Based on your knowledge of bacterial cell structure, cell wall composition, toxins that they produce, and metabolism, design the ultimate pathogen that you think will win the battle against human body’s immune responses.
First describe the various cell structures your bacterium will have and how these will help it to combat the human immune system. In your essay talk about the cell wall composition in detail and the specific types of toxins that your bacterium will produce. Also describe why you think that this bacterium will be an ultimate pathogen and how the structures and toxins will help it to evade our immune cells.
Classmates submittion
Name: Myco-Di-Polymochlea COV-S214
Family: Neither gram-negative or gram-positive or Mycobacteriaceae- UNKNOWN
Cell structure: cell membrane, cytoplasmic membrane, cell wall, cytoplasm, ribosomes, nucleoid, inclusions, Golgi apparatus, microfilaments
Cell membrane: helps to separate the cytoplasm to the other environment and regulates the transport flow of the substance in and or of the cell (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Cytoplasmic membrane: phospholipid layer which is made of two layers of lipid molecules (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Cell wall: peptidoglycan (single and thin)
Cytoplasm: it contains enzymes, proteins, and other organic or inorganic compounds (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Ribosomes: protein factory, which helps synthesis of the protein (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Nucleoid: controls the genetic activities in the cell (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Inclusions: helps in biochemical activities (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020)
Golgi apparatus: modifies proteins (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Microfilaments: fibrous proteins; form the cellular cortex (Bauman, Primm, Brunings, Austin, et. Al., 2020).
Cell wall composition: waxy coating mixed with mycolic acid; a single layer of peptidoglycan surrounded by outer membranes that consists of phospholipids.
This cell wall composition will help protect the bacterium by decreasing the chances for antibiotics, leukocytes, or macrophages to penetrate through its wall. Due to the outer membrane consisting of phospholipids, lipid A, and mycolic acid, it will be difficult for the macrophages to pass through. It will also be difficult for the antibiotics to adhere to the peptidoglycan because the phospholipids, lipid A, consists of mycolic acids.
Toxins produced: endotoxins or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), exotoxins, mycotoxins, and tuberculosis necrotizing toxin (TNT)
Endotoxins or lipopolysaccharide (LPS): found in the outer membrane of the cell wall which are Lipid A, O-antigen, and core polysaccharide (Bordoloi, & Ganguly, 2014).
Exotoxins: when released damages the host by destroying cells or disrupting normal cellular metabolism (Bordoloi, & Ganguly, 2014).
Mycotoxins: They inhibit protein synthesis, damage macrophages systems, inhibit particle clearance of the lung, and increase sensitivity to bacterial endotoxin (Bordoloi, & Ganguly, 2014).
Tuberculosis necrotizing toxin (TNT): secreted to kill infected macrophages, leading to host cell death by necroptosis (Bordoloi, & Ganguly, 2014).
Trichothecenes: causes cellular death and necrosis (Bordoloi, & Ganguly, 2014).
This bacterium is the ultimate toxin that will evade our immune cells because it has all components of gram-positive, gram-negative, fungi, and Mycobacteriaceae. It can be transmitted via contact, droplet, or airborne. It can even be transmitted via vector or by fomite. This bacterium can survive in an extremely hot or cold environment. It also is resistant to all aminoglycoside antibiotics or hydrophilic antibiotics. This unknown bacterium does not have a thick peptidoglycan where an antibiotic can easily adhere or penetrate through its cell wall. The outer structure has similar characteristics as a gram-negative making it difficult for antibiotics to pass through the outer membrane. However, it is not classified as gram-negative bacteria because it is unable to stain.
Once, this bacterium adheres to any surface of the body such as respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, or meninges it can replicate within a millisecond. It will continue to release any of the toxins regardless of human immune response. Which means inflammatory, cell mediated, or humoral immunity will not kill this bacterium, it will only make it stronger by taking the energy of the host’s cells so it can help increase its toxins production. First it will release the endotoxin, which will protect it from macrophages that could potentially engulf the bacteria. As it replicates it will release the exotoxins to help destroy the host cells and its surrounding. Once the host cells are dead the bacterium will consume it for energy. Then it will release more exotoxin and mycotoxins to prevent the human body leukocytes from invading as the process continues. After the mycotoxins inhibit and damage most of the macrophages, it will then activate the TNT and Trichothecenes. The TNT will help clean up all the infected macrophages as well continue to surveillance the whole body. The Trichothecenes will assist in killing off all the cells and tissues until the host finally dies.
Reference
Bauman, R. W., Primm, T. P., Brunings, A., Austin, T., Machunis-Masuoka, E., Siegesmund, A. M., … Cosby, C. D. (2020). Microbiology: with diseases by taxonomy. Hoboken, NJ: Pearson.
Bordoloi, R., & Ganguly, S. (2014). Microbial Toxin Production: Opportunists and True Pathogens. J Drug Metab Toxicol, 5, e123.
Tak U, Vlach J, Garza-Garcia A, William D, Danilchanka O, de Carvalho LPS, Saad JS, Niederweis M. The tuberculosis necrotizing toxin is an NAD+ and NADP+ glycohydrolase with distinct enzymatic properties. J Biol Chem. 2019 Mar 1;294(9):3024-3036. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA118.005832. Epub 2018 Dec 28. PMID: 30593509; PMCID: PMC6398120.
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