Identification of four new members of the internalin multigene family of Listeria monocytogenes EGD

Extracellular targeting of choline-binding proteins in Streptococcus pneumoniae by a zinc metalloprotease

A genetic-based search for surface proteins of Streptococcus pneumoniae involved in adhesion identified a putative zinc metalloprotease (ZmpB). ZmpB shared high amino acid sequence similarities with IgA1 proteases of Gram-positive bacteria, but ZmpB had neither IgA1 nor IgA2 protease activity. Analysis of a family of surface-expressed proteins, the choline-binding proteins (Cbp's), in a zmpB-deficient mutant demonstrated a global loss of surface expression of CbpA, CbpE, CbpF and CbpJ. CbpA was detected within the cytoplasm. The zmpB-deficient mutant also failed to lyse with penicillin, a sign of lack of function of the Cbp LytA. Immunodetection studies revealed that the autolysin (LytA), normally located on the cell wall, was trapped in the cytoplasm colocalized with DNA and the transformation protein CinA. Trafficking of CinA and RecA to the cell membrane during genetic competence was also not observed in the zmpB-deficient mutant. These results suggest a protease dependent regulatory mechanism governing the translocation of CinA and the Cbp's LytA and CbpA of S. pneumoniae.

Identification of new loci involved in adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes to eukaryotic cells. European Listeria Genome Consortium

Insertional mutagenesis was performed with Tn1545 in the genetic background of an inIAB deletion mutant to identify new adhesion determinants in Listeria monocytogenes. Four insertion mutants defective in adhesion to eukaryotic cells were identified. Insertion sites were cloned by inverse-PCR and sequenced. The genetic organization of insertion regions was further analysed by screening and sequencing DNA fragments from a HindIII library and by searching databases. Three adhesion-defective mutants each had one copy of Tn1545 inserted into their chromosome. The insertion sites were different in the three mutants: (i) upstream from two ORFs in tandem, similar to dfp and priA of Bacillus subtilis, respectively; (ii) within an ORF encoding a putative 126 amino-acid-polypeptide with no significant similarity to any known protein; (iii) within an ORF similar to a B. subtilis ORF with no known function, just upstream from an operon similar to an ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter operon from B. subtilis. The excisants obtained from these mutants using the excision reporter plasmid pTCR9 recovered full adhesion capacity. A fourth mutant was the most severely defective in adhesion. It had five Tn1545 insertions, one of which was upstream from dfp and priA, and another of which was upstream from ami, a gene encoding a surface-exposed autolysin with a C terminus similar to that of InIB. Ami was clearly involved because an ami null mutant constructed in an EGDdeltainIA-F background was adhesion-defective. Thus new regions involved in the adhesion of L. monocytogenes to eukaryotic cells were identified. Further study is required to define more accurately the roles of these regions in the adhesion process itself.

Identification of dipeptide repeats and a cell wall sorting signal in the fimbriae-associated adhesin, Fap1, of Streptococcus parasanguis

Fap1, a fimbriae-associated protein, is involved in fimbriae assembly and adhesion of Streptococcus parasanguis FW213 (Wu et al., 1998). In this study, the sequence of the fap1 gene was resolved using a primer island transposition system. Sequence analysis indicated that fap1 was composed of 7659 nucleotides. The predicted Fap1 protein contains an unusually long signal sequence (50 amino acid residues), a cell wall sorting signal and two repeat regions. Repeat regions I and II have a similar dipeptide composition (E/V/I)S, composed of 28 and 1000 repeats respectively. The two regions combined accounted for 80% of the Fap1 coding region. The experimental amino acid composition and isoelectric point (pI) of Fap1 were similar to that predicted from the deduced Fap1 protein. Results of Northern analyses revealed that the fap1 open reading frame (ORF) was transcribed as a 7.8 kb monocistronic message. Insertional inactivation at the 3' end, downstream of the fap1 ORF, did not affect Fap1, fimbrial expression or bacterial adhesion. Insertional inactivation of fap1 immediately upstream of the repeat region II abolished expression of Fap1 and fimbriae, and was concurrent with a diminution in adhesion of FW213. Inactivation of the cell wall sorting signal of fap1 also eliminated long fimbrial formation and reduced the ability of FW213 to bind to SHA. Fap1 was no longer anchored on the cell surface. Large quantities of truncated Fap1 were found in the growth medium instead. These results suggest that the fap1 ORF alone is sufficient to support Fap1 expression and adhesion, and demonstrate that anchorage of Fap1 on the cell surface is required for long fimbriae formation. These data further document the role of long fimbriae in adhesion of S. parasanguis FW213 to SHA.

Interaction between the protein InlB of Listeria monocytogenes and lipoteichoic acid: a novel mechanism of protein association at the surface of gram-positive bacteria

InlB is a Listeria monocytogenes protein that is sufficient to promote entry in a variety of mammalian cells. The last 232-amino-acid domain (Csa) of InlB has been shown to mediate attachment on the listerial surface, although its sequence does not suggest any known mechanism of association to the bacterial surface. InlB is present both on the bacterial surface and in culture supernatants. As has been recently demonstrated, both forms of InlB, soluble and surface-bound, can trigger signalling in host cells. To elucidate the specific role of each of the two forms, it was important to understand how InlB associates with the bacterial surface. Using microscopy, we find evidence that InlB is partially buried in the cell wall layer, and using fractionation experiments we demonstrate that InlB associates with the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Moreover, using purified lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and the three polypeptides InlB, Csa, or InlBDeltaCsa (InlB lacking the last 232 amino acids), we demonstrate that LTA is a ligand for the Csa domain of InlB. These results provide the first evidence of an interaction between lipoteichoic acids and a bacterial protein involved in adhesion and signalling, and highlight a new mechanism of protein association on the surface of Gram-positive bacteria.

Structure of the lnlB leucine-rich repeats, a domain that triggers host cell invasion by the bacterial pathogen L. monocytogenes

The L. monocytogenes protein lnlB activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase and induces phagocytosis in several mammalian cell types. The 1.86 A resolution X-ray crystal structure of the leucine-rich repeat domain of lnlB that is both necessary and sufficient to induce phagocytosis is presented here. The structure supports a crucial role for calcium in host cell invasion by L. monocytogenes and supplies a rationale for its function. Calciums are bound to the protein in an unusually exposed manner that suggests that the metals may act as a bridge between lnlB and mammalian cell surface receptors. The structure also identifies surfaces on the curved and elongated molecule that may constitute additional interaction sites in forming a bacterial-mammalian signaling complex.

The 213-amino-acid leucine-rich repeat region of the listeria monocytogenes InlB protein is sufficient for entry into mammalian cells, stimulation of PI 3-kinase and membrane ruffling

The Listeria monocytogenes InlB protein is a 630-amino-acid surface protein that mediates entry of the bacterium into a wide variety of cell types, including hepatocytes, fibroblasts and epithelial cells such as Vero, HEp-2 and HeLa cells. Invasion stimulates host proteins tyrosine phosphorylation, PI 3-kinase activity and rearrangements in the actin cytoskeleton. We previously showed that InlB is sufficient for entry of InlB-coated latex beads into cells and recent results indicate that purified InlB can stimulate PI 3-kinase activity and is thus the first bacterial agonist of this lipid kinase. In this study, we identified the region of InlB responsible for entry and stimulation of signal transduction events. Eight monoclonal antibodies directed against InlB were raised and, of those, five inhibited bacterial entry. These five antibodies recognized epitopes within the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) region and/or the inter-repeat (IR) region. InlB-staphylococcal protein A (SPA) fusion proteins and recombinant InlB derivatives were generated and tested for their capacity to mediate entry into cultured mammalian cells. All the InlB derivatives that carried the amino-terminal 213-amino-acid LRR region conferred invasiveness to the normally non-invasive bacterium L. innocua or to inert latex beads and the corresponding purified polypeptides inhibited bacterial entry. In addition, the 213-amino-acid LRR region was able to stimulate PI 3-kinase activity and changes in the actin cytoskeleton (membrane ruffling). These properties were not detected with purified internalin, another invasion protein of L. monocytogenes that displays LRRs similar to those of InlB. Taken together, these results show that the first 213 amino acids of InlB are critical for its specific properties.

The Listeria monocytogenes protein InlB is an agonist of mammalian phosphoinositide 3-kinase

The Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes induces its own internalization into some non-phagocytic mammalian cells by stimulating host tyrosine phosphorylation, phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase activity, and rearrangements in the actin cytoskeleton. Entry into many cultured cell lines is mediated by the bacterial protein InlB. Here we investigate the role of InlB in regulating mammalian signal transduction and cytoskeletal structure. Treatment of Vero cells with purified InlB caused rapid and transient increases in the lipid products of the PI 3-kinase p85-p110, tyrosine phosphorylation of the mammalian adaptor proteins Gab1, Cbl, and Shc, and association of these proteins with p85. InlB also stimulated large scale changes in the actin cytoskeleton (membrane ruffling), which were PI 3-kinase-dependent. These results identify InlB as the first reported non-mammalian agonist of PI 3-kinase and demonstrate similarities in the signal transduction events elicited by this bacterial protein and known agonists such as epidermal growth factor.

The role of Kupffer cells and regulation of neutrophil migration into the liver by macrophage inflammatory protein-2 in primary listeriosis in mice

Depletion of mouse Kupffer cells and splenic macrophages following intravenous administration of liposome-entrapped clodronate severely reduced host resistance to primary infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Infection of clodronate-treated mice with a sublethal dose of L. monocytogenes resulted in death of the mice within 3 days. The macrophage depletion resulted in marked increases in bacterial growth in the liver and spleen, but not in other tissues. The proliferation of L. monocytogenes was observed in a large number of hepatocytes that underwent apoptosis. Infiltration of neutrophils in the liver and rapid formation of microabscesses were observed in the control mice after L. monocytogenes infection. However, there was less accumulation of neutrophils in the liver of Kupffer cell-depleted mice than in the control mice. Expression of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) was enhanced in the livers of both the control and Kupffer cell-depleted mice after L. monocytogenes infection. MIP-2 was also induced in a murine hepatocyte cell line following L. monocytogenes infection. The administration of neutralizing anti-interleukin-8 receptor homolog antibody severely abrogated neutrophil infiltration into the Listeria-infected mouse liver. Anti-MIP-2 antibody moderately reduced neutrophil infiltration and microabscess formation in the liver. These findings indicate that Kupffer cells protect hepatocytes from L. monocytogenes infection and the resultant apoptosis. Moreover, MIP-2 and its related molecules produced by the infected hepatocytes regulate neutrophil infiltration and microabscess formation in primary listeriosis.

Surface proteins of gram-positive bacteria and mechanisms of their targeting to the cell wall envelope

The cell wall envelope of gram-positive bacteria is a macromolecular, exoskeletal organelle that is assembled and turned over at designated sites. The cell wall also functions as a surface organelle that allows gram-positive pathogens to interact with their environment, in particular the tissues of the infected host. All of these functions require that surface proteins and enzymes be properly targeted to the cell wall envelope. Two basic mechanisms, cell wall sorting and targeting, have been identified. Cell well sorting is the covalent attachment of surface proteins to the peptidoglycan via a C-terminal sorting signal that contains a consensus LPXTG sequence. More than 100 proteins that possess cell wall-sorting signals, including the M proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes, protein A of Staphylococcus aureus, and several internalins of Listeria monocytogenes, have been identified. Cell wall targeting involves the noncovalent attachment of proteins to the cell surface via specialized binding domains. Several of these wall-binding domains appear to interact with secondary wall polymers that are associated with the peptidoglycan, for example teichoic acids and polysaccharides. Proteins that are targeted to the cell surface include muralytic enzymes such as autolysins, lysostaphin, and phage lytic enzymes. Other examples for targeted proteins are the surface S-layer proteins of bacilli and clostridia, as well as virulence factors required for the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes (internalin B) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (PspA) infections. In this review we describe the mechanisms for both sorting and targeting of proteins to the envelope of gram-positive bacteria and review the functions of known surface proteins.

Intracellular pathogens and the actin cytoskeleton

Many pathogens actively exploit the actin cytoskeleton during infection. This exploitation may take place during entry into mammalian cells after engagement of a receptor and/or as series of signaling events culminating in the engulfment of the microorganism. Although actin rearrangements are a common feature of most internalization events (e.g. entry of Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, Neisseria, and Bartonella), bacterial and other cellular factors involved in entry are specific to each bacterium. Another step during which pathogens harness the actin cytoskeleton takes place in the cytosol, within which some bacteria (Listeria, Shigella, Rickettsia) or viruses (vaccinia virus) are able to move. Movement is coupled to a polarized actin polymerization process, with the formation of characteristic actin tails. Increasing attention has focused on this phenomenon due to its striking similarity to cellular events occurring at the leading edge of locomoting cells. Thus pathogens are convenient systems in which to study actin cytoskeleton rearrangements in response to stimuli at the plasma membrane or inside cells.

Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C from Listeria monocytogenes is an important virulence factor in murine cerebral listeriosis

Meningoencephalitis is a serious and often fatal complication of Listeria monocytogenes infection. The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of internalin A (InlA) and B, which are involved in the invasion of L. monocytogenes into cultivated host tissue cells, and that of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PlcB), which mainly promotes the direct cell-to-cell spread of L. monocytogenes, in murine cerebral listeriosis by use of an InlA/B (DeltainlAB2)- and a PlcB (DeltaplcB2)-deficient isogenic deletion mutant strain and the wild-type (WT) L. monocytogenes EGD. Listeria strains were directly applied to the brain, a technique which has been employed previously to study the pathogenesis of cerebral listeriosis (D. Schlüter, S. B. Oprisiu, S. Chahoud, D. Weiner, O. D. Wiestler, H. Hof, and M. Deckert-Schlüter, Eur. J. Immunol. 25:2384-2391, 1995). We demonstrated that PlcB, but not InlA or InlB, is an important virulence factor in cerebral listeriosis. Nonimmunized mice infected intracerebrally with the DeltaplcB2 strain survived significantly longer and had a reduced intracerebral bacterial load compared to mice infected with the DeltainlAB2 strain or WT bacteria. In addition, immunization with the WT prior to intracerebral infection significantly increased the survival rate of mice challenged intracerebrally with the DeltaplcB2 strain compared to that of mice infected with the WT or DeltainlAB2 strain. Histopathology revealed that the major difference between the various experimental groups was a significantly delayed intracerebral spread of the DeltaplcB2 mutant strain, indicating that cell-to-cell spread is an important pathogenic feature of cerebral listeriosis. Interestingly, irrespective of the Listeria mutant used, the apoptosis of hippocampal and cerebellar neurons and an internal hydrocephalus developed in surviving mice, indicating that these complications are not dependent on the virulence factors InlA/B and PlcB. In conclusion, this study points to PlcB as a virulence factor important for the intracerebral pathogenesis of murine L. monocytogenes meningoencephalitis.

Filament tip-associated antigens involved in adherence to and invasion of murine pulmonary epithelial cells in vivo and HeLa cells in vitro by Nocardia asteroides

The interactions of Nocardia asteroides GUH-2 with pulmonary epithelial cells of C57BL/6 mice and with HeLa cells were studied. Electron microscopy demonstrated that only the tips of log-phase cells penetrated pulmonary epithelial cells following intranasal administration, and nocardiae were recovered from the brain. Coccobacillary cells neither invaded nor disseminated. Serum from immunized mice (IMS) decreased attachment to and penetration of pulmonary epithelial cell surfaces by log-phase GUH-2 and inhibited spread to the brain. IMS was adsorbed against stationary-phase cells. Western immunoblots suggested that this adsorbed IMS was reactive primarily with 43- and 62-kDa proteins. Immunofluorescence showed that adsorbed IMS preferentially labeled the tips of log-phase GUH-2 cells. Since this IMS was reactive to culture filtrate antigens, several of these proteins were cut from gels, and mice were immunized. Sera against 62-, 55-, 43-, 36-, 31-, and 25-kDa antigens were obtained. The antisera against the 43- and 36-kDa proteins labeled the filament tips of GUH-2 cells. Only the antiserum against the 43-kDa antigen increased pulmonary clearance, inhibited apical attachment to and penetration of pulmonary epithelial cells, and prevented spread to the brain. An in vitro model with HeLa cells demonstrated that the tips of log-phase cells of GUH-2 adhered to and penetrated the surface of HeLa cells. Invasion assays with amikacin treatment demonstrated that nocardiae were internalized. Adsorbed IMS blocked attachment to and invasion of these cells. These data suggested that a filament tip-associated 43-kDa protein was involved in attachment to and invasion of pulmonary epithelial cells and HeLa cells by N. asteroides GUH-2.

A novel PrfA-regulated chromosomal locus, which is specific for Listeria ivanovii, encodes two small, secreted internalins and contributes to virulence in mice

Several large, cell wall-associated internalins and one small, secreted internalin (InlC) have been described previously in Listeria monocytogenes. Using degenerate primers derived from sequenced peptides of an L. ivanovii major secreted protein, we identified a new 4.25 kb internalin locus of L. ivanovii, termed i-inlFE. The two proteins encoded by this locus, i-InlE and i-InlF, belong to the group of small, secreted internalins. Southern blot analyses show that the i-inlFE locus does not occur in L. monocytogenes. These data also indicate that six genes encoding small, secreted internalins are present in L. ivanovii, in contrast to L. monocytogenes, in which inlC encodes the only small internalin. The mature i-InlE protein (198 amino acids) is secreted in large amounts into the brain-heart infusion (BHI) culture medium in the stationary growth phase. In minimum essential medium (MEM), which has been used previously to induce PrfA-dependent gene transcription, i-inlE mRNA and i-InlE protein are expressed at high levels. As shown by Northern blot analysis and primer extension, transcription of the tandemly arranged i-inlF and i-inlE genes is dependent on the virulence regulator PrfA, and characteristic palindromic sequences ('PrfA-boxes') were identified in the promoter regions of i-inlF and i-inlE. Non-polar i-inlE and i-inlF deletion mutants and an i-inlFE double deletion mutant were constructed and tested in the mouse infection model. After intravenous infection, all three mutants entirely failed to kill C57BL/6 mice even at high infectious doses of 109 bacteria per mouse, whereas the LD50 for the parental strain was determined as 4 x 107 bacteria per mouse. These data suggest an important role for i-InlE and i-InlF in L. ivanovii virulence.

Interactions of Listeria monocytogenes with mammalian cells during entry and actin-based movement: bacterial factors, cellular ligands and signaling

Although <50 kb of its 3.3 megabase genome is known, Listeria monocytogenes has received much attention and an impressive amount of data has contributed in raising this bacterium among the best understood intracellular pathogens. The mechanisms that Listeria uses to enter cells, escape from the phagocytic vacuole and spread from one cell to another using an actin-based motility process have been analysed in detail. Several bacterial proteins contributing to these events have been identified, including the invasion proteins internalin A (InlA) and B (InlB), the secreted pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO) which promotes the escape from the phagocytic vacuole, and the surface protein ActA which is required for actin polymerization and bacterial movement. While LLO and ActA are critical for the infectious process and are not redundant with other listerial proteins, the precise role of InlA and InlB in vivo remains unclear. How InlA, InlB, LLO or ActA interact with the mammalian cells is beginning to be deciphered. The picture that emerges is that this bacterium uses general strategies also used by other invasive bacteria but has evolved a panel of specific tools and tricks to exploit mammalian cell functions. Their study may lead to a better understanding of important questions in cell biology such as ligand receptor signalling and dynamics of actin polymerization in mammalian cells.

The inlA gene of Listeria monocytogenes LO28 harbors a nonsense mutation resulting in release of internalin

Internalin is a surface protein that mediates entry of Listeria monocytogenes EGD into epithelial cells expressing the cell adhesion molecule human E-cadherin or its chicken homolog, L-CAM, which act as receptors for internalin. After observing that entry of L. monocytogenes LO28 into S180 fibroblasts, in contrast to that of EGD, did not increase after transfection with L-CAM, we examined both the expression and the structure of internalin in strain LO28. We discovered a nonsense mutation in inlA which results in a truncated protein released in the culture medium. Mutations leading to release of internalin were also detected in clinical and food isolates. These results question the role of internalin as a virulence factor in murine listeriosis.

Internalin B is essential for adhesion and mediates the invasion of Listeria monocytogenes into human endothelial cells

Listeria monocytogenes causes rhombencephalitis in humans and animals and also affects the fetus in utero, causing disseminated sepsis. In both instances, the infection occurs by the crossing of endothelial cells lining a physiological barrier, the blood-brain barrier or the transplacental barrier. In this study, the ability of L. monocytogenes wild-type EGD to invade human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was evaluated using wild-type bacteria and isogenic Listeria mutants. Here, we show that invasion of HUVECs by L. monocytogenes is dependent on the expression of the internalin B gene product. This was demonstrated in several ways. First, L. monocytogenes strains lacking the inlB gene did not invade HUVECs. Secondly, avid invasion was obtained when a strain deleted for inlAB was complemented with a plasmid harbouring inlB only, whereas strains expressing inlA did not enter HUVECs. Thirdly, entry of wild-type EGD could be blocked effectively with antibodies to InlB. Fourthly, cell binding assays and flow cytometry with HUVECs showed binding of purified InlB, but not InlA, suggesting a tropism of InlB for this cell type. Finally, physical association of purified native InlB with the surface of non-invasive mutants dramatically increased their ability to invade HUVECs. In laser-scanning confocal microscopy, binding of InlB was observed as focal and localized patches on the cell surface of HUVECs. Qualitative examination of the entry process by scanning electron microscopy revealed that both wild-type EGD and a recombinant strain overexpressing only InlB enter HUVECs in a similar fashion. The entry process was polarized, involved single bacteria and occurred over the entire surface of endothelial cells.

The InIB protein of Listeria monocytogenes is sufficient to promote entry into mammalian cells

InIB is one of the two Listeria monocytogenes invasion proteins required for bacterial entry into mammalian cells. Entry into human epithelial cells such as Caco-2 requires InIA, whereas InIB is needed for entry into cultured hepatocytes and some epithelial or fibroblast cell lines such as Vero, HEp-2 and HeLa cells. InIB-mediated entry requires tyrosine phosphorylation, cytoskeletal rearrangements and activation of the host protein phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, probably in response to engagement of a receptor. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that InIB is sufficient to promote internalization. Indeed, coating of normally non-invasive bacteria or inert latex beads with InIB leads to internalization into mammalian cells. In addition, a soluble form of InIB also appears to promote uptake of non-invasive bacteria, albeit at a very low level. Similar to entry of L. monocytogenes, uptake of InIB-coated beads required tyrosine phosphorylation in the host cell, PI 3-kinase activity and cytoskeletal reorganization. Taken together, these data indicate that InIB is sufficient for entry of L. monocytogenes into host cells and suggest that this protein is an effector of host cell signalling pathways.

Host-pathogen interactions during entry and actin-based movement of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium that induces its own uptake into mammalian cells, and spreads from one cell to another by an actin-based motility process. Entry into host cells involves the bacterial surface proteins InlA (internalin) and InlB. The receptor for InlA is the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. InlB-mediated entry requires activation of the host protein phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, probably in response to engagement of a receptor. Actin-based movement of L. monocytogenes is mediated by the bacterial surface protein ActA. The N-terminal region of this protein is necessary and sufficient for polymerization of host cell actin. Other host proteins involved in bacterial motility include profilin, Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP), the Arp2/Arp3 complex, and cofilin. Studies of entry and intracellular movement of L. monocytogenes could lead to a better understanding of receptor-ligand signaling and dynamics of actin polymerization in mammalian cells.

Internalin of Listeria monocytogenes with an intact leucine-rich repeat region is sufficient to promote internalization

Listeria monocytogenes can use two different surface proteins, internalin (InlA) and InlB, to invade mammalian cells. The exact role of these invasiveness factors in vivo remains to be determined. In cultured cells, InlA is necessary to promote Listeria entry into human epithelial cells, such as Caco-2 cells, whereas InlB is necessary to promote Listeria internalization in several other cell types, including hepatocytes, fibroblasts, and epithelioid cells, such as Vero, HeLa, CHO, or Hep-2 cells. We have recently reported that the InlA receptor on Caco-2 cells is the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin and demonstrated that nonpermissive fibroblasts become permissive for internalin-mediated entry when transfected with the gene coding for LCAM, the chicken homolog of the human E-cadherin gene. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that the internalin protein alone is sufficient to promote internalization into cells expressing its receptor. Indeed, internalin confers invasiveness to both Enterococcus faecalis and internalin-coated latex beads. As shown by transmission electron microscopy, these beads were phagocytosed via a "zipper" mechanism similar to that observed during the internalin-E-cadherin-mediated entry of Listeria. Moreover, a functional analysis of internalin demonstrates that its amino-terminal region, encompassing the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) region and the inter-repeat (IR) region, is necessary and sufficient to promote bacterial entry into cells expressing its receptor. Several lines of evidence suggest that the LRR region would interact directly with E-cadherin, whereas the IR region would be required for a proper folding of the LRR region.

Internalin B promotes the replication of Listeria monocytogenes in mouse hepatocytes

The uptake of Listeria monocytogenes by a variety of cell types in vitro is facilitated by the protein products of the inlAB (internalin) operon expressed by the organism. In the case of mouse hepatocytes, the extent to which inlAB expression influenced the uptake of Listeria in vitro was markedly dependent upon the ratio of bacteria to cells. At a ratio of 100:1, greater than 40-fold fewer transposon-induced inl4B mutant listeriae entered hepatocytes compared to the isogenic wild-type control; the difference was only fourfold, however, in cultures inoculated at a 1:1 ratio. Similarly, the uptake of in-frame inlB or inlAB deletion mutants differed only fourfold from the uptake of wild-type or inlA mutant Listeria at a 1:1 multiplicity of infection. Mutations affecting inlB or inlAB, on the other hand, resulted in a marked decrease in the capacity of Listeria to proliferate within mouse hepatocytes in vivo and in vitro. Electron micrographs of Listeria-infected hepatocytes demonstrated the impaired capacity of inlB mutants to escape from endocytic vacuoles and to enter the cytoplasm where proliferation occurs. These findings indicate that the protein product of inlB exerts a significant effect on the intracellular replication of Listeria.

Listeria monocytogenes-infected human umbilical vein endothelial cells: internalin-independent invasion, intracellular growth, movement, and host cell responses

The interaction of Listeria monocytogenes with human umbilical vein endothelial cells was studied. We show that L. monocytogenes invades human umbilical vein endothelial cells independently of internalin A, internalin B, internalin C, and ActA. L. monocytogenes replicates efficiently inside the cells and moves intracellularly by the induction of actin polymerization. We further show that L. monocytogenes-infection of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induces interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 expression during the first 6 h of infection. The expression of MCP-1 and the adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 was not altered under the experimental conditions used here.