Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1993 Apr;61(4):1576–1580. doi: 10.1128/iai.61.4.1576-1580.1993

The zinc metalloprotease of Listeria monocytogenes is required for maturation of phosphatidylcholine phospholipase C: direct evidence obtained by gene complementation.

C Poyart 1, E Abachin 1, I Razafimanantsoa 1, P Berche 1
PMCID: PMC281405  PMID: 8384163

Abstract

The maturation of the 33-kDa proenzyme to the 29-kDa phosphatidylcholine phospholipase C (PC-PLC) of Listeria monocytogenes requires the production of the zinc metalloprotease encoded by mpl, the proximal gene of the lecithinase operon. We recently described a low-virulence lecithinase-deficient mutant of L. monocytogenes EGD-SmR, designated JL762, generated by a single insertion of transposon Tn1545 in mpl. This mutant failed to produce the 29-kDa PC-PLC, an exoenzyme probably involved in cell-to-cell spreading. The role of the product of the mpl gene in production of PC-PLC was investigated in trans-complementation experiments. The entire mpl gene was cloned in a plasmid able to replicate in L. monocytogenes. This recombinant plasmid was introduced into JL762 and restored the lecithinase phenotype on egg yolk agar and the production of the active 29-kDa PC-PLC in culture supernatants and partially restored the level of virulence. These results demonstrate that zinc-dependent metalloprotease of L. monocytogenes is involved in the virulence of this bacteria at least through its action on PC-PLC.

Full text

PDF
1580

Images in this article

1577Image
on p.1577
1578Image
on p.1578

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bever R. A., Iglewski B. H. Molecular characterization and nucleotide sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase structural gene. J Bacteriol. 1988 Sep;170(9):4309–4314. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.9.4309-4314.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bielecki J., Youngman P., Connelly P., Portnoy D. A. Bacillus subtilis expressing a haemolysin gene from Listeria monocytogenes can grow in mammalian cells. Nature. 1990 May 10;345(6271):175–176. doi: 10.1038/345175a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Black W. J., Quinn F. D., Tompkins L. S. Legionella pneumophila zinc metalloprotease is structurally and functionally homologous to Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase. J Bacteriol. 1990 May;172(5):2608–2613. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.5.2608-2613.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cossart P., Vicente M. F., Mengaud J., Baquero F., Perez-Diaz J. C., Berche P. Listeriolysin O is essential for virulence of Listeria monocytogenes: direct evidence obtained by gene complementation. Infect Immun. 1989 Nov;57(11):3629–3636. doi: 10.1128/iai.57.11.3629-3636.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dabiri G. A., Sanger J. M., Portnoy D. A., Southwick F. S. Listeria monocytogenes moves rapidly through the host-cell cytoplasm by inducing directional actin assembly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Aug;87(16):6068–6072. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.16.6068. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Domann E., Leimeister-Wächter M., Goebel W., Chakraborty T. Molecular cloning, sequencing, and identification of a metalloprotease gene from Listeria monocytogenes that is species specific and physically linked to the listeriolysin gene. Infect Immun. 1991 Jan;59(1):65–72. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.1.65-72.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gaillard J. L., Berche P., Frehel C., Gouin E., Cossart P. Entry of L. monocytogenes into cells is mediated by internalin, a repeat protein reminiscent of surface antigens from gram-positive cocci. Cell. 1991 Jun 28;65(7):1127–1141. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(91)90009-n. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gaillard J. L., Berche P., Mounier J., Richard S., Sansonetti P. In vitro model of penetration and intracellular growth of Listeria monocytogenes in the human enterocyte-like cell line Caco-2. Infect Immun. 1987 Nov;55(11):2822–2829. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.11.2822-2829.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gaillard J. L., Berche P., Sansonetti P. Transposon mutagenesis as a tool to study the role of hemolysin in the virulence of Listeria monocytogenes. Infect Immun. 1986 Apr;52(1):50–55. doi: 10.1128/iai.52.1.50-55.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Geoffroy C., Gaillard J. L., Alouf J. E., Berche P. Purification, characterization, and toxicity of the sulfhydryl-activated hemolysin listeriolysin O from Listeria monocytogenes. Infect Immun. 1987 Jul;55(7):1641–1646. doi: 10.1128/iai.55.7.1641-1646.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Geoffroy C., Raveneau J., Beretti J. L., Lecroisey A., Vazquez-Boland J. A., Alouf J. E., Berche P. Purification and characterization of an extracellular 29-kilodalton phospholipase C from Listeria monocytogenes. Infect Immun. 1991 Jul;59(7):2382–2388. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.7.2382-2388.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kathariou S., Metz P., Hof H., Goebel W. Tn916-induced mutations in the hemolysin determinant affecting virulence of Listeria monocytogenes. J Bacteriol. 1987 Mar;169(3):1291–1297. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.3.1291-1297.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kocks C., Gouin E., Tabouret M., Berche P., Ohayon H., Cossart P. L. monocytogenes-induced actin assembly requires the actA gene product, a surface protein. Cell. 1992 Feb 7;68(3):521–531. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90188-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kubo M., Imanaka T. Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the highly thermostable neutral protease gene from Bacillus stearothermophilus. J Gen Microbiol. 1988 Jul;134(7):1883–1892. doi: 10.1099/00221287-134-7-1883. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Leimeister-Wächter M., Domann E., Chakraborty T. Detection of a gene encoding a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C that is co-ordinately expressed with listeriolysin in Listeria monocytogenes. Mol Microbiol. 1991 Feb;5(2):361–366. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb02117.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Leimeister-Wächter M., Haffner C., Domann E., Goebel W., Chakraborty T. Identification of a gene that positively regulates expression of listeriolysin, the major virulence factor of listeria monocytogenes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Nov;87(21):8336–8340. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.21.8336. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. MACKANESS G. B. Cellular resistance to infection. J Exp Med. 1962 Sep 1;116:381–406. doi: 10.1084/jem.116.3.381. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mengaud J., Braun-Breton C., Cossart P. Identification of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C activity in Listeria monocytogenes: a novel type of virulence factor? Mol Microbiol. 1991 Feb;5(2):367–372. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb02118.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Mengaud J., Dramsi S., Gouin E., Vazquez-Boland J. A., Milon G., Cossart P. Pleiotropic control of Listeria monocytogenes virulence factors by a gene that is autoregulated. Mol Microbiol. 1991 Sep;5(9):2273–2283. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb02158.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Mengaud J., Geoffroy C., Cossart P. Identification of a new operon involved in Listeria monocytogenes virulence: its first gene encodes a protein homologous to bacterial metalloproteases. Infect Immun. 1991 Mar;59(3):1043–1049. doi: 10.1128/iai.59.3.1043-1049.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Mounier J., Ryter A., Coquis-Rondon M., Sansonetti P. J. Intracellular and cell-to-cell spread of Listeria monocytogenes involves interaction with F-actin in the enterocytelike cell line Caco-2. Infect Immun. 1990 Apr;58(4):1048–1058. doi: 10.1128/iai.58.4.1048-1058.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Nakahama K., Yoshimura K., Marumoto R., Kikuchi M., Lee I. S., Hase T., Matsubara H. Cloning and sequencing of Serratia protease gene. Nucleic Acids Res. 1986 Jul 25;14(14):5843–5855. doi: 10.1093/nar/14.14.5843. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Park S. F., Stewart G. S. High-efficiency transformation of Listeria monocytogenes by electroporation of penicillin-treated cells. Gene. 1990 Sep 28;94(1):129–132. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(90)90479-b. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Portnoy D. A., Chakraborty T., Goebel W., Cossart P. Molecular determinants of Listeria monocytogenes pathogenesis. Infect Immun. 1992 Apr;60(4):1263–1267. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.4.1263-1267.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Portnoy D. A., Jacks P. S., Hinrichs D. J. Role of hemolysin for the intracellular growth of Listeria monocytogenes. J Exp Med. 1988 Apr 1;167(4):1459–1471. doi: 10.1084/jem.167.4.1459. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Poyart-Salmeron C., Trieu-Cuot P., Carlier C., Courvalin P. Molecular characterization of two proteins involved in the excision of the conjugative transposon Tn1545: homologies with other site-specific recombinases. EMBO J. 1989 Aug;8(8):2425–2433. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1989.tb08373.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Raveneau J., Geoffroy C., Beretti J. L., Gaillard J. L., Alouf J. E., Berche P. Reduced virulence of a Listeria monocytogenes phospholipase-deficient mutant obtained by transposon insertion into the zinc metalloprotease gene. Infect Immun. 1992 Mar;60(3):916–921. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.3.916-921.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Rácz P., Tenner K., Mérö E. Experimental Listeria enteritis. I. An electron microscopic study of the epithelial phase in experimental listeria infection. Lab Invest. 1972 Jun;26(6):694–700. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Rácz P., Tenner K., Szivessy K. Electron microscopic studies in experimental keratoconjunctivitis listeriosa. I. Penetration of Listeria monocytogenes into corneal epithelial cells. Acta Microbiol Acad Sci Hung. 1970;17(3):221–236. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Sidler W., Niederer E., Suter F., Zuber H. The primary structure of Bacillus cereus neutral proteinase and comparison with thermolysin and Bacillus subtilis neutral proteinase. Biol Chem Hoppe Seyler. 1986 Jul;367(7):643–657. doi: 10.1515/bchm3.1986.367.2.643. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Takagi M., Imanaka T., Aiba S. Nucleotide sequence and promoter region for the neutral protease gene from Bacillus stearothermophilus. J Bacteriol. 1985 Sep;163(3):824–831. doi: 10.1128/jb.163.3.824-831.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Tilney L. G., Connelly P. S., Portnoy D. A. Actin filament nucleation by the bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. J Cell Biol. 1990 Dec;111(6 Pt 2):2979–2988. doi: 10.1083/jcb.111.6.2979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Tilney L. G., Portnoy D. A. Actin filaments and the growth, movement, and spread of the intracellular bacterial parasite, Listeria monocytogenes. J Cell Biol. 1989 Oct;109(4 Pt 1):1597–1608. doi: 10.1083/jcb.109.4.1597. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Vasantha N., Thompson L. D., Rhodes C., Banner C., Nagle J., Filpula D. Genes for alkaline protease and neutral protease from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens contain a large open reading frame between the regions coding for signal sequence and mature protein. J Bacteriol. 1984 Sep;159(3):811–819. doi: 10.1128/jb.159.3.811-819.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Vazquez-Boland J. A., Kocks C., Dramsi S., Ohayon H., Geoffroy C., Mengaud J., Cossart P. Nucleotide sequence of the lecithinase operon of Listeria monocytogenes and possible role of lecithinase in cell-to-cell spread. Infect Immun. 1992 Jan;60(1):219–230. doi: 10.1128/iai.60.1.219-230.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES