KP and AS wrote and revised the manuscript. KP performed the experiments and the analysis. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Career Transition Award (K22AI112816) to AS.

All experimental procedures were carried out at the University of California, Irvine.
1. Buffers and Solutions
<ol>
	<li>Prepare Lysogeny Broth (LB) in a 1 L glass bottle by adding 25 g of LB-Miller mix in 1 L of double-distilled water (ddH2O). For Petri dishes, add an additional 20 g of agar. Autoclave to sterilize. Pour 25 mL of molten agar medium into 10 cm-diameter Petri dishes and allow to solidify at room temperature. Store liquid media at room temperature and agar plates at...

<ol>
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F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sensitivity+of+Dictyostelium+discoideum+to+nucleic+acid+analogues.">Sensitivity of Dictyostelium discoideum to nucleic acid analogues.</a> Experimental Cell Research. 64 (2), 484-486 (1971).</li><li>Rahme, L. G., Stevens, E. J., Wolfort, S. F., Shao, J., Tompkins, R. G., Ausubel, F. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Common+virulence+factors+for+bacterial+pathogenicity+in+plants+and+animals.">Common virulence factors for bacterial pathogenicity in plants and animals.</a> Science. 268 (5219), 1899-1902 (1995).</li><li>O'Loughlin, C. T., Miller, L. C., Siryaporn, A., Drescher, K., Semmelhack, M. F., Bassler, B. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

This protocol describes a rapid and quantitative method to assay virulence in P. aeruginosa. This protocol may be tested with other bacteria. However, it is important to keep in mind that the growth medium should be compatible with the amoeba growth conditions. In particular, we have optimized the protocol using PS:DB as the bacterial growth medium. If other media are used, it may be necessary to perform a growth media-only control in which there are no bacterial cells present to verify that the medium is compat...

Bacterial infection is one of the leading causes of mortality in human and animals1,2. The ability to measure virulence of bacteria in cultures or biofilms is important in healthcare and research settings. Here, we describe a versatile, rapid, and relatively simple method to quantify bacterial virulence. The eukaryotic organism Dictyostelium discoideum (amoeba) is used as the model host organism. D. discoideum has been used as a host to identify virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa)3,4,5 and other bacteria6,7,8 and is susceptible to largely the same virulence factors that kill mammalian cells including type III secretion9,10. Previous virulence assays using D. discoideum have involved prolonged exposure of bacteria with D. discoideum cells over the course of hours3,4,5. The protocol, here, presents a rapid method of determining virulence using this amoeba. This protocol (Figure 1) describes how to: (1) grow the amoebae axenically (in the absence of bacteria), (2) grow bacteria for the assay, (3) prepare bacteria and host cells for microscopy, (4) perform epifluorescence microscopy, and (5) analyze amoeba fluorescence.
Amoebae are initially streaked out from frozen stocks and grown on a lawn of Escherichia coli (E. coli), where the amoebae produce spores. These spores are picked and inoculated into an enriched medium for axenic growth. The amoebae are maintained through axenic growth in nutrient-rich conditions until they are ready to be mixed with bacteria for the assessment of bacterial virulence. The survival or the death of the amoebae is quantified by measuring the fluorescence of calcein-acetoxymethyl (calcein-AM), which is cleaved by intracellular esterases and, thereby, activated for fluorescence11,12. Live amoebae exhibit little or no fluorescence whereas stressed and dying cells fluoresce intensely. This result is due to a little or no incorporation of calcein-AM into healthy amoebae and incorporation and cleavage of the substrate in stressed amoebae13. This behavior is notably distinct from calcein-AM fluorescence in mammalian cells11,14,15,16.
Bacteria that will be assessed for virulence are grown separately. Here, we describe how to measure the virulence of the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa and detail how to quantify the virulence of planktonic (swimming) and surface-attached sub-populations. This protocol may be adapted to test the virulence of other bacteria. In the Representative Results section, we show that virulence is activated in surface-attached cells and is low in planktonic cells, which was reported previously13. Virulence-activated surface-attached P. aeruginosa kills amoebae while non-virulent planktonic cells are consumed by the amoebae. If the virulence of planktonic bacteria is solely being assayed, bacteria can be cultured in ordinary culture tubes rather than using Petri dishes as described in the protocol.
The growth of amoebae and P. aeruginosa cultures must be coordinated such that P. aeruginosa cultures reach the intended growth phase while the amoebae are growing at steady state in nutrient-rich conditions. This condition typically requires amoebae cultures to be diluted at least 1 day prior to when they are mixed with bacteria. Amoebae and bacteria are immobilized using agar pads, are co-incubated for 1 h, and imaged using a low resolution (10X, numerical aperture 0.3) objective, green fluorescence protein (GFP) filters, and an imaging camera. Analysis can be performed using freely-available ImageJ software or customized image analysis software. Our analysis was performed using our own software written using a scientific analysis package13. The software should create a mask using the phase contrast image and extract fluorescence values from the masked areas in the fluorescence image. Fluorescence values are averaged over at least 100 cells, resulting in a numerical host killing index.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:716px;" width="715">
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	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Reagents</td>
			<td style="width:108px;"></td>
			<td style="width:91px;"></td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Bacto agar, dehydrated</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">BD Difco</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">214010</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Antibiotic-Antimycotic (100X)</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Life Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">15240062</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Aliquot &#60; 1 mL and store at -20 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Calcein-acetoxymethyl ester (calcein-AM)</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Life Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">C34852</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Calcein Acetoxymethyl (AM)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Calcium chloride, anhydrous</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">C1016</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">D-Glucose</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher Chemical</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">D16500</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Dextrose</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Dimethyl sulfoxide</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">D5879</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Folic acid</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">F8758</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">LB-Miller</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">BD Difco</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">244620</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Magnesium chloride</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">M8266</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Yeast extract</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Oxoid</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">LP0021</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Special peptone</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Oxoid</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">LP0072</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Potassium hyroxide</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher Chemical</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">P250</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Potassium phosphate monobasic&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">P0662</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher Chemical</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">S373</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Vitamin B12</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">V2876</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Strains</td>
			<td style="width:108px;"></td>
			<td style="width:91px;"></td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="45">
			<td height="45" style="height:45px;width:220px;">Dictyostelium discoideum</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Siryaporn lab</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Strain AX318</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="24">
			<td height="24" style="height:24px;width:220px;">Escherichia coli</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Siryaporn lab</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Strain B/r17</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="24">
			<td height="24" style="height:24px;width:220px;">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Siryaporn lab</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">PA14</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">PA14 strain19</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Pseudomonas aeruginosa &#916;lasR</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Siryaporn lab</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">AFS20.1</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">PA14-derived strain20</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Supplies</td>
			<td style="width:108px;"></td>
			<td style="width:91px;"></td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">0.22 &#181;m filter&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">SCGPT01RE</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">For filter sterilization</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="65">
			<td height="65" style="height:65px;width:220px;">Conical tube, 15 mL</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">352097</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Glass storage bottles</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Pyrex</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">13951L</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">250 mL, 500 mL, 1000 mL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Petri dish, 6 cm diameter</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">351007</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">60 x 15 mm polystyrene plates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="37">
			<td height="37" style="height:37px;width:220px;">Petri dish, 10 cm diameter</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">FB0875712</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">100 x 15 mm polystyrene plates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:220px;">Plastic containers with lid</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Ziploc</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">2.57E+09</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Square 3-cup containers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="44">
			<td height="44" style="height:44px;width:220px;">Glass plates</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Bio-Rad</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">1653308</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">For preparing agar pads. Other glass plates may be used with similar dimensions.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="24">
			<td height="24" style="height:24px;width:220px;">Wooden sticks</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">23-400-102&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:108px;"></td>
			<td style="width:91px;"></td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Eclipse Ti-E microscope&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Nikon</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">MEA53100</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Microscope setup</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">10X Plan Fluor Ph1 objective&#160; 0.3 NA</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Nikon</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">MRH20101</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Microscope setup</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Fluorescence excitation source</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Lumencor</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Sola light engine</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Microscope setup</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:220px;">Fluorescence filter set</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Semrock</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">LED-DA/FI/TX-3X3M-A-000&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Microscope setup</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Orca Flash 4.0 V2 Camera</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Hamamatsu</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">77054098</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Microscope setup</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">ImageJ</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">NIH</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">v. 1.49</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Software for image analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">MATLAB</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Mathworks</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">R2013</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">Software for image analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:220px;">Orbital shaker incubator</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">89032-092</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">For growth of bacteria at 37 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Platform shaker</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">13-687-700</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">For growth of amoebae at 22 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Spectrophotometer</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Biochrom</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Ultrospec 10</td>
			<td style="width:297px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Undercounter refrigerated incubator</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">97990E</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">For growth of amoebae at 22 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:220px;">Isotemp waterbath&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:108px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">15-462-21Q</td>
			<td style="width:297px;">For cooling media to 55 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

a rapid image-based bacterial virulence assay using amoeba

Traditional bacterial virulence assays involve prolonged exposure of bacteria over the course of several hours to host cells. During this time, bacteria can undergo changes in the physiology due to the exposure to host growth environment and the presence of the host cells. We developed an assay to rapidly measure the virulence state of bacteria that minimize the extent to which bacteria grow in the presence of host cells. Bacteria and amoebae are mixed together and immobilized on a single imaging plane using an agar pad. The procedure uses single-cell fluorescence imaging with calcein-acetoxymethyl ester (calcein-AM) as an indicator of host cell health. The fluorescence of host cells is analyzed after 1 h of exposure of host cells to bacteria using epifluorescence microscopy. Image analysis software is used to compute a host killing index. This method has been used to measure virulence within planktonic and surface-attached Pseudomonas aeruginosa sub-populations during the initial stage of biofilm formation and may be adapted to other bacteria and other stages of biofilm growth. This protocol provides a rapid and robust method of measuring virulence and avoids many of the complexities associated with the growth and maintenance of mammalian cell lines. Virulence phenotypes measured here using amoebae have also been validated using mouse macrophages. In particular, this assay was used to establish that surface attachment upregulates virulence in P. aeruginosa.

We grew wild-type P. aeruginosa strain PA1419 or a &#916;lasR strain20 in the same PA14 background in 6 cm-diameter Petri dishes and assayed the virulence of planktonic and surface-attached cells. Cultures were inoculated from single-colonies into PS:DB cultures, grown overnight in culture tubes in a roller drum at 37 &#176;C to saturation, diluted 1:100 into PS:DB, grown for 8 h in 6 cm-diameter Petri dishes shaking at 100...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Rapid Image-based Bacterial Virulence Assay Using Amoeba at JoVE.com

A Rapid Image-based Bacterial Virulence Assay Using Amoeba

Here, we present a protocol to measure the virulence of planktonic or surface-attached bacteria using D. discoideum (amoeba) as a host. Virulence is measured over a period of 1 h and host killing is quantified using fluorescence microscopy and image analysis. We demonstrate this protocol using the bacterium P. aeruginosa.

Traditional bacterial virulence assays involve prolonged exposure of bacteria over the course of several hours to host cells. During this time, bacteria ...

This method can help answer key questions in the bacterial pathogenesis field, such as when are host-killing virulence effectors expressed in bacterial cells, and what are the virulence states of surface-attached implantonic cells? The main advantage of this technique is that it is fast, quantitative and the host cells are relatively easy to handle. We first had the idea for this method when we noticed that surface-attached implantonic subpopulation of Pseudomonas have different host-killing phenotypes.To begin grow E.coli strain BR overnight as outlined in the text protocol. Then bring the E.coli culture to room temperature. Using a wooden stick, innoculate amoeba into 750 l of the culture.Immediately add 700 l of the amoeba E.coli mixture to a GYP plate. Tilt the plate to spread the culture evenly on the surface of the plate. Then place the plate in a box that maintains high humidity.Incubate the plate inside of the box at 22 C for four to five days. After the incubation period is over, use a sterile pipette tip to collect amoeba spores from half of the plate. Then pipette up and down to resuspend the amoeba on the pipette tip in 1 mL of PS medium.Transfer the inoculate mixture to a 250 mL flask with 25 mL of PS medium supplemented with antibiotic antimicotic solution. Grow the amoeba at 22 C in a rotating shaker at 100 rpm. After culturing Pseudomonas aeruginosa overnight, dilute the culture with PSB media in a 6 cm petri dish.Then shake the culture on a benchtop rotator set to 100 rpm at 37 C.First microwave 50 mL of 1%agar in DB buffer in a 250 mL flask. Add 15 L of calcium AM to the 15 mL of molten agar and mix gently. Pour the molten agar mixture into a 12 by 10 cm glass plate, and allow the agar to solidify for ten minutes at room temperature.Next use a metal ruler and a printed grid to cut the solidified agar pad into smaller 1.5 by 1.5 cm sections. Ensure the gel remains hydrated until it is ready for use. Next, to isolate the cells attached to the surface, remove the liquid medium from the petri dish.Then wash the dish with 1 mL of development buffer to remove the planktonic cells. To assay virulence of surface attached bacteria cells, add 10 L of amoeba cells from the previously obtained surface attached bacterial cells. To isolate the planktonic cells, transfer 10 L of the culture to a fresh petri dish.Next, assay the virulence of planktonic cells by mixing 10 L of amoeba cells with the previously obtained planktonic bacteria. Immediately place the small agar pad on top of the appropriate bacteria amoeba mixture on the petri dish surface. Then, remove excess liquid by gently pipetting any excess liquid, and allow the dish to dry for 20 minutes.Cover the dish with the lid and incubate it at room temperature for an additional 40 minutes. Finally, use a fluorescence microscope to acquire images for at least 100 amoeba cells. In this protocol, the virulence of planktonic and surface-attached Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells was assayed.Surface-attached wild type Pseudomonas aeruginosa killed amoeba indicated by a round amoeba cell shape and the presence of calcein fluorescence. Compared to planktonic cells surface-attached wild type Pseudomonas aeruginosa had a high host killing index. Planktonic cells were consumed by the amoeba indicated by the amorphous amoeba cell shapes and relatively little calcein fluorescence.While attempting this procedure, it is important to remember to use a fresh stock of calcein AM, and amoeba cells and keep a close track of the optical density of amoeba. Following this procedure, other methods like transcription profiling can be performed in order to answer additional questions like Which genes are activated in planktonic and surface-attached subpopulation? After watching this video you should have a good understanding of how to conduct the rapid image-based virulence assay.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

8.1K vistas.  University of California. This method can help answer key questions in the bacterial pathogenesis field, such as when are host-killing virulence effectors expressed in bacterial cells, and what are the virulence states of surface-attached implantonic cells? The main advantage of this technique is that it is fast, quantitative and the host cells are relatively easy to handle. We first had the idea for this method when we noticed that surface-attached implantonic subpopulation of Pseudomonas have different host-killing ...