1
|
The Role of Lipids in Legionella-Host Interaction. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031487. [PMID: 33540788 PMCID: PMC7867332 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Legionella are Gram-stain-negative rods associated with water environments: either natural or man-made systems. The inhalation of aerosols containing Legionella bacteria leads to the development of a severe pneumonia termed Legionnaires' disease. To establish an infection, these bacteria adapt to growth in the hostile environment of the host through the unusual structures of macromolecules that build the cell surface. The outer membrane of the cell envelope is a lipid bilayer with an asymmetric composition mostly of phospholipids in the inner leaflet and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the outer leaflet. The major membrane-forming phospholipid of Legionella spp. is phosphatidylcholine (PC)-a typical eukaryotic glycerophospholipid. PC synthesis in Legionella cells occurs via two independent pathways: the N-methylation (Pmt) pathway and the Pcs pathway. The utilisation of exogenous choline by Legionella spp. leads to changes in the composition of lipids and proteins, which influences the physicochemical properties of the cell surface. This phenotypic plasticity of the Legionella cell envelope determines the mode of interaction with the macrophages, which results in a decrease in the production of proinflammatory cytokines and modulates the interaction with antimicrobial peptides and proteins. The surface-exposed O-chain of Legionella pneumophila sg1 LPS consisting of a homopolymer of 5-acetamidino-7-acetamido-8-O-acetyl-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-l-glycero-d-galacto-non-2-ulosonic acid is probably the first component in contact with the host cell that anchors the bacteria in the host membrane. Unusual in terms of the structure and function of individual LPS regions, it makes an important contribution to the antigenicity and pathogenicity of Legionella bacteria.
Collapse
|
2
|
Palusińska-Szysz M, Zdybicka-Barabas A, Luchowski R, Reszczyńska E, Śmiałek J, Mak P, Gruszecki WI, Cytryńska M. Choline Supplementation Sensitizes Legionella dumoffii to Galleria mellonella Apolipophorin III. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21165818. [PMID: 32823647 PMCID: PMC7461559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21165818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The growth of Legionella dumoffii can be inhibited by Galleria mellonella apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) which is an insect homologue of human apolipoprotein E., and choline-cultured L. dumoffii cells are considerably more susceptible to apoLp-III than bacteria grown without choline supplementation. In the present study, the interactions of apoLp-III with intact L. dumoffii cells cultured without and with exogenous choline were analyzed to explain the basis of this difference. Fluorescently labeled apoLp-III (FITC-apoLp-III) bound more efficiently to choline-grown L. dumoffii, as revealed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The cell envelope of these bacteria was penetrated more deeply by FITC-apoLp-III, as demonstrated by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy analyses. The increased susceptibility of the choline-cultured L. dumoffii to apoLp-III was also accompanied by alterations in the cell surface topography and nanomechanical properties. A detailed analysis of the interaction of apoLp-III with components of the L. dumoffii cells was carried out using both purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and liposomes composed of L. dumoffii phospholipids and LPS. A single micelle of L. dumoffii LPS was formed from 12 to 29 monomeric LPS molecules and one L. dumoffii LPS micelle bound two molecules of apoLp-III. ApoLp-III exhibited the strongest interactions with liposomes with incorporated LPS formed of phospholipids isolated from bacteria cultured on exogenous choline. These results indicated that the differences in the phospholipid content in the cell membrane, especially PC, and LPS affected the interactions of apoLp-III with bacterial cells and suggested that these differences contributed to the increased susceptibility of the choline-cultured L. dumoffii to G. mellonella apoLp-III.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Palusińska-Szysz
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka St. 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka St. 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland; (A.Z.-B.); (M.C.)
| | - Rafał Luchowski
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Maria Curie-Sklodowska Square 1, 20-031 Lublin, Poland; (R.L.); (W.I.G.)
| | - Emilia Reszczyńska
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka St. 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Justyna Śmiałek
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7 St., 30-387 Krakow, Poland; (J.Ś.); (P.M.)
| | - Paweł Mak
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7 St., 30-387 Krakow, Poland; (J.Ś.); (P.M.)
| | - Wiesław I. Gruszecki
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Maria Curie-Sklodowska Square 1, 20-031 Lublin, Poland; (R.L.); (W.I.G.)
| | - Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka St. 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland; (A.Z.-B.); (M.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Berjeaud JM, Chevalier S, Schlusselhuber M, Portier E, Loiseau C, Aucher W, Lesouhaitier O, Verdon J. Legionella pneumophila: The Paradox of a Highly Sensitive Opportunistic Waterborne Pathogen Able to Persist in the Environment. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:486. [PMID: 27092135 PMCID: PMC4824771 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila, the major causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, is found in freshwater environments in close association with free-living amoebae and multispecies biofilms, leading to persistence, spread, biocide resistance, and elevated virulence of the bacterium. Indeed, legionellosis outbreaks are mainly due to the ability of this bacterium to colonize and persist in water facilities, despite harsh physical and chemical treatments. However, these treatments are not totally efficient and, after a lag period, L. pneumophila may be able to quickly re-colonize these systems. Several natural compounds (biosurfactants, antimicrobial peptides…) with anti-Legionella properties have recently been described in the literature, highlighting their specific activities against this pathogen. In this review, we first consider this hallmark of Legionella to resist killing, in regard to its biofilm or host-associated life style. Then, we focus more accurately on natural anti-Legionella molecules described so far, which could provide new eco-friendly and alternative ways to struggle against this important pathogen in plumbing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Berjeaud
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Sylvie Chevalier
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, Université de Rouen Evreux, France
| | - Margot Schlusselhuber
- Laboratoire Aliments Bioprocédés Toxicologie Environnements, EA 4651, Université de Caen Caen, France
| | - Emilie Portier
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Clémence Loiseau
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Willy Aucher
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| | - Olivier Lesouhaitier
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie Signaux et Microenvironnement, EA 4312, Université de Rouen Evreux, France
| | - Julien Verdon
- Laboratoire Ecologie and Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267, Université de Poitiers Poitiers, France
| |
Collapse
|