Ena/VASP proteins contribute to Listeria monocytogenes pathogenesis by controlling temporal and spatial persistence of bacterial actin-based motility

Mol Microbiol. 2003 Sep;49(5):1361-75. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2003.03639.x.

Abstract

The Listeria monocytogenes surface protein ActA mediates actin-based motility by interacting with a number of host cytoskeletal components, including Ena/VASP family proteins, which in turn interact with actin and the actin-binding protein profilin. We employed a bidirectional genetic approach to study Ena/VASP's contribution to L. monocytogenes movement and pathogenesis. We generated an ActA allelic series within the defined Ena/VASP-binding sites and introduced the resulting mutant L. monocytogenes into cell lines expressing different Ena/VASP derivatives. Our findings indicate that Ena/VASP proteins contribute to the persistence of both speed and directionality of L. monocytogenes movement. In the absence of the Ena/VASP proline-rich central domain, speed consistency decreased by sixfold. In addition, the Ena/VASP F-actin-binding region increased directionality of bacterial movement by fourfold. We further show that both regions of Ena/VASP enhanced L. monocytogenes cell-to-cell spread to a similar degree, although the Ena/VASP F-actin-binding region did so in an ActA-independent manner. Surprisingly, our ActA allelic series enabled us to uncouple L. monocytogenes speed from directionality although both were controlled by Ena/VASP proteins. Lastly, we showed the pathogenic relevance of these findings by the observation that L. monocytogenes lacking ActA Ena/VASP-binding sites were up to 400-fold less virulent during an adaptive immune response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / chemistry
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Listeria monocytogenes / immunology
  • Listeria monocytogenes / pathogenicity*
  • Listeria monocytogenes / physiology
  • Listeriosis / immunology
  • Listeriosis / microbiology
  • Macrophages / microbiology
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Movement
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Rats
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Virulence / genetics

Substances

  • Actins
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Enah protein, mouse
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein
  • actA protein, Listeria monocytogenes