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

Intracellular life

Intracellular parasites and endosymbionts are present in almost all forms of life, including bacteria. Some eukaryotic organelles are believed to be derived from ancestral endosymbionts. Parasites and symbionts show several adaptations to intracellular life. A comparative analysis of their biology suggests some general considerations involved in adapting to intracellular life and reveals a number of independently achieved strategies for the exploitation of an intracellular habitat. Symbioses mainly based on a form of syntrophy may have led to the establishment of unique physiological systems. Generally, a symbiont can be considered to be an attenuated pathogen. The combination of morphological studies, molecular phylogenetic analyses, and palaeobiological data has led to considerable improvement in the understanding of intracellular life evolution. Comparing host and symbiont phylogenies could lead to an explanation of the evolutionary history of symbiosis. These studies also provide strong evidences for the endosymbiogenesis of the eukaryotic cell. Indeed, an eubacterial origin for mitochondria and plastids is well accepted and is suggested for other organelles. The expansion of intracellular living associations is presented, with a particular emphasis on peculiar aspects and/or recent data, providing a global evaluation.

Type IV pili and cell motility

Type IV pili (Tfp) mediate the movement of bacteria over surfaces without the use of flagella. These movements are known as social gliding in Myxococcus xanthus and twitching in organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Tfp are localized polarly. Type IV pilins have a signature N-terminal domain, which forms a coiled-coil with other monomer units to polymerize a pilus fibre. At least 10 more proteins at the base of the fibre are conserved; they are related to the type II secretion system. Movements produced by Tfp range from short, jerky displacements to lengthy, smooth ones. Tfp also participate in cell-cell interactions, pathogenesis, biofilm formation, natural DNA uptake, auto-aggregation of cells and development. What is the means by which Tfp bring about the movement of cells?

Examination of Listeria monocytogenes intracellular gene expression by using the green fluorescent protein of Aequorea victoria

The ActA protein of Listeria monocytogenes is an essential virulence factor and is required for intracellular bacterial motility and cell-to-cell spread. plcB, cotranscribed with actA, encodes a broad-specificity phospholipase C that contributes to lysis of host cell vacuoles and cell-to-cell spread. Construction of a transcriptional fusion between actA-plcB and the green fluorescent protein gene of Aequorea victoria has facilitated the detailed examination of patterns of actA/plcB expression within infected tissue culture cells. actA/plcB expression began approximately 30 min postinfection and was dependent upon entry of L. monocytogenes into the host cytosol. L. monocytogenes Deltahly mutants, which are unable to escape from host cell vacuoles, did not express actA/plcB at detectable levels within infected tissue culture cells; however, complementation of the hly defect allowed entry of the bacteria into the host cytoplasm and subsequent actA/plcB expression. These results emphasize the ability of L. monocytogenes to sense the different host cell compartment environments encountered during the course of infection and to regulate virulence gene expression in response.

Microtubule-dependent plus- and minus end-directed motilities are competing processes for nuclear targeting of adenovirus

Adenovirus (Ad) enters target cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis, escapes to the cytosol, and then delivers its DNA genome into the nucleus. Here we analyzed the trafficking of fluorophore-tagged viruses in HeLa and TC7 cells by time-lapse microscopy. Our results show that native or taxol-stabilized microtubules (MTs) support alternating minus- and plus end-directed movements of cytosolic virus with elementary speeds up to 2.6 micrometer/s. No directed movement was observed in nocodazole-treated cells. Switching between plus- and minus end-directed elementary speeds at frequencies up to 1 Hz was observed in the periphery and near the MT organizing center (MTOC) after recovery from nocodazole treatment. MT-dependent motilities allowed virus accumulation near the MTOC at population speeds of 1-10 micrometer/min, depending on the cell type. Overexpression of p50/dynamitin, which is known to affect dynein-dependent minus end-directed vesicular transport, significantly reduced the extent and the frequency of minus end-directed migration of cytosolic virus, and increased the frequency, but not the extent of plus end-directed motility. The data imply that a single cytosolic Ad particle engages with two types of MT-dependent motor activities, the minus end- directed cytoplasmic dynein and an unknown plus end- directed activity.

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.

Cell wall teichoic acid glycosylation in Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b requires gtcA, a novel, serogroup-specific gene

We have identified a novel gene, gtcA, involved in the decoration of cell wall teichoic acid of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b with galactose and glucose. Insertional inactivation of gtcA brought about loss of reactivity with the serotype 4b-specific monoclonal antibody c74.22 and was accompanied by a complete lack of galactose and a marked reduction in the amounts of glucose on teichoic acid. Interestingly, the composition of membrane-associated lipoteichoic acid was not affected. Complementation of the mutants with the cloned gtcA in trans restored galactose and glucose on teichoic acid to wild-type levels. The complemented strains also recovered reactivity with c74.22. Within L. monocytogenes, sequences homologous to gtcA were found in all serogroup 4 isolates but not in strains of any other serotypes. In serotype 4b, gtcA appears to be the first member of a bicistronic operon which includes a gene with homology to Bacillus subtilis rpmE, encoding ribosomal protein L31. In contrast to gtcA, the latter gene appears conserved among all screened serotypes of L. monocytogenes.

Characterization of a large motility gene cluster containing the cheR, motAB genes of Listeria monocytogenes and evidence that PrfA downregulates motility genes

Through the analysis of a non-motile mutant of Listeria monocytogenes, we identified and characterized a locus containing the cheR, motA and motB genes. These three genes are homologous to the cheR, and motA/B genes of Bacillus subtilis which in this organism are 954 kb apart. The gene organization in Listeria is also not similar either to that of Escherichia coli in which cheR and motAB are 5.9 kb apart. CheR and motA/B, as previously reported for flaA, the flagellin gene, are thermoregulated with a higher expression at 25 degrees C and low expression at 37 degrees C. In a delta prfA strain, motA expression was derepressed at 37 degrees C, suggesting that PrfA, the transcriptional activator of virulence genes, downregulates motility genes in Listeria at 37 degrees C.

Interaction of Listeria monocytogenes with human brain microvascular endothelial cells: InlB-dependent invasion, long-term intracellular growth, and spread from macrophages to endothelial cells

Invasion of endothelial tissues may be crucial in a Listeria monocytogenes infection leading to meningitis and/or encephalitis. Internalization of L. monocytogenes into endothelial cells has been previously demonstrated by using human umbilical vein endothelial cells as a model system. However, during the crossing of the blood-brain barrier, L. monocytogenes most likely encounters brain microvascular endothelial cells which are strikingly different from macrovascular or umbilical vein endothelial cells. In the present study human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) were used to study the interaction of L. monocytogenes with endothelial cells, which closely resemble native microvascular endothelial cells of the brain. We show that L. monocytogenes invades HBMEC in an InlB-dependent and wortmannin-insensitive manner. Once within the HBMEC, L. monocytogenes replicates efficiently over a period of at least 18 h, moves intracellularly by inducing actin tail formation, and spreads from cell to cell. Using a green fluorescent protein-expressing L. monocytogenes strain, we present direct evidence that HBMEC are highly resistant to damage by intracellularly growing L. monocytogenes. Infection of HBMEC with L. monocytogenes results in foci of heavily infected, but largely undamaged endothelial cells. Heterologous plaque assays with L. monocytogenes-infected P388D1 macrophages as vectors demonstrate efficient spreading of L. monocytogenes into HBMEC, fibroblasts, hepatocytes, and epithelial cells, and this phenomenon is independent of the inlC gene product.

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.

Interaction of invasive bacteria with host signaling pathways

Many bacterial pathogens exploit mammalian cell functions in order to promote their adherence to or uptake by host cells. Recent work has led to the identification of some of the bacterial and mammalian proteins involved in these processes. Although specific mechanisms differ among pathogens, a common aspect appears to be regulation of signaling pathways that control the actin cytoskeleton.

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.

Interactions of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes with mammalian cells: bacterial factors, cellular ligands, and signaling

Listeria monocytogenes is a food borne pathogen which has the very unique property of crossing three barriers during infection eliciting meningitis, meningo-encephalitis and abortions with a mortality rate of about 30%. Indeed, after crossing the intestinal barrier, Listeria disseminates via the lymph and the blood, to the brain and/or the placenta after crossing the brain-blood barrier and/or the placental barrier. During disease, this organism infects a variety of tissues and cell types in which it is mostly intracellular due to its capacity to induce its own phagocytosis into cells which are normally nonphagocytic. The strategies used by Listeria to enter cells are different from those used by other well known invasive pathogens. Listeria thus appears as a fine model to study the molecular and cellular basis of bacterial invasion. In addition, not only during entry into cells but also during intra- and intercellular movement, Listeria exploits mammalian cell functions and is thus a novel tool for elucidating some unsolved fundamental aspects of cell biology, such as ligand receptor signaling and actin cytoskeleton rearrangements. In this review, the molecular and cellular basis of entry of Listeria into cells and of its intracellular motility will be discussed.

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.

ActA is a dimer

ActA, a surface protein of Listeria monocytogenes, is able to induce continuous actin polymerization at the rear of the bacterium, in the cytosol of the infected cells. Its N-terminal domain is sufficient to induce actin tail formation and movement. Here, we demonstrate, using the yeast two-hybrid system, that the N-terminal domain of ActA may form homodimers. By using chemical cross-linking to explore the possibility that ActA could be a multimer on the surface of the bacteria, we show that ActA is a dimer. Cross-linking experiments on various L. monocytogenes strains expressing different ActA variants demonstrated that the region spanning amino acids 97-126, and previously identified as critical for actin tail formation, is also critical for dimer formation. A model of actin polymerization by L. monocytogenes, involving the ActA dimer, is presented.