Mass Spectrometry-Based Bacterial Proteomics: Focus on Dermatologic Microbial Pathogens

Abstract

The composition of human skin acts as a natural habitat for various bacterial species that function in a commensal and symbiotic fashion. In a healthy individual, bacterial flora serves to protect the host. Under certain conditions such as minor trauma, impaired host immunity, or environmental factors, the risk of developing skin infections is increased. Although a large majority of bacterial associated skin infections are common, a portion can potentially manifest into clinically significant morbidity. For example, Gram-positive species that typically reside on the skin such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus can cause numerous epidermal (impetigo, ecthyma) and dermal (cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, erysipelas) skin infections. Moreover, the increasing incidence of bacterial antibiotic resistance represents a serious challenge to modern medicine and threatens the health care system. Therefore, it is critical to develop tools and strategies that can allow us to better elucidate the nature and mechanism of bacterial virulence. To this end, mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has been revolutionizing biomedical research, and has positively impacted the microbiology field. Advances in MS technologies have paved the way for numerous bacterial proteomes and their respective post translational modifications (PTMs) to be accurately identified and quantified in a high throughput and robust fashion. This technological platform offers critical information with regards to signal transduction, adherence, and microbial–host interactions associated with bacterial pathogenesis. This mini-review serves to highlight the current progress proteomics has contributed toward the understanding of bacteria that are associated with skin related diseases, infections, and antibiotic resistance.

Options and Limitations in Clinical Investigation of Bacterial Biofilms

“…Proteomics has provided deeper knowledge by (i) giving insights into the protein profile determinants that regulate host-pathogen interactions as well as the virulence and pathogenicity traits of the menacing bacteria; (ii) answering substantial questions regarding the biofilm antimicrobial resistance phenotype, offering potential alternatives for rational drug design; and (iii) underpinning physiological differences from planktonic species (187)(188)(189). Indeed, the use of proteomics has been substantiated by mass spectrometry (MS) to extend its utility beyond research in the field of diagnostics to clinically oriented infectious disease investigation, with particular emphasis on host-pathogen interactions (190,191). The coupled use of proteomics with MS was an amenable mapping approach in a landmark study of the microbial proteome and the human microbiome (192).…”

Peer Review #2 of "Isolation, identification, and pathological effects of beach sand bacterial extract on human skin keratinocytes in vitro (v0.2)"

“…Because the skin is constantly in direct contact with the external environment, it harbors multiple types of microbes. Some of those microbes are potentially pathogenic and could lead to serious infections under certain conditions (Soufi and Soufi, 2016). The most common pathogenic bacteria in the seaside environment belong to the genera Staphyloioiius and Streptoioiius (Lee et al, 2016).…”

Peer Review #2 of "Isolation, identification, and pathological effects of beach sand bacterial extract on human skin keratinocytes in vitro (v0.1)"

“…Because the skin is constantly in direct contact with the external environment, it harbors multiple types of microbes. Some of those microbes are potentially pathogenic and could lead to serious infections under certain conditions (Soufi and Soufi, 2016). The most common pathogenic bacteria in the seaside environment belong to the genera Staphyloioiius and Streptoioiius (Lee et al, 2016).…”