scholarly journals The branched chain aminotransferase IlvE promotes growth, stress resistance and pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla D. Passalacqua ◽  
Tianhui Zhou ◽  
Tracy A. Washington ◽  
Basel H. Abuaita ◽  
Abraham L. Sonenshein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stress Resistance ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Optimal Growth ◽  
Growth Stress ◽  
Membrane Composition ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Absolute Requirement ◽  
Branched Chain

ABSTRACTThe bacterial plasma membrane is a key interface during pathogen-host interactions, and membrane composition enhances resistance against host antimicrobial defenses. Branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are the major plasma membrane component in the intracellular Gram-positive pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) and BCFA metabolism is essential for Lm growth and virulence. BCFA synthesis requires branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), and the BCAA Isoleucine (Ile) is a necessary substrate for the predominant membrane anteiso-BCFAs (ai-BCFAs) as well as an environmental signal for virulence regulation in Lm. In this study, we explored how two proteins that metabolize or sense Ile contribute to Lm growth, BCFA metabolism, and virulence. The IlvE aminotransferase incorporates Ile into ai-BCFAs, while CodY is an Ile-sensing regulator that coordinates BCAA synthesis and virulence gene expression. Analysis of deletion mutants lacking IlvE (ΔilvE) or CodY (ΔcodY) revealed a major role for IlvE under nutrient restriction and stress conditions. Cultures of the ΔilvE mutant contained proportionally less ai-BCFAs relative to wild type, while of the ΔcodY mutant had a lower proportion of ai-BCFAs in stationary phase, despite containing more cell-associated Ile. Both ΔilvE and ΔcodY mutants required exogenous Ile for optimal growth, but the ΔilvE mutant had an absolute requirement for Valine and Leucine when Ile was absent. IlvE was also necessary for resistance to membrane stress, cell-to-cell spread, infection of primary macrophages, and virulence in mice. Our findings implicate IlvE as an integral aspect of Lm stress resistance and emphasize the central importance of Ile in Lm growth and virulence.

scholarly journals Role of BrnQ1 and BrnQ2 in Branched-Chain Amino Acid Transport and Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus

2014 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 1019-1029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julienne C. Kaiser ◽  
Sameha Omer ◽  
Jessica R. Sheldon ◽  
Ian Welch ◽  
David E. Heinrichs
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Defined Medium ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Branched Chain Amino Acid ◽  
Branched Chain

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; Ile, Leu, and Val) not only are important nutrients for the growth ofStaphylococcus aureusbut also are corepressors for CodY, which regulates virulence gene expression, implicating BCAAs as an important link between the metabolic state of the cell and virulence. BCAAs are either synthesized intracellularly or acquired from the environment.S. aureusencodes three putative BCAA transporters, designated BrnQ1, BrnQ2, and BrnQ3; their functions have not yet been formally tested. In this study, we mutated all threebrnQparalogs so as to characterize their substrate specificities and their roles in growthin vitroandin vivo. We demonstrated that in the community-associated, methicillin-resistantS. aureus(CA-MRSA) strain USA300, BrnQ1 is involved in uptake of all three BCAAs, BrnQ2 transports Ile, and BrnQ3 does not have a significant role in BCAA transport under the conditions tested. Of the three, only BrnQ1 is essential for USA300 to grow in a chemically defined medium that is limited for Leu or Val. Interestingly, we observed that abrnQ2mutant grew better than USA300 in media limited for Leu and Val, owing to the fact that this mutation leads to overexpression ofbrnQ1. In a murine infection model, thebrnQ1mutant was attenuated, but in contrast,brnQ2mutants had significantly increased virulence compared to that of USA300, a phenotype we suggest is at least partially linked to enhancedin vivoscavenging of Leu and Val through BrnQ1. These data uncover a hitherto-undiscovered connection between nutrient acquisition and virulence in CA-MRSA.

scholarly journals Transport and Catabolism of Pentitols by Listeria monocytogenes

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 369-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takfarinas Kentache ◽  
Eliane Milohanic ◽  
Thanh Nguyen Cao ◽  
Abdelhamid Mokhtari ◽  
Francine Moussan Aké ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Pentose Phosphate ◽  
Phosphotransferase System ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Transposon Insertion ◽  
Encoding Gene ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Transcription Activators

Transposon insertion into <i>Listeria monocytogenes lmo2665</i>, which encodes an EIIC of the phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS), was found to prevent <smlcap>D</smlcap>-arabitol utilization. We confirm this result with a deletion mutant and show that Lmo2665 is also required for <smlcap>D</smlcap>-xylitol utilization. We therefore called this protein EIIC<sup>Axl</sup>. Both pentitols are probably catabolized via the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) because <i>lmo2665</i> belongs to an operon, which encodes the three PTS<sup>Axl</sup> components, two sugar-P dehydrogenases, and most PPP enzymes. The two dehydrogenases oxidize the pentitol-phosphates produced during PTS-catalyzed transport to the PPP intermediate xylulose-5-P. <i>L. monocytogenes</i> contains another PTS, which exhibits significant sequence identity to PTS<sup>Axl</sup>. Its genes are also part of an operon encoding PPP enzymes. Deletion of the EIIC-encoding gene <i>(lmo0508)</i> affected neither <smlcap>D</smlcap>-arabitol nor <smlcap>D</smlcap>-xylitol utilization, although <smlcap>D</smlcap>-arabitol induces the expression of this operon. Both operons are controlled by MtlR/LicR-type transcription activators (Lmo2668 and Lmo0501, respectively). Phosphorylation of Lmo0501 by the soluble PTS<sup>Axl</sup> components probably explains why <smlcap>D</smlcap>-arabitol also induces the second pentitol operon. Listerial virulence genes are submitted to strong repression by PTS sugars, such as glucose. However, <smlcap>D</smlcap>-arabitol inhibited virulence gene expression only at high concentrations, probably owing to its less efficient utilization compared to glucose.

Studies of the Listeria monocytogenes Cellobiose Transport Components and Their Impact on Virulence Gene Repression

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 10-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Nguyen Cao ◽  
Philippe Joyet ◽  
Francine Moussan Désirée Aké ◽  
Eliane Milohanic ◽  
Josef Deutscher
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Gene Repression ◽  
Phosphotransferase System ◽  
Bacteria Transport ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Transcription Regulator ◽  
Related Phenotype

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Many bacteria transport cellobiose via a phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS). In <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, two pairs of soluble PTS components (EIIA<sup>Cel1</sup>/EIIB<sup>Cel1</sup> and EIIA<sup>Cel2</sup>/EIIB<sup>Cel2</sup>) and the permease EIIC<sup>Cel1</sup> were suggested to contribute to cellobiose uptake. Interestingly, utilization of several carbohydrates, including cellobiose, strongly represses virulence gene expression by inhibiting PrfA, the virulence gene activator. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The LevR-like transcription regulator CelR activates expression of the cellobiose-induced PTS operons <i>celB1</i>-<i>celC1</i>-<i>celA1</i>, <i>celB2</i>-<i>celA2</i>, and the EIIC-encoding monocistronic <i>celC2</i>. Phosphorylation by P∼His-HPr at His550 activates CelR, whereas phosphorylation by P∼EIIB<sup>Cel1</sup> or P∼EIIB<sup>Cel2</sup> at His823 inhibits it. Replacement of His823 with Ala or deletion of both <i>celA</i> or <i>celB</i> genes caused constitutive CelR regulon expression. Mutants lacking EIIC<sup>Cel1</sup>, CelR or both EIIA<sup>Cel</sup> exhibited<i></i>slow cellobiose consumption. Deletion of <i>celC1</i> or <i>celR</i> prevented virulence gene repression by the disaccharide, but not by glucose and fructose. Surprisingly, deletion of both <i>celA</i> genes caused virulence gene repression even during growth on non-repressing carbohydrates. No cellobiose-related phenotype was found for the <i>celC2</i> mutant. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The two EIIA/B<sup>Cel</sup> pairs are similarly efficient as phosphoryl donors in EIIC<sup>Cel1</sup>-catalyzed cellobiose transport and CelR regulation. The permanent virulence gene repression in the <i>celA</i> double mutant further supports a role of PTS<sup>Cel</sup> components in PrfA regulation.

scholarly journals Listeria monocytogenes σB Modulates PrfA-Mediated Virulence Factor Expression

2009 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 2113-2124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliane Ollinger ◽  
Barbara Bowen ◽  
Martin Wiedmann ◽  
Kathryn J. Boor ◽  
Teresa M. Bergholz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Transcript Profiling ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Genome Wide

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes σB and positive regulatory factor A (PrfA) are pleiotropic transcriptional regulators that coregulate a subset of virulence genes. A positive regulatory role for σB in prfA transcription has been well established; therefore, observations of increased virulence gene expression and hemolytic activity in a ΔsigB strain initially appeared paradoxical. To test the hypothesis that L. monocytogenes σB contributes to a regulatory network critical for appropriate repression as well as induction of virulence gene expression, genome-wide transcript profiling and follow-up quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR), reporter fusion, and phenotypic experiments were conducted using L. monocytogenes prfA*, prfA* ΔsigB, ΔprfA, and ΔprfA ΔsigB strains. Genome-wide transcript profiling and qRT-PCR showed that in the presence of active PrfA (PrfA*), σB is responsible for reduced expression of the PrfA regulon. σB-dependent modulation of PrfA regulon expression reduced the cytotoxic effects of a PrfA* strain in HepG2 cells, highlighting the functional importance of regulatory interactions between PrfA and σB. The emerging model of the role of σB in regulating overall PrfA activity includes a switch from transcriptional activation at the P2 prfA promoter (e.g., in extracellular bacteria when PrfA activity is low) to posttranscriptional downregulation of PrfA regulon expression (e.g., in intracellular bacteria when PrfA activity is high).

scholarly journals Staphylococcus aureus CodY Negatively Regulates Virulence Gene Expression

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (7) ◽  
pp. 2257-2265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte D. Majerczyk ◽  
Marat R. Sadykov ◽  
Thanh T. Luong ◽  
Chia Lee ◽  
Greg A. Somerville ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Culture Fluid ◽  
Accessory Gene ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Accessory Gene Regulator ◽  
Branched Chain

ABSTRACT CodY is a global regulatory protein that was first discovered in Bacillus subtilis, where it couples gene expression to changes in the pools of critical metabolites through its activation by GTP and branched-chain amino acids. Homologs of CodY can be found encoded in the genomes of nearly all low-G+C gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus. The introduction of a codY-null mutation into two S. aureus clinical isolates, SA564 and UAMS-1, through allelic replacement, resulted in the overexpression of several virulence genes. The mutant strains had higher levels of hemolytic activity toward rabbit erythrocytes in their culture fluid, produced more polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), and formed more robust biofilms than did their isogenic parent strains. These phenotypes were associated with derepressed levels of RNA for the hemolytic alpha-toxin (hla), the accessory gene regulator (agr) (RNAII and RNAIII/hld), and the operon responsible for the production of PIA (icaADBC). These data suggest that CodY represses, either directly or indirectly, the synthesis of a number of virulence factors of S. aureus.

scholarly journals The response regulator ResD modulates virulence gene expression in response to carbohydrates in Listeria monocytogenes

2006 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1622-1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne H. Larsen ◽  
Birgitte H. Kallipolitis ◽  
Janne K. Christiansen ◽  
John E. Olsen ◽  
Hanne Ingmer
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression

scholarly journals The bvr Locus of Listeria monocytogenes Mediates Virulence Gene Repression by β-Glucosides

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (16) ◽  
pp. 5024-5032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Brehm ◽  
María-Teresa Ripio ◽  
Jürgen Kreft ◽  
José-Antonio Vázquez-Boland
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Sensory System ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Gene Repression ◽  
Signal Molecules ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Phosphotransferase System ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression

ABSTRACT The β-glucoside cellobiose has been reported to specifically repress the PrfA-dependent virulence genes hly andplcA in Listeria monocytogenes NCTC 7973. This led to the hypothesis that β-glucosides, sugars of plant origin, may act as signal molecules, preventing the expression of virulence genes if L. monocytogenes is living in its natural habitat (soil). In three other laboratory strains (EGD, L028, and 10403S), however, the effect of cellobiose was not unique, and all fermentable carbohydrates repressed hly. This suggested that the downregulation of virulence genes by β-glucosides is not a specific phenomenon but, rather, an aspect of a global regulatory mechanism of catabolite repression (CR). We assessed the effect of carbohydrates on virulence gene expression in a panel of wild-type isolates of L. monocytogenes by using the PrfA-dependent phospholipase C geneplcB as a reporter. Utilization of any fermentable sugar caused plcB repression in wild-type L. monocytogenes. However, an EGD variant was identified in which, as in NCTC 7973, plcB was only repressed by β-glucosides. Thus, the regulation of L. monocytogenes virulence genes by sugars appears to be mediated by two separate mechanisms, one presumably involving a CR pathway and another specifically responding to β-glucosides. We have identified in L. monocytogenes a 4-kb operon, bvrABC, encoding an antiterminator of the BglG family (bvrA), a β-glucoside-specific enzyme II permease component of the phosphoenolpyruvate-sugar phosphotransferase system (bvrB), and a putative ADP-ribosylglycohydrolase (bvrC). Low-stringency Southern blots showed that this locus is absent from other Listeria spp. Transcription ofbvrB was induced by cellobiose and salicin but not by arbutin. Disruption of the bvr operon by replacing part ofbvrAB with an interposon abolished the repression by cellobiose and salicin but not that by arbutin. Our data indicate that the bvr locus encodes a β-glucoside-specific sensor that mediates virulence gene repression upon detection of cellobiose and salicin. Bvr is the first sensory system found in L. monocytogenes that is involved in environmental regulation of virulence genes.

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