Synergy between the N- and C-terminal domains of InlB for efficient invasion of non-phagocytic cells by Listeria monocytogenes

Development of a Limosilactobacillus reuteri therapeutic delivery platform with reduced colonization potential

Bacterial biotherapeutic delivery vehicles have the potential to treat a variety of diseases. This approach obviates the need to purify the recombinant effector molecule, allows delivery of therapeutics in situ via oral or intranasal administration, and protects the effector molecule during gastrointestinal transit. Lactic acid bacteria have been broadly developed as therapeutic delivery vehicles though risks associated with the colonization of a genetically modified microorganism have so-far not been addressed. Here, we present an engineered Limosilactobacillus reuteri strain with reduced colonization potential. We applied a dual-recombineering scheme for efficient barcoding and generated mutants in genes encoding five previously characterized and four uncharacterized putative adhesins. Compared with the wild type, none of the mutants were reduced in their ability to survive gastrointestinal transit in mice. CmbA was identified as a key protein in L. reuteri adhesion to HT-29 and enteroid cells. The nonuple mutant, a single strain with all nine genes encoding adhesins inactivated, had reduced capacity to adhere to enteroid monolayers. The nonuple mutant producing murine IFN-β was equally effective as its wild-type counterpart in mitigating radiation toxicity in mice. Thus, this work established a novel therapeutic delivery platform that lays a foundation for its application in other microbial therapeutic delivery candidates and furthers the progress of the L. reuteri delivery system towards human use.IMPORTANCEOne major advantage to leverage gut microbes that have co-evolved with the vertebrate host is that evolution already has taken care of the difficult task to optimize survival within a complex ecosystem. The availability of the ecological niche will support colonization. However, long-term colonization of a recombinant microbe may not be desirable. Therefore, strategies need to be developed to overcome this potential safety concern. In this work, we developed a single strain in which we inactivated the encoding sortase, and eight genes encoding characterized/putative adhesins. Each individual mutant was characterized for growth and adhesion to epithelial cells. On enteroid cells, the nonuple mutant has a reduced adhesion potential compared with the wild-type strain. In a model of total-body irradiation, the nonuple strain engineered to release murine interferon-β performed comparable to a derivative of the wild-type strain that releases interferon-β. This work is an important step toward the application of recombinant L. reuteri in humans.

Crossing the Barrier: A Comparative Study of Listeria monocytogenes and Treponema pallidum in Placental Invasion

Vertically transmitted infections are a significant cause of fetal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy and pose substantial risks to fetal development. These infections are primarily transmitted to the fetus through two routes: (1) direct invasion and crossing the placenta which separates maternal and fetal circulation, or (2) ascending the maternal genitourinary tact and entering the uterus. Only two bacterial species are commonly found to cross the placenta and infect the fetus: Listeria monocytogenes and Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. L. monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, foodborne pathogen found in soil that acutely infects a wide variety of mammalian species. T. pallidum is a sexually transmitted spirochete that causes a chronic infection exclusively in humans. We briefly review the pathogenesis of these two very distinct bacteria that have managed to overcome the placental barrier and the role placental immunity plays in resisting infection. Both organisms share characteristics which contribute to their transplacental transmission. These include the ability to disseminate broadly within the host, evade immune phagocytosis, and the need for a strong T cell response for their elimination.

Natural Isoforms of Listeria monocytogenes Virulence Factor Inlb Differ in c-Met Binding Efficiency and Differently Affect Uptake and Survival Listeria in Macrophage

Listeria monocytogenes virulence factor InlB specifically interacts with the receptors c-Met and gC1q-R. Both receptors are present in non-professional and professional phagocytes, including macrophages. Phylogenetically defined InlB isoforms differently support invasion into non-professional phagocytes. This work deals with the effects of InlB isoforms on L. monocytogenes uptake and intracellular proliferation in human macrophages. Three isoforms of the receptor binding domain (idInlB) were derived from phylogenetically distinct L. monocytogenes strains belonging to the highly virulent CC1 (idInlB_CC1), medium-virulence CC7 (idInlB_CC7), and low-virulence CC9 (idInlB_CC9) clonal complexes. The constant dissociation increased in the order idInlB_CC1 << idInlB_CC7 < idInlB_CC9 for interactions with c-Met, and idInlB_CC1 ≈ idInlB_CC7 < idInlB_CC9 for interactions with gC1q-R. The comparison of uptake and intracellular proliferation of isogenic recombinant strains which expressed full-length InlBs revealed that the strain expressing idInlB_CC1 proliferated in macrophages twice as efficiently as other strains. Macrophage pretreatment with idInlB_CC1 followed by recombinant L. monocytogenes infection disturbed macrophage functions decreasing pathogen uptake and improving its intracellular multiplication. Similar pretreatment with idInlB_CC7 decreased bacterial uptake but also impaired intracellular multiplication. The obtained results demonstrated that InlB impaired macrophage functions in an idInlB isoform-dependent manner. These data suggest a novel InlB function in L. monocytogenes virulence.

Coreceptor Functions of Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans

Receptor-ligand interactions play an important role in many biological processes by triggering specific cellular responses. These interactions are frequently regulated by coreceptors that facilitate, alter, or inhibit signaling. Coreceptors work in parallel with other specific and accessory molecules to coordinate receptor-ligand interactions. Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) function as unique coreceptors because they can bind to many ligands and receptors through their HS and core protein motifs. Cell surface HSPGs are typically expressed in abundance of the signaling receptors and, thus, are capable of mediating the initial binding of ligands to the cell surface. HSPG coreceptors do not possess kinase domains or intrinsic enzyme activities and, for the most part, binding to cell surface HSPGs does not directly stimulate intracellular signaling. Because of these features, cell surface HSPGs primarily function as coreceptors for many receptor-ligand interactions. Given that cell surface HSPGs are widely conserved, they likely serve fundamental functions to preserve basic physiological processes. Indeed, cell surface HSPGs can support specific cellular interactions with growth factors, morphogens, chemokines, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and microbial pathogens and their secreted virulence factors. Through these interactions, HSPG coreceptors regulate cell adhesion, proliferation, migration and differentiation, and impact the onset, progression, and outcome of pathophysiological processes, such as development, tissue repair, inflammation, infection, and tumorigenesis. This review seeks to provide an overview of the various mechanisms of how cell surface HSPGs function as coreceptors.

A recurring packing contact in crystals of InlB pinpoints functional binding sites in the internalin domain and the B repeat

InlB, a bacterial agonist of the human receptor tyrosine kinase MET, consists of an N-terminal internalin domain, a central B repeat and three C-terminal GW domains. In all previous structures of full-length InlB or an InlB construct lacking the GW domains (InlB392), there was no interpretable electron density for the B repeat. Here, three InlB392 crystal structures in which the B repeat is resolved are described. These are the first structures to reveal the relative orientation of the internalin domain and the B repeat. A wild-type structure and two structures of the T332E variant together contain five crystallographically independent molecules. Surprisingly, the threonine-to-glutamate substitution in the B repeat substantially improved the crystallization propensity and crystal quality of the T332E variant. The internalin domain and B repeat are quite rigid internally, but are flexibly linked to each other. The new structures show that inter-domain flexibility is the most likely cause of the missing electron density for the B repeat in previous InlB structures. A potential binding groove between B-repeat strand β2 and an adjacent loop forms an important crystal contact in all five crystallographically independent chains. This region may represent a hydrophobic `sticky patch' that supports protein-protein interactions. This assumption agrees with the previous finding that all known inactivating point mutations in the B repeat lie within strand β2. The groove formed by strand β2 and the adjacent loop may thus represent a functionally important protein-protein interaction site in the B repeat.

inlF Enhances Listeria monocytogenes Early-Stage Infection by Inhibiting the Inflammatory Response

The internalin family proteins, which carry the leucine repeat region structural motif, play diverse roles in Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection and pathogenesis. Although Internalin F, encoded by inlF, was identified more than 20 years ago, its role in the Lm anti-inflammatory response remains unknown. Lm serotype 4b isolates are associated with the majority of listeriosis outbreaks, but the function of InlF in these strains is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the role of inlF in modulating the inflammatory response and pathogenesis of the 4b strain Lm NTSN. Strikingly, although inlF was highly expressed at the transcriptional level during infection of five non-phagocytic cell types, it was not involved in adherence or invasion. Conversely, inlF did contributed to Lm adhesion and invasion of macrophages, and dramatically suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). Consistent with the in vitro results, during Lm infection mice, inlF significantly inhibited the expression of IL-1β and IL-6 in the spleen, as well as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the liver. More importantly, inlF contributed to Lm colonization in the spleen, liver, and ileum during the early stage of mouse infection via intragastric administration, inducing severe inflammatory injury and histopathologic changes in the late stage. To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate that inlF mediates the inhibition of the pro-inflammatory response and contributes to the colonization and survival of Lm during the early stage of infection in mice. Our research partly explains the high pathogenicity of serovar 4b strains and will lead to new insights into the pathogenesis and immune evasion of Lm.

Host syndecan-1 promotes listeriosis by inhibiting intravascular neutrophil extracellular traps

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are at the forefront of host-microbe interactions. Molecular and cell-based studies suggest that HSPG-pathogen interactions promote pathogenesis by facilitating microbial attachment and invasion of host cells. However, the specific identity of HSPGs, precise mechanisms by which HSPGs promote pathogenesis, and the in vivo relevance of HSPG-pathogen interactions remain to be determined. HSPGs also modulate host responses to tissue injury and inflammation, but functions of HSPGs other than facilitating microbial attachment and internalization are understudied in infectious disease. Here we examined the role of syndecan-1 (Sdc1), a major cell surface HSPG of epithelial cells, in mouse models of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) infection. We show that Sdc1-/- mice are significantly less susceptible to both intragastric and intravenous Lm infection compared to wild type (Wt) mice. This phenotype is not seen in Sdc3-/- or Sdc4-/- mice, indicating that ablation of Sdc1 causes a specific gain of function that enables mice to resist listeriosis. However, Sdc1 does not support Lm attachment or invasion of host cells, indicating that Sdc1 does not promote pathogenesis as a cell surface Lm receptor. Instead, Sdc1 inhibits the clearance of Lm before the bacterium gains access to its intracellular niche. Large intravascular aggregates of neutrophils and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) embedded with antimicrobial compounds are formed in Sdc1-/- livers, which trap and kill Lm. Lm infection induces Sdc1 shedding from the surface of hepatocytes in Wt livers, which is directly associated with the decrease in size of intravascular aggregated NETs. Furthermore, administration of purified Sdc1 ectodomains or DNase inhibits the formation of intravascular aggregated neutrophils and NETs and significantly increases the liver bacterial burden in Sdc1-/- mice. These data indicate that Lm induces Sdc1 shedding to subvert the activity of Sdc1 ectodomains to inhibit its clearance by intravascular aggregated NETs.

Potential Roles and Functions of Listerial Virulence Factors during Brain Entry

Although it rarely induces disease in humans, Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is important due to the frequency of serious pathological conditions—such as sepsis and meningitis—it causes in those few people that do get infected. Virulence factors (VF) of Lm—especially those involved in the passage through multiple cellular barriers of the body, including internalin (Inl) family members and listeriolysin O (LLO)—have been investigated both in vitro and in vivo, but the majority of work was focused on the mechanisms utilized during penetration of the gut and fetoplacental barriers. The role of listerial VF during entry into other organs remain as only partially solved puzzles. Here, we review the current knowledge on the entry of Lm into one of its more significant destinations, the brain, with a specific focus on the role of various VF in cellular adhesion and invasion.

Phage resistance at the cost of virulence: Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b requires galactosylated teichoic acids for InlB-mediated invasion

The intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is distinguished by its ability to invade and replicate within mammalian cells. Remarkably, of the 15 serovars within the genus, strains belonging to serovar 4b cause the majority of listeriosis clinical cases and outbreaks. The Listeria O-antigens are defined by subtle structural differences amongst the peptidoglycan-associated wall-teichoic acids (WTAs), and their specific glycosylation patterns. Here, we outline the genetic determinants required for WTA decoration in serovar 4b L. monocytogenes, and demonstrate the exact nature of the 4b-specific antigen. We show that challenge by bacteriophages selects for surviving clones that feature mutations in genes involved in teichoic acid glycosylation, leading to a loss of galactose from both wall teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid molecules, and a switch from serovar 4b to 4d. Surprisingly, loss of this galactose decoration not only prevents phage adsorption, but leads to a complete loss of surface-associated Internalin B (InlB),the inability to form actin tails, and a virulence attenuation in vivo. We show that InlB specifically recognizes and attaches to galactosylated teichoic acid polymers, and is secreted upon loss of this modification, leading to a drastically reduced cellular invasiveness. Consequently, these phage-insensitive bacteria are unable to interact with cMet and gC1q-R host cell receptors, which normally trigger cellular uptake upon interaction with InlB. Collectively, we provide detailed mechanistic insight into the dual role of a surface antigen crucial for both phage adsorption and cellular invasiveness, demonstrating a trade-off between phage resistance and virulence in this opportunistic pathogen.

L. monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, food-borne, intracellular pathogen that causes severe infection in susceptible individuals. Interestingly, almost all infections are caused by a subset of strains belonging to certain serovars featuring a complex glycosylation pattern on their cell surface. Using an engineered bacteriophage that specifically recognizes these modifications we selected for mutants that lost these sugars. We found that the resulting strains are severely deficient in invading host cells as we observed that a major virulence factor mediating host cell entry requires galactose decoration of the cell surface for its function. Without this galactose decoration, the strain represents a serovar not associated with disease. Altogether, we show a complex interplay between bacteriophages, bacteria, and the host, demonstrating that cellular invasiveness is dependent upon a serovar-defining structure, which also serves as a phage receptor.

Modified properties of alternan polymers arising from deletion of SH3-like motifs in Leuconostoc citreum ABK-1 alternansucrase

Alternansucrase (ALT, EC 2.4.1.140) catalyses the formation of an alternating 〈-1, 3/1, 6-linked glucan, with periodic branch points, from sucrose substrate. Beyond the catalytic domain, this enzyme harbours seven additional C-terminal SH3-like repeats. We herein generated two truncated alternansucrases, possessing deletions of three and seven adjacent SH3 motifs, giving Δ3SHALT and Δ7SHALT. Δ3SHALT and Δ7SHALT exhibited kcat/Km for transglycosylation activity 2.3- and 1.5-fold lower than wild-type ALT (WTALT), while hydrolysis was detected only in the truncated ALTs, oligosaccharide patterns and polymer glycosidic linkage were similar to that of WTALT. The viscosities of ALT polymers increase by ˜100-fold at 15% (w/v), with gel-like states formed at 12.5, 15.0, and 20.0% (w/v) produced by polymer from WTALT, Δ3SHALT, and Δ7SHALT, respectively. The average nanoparticle sizes of Δ3SHALT and Δ7SHALT polymers were 80 nm, compared to 90 nm from WTALT. In conclusion, even relatively subtle differences in the structure of ALT-produced alternan give rise to profound impact on the glucan polymer physicochemical properties.

Phylogenetically Defined Isoforms of Listeria monocytogenes Invasion Factor InlB Differently Activate Intracellular Signaling Pathways and Interact with the Receptor gC1q-R

The pathogenic Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes has been evolving into a few phylogenetic lineages. Phylogenetically defined substitutions were described in the L. monocytogenes virulence factor InlB, which mediates active invasion into mammalian cells via interactions with surface receptors c-Met and gC1q-R. InlB internalin domain (idInlB) is central to interactions with c-Met. Here we compared activity of purified recombinant idInlB isoforms characteristic for L. monocytogenes phylogenetic lineage I and II. Size exclusion chromatography and intrinsic fluorescence were used to characterize idInlBs. Western blotting was used to study activation of c-Met-dependent MAPK- and PI3K/Akt-pathways. Solid-phase microplate binding and competition assay was used to quantify interactions with gCq1-R. Isogenic recombinant L. monocytogenes strains were used to elucidate the input of idInlB isoforms in HEp-2 cell invasion. Physicochemical parameters of idInlB isoforms were similar but not identical. Kinetics of Erk1/2 and Akt phosphorylation in response to purified idInlBs was lineage specific. Lineage I but not lineage II idInlB specifically bound gC1q-R. Antibody against gC1q-R amino acids 221–249 inhibited invasion of L. monocytogenes carrying lineage I but not lineage II idInlB. Taken together, obtained results suggested that phylogenetically defined substitutions in idInlB provide functional distinctions and might be involved in phylogenetically determined differences in virulence potential.

Epithelial invasion by Salmonella Typhi using STIV-Met interaction

Typhoid is a life-threatening febrile illness that affects ~24.2 million people worldwide and is caused by the intracellular bacteria Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi). Intestinal epithelial invasion by S. Typhi is essential for the establishment of successful infection and is traditionally believed to depend on Salmonella pathogenicity island 1-encoded type 3 secretion system 1 (T3SS-1). We had previously reported that bacterial outer membrane protein T2942/STIV functions as a standalone invasin and contributes to the pathogenesis of S. Typhi by promoting epithelial invasion independent of T3SS-1 (Cell Microbiol, 2015). Here, we show that STIV, by using its 20-amino-acid extracellular loop, interacts with receptor tyrosine kinase, Met, of host intestinal epithelial cells. This interaction leads to Met phosphorylation and activation of a downstream signalling cascade, involving Src, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt, and Rac1, which culminates into localized actin polymerisation and bacterial engulfment by the cell. Inhibition of Met tyrosine kinase activity severely limited intestinal invasion and systemic infection by S. Typhi in vivo, highlighting the importance of this invasion pathway in disease progression. This is the first report elucidating the mechanism of T3SS-1-independent epithelial invasion of S. Typhi, and this crucial host-pathogen interaction may be targeted therapeutically to restrict pathogenesis.

Listeria monocytogenes: cell biology of invasion and intracellular growth

The Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is able to promote its entry into a diverse range of mammalian host cells by triggering plasma membrane remodeling, leading to bacterial engulfment. Upon cell invasion, L. monocytogenes disrupts its internalization vacuole and translocates to the cytoplasm, where bacterial replication takes place. Subsequently, L. monocytogenes uses an actin-based motility system that allows bacterial cytoplasmic movement and cell-to-cell spread. L. monocytogenes therefore subverts host cell receptors, organelles and the cytoskeleton at different infection steps, manipulating diverse cellular functions that include ion transport, membrane trafficking, post-translational modifications, phosphoinositide production, innate immune responses as well as gene expression and DNA stability.

Relative Roles of Listeriolysin O, InlA, and InlB in Listeria monocytogenes Uptake by Host Cells

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that infects a wide variety of cells, causing the life-threatening disease listeriosis. L. monocytogenes virulence factors include two surface invasins, InlA and InlB, known to promote bacterial uptake by host cells, and the secreted pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO), which disrupts the phagosome to allow bacterial proliferation in the cytosol.

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that infects a wide variety of cells, causing the life-threatening disease listeriosis. L. monocytogenes virulence factors include two surface invasins, InlA and InlB, known to promote bacterial uptake by host cells, and the secreted pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO), which disrupts the phagosome to allow bacterial proliferation in the cytosol. In addition, plasma membrane perforation by LLO has been shown to facilitate L. monocytogenes internalization into epithelial cells. In this work, we tested the host cell range and importance of LLO-mediated L. monocytogenes internalization relative to the canonical invasins, InlA and InlB. We measured the efficiencies of L. monocytogenes association with and internalization into several human cell types (hepatocytes, cytotrophoblasts, and endothelial cells) using wild-type bacteria and isogenic single, double, and triple deletion mutants for the genes encoding InlA, InlB and LLO. No role for InlB was detected in any tested cells unless the InlB expression level was substantially enhanced, which was achieved by introducing a mutation (prfA*) in the gene encoding the transcription factor PrfA. In contrast, InlA and LLO were the most critical invasion factors, although they act in a different manner and in a cell-type-dependent fashion. As expected, InlA facilitates both bacterial attachment and internalization in cells that express its receptor, E-cadherin. LLO promotes L. monocytogenes internalization into hepatocytes, but not into cytotrophoblasts and endothelial cells. Finally, LLO and InlA cooperate to increase the efficiency of host cell invasion by L. monocytogenes.

l-Rhamnosylation of wall teichoic acids promotes efficient surface association of Listeria monocytogenes virulence factors InlB and Ami through interaction with GW domains

Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are important surface glycopolymers involved in various physiological processes occurring in the Gram-positive cell envelope. We previously showed that the decoration of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) WTAs with l-rhamnose conferred resistance against antimicrobial peptides. Here, we show that WTA l-rhamnosylation also contributes to physiological levels of autolysis in Lm through a mechanism that requires efficient association of Ami, a virulence-promoting autolysin belonging to the GW protein family, to the bacterial cell surface. Importantly, WTA l-rhamnosylation also controls the surface association of another GW protein, the invasin internalin B (InlB), that promotes Lm invasion of host cells. Whereas WTA N-acetylglucosaminylation is not a prerequisite for GW protein surface association, lipoteichoic acids appear to also play a role in the surface anchoring of InlB. Strikingly, while the GW domains of Ami, InlB and Auto (another autolysin contributing to cell invasion and virulence) are sufficient to mediate surface association, this is not the case for the GW domains of the remaining six uncharacterized Lm GW proteins. Overall, we reveal WTA l-rhamnosylation as a bacterial surface modification mechanism that contributes to Lm physiology and pathogenesis by controlling the surface association of GW proteins involved in autolysis and infection.

Glycobiology of syndecan-1 in bacterial infections

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) is a major cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan of epithelial cells, a cell type targeted by many bacterial pathogens early in their pathogenesis. Loss of Sdc1 in mice is a gain-of-function mutation that significantly decreases the susceptibility to several bacterial infections, suggesting that subversion of Sdc1 is an important virulence strategy. HS glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains of cell surface Sdc1 promote bacterial pathogenesis by facilitating the attachment of bacteria to host cells. Engagement of cell surface Sdc1 HS chains by bacterial adhesins transmits signal through the highly conserved Sdc1 cytoplasmic domain, which can lead to uptake of intracellular bacterial pathogens. On the other hand, several bacteria that do not require Sdc1 for their attachment and invasion stimulate Sdc1 shedding and exploit the capacity of Sdc1 ectodomain HS GAGs to disarm innate defense mechanisms to evade immune clearance. Recent data suggest that select HS sulfate motifs, and not the overall charge of HS, are important in the inhibition of innate immune mechanisms. Here, we discuss several examples of Sdc1 subversion in bacterial infections.

Surfaceome and Proteosurfaceome in Parietal Monoderm Bacteria: Focus on Protein Cell-Surface Display

The cell envelope of parietal monoderm bacteria (archetypal Gram-positive bacteria) is formed of a cytoplasmic membrane (CM) and a cell wall (CW). While the CM is composed of phospholipids, the CW is composed at least of peptidoglycan (PG) covalently linked to other biopolymers, such as teichoic acids, polysaccharides, and/or polyglutamate. Considering the CW is a porous structure with low selective permeability contrary to the CM, the bacterial cell surface hugs the molecular figure of the CW components as a well of the external side of the CM. While the surfaceome corresponds to the totality of the molecules found at the bacterial cell surface, the proteinaceous complement of the surfaceome is the proteosurfaceome. Once translocated across the CM, secreted proteins can either be released in the extracellular milieu or exposed at the cell surface by associating to the CM or the CW. Following the gene ontology (GO) for cellular components, cell-surface proteins at the CM can either be integral (GO: 0031226), i.e., the integral membrane proteins, or anchored to the membrane (GO: 0046658), i.e., the lipoproteins. At the CW (GO: 0009275), cell-surface proteins can be covalently bound, i.e., the LPXTG-proteins, or bound through weak interactions to the PG or wall polysaccharides, i.e., the cell wall binding proteins. Besides monopolypeptides, some proteins can associate to each other to form supramolecular protein structures of high molecular weight, namely the S-layer, pili, flagella, and cellulosomes. After reviewing the cell envelope components and the different molecular mechanisms involved in protein attachment to the cell envelope, perspectives in investigating the proteosurfaceome in parietal monoderm bacteria are further discussed.

MET-activating Residues in the B-repeat of the Listeria monocytogenes Invasion Protein InlB

The facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a rare but life-threatening disease. Host cell entry begins with activation of the human receptor tyrosine kinase MET through the bacterial invasion protein InlB, which contains an internalin domain, a B-repeat, and three GW domains. The internalin domain is known to bind MET, but no interaction partner is known for the B-repeat. Adding the B-repeat to the internalin domain potentiates MET activation and is required to stimulate Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell scatter. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that the B-repeat may bind a co-receptor on host cells. To test this hypothesis, we mutated residues that might be important for binding an interaction partner. We identified two adjacent residues in strand β2 of the β-grasp fold whose mutation abrogated induction of MDCK cell scatter. Biophysical analysis indicated that these mutations do not alter protein structure. We then tested these mutants in human HT-29 cells that, in contrast to the MDCK cells, were responsive to the internalin domain alone. These assays revealed a dominant negative effect, reducing the activity of a construct of the internalin domain and mutated B-repeat below that of the individual internalin domain. Phosphorylation assays of MET and its downstream targets AKT and ERK confirmed the dominant negative effect. Attempts to identify a host cell receptor for the B-repeat were not successful. We conclude that there is limited support for a co-receptor hypothesis and instead suggest that the B-repeat contributes to MET activation through low affinity homodimerization.

Glycosaminoglycans and infection

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are complex linear polysaccharides expressed in intracellular compartments, at the cell surface, and in the extracellular environment where they interact with various molecules to regulate many cellular processes implicated in health and disease. Subversion of GAGs is a pathogenic strategy shared by a wide variety of microbial pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Pathogens use GAGs at virtually every major portals of entry to promote their attachment and invasion of host cells, movement from one cell to another, and to protect themselves from immune attack. Pathogens co-opt fundamental activities of GAGs to accomplish these tasks. This ingenious strategy to subvert essential activities of GAGs likely prevented host organisms from deleting or inactivating these mechanisms during their evolution. The goal of this review is to provide a mechanistic overview of our current understanding of how microbes subvert GAGs at major steps of pathogenesis, using select GAG-pathogen interactions as representative examples.

Evaluation of transcription levels of inlA, inlB, hly, bsh and prfA genes in Listeria monocytogenes strains using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR and ability of invasion into human CaCo-2 cells

Listeria monocytogenes virulence depends on the activity of well-characterized virulence factors. In this study, transcription levels of inlA, inlB, hly, bsh and prfA genes in L. monocytogenes strains, and the ability of invasion into CaCo-2 cells were investigated. Serotyping, multiplex-PCR for serovar identification and restriction fragment analysis of inlA were performed. Transcription levels and invasiveness were evaluated by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR and by in vitro assays, respectively. The isolates were of serovars 1/2a, 4b, 1/2c, 1/2b and 3a. Full-length inlA profiles were found for nine of ten clinical isolates, while five of seven cultures from foods showed truncated profile. The analysis of transcription levels of virulence factors encoding genes demonstrated a substantial inter-strain heterogeneity, with clinical strains showing higher levels for almost all genes than isolates from food. A correlation between transcription levels of inlA and inlB, as well as between bsh and prfA, was observed. Significant differences between clinical strains and food isolates in the invasion of CaCo-2 cells were found. Analysis of gene transcription and invasiveness of human cells suggests different virulence phenotypes among L. monocytogenes populations, and this characterization could be a useful tool for risk assessment purposes and for the development of public health strategies.

PI3-kinase activation is critical for host barrier permissiveness to Listeria monocytogenes

Invasion of nonphagocytic cells, a critical property of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) that enables it to cross host barriers, is mediated by the interaction of two bacterial surface proteins, InlA and InlB, with their respective receptors E-cadherin and c-Met. Although InlA-E-cadherin interaction is necessary and sufficient for Lm crossing of the intestinal barrier, both InlA and InlB are required for Lm crossing of the placental barrier. The mechanisms underlying these differences are unknown. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K) is involved in both InlA- and InlB-dependent pathways. Indeed, InlA-dependent entry requires PI3-K activity but does not activate it, whereas InlB-c-Met interaction activates PI3-K. We show that Lm intestinal target cells exhibit a constitutive PI3-K activity, rendering InlB dispensable for InlA-dependent Lm intestinal barrier crossing. In contrast, the placental barrier does not exhibit constitutive PI3-K activity, making InlB necessary for InlA-dependent Lm placental invasion. Here, we provide the molecular explanation for the respective contributions of InlA and InlB to Lm host barrier invasion, and reveal the critical role of InlB in rendering cells permissive to InlA-mediated invasion. This study shows that PI3-K activity is critical to host barrier permissiveness to microbes, and that pathogens exploit both similarities and differences of host barriers to disseminate.

How Listeria monocytogenes organizes its surface for virulence

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive pathogen responsible for the manifestation of human listeriosis, an opportunistic foodborne disease with an associated high mortality rate. The key to the pathogenesis of listeriosis is the capacity of this bacterium to trigger its internalization by non-phagocytic cells and to survive and even replicate within phagocytes. The arsenal of virulence proteins deployed by L. monocytogenes to successfully promote the invasion and infection of host cells has been progressively unveiled over the past decades. A large majority of them is located at the cell envelope, which provides an interface for the establishment of close interactions between these bacterial factors and their host targets. Along the multistep pathways carrying these virulence proteins from the inner side of the cytoplasmic membrane to their cell envelope destination, a multiplicity of auxiliary proteins must act on the immature polypeptides to ensure that they not only maturate into fully functional effectors but also are placed or guided to their correct position in the bacterial surface. As the major scaffold for surface proteins, the cell wall and its metabolism are critical elements in listerial virulence. Conversely, the crucial physical support and protection provided by this structure make it an ideal target for the host immune system. Therefore, mechanisms involving fine modifications of cell envelope components are activated by L. monocytogenes to render it less recognizable by the innate immunity sensors or more resistant to the activity of antimicrobial effectors. This review provides a state-of-the-art compilation of the mechanisms used by L. monocytogenes to organize its surface for virulence, with special focus on those proteins that work “behind the frontline”, either supporting virulence effectors or ensuring the survival of the bacterium within its host.

Crystal structure of an engineered YopM-InlB hybrid protein

Background

The multi-domain protein InlB (internalin B) from Listeria monocytogenes is an agonist of the human receptor tyrosine kinase MET. Only the internalin domain directly interacts with MET. The internalin domain consists of seven central leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) flanked by an N-terminal helical cap domain and a C-terminal immunoglobulin-like structure. A potential function of the N-terminal cap in receptor binding could so far not be demonstrated by deleting the cap, since the cap is also implicated in nucleating folding of the LRR domain.

Results

We generated an InlB variant (YopM-InlB) in which the InlB cap domain was replaced by the unrelated N-terminal capping structure of the LRR protein YopM from Yersinia enterocolitica. The crystal structure of the engineered protein shows that it folds properly. Because the first LRR is structurally closely linked to the cap domain, we exchanged LRR1 along with the cap domain. This resulted in unexpected structural changes extending to LRR2 and LRR3, which are deeply involved in MET binding. As a consequence, the binding of YopM-InlB to MET was substantially weaker than that of wild type InlB. The engineered protein was about one order of magnitude less active in colony scatter assays than wild type InlB.

Conclusions

We obtained a well-behaved InlB variant with an altered N-terminal capping structure through protein design. The reduced affinity for MET precludes a straightforward interpretation of the results from cell-based assays. Still, the engineered hybrid protein induced cell scatter, suggesting that the cap is required for folding and stability of InlB but is not essential for interactions that assemble the signalling-active receptor complex. The cap swap approach described here is clearly applicable to other L. monocytogenes internalins and other LRR proteins such as YopM and may yield useful structure/function correlates within this protein family.

Molecular basis of host specificity in human pathogenic bacteria

Pathogenic bacteria display various levels of host specificity or tropism. While many bacteria can infect a wide range of hosts, certain bacteria have strict host selectivity for humans as obligate human pathogens. Understanding the genetic and molecular basis of host specificity in pathogenic bacteria is important for understanding pathogenic mechanisms, developing better animal models and designing new strategies and therapeutics for the control of microbial diseases. The molecular mechanisms of bacterial host specificity are much less understood than those of viral pathogens, in part due to the complexity of the molecular composition and cellular structure of bacterial cells. However, important progress has been made in identifying and characterizing molecular determinants of bacterial host specificity in the last two decades. It is now clear that the host specificity of bacterial pathogens is determined by multiple molecular interactions between the pathogens and their hosts. Furthermore, certain basic principles regarding the host specificity of bacterial pathogens have emerged from the existing literature. This review focuses on selected human pathogenic bacteria and our current understanding of their host specificity.

Multifaceted activity of listeriolysin O, the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin of Listeria monocytogenes

The cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) are a large family of pore-forming toxins that are produced by numerous Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. These toxins are released in the extracellular environment as water-soluble monomers or dimers that bind to cholesterol-rich membranes and assemble into large pore complexes. Depending upon their concentration, the nature of the host cell and membrane (cytoplasmic or intracellular) they target, the CDCs can elicit many different cellular responses. Among the CDCs, listeriolysin O (LLO), which is a major virulence factor of the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, is involved in several stages of the intracellular lifecycle of the bacterium and displays unique characteristics. It has long been known that following L. monocytogenes internalization into host cells, LLO disrupts the internalization vacuole, enabling the bacterium to replicate into the host cell cytosol. LLO is then used by cytosolic bacteria to spread from cell to cell, avoiding bacterial exposure to the extracellular environment. Although LLO is continuously produced during the intracellular lifecycle of L. monocytogenes, several processes limit its toxicity to ensure the survival of infected cells. It was previously thought that LLO activity was limited to mediating vacuolar escape during bacterial entry and cell to cell spreading. This concept has been challenged by compelling evidence suggesting that LLO secreted by extracellular L. monocytogenes perforates the host cell plasma membrane, triggering important host cell responses. This chapter provides an overview of the well-established intracellular activity of LLO and the multiple roles attributed to LLO secreted by extracellular L. monocytogenes.

Structure of internalin InlK from the human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a human pathogen that employs a wide variety of virulence factors in order to adhere to, invade, and replicate within target cells. Internalins play key roles in processes ranging from adhesion to receptor recognition and are thus essential for infection. Recently, InlK, a surface-associated internalin, was shown to be involved in Listeria's ability to escape from autophagy by recruitment of the major vault protein (MVP) to the bacterial surface. Here, we report the structure of InlK, which harbors four domains arranged in the shape of a "bent arm". The structure supports a role for the "elbow" of InlK in partner recognition, as well as of two Ig-like pedestals intercalated by hinge regions in the projection of InlK away from the surface of the bacterium. The unusual fold and flexibility of InlK could be essential for MVP binding and concealment from recognition by molecules involved in the autophagic process.

Entry of Listeria monocytogenes in mammalian epithelial cells: an updated view

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that promotes its internalization into host epithelial cells. Interaction between the bacterial surface molecules InlA and InlB and their cellular receptors E-cadherin and Met, respectively, triggers the recruitment of endocytic effectors, the subversion of the phosphoinositide metabolism, and the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton that lead to bacterial engulfment. Additional bacterial surface and secreted virulence factors also contribute to entry, albeit to a lesser extent. Here we review the increasing number of signaling effectors that are reported as being subverted by L. monocytogenes during invasion of cultured cell lines. We also update the current knowledge of the early steps of in vivo cellular infection, which, as shown recently, challenges previous concepts generated from in vitro data.

Engineered variants of InlB with an additional leucine-rich repeat discriminate between physiologically relevant and packing contacts in crystal structures of the InlB:MET complex

The physiological relevance of contacts in crystal lattices often remains elusive. This was also the case for the complex between the invasion protein internalin B (InlB) from Listeria monocytogenes and its host cell receptor, the human receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) MET. InlB is a MET agonist and induces bacterial host cell invasion. Activation of RTKs generally involves ligand-induced dimerization of the receptor ectodomain. The two currently available crystal structures of the InlB:MET complex show the same arrangement of InlB and MET in a 1:1 complex, but different dimeric 2:2 assemblies. Only one of these 2:2 assemblies is predicted to be stable by a computational procedure. This assembly is mainly stabilized by a contact between the Cap domain of InlB from one and the Sema domain of MET from another 1:1 complex. Here, we probe the physiological relevance of this interaction. We generated variants of the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein InlB by inserting an additional repeat between the first and the second LRR. This should allow formation of the 1:1 complex but disrupt the potential 2:2 complex involving the Cap-Sema contact due to steric distortions. A crystal structure of one of the engineered proteins showed that it folded properly. Binding affinity to MET was comparable to that of wild-type InlB. The InlB variant induced MET phosphorylation and cell scatter like wild-type InlB. These results suggest that the Cap-Sema interaction is not physiologically relevant and support the previously proposed assembly, in which a 2:2 InlB:MET complex is built around a ligand dimer.

Animal models of listeriosis: a comparative review of the current state of the art and lessons learned

Listeriosis is a leading cause of hospitalization and death due to foodborne illness in the industrialized world. Animal models have played fundamental roles in elucidating the pathophysiology and immunology of listeriosis, and will almost certainly continue to be integral components of the research on listeriosis. Data derived from animal studies helped for example characterize the importance of cell-mediated immunity in controlling infection, allowed evaluation of chemotherapeutic treatments for listeriosis, and contributed to quantitative assessments of the public health risk associated with L. monocytogenes contaminated food commodities. Nonetheless, a number of pivotal questions remain unresolved, including dose-response relationships, which represent essential components of risk assessments. Newly emerging data about species-specific differences have recently raised concern about the validity of most traditional animal models of listeriosis. However, considerable uncertainty about the best choice of animal model remains. Here we review the available data on traditional and potential new animal models to summarize currently recognized strengths and limitations of each model. This knowledge is instrumental for devising future studies and for interpreting current data. We deliberately chose a historical, comparative and cross-disciplinary approach, striving to reveal clues that may help predict the ultimate value of each animal model in spite of incomplete data.

Interaction of Listeria monocytogenes autolysin amidase with glycosaminoglycans promotes listerial adhesion to mouse hepatocytes

Adherence to the cell surface is a key event during infection of pathogenic microorganisms. We have previously reported that autolysin amidase (Ami) of Listeria monocytogenes promotes an efficient listerial adherence to mouse hepatocytes and requires for listerial pathogenicity. Cell wall anchoring (CWA) domain of Ami has been shown to bind lipoteichoic acid on listerial cell wall but the binding of Ami to host cell surface molecules remains to be determined. In this study, we present evidence here that Ami promotes efficient adherence of L. monocytogenes to mouse hepatocytes mediated by glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The adhesion of L. monocytogenes wild type but not Ami-deficient mutant to the hepatocytes was dramatically attenuated by 4-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside, a specific inhibitor of GAG association to cell surface. Full-length and truncated Ami were used to investigate the binding of Ami to GAGs and we found that four-repeated CWA of Ami is sufficient to bind GAGs on the host cell surface. Competitive assay and surface plasmon resonance demonstrated that Ami interacts with sulfated GAGs but not non-sulfated GAGs. The results suggest that Ami acts as an adhesin of L. monocytogenes to hepatocytes by interaction via its four-repeated CWA domain and sulfated GAGs.

Virulence factors that modulate the cell biology of Listeria infection and the host response

The Gram-positive bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has become one of the best studied models in infection biology. This review will update our knowledge of Listeria virulence factors and highlight their role during the Listeria infection process.

Autolysin amidase of Listeria monocytogenes promotes efficient colonization of mouse hepatocytes and enhances host immune response

Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellularly growing pathogen which is able to infect and to spread from cells to cells. It produces several virulence factors required for invasion and intracellular niche colonization. Endogenous peptidoglycan hydrolases which are important for survival of bacteria have been shown to be involved in pathogenesis. An autolysin amidase (Ami)-deficient mutant of L. monocytogenes (Δami) is attenuated in virulence as evidenced by a reduction in mortality of infected mice. We showed that Ami is not essential for bacterial growth and protein secretion. Histopathological analysis suggests that Ami promotes bacterial colonization of hepatocytes. By using cultured eukaryotic cells, we present evidence that a critical function of Ami in pathogenesis is to promote an efficient listerial adherence and internalization into mouse hepatocytes. Simultaneously, the peptidoglycan hydrolase activity of Ami linked to the release of immunologically active cell wall components enhances production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin 6. In the early phase of infection, interferon-γ and TNF-α production of Δami-infected mice is significantly less than that of wild-type controls, suggesting a contribution of Ami to enhance the host innate immune response to listerial infection.

Fold and function of the InlB B-repeat

Host cell invasion by the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes requires the invasion protein InlB in many cell types. InlB consists of an N-terminal internalin domain that binds the host cell receptor tyrosine kinase Met and C-terminal GW domains that bind to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Met binding and activation is required for host cell invasion, while the interaction between GW domains and GAGs enhances this effect. Soluble InlB elicits the same cellular phenotypes as the natural Met ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), e.g. cell scatter. So far, little is known about the central part of InlB, the B-repeat. Here we present a structural and functional characterization of the InlB B-repeat. The crystal structure reveals a variation of the β-grasp fold that is most similar to small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs). However, structural similarity also suggests a potential evolutionary relation to bacterial mucin-binding proteins. The B-repeat defines the prototype structure of a hitherto uncharacterized domain present in over a thousand bacterial proteins. Generally, this domain probably acts as a spacer or a receptor-binding domain in extracellular multi-domain proteins. In cellular assays the B-repeat acts synergistically with the internalin domain conferring to it the ability to stimulate cell motility. Thus, the B-repeat probably binds a further host cell receptor and thereby enhances signaling downstream of Met.

Structural insights into Met receptor activation

The receptor tyrosine kinase Met plays a pivotal role in vertebrate development and tissue regeneration, its deregulation contributes to cancer. Met is also targeted during the infection by the facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The mechanistic basis for Met activation by its natural ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is only beginning to be understood at a structural level. Crystal structures of Met in complex with L. monocytogenes InlB suggest that Met dimerization by this bacterial invasion protein is mediated by a dimer contact of the ligand. Here, I review the structural basis of Met activation by InlB and highlight parallels and differences to the physiological Met ligand HGF/SF and its splice variant NK1.

Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Infection

To cause infections, microbial pathogens elaborate a multitude of factors that interact with host components. Using these host–pathogen interactions to their advantage, pathogens attach, invade, disseminate, and evade host defense mechanisms to promote their survival in the hostile host environment. Many viruses, bacteria, and parasites express adhesins that bind to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) to facilitate their initial attachment and subsequent cellular entry. Some pathogens also secrete virulence factors that modify HSPG expression. HSPGs are ubiquitously expressed on the cell surface of adherent cells and in the extracellular matrix. HSPGs are composed of one or several heparan sulfate (HS) glycosaminoglycan chains attached covalently to specific core proteins. For most intracellular pathogens, cell surface HSPGs serve as a scaffold that facilitates the interaction of microbes with secondary receptors that mediate host cell entry. Consistent with this mechanism, addition of HS or its pharmaceutical functional mimic, heparin, inhibits microbial attachment and entry into cultured host cells, and HS-binding pathogens can no longer attach or enter cultured host cells whose HS expression has been reduced by enzymatic treatment or chemical mutagenesis. In pathogens where the specific HS adhesin has been identified, mutant strains lacking HS adhesins are viable and show normal growth rates, suggesting that the capacity to interact with HSPGs is strictly a virulence activity. The goal of this chapter is to provide a mechanistic overview of our current understanding of how certain microbial pathogens subvert HSPGs to promote their infection, using specific HSPG–pathogen interactions as representative examples.

Exploitation of the ubiquitin system by invading bacteria

A variety of bacterial intracellular pathogens target the host cell ubiquitin system during invasion, a process that involves transient but fundamental changes in the actin cytoskeleton and plasma membrane. These changes are induced by bacterial proteins, which can be surface associated, secreted or injected directly into the host cell. Here, the invasion strategies of two extensively studied intracellular bacteria, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes, are used to illustrate some of the diverse ways by which bacterial pathogens intersect the host cell ubiquitin pathway.

Hijacking the endocytic machinery by microbial pathogens

Understanding the mechanisms that microbes exploit to invade host cells and cause disease is crucial if we are to eliminate their threat. Although pathogens use a variety of microbial factors to trigger entry into non-phagocytic cells, their targeting of the host cell process of endocytosis has emerged as a common theme. To accomplish this, microbes often rewire the normal course of particle internalization, frequently usurping theoretical maximal sizes to permit entry and reconfiguring molecular components that were once thought to be required for vesicle formation. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of how toxins, viruses, bacteria, and fungi manipulate the host cell endocytic machinery to generate diseases. Additionally, we will reveal the advantages of using these organisms to expand our general knowledge of endocytic mechanisms in eukaryotic cells.

CD44-independent activation of the Met signaling pathway by HGF and InlB

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular Gram-positive bacterium responsible for listeriosis. It is able to invade, survive and replicate in phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells. The L. monocytogenes surface protein InlB interacts with c-Met, the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor, inducing bacterial internalization in numerous non-phagocytic cells. As InlB and HGF are known to trigger similar signaling pathways upon c-Met activation, we investigated the role of CD44, and more specifically its isoform CD44v6, in bacterial internalization in non-phagocytic cells. Indeed, CD44, the hyaluronic acid transmembrane receptor, and more specifically its isoform CD44v6 have been reported as necessary for the activation of c-Met upon the interaction with either the endogenous ligand HGF or the L. monocytogenes surface protein InlB. Our results demonstrate that, in the cell lines that we used, CD44 receptors play no role in the activation of c-Met, neither during L. monocytogenes entry, nor upon HGF activation. Furthermore, none of the CD44 isoforms was recruited at the L. monocytogenes entry site, and depletion by siRNA of total CD44 or of CD44v6 isoform did not reduce bacterial infections. Conversely, the overexpression of CD44 or CD44v6 had no significant effect on L. monocytogenes internalization. Together our results reveal that the activation of c-Met can be largely CD44-independent.

Listeria monocytogenes internalin B activates junctional endocytosis to accelerate intestinal invasion

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) uses InlA to invade the tips of the intestinal villi, a location at which cell extrusion generates a transient defect in epithelial polarity that exposes the receptor for InlA, E-cadherin, on the cell surface. As the dying cell is removed from the epithelium, the surrounding cells reorganize to form a multicellular junction (MCJ) that Lm exploits to find its basolateral receptor and invade. By examining individual infected villi using 3D-confocal imaging, we uncovered a novel role for the second major invasin, InlB, during invasion of the intestine. We infected mice intragastrically with isogenic strains of Lm that express or lack InlB and that have a modified InlA capable of binding murine E-cadherin and found that Lm lacking InlB invade the same number of villi but have decreased numbers of bacteria within each infected villus tip. We studied the mechanism of InlB action at the MCJs of polarized MDCK monolayers and find that InlB does not act as an adhesin, but instead accelerates bacterial internalization after attachment. InlB locally activates its receptor, c-Met, and increases endocytosis of junctional components, including E-cadherin. We show that MCJs are naturally more endocytic than other sites of the apical membrane, that endocytosis and Lm invasion of MCJs depends on functional dynamin, and that c-Met activation by soluble InlB or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) increases MCJ endocytosis. Also, in vivo, InlB applied through the intestinal lumen increases endocytosis at the villus tips. Our findings demonstrate a two-step mechanism of synergy between Lm's invasins: InlA provides the specificity of Lm adhesion to MCJs at the villus tips and InlB locally activates c-Met to accelerate junctional endocytosis and bacterial invasion of the intestine.

Poor invasion of trophoblastic cells but normal plaque formation in fibroblastic cells despite actA deletion in a group of Listeria monocytogenes strains persisting in some food processing environments

We determined mammalian cell invasion and virulence gene (inlA, inlB, and actA) sequences of Listeria monocytogenes strains belonging to a molecular subtype (RAPD 9) that often persists in Danish fish-processing plants. These strains invaded human placental trophoblasts less efficiently than other L. monocytogenes strains, including clinical strains, and they carry a premature stop codon in inlA. Eight of 15 strains, including the RAPD 9 and maternofetal strains, had a 105-nucleotide deletion in actA that did not affect cell-to-cell spread in mouse fibroblasts. The RAPD 9 strains may still be regarded as of low virulence with respect to human listeriosis.

Rhombencephalitis Caused by Listeria monocytogenes in Humans and Ruminants: A Zoonosis on the Rise?

Listeriosis is an emerging zoonotic infection of humans and ruminants worldwide caused by Listeria monocytogenes (LM). In both host species, CNS disease accounts for the high mortality associated with listeriosis and includes rhombencephalitis, whose neuropathology is strikingly similar in humans and ruminants. This review discusses the current knowledge about listeric encephalitis, and involved host and bacterial factors. There is an urgent need to study the molecular mechanisms of neuropathogenesis, which are poorly understood. Such studies will provide a basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies that aim to prevent LM from invading the brain and spread within the CNS.

Proteoglycans in host-pathogen interactions: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications

Many microbial pathogens subvert proteoglycans for their adhesion to host tissues, invasion of host cells, infection of neighbouring cells, dissemination into the systemic circulation, and evasion of host defence mechanisms. Where studied, specific virulence factors mediate these proteoglycan-pathogen interactions, which are thus thought to affect the onset, progression and outcome of infection. Proteoglycans are composites of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains attached covalently to specific core proteins. Proteoglycans are expressed ubiquitously on the cell surface, in intracellular compartments, and in the extracellular matrix. GAGs mediate the majority of ligand-binding activities of proteoglycans, and many microbial pathogens elaborate cell-surface and secreted factors that interact with GAGs. Some pathogens also modulate the expression and function of proteoglycans through known virulence factors. Several GAG-binding pathogens can no longer attach to and invade host cells whose GAG expression has been reduced by mutagenesis or enzymatic treatment. Furthermore, GAG antagonists have been shown to inhibit microbial attachment and host cell entry in vitro and reduce virulence in vivo. Together, these observations underscore the biological significance of proteoglycan-pathogen interactions in infectious diseases.

Diverse functions of glycosaminoglycans in infectious diseases

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are complex carbohydrates that are expressed ubiquitously and abundantly on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix (ECM). The extraordinary structural diversity of GAGs enables them to interact with a wide variety of biological molecules. Through these interactions, GAGs modulate various biological processes, such as cell adhesion, proliferation and migration, ECM assembly, tissue repair, coagulation, and immune responses, among many others. Studies during the last several decades have indicated that GAGs also interact with microbial pathogens. GAG-pathogen interactions affect most, if not all, the key steps of microbial pathogenesis, including host cell attachment and invasion, cell-cell transmission, systemic dissemination and infection of secondary organs, and evasion of host defense mechanisms. These observations indicate that GAG-pathogen interactions serve diverse functions that affect the pathogenesis of infectious diseases.

Cytoskeleton rearrangements during Listeria infection: clathrin and septins as new players in the game

The study of an infection process can reveal how microbes exploit the host, and can illuminate unknown host cellular functions. Invasive pathogens have evolved efficient strategies to promote their internalization within normally non-phagocytic host cells. The so-called "zippering" bacteria present to host cell receptors molecules that mimic endogenous ligands, thereby inducing specific intracellular signaling cascades ultimately resulting in actin polymerization and uptake. Here we review how the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes enters into cells, and present a series of studies revealing that in addition to actin rearrangements this bacterium exploits the clathrin-mediated endocytosis machinery together with septins, a novel cytoskeleton element. The challenge is now to decipher how all of these components orchestrate themselves to permit entry into normally non-phagocytic cells.

Tetraspanin CD81 is required for Listeria monocytogenes invasion

Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that invades epithelial cells by subverting two cellular receptors, E-cadherin and Met. We recently identified type II phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases alpha and beta (PI4KIIalpha and PI4KIIbeta) as being required for bacterial entry downstream of Met. In this work, we investigated whether tetraspanins CD9, CD63, and CD81, which figure among the few described molecular partners of PI4KIIalpha, function as molecular adaptors recruiting PI4KIIalpha to the bacterial entry site. We observed by fluorescence microscopy that CD9, CD63, and CD81 are expressed and detected at the cellular surface and also within intracellular compartments, particularly in the case of CD63. In resting cells, colocalization of tetraspanins and PI4KIIalpha is detectable only in restricted areas of the perinuclear region. Upon infection with Listeria, endogenous CD9, CD63, and CD81 were recruited to the bacterial entry site but did not colocalize strictly with endogenous PI4KIIalpha. Live-cell imaging confirmed that tetraspanins and PI4KIIalpha do not follow the same recruitment dynamics to the Listeria entry site. Depletion of CD9, CD63, and CD81 levels by small interfering RNA demonstrated that CD81 is required for bacterial internalization, identifying for the first time a role for a member of the tetraspanin family in the entry of Listeria into target cells. Moreover, depletion of CD81 inhibits the recruitment of PI4KIIalpha but not that of the Met receptor to the bacterial entry site, suggesting that CD81 may act as a membrane organizer required for the integrity of signaling events occurring at Listeria entry sites.

Ligand-mediated dimerization of the Met receptor tyrosine kinase by the bacterial invasion protein InlB

The Listeria monocytogenes surface protein InlB mediates bacterial invasion into host cells by activating the human receptor tyrosine kinase Met. So far, it is unknown how InlB or the physiological Met ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor causes Met dimerization, which is considered a prerequisite for receptor activation. We determined two new structures of InlB, revealing a recurring, antiparallel, dimeric arrangement, in which the two protomers interact through the convex face of the leucine-rich repeat domain. The same contact is found in one structure of the InlB-Met complex. Mutations disrupting the interprotomeric contact of InlB reduced its ability to activate Met and downstream signaling. Conversely, stabilization of this crystal contact by two intermolecular disulfide bonds generates a constitutively dimeric InlB variant with exceptionally high signaling activity, which can stimulate cell motility and cell division. These data demonstrate that the signaling-competent InlB-Met complex assembles with 2:2 stoichiometry around a back-to-back InlB dimer, enabling the direct contact between the stalk region of two Met molecules.

Quantitative phosphokinome analysis of the Met pathway activated by the invasin internalin B from Listeria monocytogenes

Stimulated by its physiological ligand, hepatocyte growth factor, the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase Met activates a signaling machinery that leads to mitogenic, motogenic, and morphogenic responses. Remarkably, the food-borne human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes also promotes autophosphorylation of Met through its virulence factor internalin B (InlB) and subsequently exploits Met signaling to induce phagocytosis into a broad range of host cells. Although the interaction between InlB and Met has been studied in detail, the signaling specificity of components involved in InlB-triggered cellular responses remains poorly characterized. The analysis of regulated phosphorylation events on protein kinases is therefore of particular relevance, although this could not as yet be characterized systematically by proteomics. Here, we implemented a new pyridopyrimidine-based strategy that enabled the efficient capture of a considerable subset of the human kinome in a robust one-step affinity chromatographic procedure. Additionally, and to gain functional insights into the InlB/Met-induced bacterial invasion process, a quantitative survey of the phosphorylation pattern of these protein kinases was accomplished. In total, the experimental design of this study comprises affinity chromatographic procedures for the systematic enrichment of kinases, as well as phosphopeptides; the quantification of all peptides based on the iTRAQ reporter system; and a rational statistical strategy to evaluate the quality of phosphosite regulations. With this improved chemical proteomics strategy, we determined and relatively quantified 143 phosphorylation sites detected on 94 human protein kinases. Interestingly, InlB-mediated signaling shows striking similarities compared with the natural ligand hepatocyte growth factor that was intensively studied in the past. In addition, this systematic approach suggests a new subset of protein kinases including Nek9, which are differentially phosphorylated after short time (4-min) treatment of cells with the Met-activating InlB(321). Thus, this quantitative phosphokinome study suggests a general, hypothesis-free concept for the detection of dynamically regulated protein kinases as novel signaling components involved in host-pathogen interactions.