scholarly journals The Chitinolytic Activity of Listeria monocytogenes EGD Is Regulated by Carbohydrates but Also by the Virulence Regulator PrfA

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (19) ◽  
pp. 6470-6476 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Larsen ◽  
J. J. Leisner ◽  
H. Ingmer
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Chitinase Activity ◽  
Exponential Growth Phase ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Chitinolytic Activity ◽  
Carbohydrate Polymers ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
In The Wild

ABSTRACT Chitin, an insoluble polymer of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc), is one of the most abundant carbohydrate polymers in marine and terrestrial environments. Chitin hydrolysis by Listeria monocytogenes depends on two chitinase-encoding genes, chiA and chiB, and the aim of this study was to investigate their regulation. Chitin induces the expression of both chitinases in late exponential growth phase, and chiA but not chiB is furthermore induced by the monomer GlcNAc. Furthermore, their expression is subjected to catabolite control. Chitinases expressed by bacterial pathogens have proven to be important not only for nutrient acquisition and environmental survival but also for infecting animals and humans. Interestingly, the central L. monocytogenes virulence gene regulator, PrfA, is required for the chitinolytic phenotype, as chitinase activity was significantly reduced in prfA mutant cells compared to its level in wild-type cells. In agreement with this, Northern blot analysis showed that the amounts of chiA and chiB transcripts upon induction by chitin were significantly lower in the prfA mutant than in the wild type. The chitinolytic activity and chiA and chiB expression were reduced in the absence of the sigB gene, indicating that σB is also important for the production of chitinases. The chiA, chiB, and chiA chiB mutants were not impaired for in vitro adhesion and invasion in epithelial cell lines, but the chiA chiB double mutant showed less survival ability in a chitin-enriched medium. The regulation of chitinolytic activity in L. monocytogenes is complex, and taken together, the results indicate that the biological role of this activity may not be limited to the external environment.

scholarly journals Listeria monocytogenes σB Regulates Stress Response and Virulence Functions

2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (19) ◽  
pp. 5722-5734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Kazmierczak ◽  
Sharon C. Mithoe ◽  
Kathryn J. Boor ◽  
Martin Wiedmann
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Consensus Sequence ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Promoter Regions ◽  
Virulence Gene Expression ◽  
Stress Response Genes ◽  
In The Wild

ABSTRACT While the stress-responsive alternative sigma factor σB has been identified in different species of Bacillus, Listeria, and Staphylococcus, theσ B regulon has been extensively characterized only in B. subtilis. We combined biocomputing and microarray-based strategies to identify σB-dependent genes in the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Hidden Markov model (HMM)-based searches identified 170 candidateσ B-dependent promoter sequences in the strain EGD-e genome sequence. These data were used to develop a specialized, 208-gene microarray, which included 166 genes downstream of HMM-predicted σB-dependent promoters as well as selected virulence and stress response genes. RNA for the microarray experiments was isolated from both wild-type and ΔsigB null mutant L. monocytogenes cells grown to stationary phase or exposed to osmotic stress (0.5 M KCl). Microarray analyses identified a total of 55 genes with statistically significantσ B-dependent expression under the conditions used in these experiments, with at least 1.5-fold-higher expression in the wild type over the sigB mutant under either stress condition (51 genes showed at least 2.0-fold-higher expression in the wild type). Of the 55 genes exhibiting σB-dependent expression, 54 were preceded by a sequence resembling the σB promoter consensus sequence. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends-PCR was used to confirm the σB-dependent nature of a subset of eight selected promoter regions. Notably, theσ B-dependent L. monocytogenes genes identified through this HMM/microarray strategy included both stress response genes (e.g., gadB, ctc, and the glutathione reductase gene lmo1433) and virulence genes (e.g., inlA, inlB, and bsh). Our data demonstrate that, in addition to regulating expression of genes important for survival under environmental stress conditions, σB also contributes to regulation of virulence gene expression in L. monocytogenes. These findings strongly suggest thatσ B contributes to L. monocytogenes gene expression during infection.

scholarly journals Listeria monocytogenes PerR Mutants Display a Small-Colony Phenotype, Increased Sensitivity to Hydrogen Peroxide, and Significantly Reduced Murine Virulence

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 8314-8322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemarie Rea ◽  
Colin Hill ◽  
Cormac G. M. Gahan
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Transcriptional Analysis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Large Colony ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Increased Sensitivity ◽  
Small Colony

ABSTRACT Deletion of perR in Listeria monocytogenes results in a small-colony phenotype (ΔperR sm) that is slow growing and exhibits increased sensitivity to H2O2. At a relatively high frequency, large-colony variants (ΔperR lg) arise, which are more resistant to H2O2 than the wild-type and ultimately dominate the culture. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the kat gene (catalase) is up-regulated in both types of mutants and that the highest level is apparent in ΔperR sm mutants, demonstrating PerR regulation of this gene. Overexpression of the catalase gene in the wild-type background resulted in a slower-growing strain with a smaller colony size similar to that of ΔperR sm. By combining a bioinformatic approach with experimental evidence, other PerR-regulated genes were identified, including fur, lmo0641, fri, lmo1604, hemA, and trxB. The transcriptional profile of these genes in both mutant backgrounds was similar to that of catalase in that a higher level of expression was observed in ΔperR sm than in the wild type or ΔperR lg. Murine studies revealed that the virulence potential of the ΔperR sm mutant is substantially reduced compared to that of the wild-type and ΔperR lg strains. Collectively, the data demonstrate that the ΔperR sm mutant represents the true phenotype associated with the absence of PerR, which is linked to overexpression of regulated genes that negatively affect bacterial homeostasis both in vitro and in vivo. A subsequent secondary mutation occurred at a high frequency, which resulted in phenotypic reversion to a large-colony phenotype with increased fitness that may have obstructed the analysis of the role of PerR in the physiology of the bacterial cell.

scholarly journals Interference of Components of the Phosphoenolpyruvate Phosphotransferase System with the Central Virulence Gene Regulator PrfA of Listeria monocytogenes

2006 ◽  
Vol 189 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Mertins ◽  
Biju Joseph ◽  
Monika Goetz ◽  
Regina Ecke ◽  
Gerald Seidel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Phosphotransferase System ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
The Common ◽  
Transcript Profiles

ABSTRACT Analysis of Listeria monocytogenes ptsH, hprK, and ccpA mutants defective in carbon catabolite repression (CCR) control revealed significant alterations in the expression of PrfA-dependent genes. The hprK mutant showed high up-regulation of PrfA-dependent virulence genes upon growth in glucose-containing medium whereas expression of these genes was even slightly down-regulated in the ccpA mutant compared to the wild-type strain. The ptsH mutant could only grow in a rich culture medium, and here the PrfA-dependent genes were up-regulated as in the hprK mutant. As expected, HPr-Ser-P was not produced in the hprK and ptsH mutants and synthesized at a similar level in the ccpA mutant as in the wild-type strain. However, no direct correlation was found between the level of HPr-Ser-P or HPr-His-P and PrfA activity when L. monocytogenes was grown in minimal medium with different phosphotransferase system (PTS) carbohydrates. Comparison of the transcript profiles of the hprK and ccpA mutants with that of the wild-type strain indicates that the up-regulation of the PrfA-dependent virulence genes in the hprK mutant correlates with the down-regulation of genes known to be controlled by the efficiency of PTS-mediated glucose transport. Furthermore, growth in the presence of the non-PTS substrate glycerol results in high PrfA activity. These data suggest that it is not the component(s) of the CCR or the common PTS pathway but, rather, the component(s) of subsequent steps that seem to be involved in the modulation of PrfA activity.

Transmembrane prolyl 4-hydroxylase is a fourth prolyl 4-hydroxylase regulating EPO production and erythropoiesis

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (16) ◽  
pp. 3336-3344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anu Laitala ◽  
Ellinoora Aro ◽  
Gail Walkinshaw ◽  
Joni M. Mäki ◽  
Maarit Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Hypoxia Inducible Factor ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Hepcidin Expression ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Hepcidin Mrna

AbstractAn endoplasmic reticulum transmembrane prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4H-TM) is able to hydroxylate the α subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in vitro and in cultured cells, but nothing is known about its roles in mammalian erythropoiesis. We studied such roles here by administering a HIF-P4H inhibitor, FG-4497, to P4h-tm−/− mice. This caused larger increases in serum Epo concentration and kidney but not liver Hif-1α and Hif-2α protein and Epo mRNA levels than in wild-type mice, while the liver Hepcidin mRNA level was lower in the P4h-tm−/− mice than in the wild-type. Similar, but not identical, differences were also seen between FG-4497–treated Hif-p4h-2 hypomorphic (Hif-p4h-2gt/gt) and Hif-p4h-3−/− mice versus wild-type mice. FG-4497 administration increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values similarly in the P4h-tm−/− and wild-type mice, but caused higher increases in both values in the Hif-p4h-2gt/gt mice and in hematocrit value in the Hif-p4h-3−/− mice than in the wild-type. Hif-p4h-2gt/gt/P4h-tm−/− double gene-modified mice nevertheless had increased hemoglobin and hematocrit values without any FG-4497 administration, although no such abnormalities were seen in the Hif-p4h-2gt/gt or P4h-tm−/− mice. Our data thus indicate that P4H-TM plays a role in the regulation of EPO production, hepcidin expression, and erythropoiesis.

scholarly journals Colonization and Inflammation Deficiencies in Mongolian Gerbils Infected by Helicobacter pylori Chemotaxis Mutants

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 1820-1827 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. McGee ◽  
Melanie L. Langford ◽  
Emily L. Watson ◽  
J. Elliot Carter ◽  
Yu-Ting Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Mongolian Gerbils ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
H Pylori

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori causes disease in the human stomach and in mouse and gerbil stomach models. Previous results have shown that motility is critical for H. pylori to colonize mice, gerbils, and other animal models. The role of chemotaxis, however, in colonization and disease is less well understood. Two genes in the H. pylori chemotaxis pathway, cheY and tlpB, which encode the chemotaxis response regulator and a methyl-accepting chemoreceptor, respectively, were disrupted. The cheY mutation was complemented with a wild-type copy of cheY inserted into the chromosomal rdxA gene. The cheY mutant lost chemotaxis but retained motility, while all other strains were motile and chemotactic in vitro. These strains were inoculated into gerbils either alone or in combination with the wild-type strain, and colonization and inflammation were assessed. While the cheY mutant completely failed to colonize gerbil stomachs, the tlpB mutant colonized at levels similar to those of the wild type. With the tlpB mutant, there was a substantial decrease in inflammation in the gerbil stomach compared to that with the wild type. Furthermore, there were differences in the numbers of each immune cell in the tlpB-mutant-infected stomach: the ratio of lymphocytes to neutrophils was about 8 to 1 in the wild type but only about 1 to 1 in the mutant. These results suggest that the TlpB chemoreceptor plays an important role in the inflammatory response while the CheY chemotaxis regulator plays a critical role in initial colonization. Chemotaxis mutants may provide new insights into the steps involved in H. pylori pathogenesis.

Resistance mechanism development to the topoisomerase-I inhibitor Hoechst 33342 byLeishmania donovani

Parasitology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-F. MARQUIS ◽  
I. HARDY ◽  
M. OLIVIER
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Topoisomerase I ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Drug Accumulation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Hoechst 33342 ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Energy Dependent

The bisbenzimidazole compound Hoechst 33342 (Ho342) has been identified as a specific Topoisomerase-I (Topo-I) inhibitor in mammalian cells. More recently, we have reported the ability of Ho342 to targetL. donovaniTopo-I, leading to parasite growth inhibitionin vitroby mechanisms involving DNA breakage and apoptosis-like phenomenon. As the Ho342 lead molecule (2,5′-Bi-1H-benzimidazole) can be used as a starting structure for derivative compounds more effective againstLeishmania, defining the Ho342 resistance mechanism(s) inLeishmaniarepresents an important strategic tool. In the present study, we selected resistant parasites to Ho342 (LdRHo.300). While we observed an increase of the Topo-I gene expression correlated by a higher Topo-I DNA relaxation activity, the Topo-I genes (LdTOP1AandLdTOP1B) sequencing did not reveal any mutation for the resistant parasites. Moreover, our results on Ho342 cellular accumulation suggested the presence of a potential energy-dependent Ho342 transporter in the wild-type parasite, and that an alteration of this transporter has occurred inLdRHo.300, leading to an altered drug accumulation. Collectively, Ho342 resistance characterization provided results supporting that the resistance developed byLdRHo.300involves complex mechanisms, most likely dominated by an altered drug accumulation, providing new insight in the Ho342 resistance mechanisms.

scholarly journals Mutants of Listeria monocytogenes Defective in In Vitro Invasion and Cell-to-Cell Spreading Still Invade and Proliferate in Hepatocytes of Neutropenic Mice

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 912-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Appelberg ◽  
Irene S. Leal
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Cell Spreading ◽  
Histologic Examination ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
In Vitro Invasion ◽  
Parenchymal Cells ◽  
Type Strains

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes mutants defective in theactA gene, the plcB gene, and theinlA and inlB genes were less virulent when injected intravenously into BALB/c mice. The growth of these strains as well as of the virulent wild-type strains was increased by treating mice with a neutrophil-specific depleting monoclonal antibody, RB6-8C5. Histologic examination of the livers of the treated animals showed intrahepatocytic proliferation of the listeriae in all cases. Our data show that more than one pathway exists that allows L. monocytogenes to invade parenchymal cells. One pathway most likely involves the actA and plcB gene products, and a second one probably involves the internalins.

scholarly journals The effects of the site-directed removal of N-glycosylation sites from β-1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase on its function

1995 ◽  
Vol 312 (1) ◽  
pp. 273-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Haraguchi ◽  
S Yamashiro ◽  
K Furukawa ◽  
K Takamiya ◽  
H Shiku ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Intracellular Localization ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Kinetics Analysis ◽  
Glycosylation Sites ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
The Stability

The amino acid sequence deduced from the cloned human cDNA of beta-1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GalNAc-T; EC 2.4.1.92) gene predicted three potential sites for N-linked glycosylation. Although many glycosyltransferases isolated contain from 2 to 6 N-glycosylation sites, their significance has not been adequately demonstrated. To clarify the roles of N-glycosylation in GalNAc-T function, we generated a series of mutant cDNAs, in which some or all of the glycosylation recognition sites were eliminated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated site-directed mutagenesis. Using transcription/translation in vitro, we confirmed that all potential N-glycosylation sites could be used. Although cell lines transfected with mutant cDNAs showed equivalent levels of GalNAc beta 1-->4(NeuAc alpha 2-->3)Gal beta 1-->4Glc-Cer (GM2) to that of the wild-type, the extracts from mutant cDNA transfectants demonstrated lower enzyme activity than in the wild-type. The decrease in enzyme activity was more evident as the number of deglycosylated sites increased, with about 90% decrease in a totally deglycosylated mutant. The enzyme kinetics analysis revealed no significant change of Km among wild-type and mutant cDNA products. The intracellular localization of GalNAc-T expressed in transfectants with wild-type or mutant cDNAs also showed a similar perinuclear pattern (Golgi pattern). These results suggest that N-linked carbohydrates on GalNAc-T are required for regulating the stability of the enzyme structure.

scholarly journals Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes Expressing a Cell Wall-Associated Listeriolysin O Is Weakly Virulent but Immunogenic

2009 ◽  
Vol 77 (10) ◽  
pp. 4371-4382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier A. Carrero ◽  
Boris Calderon ◽  
Hector Vivanco-Cid ◽  
Emil R. Unanue
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Positive Bacterium ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Weakly Virulent

ABSTRACT Listeriolysin O (LLO) is an essential virulence factor for the gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Our goal was to determine if altering the topology of LLO would alter the virulence and toxicity of L. monocytogenes in vivo. A recombinant strain was generated that expressed a surface-associated LLO (sLLO) variant secreted at 40-fold-lower levels than the wild type. In culture, the sLLO strain grew in macrophages, translocated to the cytosol, and induced cell death. However, the sLLO strain showed decreased infectivity, reduced lymphocyte apoptosis, and decreased virulence despite a normal in vitro phenotype. Thus, the topology of LLO in L. monocytogenes was a factor in the pathogenesis of the infection and points to a role of LLO secretion during in vivo infection. The sLLO strain was cleared by severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Despite the attenuation of virulence, the sLLO strain was immunogenic and capable of eliciting protective T-cell responses.

scholarly journals Intestinal P Glycoprotein Acts as a Natural Defense Mechanism against Listeria monocytogenes

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 3849-3854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brien L. Neudeck ◽  
Jennifer M. Loeb ◽  
Nancy G. Faith ◽  
Charles J. Czuprynski
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Defense Mechanism ◽  
Transepithelial Transport ◽  
Bacterial Invasion ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
In Vivo Experiments ◽  
Natural Defense ◽  
P Glycoprotein

ABSTRACT Mechanisms by which the intestinal epithelium resists invasion by food-borne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes are an evolving area of research. Intestinal P glycoprotein is well known to limit the absorption of xenobiotics and is believed to act as a cytotoxic defense mechanism. The aim of this study was to determine if intestinal P glycoprotein is involved in host defense against L. monocytogenes. Caco-2 cells and a P-glycoprotein-overexpressing subclone (Caco-2/MDR) were employed in addition to mdr1a−/− mice and wild-type controls. In vitro invasion assays and in vivo experiments were employed to measure bacterial invasion and dissemination. In addition, L. monocytogenes proteins were labeled with [35S]methionine, and the transepithelial transport across Caco-2 monolayers was characterized in both directions. Overexpression of P glycoprotein in Caco-2/MDR cells led to increased resistance to L. monocytogenes invasion, whereas P-glycoprotein inhibition led to increased invasion. Flux of [35S]methionine-labeled L. monocytogenes proteins was significantly greater in the basolateral-to-apical direction than in the apical-to-basolateral direction, indicating dependence on an apically located efflux transporter. Moreover, inhibiting P glycoprotein reduced the basolateral-to-apical flux of the proteins. Early dissemination of L. monocytogenes from the gastrointestinal tract was significantly greater in the mdr1a−/− mice than in wild-type controls. Expression and function of intestinal P glycoprotein is an important determinant in resistance to early invasion of L. monocytogenes.

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