scholarly journals Spontaneous Loss of Virulence in Natural Populations of Listeria monocytogenes

2017 ◽  
Vol 85 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mylène M. Maury ◽  
Viviane Chenal-Francisque ◽  
Hélène Bracq-Dieye ◽  
Lei Han ◽  
Alexandre Leclercq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Phenotypic Marker ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Attenuation

ABSTRACT The pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes depends on the ability of this bacterium to escape from the phagosome of the host cells via the action of the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). Expression of the LLO-encoding gene (hly) requires the transcriptional activator PrfA, and both hly and prfA genes are essential for L. monocytogenes virulence. Here, we used the hemolytic activity of LLO as a phenotypic marker to screen for spontaneous virulence-attenuating mutations in L. monocytogenes. Sixty nonhemolytic isolates were identified among a collection of 57,820 confirmed L. monocytogenes strains isolated from a variety of sources (0.1%). In most cases (56/60; 93.3%), the nonhemolytic phenotype resulted from nonsense, missense, or frameshift mutations in prfA. Five strains carried hly mutations leading to a single amino acid substitution (G299V) or a premature stop codon causing strong virulence attenuation in mice. In one strain, both hly and gshF (encoding a glutathione synthase required for full PrfA activity) were missing due to genomic rearrangements likely caused by a transposable element. The PrfA/LLO loss-of-function (PrfA−/LLO−) mutants belonged to phylogenetically diverse clades of L. monocytogenes, and most were identified among nonclinical strains (57/60). Consistent with the rare occurrence of loss-of-virulence mutations, we show that prfA and hly are under purifying selection. Although occurring at a low frequency, PrfA−/LLO− mutational events in L. monocytogenes lead to niche restriction and open an evolutionary path for obligate saprophytism in this facultative intracellular pathogen.

scholarly journals Avoidance of Autophagy Mediated by PlcA or ActA Is Required for Listeria monocytogenes Growth in Macrophages

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 2175-2184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Mitchell ◽  
Liang Ge ◽  
Qiongying Huang ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Sara Kianian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Conjugation System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Gain Access

Listeria monocytogenesis a facultative intracellular pathogen that escapes from phagosomes and grows in the cytosol of infected host cells. Most of the determinants that govern its intracellular life cycle are controlled by the transcription factor PrfA, including the pore-forming cytolysin listeriolysin O (LLO), two phospholipases C (PlcA and PlcB), and ActA. We constructed a strain that lacked PrfA but expressed LLO from a PrfA-independent promoter, thereby allowing the bacteria to gain access to the host cytosol. This strain did not grow efficiently in wild-type macrophages but grew normally in macrophages that lacked ATG5, a component of the autophagy LC3 conjugation system. This strain colocalized more with the autophagy marker LC3 (42% ± 7%) at 2 h postinfection, which constituted a 5-fold increase over the colocalization exhibited by the wild-type strain (8% ± 6%). While mutants lacking the PrfA-dependent virulence factor PlcA, PlcB, or ActA grew normally, a double mutant lacking both PlcA and ActA failed to grow in wild-type macrophages and colocalized more with LC3 (38% ± 5%). Coexpression of LLO and PlcA in a PrfA-negative strain was sufficient to restore intracellular growth and decrease the colocalization of the bacteria with LC3. In a cell-free assay, purified PlcA protein blocked LC3 lipidation, a key step in early autophagosome biogenesis, presumably by preventing the formation of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P). The results of this study showed that avoidance of autophagy byL. monocytogenesprimarily involves PlcA and ActA and that either one of these factors must be present forL. monocytogenesgrowth in macrophages.

scholarly journals Development of a Single-Gene, Signature-Tag-Based Approach in Combination with Alanine Mutagenesis To Identify Listeriolysin O Residues Critical for theIn VivoSurvival of Listeria monocytogenes

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 2221-2230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jody A. Melton-Witt ◽  
Susannah L. McKay ◽  
Daniel A. Portnoy
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Saturation Mutagenesis ◽  
Single Amino Acid ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Phenotypic Analysis ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTListeriolysin O (LLO) is a pore-forming toxin of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) family and a primary virulence factor of the intracellular pathogenListeria monocytogenes. LLO mediates rupture of phagosomal membranes, thereby releasing bacteria into the growth-permissive host cell cytosol. Several unique features of LLO allow its activity to be precisely regulated in order to facilitate phagosomal escape, intracellular growth, and cell-to-cell spread. To improve our understanding of the multifaceted contribution of LLO to the pathogenesis ofL. monocytogenes, we developed a screen that combined saturation mutagenesis and signature tags, termedinvivoanalysis bysaturation mutagenesis andsignature tags (IVASS). We generated a library of LLO mutant strains, each harboring a single amino acid substitution and a signature tag, by using the previously described pPL2 integration vector. The signature tags acted as molecular barcodes, enabling high-throughput, parallel analysis of 40 mutants in a single animal and identification of attenuated mutants by negative selection. Using the IVASS technique we were able to screen over 90% of the 505 amino acids present in LLO and identified 60 attenuated mutants. Of these, 39 LLO residues were previously uncharacterized and potentially revealed novel functions of the toxin during infection. The mutants that were subsequently analyzedin vivoeach conferred a 2- to 4-orders of magnitude loss in virulence compared to wild type, thereby validating the screening methods. Phenotypic analysis of the LLO mutant library using commonin vitrotechniques suggested that the functional contributions of some residues could only have been revealed throughin vivoanalysis.

scholarly journals Listeria monocytogenes Associated with New Zealand Seafood Production and Clinical Cases: Unique Sequence Types, Truncated InlA, and Attenuated Invasiveness

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1489-1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina D. Cruz ◽  
Andrew R. Pitman ◽  
Sally A. Harrow ◽  
Graham C. Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Seafood Processing ◽  
Sequence Types ◽  
Clinical Cases

ABSTRACTListeriosis is caused by the food-borne pathogenListeria monocytogenes, which can be found in seafood and processing plants. To evaluate the risk to human health associated with seafood production in New Zealand, multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST) was used to define the sequence types (STs) of 31L. monocytogenesisolates collected from seafood-processing plants, 15 from processed foods, and 6 from human listeriosis cases. The STs of these isolates were then compared with those from a collection of seafood isolates and epidemic strains from overseas. A total of 17 STs from New Zealand clustered into two lineages: seafood-related isolates in lineages I and II and all human isolates in lineage II. None of the New Zealand STs matched previously described STs from other countries. Isolates (belonging to ST01-N and ST03-N) from mussels and their processing environments, however, were identical to those of sporadic listeriosis cases in New Zealand. ST03-N isolates (16 from mussel-processing environments, 2 from humans, and 1 from a mussel) contained aninlApremature stop codon (PMSC) mutation. Therefore, the levels of invasiveness of 22 isolates from ST03-N and the three other common STs were compared using human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cell lines. STs carryinginlAPMSCs, including ST03-N isolates associated with clinical cases, had a low invasion phenotype. The close relatedness of some clinical and environmental strains, as revealed by identical MVLST profiles, suggests that local and persistent environmental strains in seafood-processing environments pose a potential health risk. Furthermore, a PMSC ininlAdoes not appear to giveL. monocytogenesa noninvasive profile.

scholarly journals Role for Telomerase in Listeria monocytogenes Infection

2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (12) ◽  
pp. 4257-4263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ascel Samba-Louaka ◽  
Fabrizia Stavru ◽  
Pascale Cossart
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Calcium Influx ◽  
Early Time ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Human Telomerase

ABSTRACTHuman telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit of the human telomerase complex. Growing evidence suggests that hTERT also contributes to the cell physiology independently of telomere elongation. However, its role in bacterial infection is unknown. Here we show that hTERT is critical forListeria monocytogenesinfection, as the depletion of hTERT impaired bacterial intracellular replication. In addition, we observed thatL. monocytogenescaused a decrease in hTERT levels at early time points of the infectious process. This effect was mediated by the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO) and did not require bacterial entry into host cells. Calcium influx through the LLO pores contributed to a proteasome-independent decrease in hTERT protein levels. Together, our data provide evidence that these bacteria trigger hTERT degradation, an event that is detrimental to bacterial replication.

scholarly journals Development and Implementation of a Multiplex Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotyping Assay for Detection of Virulence-Attenuating Mutations in the Listeria monocytogenes Virulence-Associated Gene inlA

2008 ◽  
Vol 74 (23) ◽  
pp. 7365-7375 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Van Stelten ◽  
K. K. Nightingale
Keyword(s):  
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Snp Genotyping ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphism ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Genotyping Assay ◽  
Virulence Attenuation

ABSTRACT The virulence factor internalin A (InlA) facilitates the uptake of Listeria monocytogenes by epithelial cells that express the human isoform of E-cadherin. Previous studies identified naturally occurring premature stop codon (PMSC) mutations in inlA and demonstrated that these mutations are responsible for virulence attenuation. We assembled >1,700 L. monocytogenes isolates from diverse sources representing 90 EcoRI ribotypes. A subset of this isolate collection was selected based on ribotype frequency and characterized by a Caco-2 cell invasion assay. The sequencing of inlA genes from isolates with attenuated invasion capacities revealed three novel inlA PMSCs which had not been identified previously among U.S. isolates. Since ribotypes include isolates with and without inlA PMSCs, we developed a multiplex single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assay to detect isolates with virulence-attenuating PMSC mutations in inlA. The SNP genotyping assay detects all inlA PMSC mutations that have been reported worldwide and verified in this study to date by the extension of unlabeled primers with fluorescently labeled dideoxynucleoside triphosphates. We implemented the SNP genotyping assay to characterize human clinical and food isolates representing common ribotypes associated with novel inlA PMSC mutations. PMSCs in inlA were significantly (ribotypes DUP-1039C and DUP-1045B; P < 0.001) or marginally (ribotype DUP-1062D; P = 0.11) more common among food isolates than human clinical isolates. SNP genotyping revealed a fourth novel PMSC mutation among U.S. L. monocytogenes isolates, which was observed previously among isolates from France and Portugal. This SNP genotyping assay may be implemented by regulatory agencies and the food industry to differentiate L. monocytogenes isolates carrying virulence-attenuating PMSC mutations in inlA from strains representing the most significant health risk.

scholarly journals Fluxes of Ca2+and K+Are Required for the Listeriolysin O-Dependent Internalization Pathway of Listeria monocytogenes

2013 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 1084-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Vadia ◽  
Stephanie Seveau
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Severe Infection ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cell Plasma ◽  
Transmembrane Pores ◽  
Membrane Resealing

ABSTRACTListeria monocytogenesis responsible for the life-threatening food-borne disease listeriosis. This disease mainly affects elderly and immunocompromised individuals, causing bacteremia and meningoencephalitis. In pregnant women,L. monocytogenesinfection leads to abortion and severe infection of the fetus or newborn. TheL. monocytogenesintracellular life cycle is critical for pathogenesis. Previous studies have established that the major virulence factor ofL. monocytogenes, the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO), is sufficient to induceL. monocytogenesinternalization into human epithelial cell lines. This internalization pathway strictly requires the formation of LLO pores in the plasma membrane and can be stimulated by the heterologous pore-forming toxin pneumolysin, suggesting that LLO acts nonspecifically by forming transmembrane pores. The present work tested the hypothesis that Ca2+and K+fluxes subsequent to perforation by LLO controlL. monocytogenesinternalization. We report thatL. monocytogenesperforates the host cell plasma membrane in an LLO-dependent fashion at the early stage of invasion. In response to perforation, host cells undergo Ca2+-dependent but K+-independent resealing of their plasma membrane. In contrast to the plasma membrane resealing process, LLO-inducedL. monocytogenesinternalization requires both Ca2+and K+fluxes. Further linking ion fluxes to bacterial internalization, treating cells with a combination of Ca2+and K+ionophores but not with individual ionophores is sufficient to induce efficient internalization of large cargoes, such as 1-μm polystyrene beads and bacteria. We propose that LLO-inducedL. monocytogenesinternalization requires a Ca2+- and K+-dependent internalization pathway that is mechanistically distinct from the process of plasma membrane resealing.

scholarly journals Cis-Segregation of c.1171C>T Stop Codon (p.R391*) in SERPINC1 Gene and c.1691G>A Transition (p.R506Q) in F5 Gene and Selected GWAS Multilocus Approach in Inherited Thrombophilia

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 934
Author(s):  
Donato Gemmati ◽  
Giovanna Longo ◽  
Eugenia Franchini ◽  
Juliana Araujo Silva ◽  
Ines Gallo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Gene Markers ◽  
Inherited Thrombophilia ◽  
Fv Leiden

Inherited thrombophilia (e.g., venous thromboembolism, VTE) is due to rare loss-of-function mutations in anticoagulant factors genes (i.e., SERPINC1, PROC, PROS1), common gain-of-function mutations in procoagulant factors genes (i.e., F5, F2), and acquired risk conditions. Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) recently recognized several genes associated with VTE though gene defects may unpredictably remain asymptomatic, so calculating the individual genetic predisposition is a challenging task. We investigated a large family with severe, recurrent, early-onset VTE in which two sisters experienced VTE during pregnancies characterized by a perinatal in-utero thrombosis in the newborn and a life-saving pregnancy-interruption because of massive VTE, respectively. A nonsense mutation (CGA > TGA) generating a premature stop-codon (c.1171C>T; p.R391*) in the exon 6 of SERPINC1 gene (1q25.1) causing Antithrombin (AT) deficiency and the common missense mutation (c.1691G>A; p.R506Q) in the exon 10 of F5 gene (1q24.2) (i.e., FV Leiden; rs6025) were coinherited in all the symptomatic members investigated suspecting a cis-segregation further confirmed by STR-linkage-analyses [i.e., SERPINC1 IVS5 (ATT)5–18, F5 IVS2 (AT)6–33 and F5 IVS11 (GT)12–16] and SERPINC1 intragenic variants (i.e., rs5878 and rs677). A multilocus investigation of blood-coagulation balance genes detected the coexistence of FV Leiden (rs6025) in trans with FV HR2-haplotype (p.H1299R; rs1800595) in the aborted fetus, and F11 rs2289252, F12 rs1801020, F13A1 rs5985, and KNG1 rs710446 in the newborn and other members. Common selected gene variants may strongly synergize with less common mutations tuning potential life-threatening conditions when combined with rare severest mutations. Merging classic and newly GWAS-identified gene markers in at risk families is mandatory for VTE risk estimation in the clinical practice, avoiding partial risk score evaluation in unrecognized at risk patients.

Listeria monocytogenes strains encoding premature stop codons in inlA invade mice and guinea pig fetuses in orally dosed dams

2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 1799-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Holch ◽  
Hanne Ingmer ◽  
Tine Rask Licht ◽  
Lone Gram
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Fetal Liver ◽  
Fatal Case ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Pregnant Mice

Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne bacterial pathogen and listeriosis can result in abortions in pregnant women. The bacterium can colonize food-processing environments, where specific molecular subtypes can persist for years. The purpose of this study was to determine the virulence potential of a group of food-processing persistent L. monocytogenes strains encoding a premature stop codon in inlA (encoding internalin A) by using two orally dosed models, pregnant mice and pregnant guinea pigs. A food-processing persistent strain of L. monocytogenes invaded placentas (n = 58; 10 % positive) and fetuses (3 % positive) of pregnant mice (n = 9 animals per strain), similar to a genetically manipulated murinized strain, EGD-e InlA m* (n = 61; 3 and 2 %, respectively). In pregnant guinea pigs (n = 9 animals per bacterial strain), a maternofetal strain (from a human fetal clinical fatal case) was isolated from 34 % of placenta samples (n = 50), whereas both food-processing persistent strains were found in 5 % of placenta samples (n = 36 or 37). One of the food-processing persistent strains, N53-1, was found in up to 8 % of guinea pig fetal liver and brain samples, whereas the maternofetal control was found in 6 % of fetal tissue samples. As the food-processing persistent strains carry a premature stop codon in inlA but are invasive in orally dosed pregnant mice and guinea pigs, we hypothesize that listerial crossing of the placental barrier can occur by a mechanism that is independent of an interaction between E-cadherin and InlA.

scholarly journals The Listeria monocytogenes hemolysin has an acidic pH optimum to compartmentalize activity and prevent damage to infected host cells

2002 ◽  
Vol 156 (6) ◽  
pp. 1029-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian J. Glomski ◽  
Margaret M. Gedde ◽  
Albert W. Tsang ◽  
Joel A. Swanson ◽  
Daniel A. Portnoy
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Cytolytic Activity ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Adaptive Mutation ◽  
Acidic Ph ◽  
Listeriolysin O ◽  
Lysosomal Hydrolases ◽  
Ph Optimum ◽  
Neutral Ph

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that escapes from a phagosome and grows in the host cell cytosol. The pore-forming cholesterol-dependent cytolysin, listeriolysin O (LLO), mediates bacterial escape from vesicles and is ∼10-fold more active at an acidic than neutral pH. By swapping dissimilar residues from a pH-insensitive orthologue, perfringolysin O (PFO), we identified leucine 461 as unique to pathogenic Listeria and responsible for the acidic pH optimum of LLO. Conversion of leucine 461 to the threonine present in PFO increased the hemolytic activity of LLO almost 10-fold at a neutral pH. L. monocytogenes synthesizing LLO L461T, expressed from its endogenous site on the bacterial chromosome, resulted in a 100-fold virulence defect in the mouse listeriosis model. These bacteria escaped from acidic phagosomes and initially grew normally in cells and spread cell to cell, but prematurely permeabilized the host membrane and killed the cell. These data show that the acidic pH optimum of LLO results from an adaptive mutation that acts to limit cytolytic activity to acidic vesicles and prevent damage in the host cytosol, a strategy also used by host cells to compartmentalize lysosomal hydrolases.

scholarly journals Loss-of-function in IRF2BPL is associated with neurological phenotypes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul C. Marcogliese ◽  
Vandana Shashi ◽  
Rebecca C. Spillmann ◽  
Nicholas Stong ◽  
Jill A. Rosenfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Population Genomics ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Global Developmental Delay ◽  
Mendelian Disease ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Missense Variants

AbstractThe Interferon Regulatory Factor 2 Binding Protein Like (IRF2BPL) gene encodes a member of the IRF2BP family of transcriptional regulators. Currently the biological function of this gene is obscure, and the gene has not been associated with a Mendelian disease. Here we describe seven individuals affected with neurological symptoms who carry damaging heterozygous variants in IRF2BPL. Five cases carrying nonsense variants in IRF2BPL resulting in a premature stop codon display severe neurodevelopmental regression, hypotonia, progressive ataxia, seizures, and a lack of coordination. Two additional individuals, both with missense variants, display global developmental delay and seizures and a relatively milder phenotype than those with nonsense alleles. The bioinformatics signature for IRF2BPL based on population genomics is consistent with a gene that is intolerant to variation. We show that the IRF2BPL ortholog in the fruit fly, called pits (protein interacting with Ttk69 and Sin3A), is broadly expressed including the nervous system. Complete loss of pits is lethal early in development, whereas partial knock-down with RNA interference in neurons leads to neurodegeneration, revealing requirement for this gene in proper neuronal function and maintenance. The nonsense variants in IRF2BPL identified in patients behave as severe loss-of-function alleles in this model organism, while ectopic expression of the missense variants leads to a range of phenotypes. Taken together, IRF2BPL and pits are required in the nervous system in humans and flies, and their loss leads to a range of neurological phenotypes in both species.

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