cognate enhancer binding protein MptR are essential for mannose utilization and are primary contributors to glucose uptake through the Mpt phosphotransferase system. To gain further insight into how RpoN contributes to global transcriptional changes, we performed microarray transcriptional analysis of strain V583 and an isogenic rpoN mutant grown in a chemically defined medium with glucose as the sole carbon source. Transcripts of 340 genes were differentially affected in the rpoN mutant; the predicted functions of these genes mainly related to nutrient acquisition. These differentially expressed genes included those with predicted catabolite-responsive element (cre) sites, consistent with loss of repression by the major carbon catabolite repressor CcpA. To determine if the inability to efficiently metabolize glucose/mannose affected infection outcome, we utilized two distinct infection models. We found that the rpoN mutant is significantly attenuated in both rabbit endocarditis and murine catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Here, we examined a ccpA mutant in the CAUTI model and showed that the absence of carbon catabolite control also significantly attenuates bacterial tissue burden in this model. Our data highlight the contribution of central carbon metabolism to growth of E. faecalis at various sites of infection. IMPORTANCE Hospital-acquired infections account for 2 billion dollars annually in increased health care expenses and cause more than 100,000 deaths in the United States alone. Enterococci are the second leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. They form biofilms at surgical sites and are often associated with infections of the urinary tract following catheterization. Nutrient uptake and growth are key factors that influence their ability to cause disease. Our research identified a large set of genes that illuminate nutrient uptake pathways in enterococci. Perturbation of the metabolic circuit reduces virulence in a rabbit endocarditis model, as well as in catheter-associated urinary tract infection in mice. Targeting metabolic pathways that are important in infection may lead to new treatments against multidrug-resistant enterococcal infections.

Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing infections including endocarditis and urinary tract infections (UTI). One of the well characterized quorum sensing pathways in E. faecalis involves coordination of the conjugal transfer of pheromone-responsive plasmids by PrgX, a member of the RRNPP protein family. Members of this protein family in various Firmicutes have also been shown to contribute to numerous cellular processes including sporulation, competence, conjugation, nutrient sensing, biofilm formation and virulence. As PrgX is a plasmid-encoded RRNPP family member, we surveyed the genome of the multi-drug resistant strain V583 for additional RRNPP homologs using computational searches and refined those identified hits for predicted structural similarities to known RRNPP family members. This led us to investigate the contribution of the chromosomally encoded RRNPP homologs to biofilm processes and pathogenesis in a catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) model. In this study, we identified five such homologs and report that 3 of the 5 homologs, EF0073, EF1599 and EF1316, affect biofilm formation as well as outcomes in the CAUTI model. Importance Enterococcus faecalis causes healthcare-associated infections and displays resistance to a variety of broad spectrum antibiotics by acquisition of resistance traits as well as the ability to form biofilms. Even though a growing number of factors related to biofilm formation have been identified, mechanisms that contribute to biofilm formation are still largely unknown. The RRNPP protein family regulate a diverse set of biological reactions in low G-C Gram-positive bacteria (Firmicutes). Here we identify three predicted structural homologs of the RRNPP family, EF0073, EF1599 and EF1316, which affect biofilm formation and CAUTI pathogenesis.

The ability of Enterococcus faecalis to use a variety of carbon sources enables colonization at various anatomic sites within a mammalian host. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is one of the most abundant natural sugars and provides bacteria with a source of carbon and nitrogen when metabolized. N-acetylglucosamine is also a component of bacterial peptidoglycan, further highlighting the significance of N-acetylglucosamine utilization. In this study, we show that CcpA-regulated enzymes are required for growth on the poly-β1,4-linked GlcNAc substrate, chitopentaose (β1,4-linked GlcNAc 5 ). We also show that EF0114 (EndoE) is required for growth on chitobiose (β1,4-linked GlcNAc 2 ), and that the GH20 domain of EndoE is required for the conversion of GlcNAc 2 to N-acetylglucosamine. GlcNAc is transported into the cell via two separate PTS systems, either the PTS IICBA system encoded by ef1516 ( nagE ) or the Mpt glucose/mannose permease complex (MptBACD). The Mpt PTS system is also the primary glucosamine transporter. In order for N-acetylglucosamine to be utilized as a carbon source, phosphorylated N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc-6-P) must be deacetylated and here we show that this activity is mediated by EF1317 (an N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase; NagA homolog), as a deletion of ef1317 is unable to grow on GlcNAc as the carbon source. Deamination of glucosamine to fructose-6-phosphate is required for entry into glycolysis and we show that growth on glucosamine is dependent on EF0466 (a glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase; NagB homolog). Collectively, our data highlight the chitinolytic machinery required for breaking down exogenous chitinous substrates, as well as the uptake and cytosolic enzymes needed for metabolizing N-acetylglucosamine. Importance Enterococcus faecalis causes life-threatening healthcare-associated infections in part due to its intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance, its ability to form biofilms, as well as its nutrient versatility. Alternative nutrient acquisition systems are key factors that contribute to enterococcal colonization at biologically unique host anatomic sites. Although E. faecalis can metabolize an array of carbon sources, little is known of how this bacterium acquires these secondary nutrient sources in mammalian hosts. Our research identifies the glycosidase machinery required for degrading exogenous chitinous substrates into N-acetylglucosamine monomers for transport and metabolism of one of the most abundant naturally occurring sugars, N-acetylglucosamine. Disrupting the function of this N-acetylglucosamine acquisition pathway may lead to new treatments against multidrug resistant enterococcal infections.