First Author | Rae CS | Year | 2011 |
Journal | Infect Immun | Volume | 79 |
Issue | 9 | Pages | 3596-606 |
PubMed ID | 21768286 | Mgi Jnum | J:175679 |
Mgi Id | MGI:5287040 | Doi | 10.1128/IAI.00077-11 |
Citation | Rae CS, et al. (2011) Mutations of the Listeria monocytogenes Peptidoglycan N-Deacetylase and O-Acetylase Result in Enhanced Lysozyme Sensitivity, Bacteriolysis, and Hyperinduction of Innate Immune Pathways. Infect Immun 79(9):3596-606 |
abstractText | Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive intracellular pathogen that is naturally resistant to lysozyme. Recently, it was shown that peptidoglycan modification by N-deacetylation or O-acetylation confers resistance to lysozyme in various Gram-positive bacteria, including L. monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes peptidoglycan is deacetylated by the action of N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase (Pgd) and acetylated by O-acetylmuramic acid transferase (Oat). We characterized Pgd(-), Oat(-), and double mutants to determine the specific role of L. monocytogenes peptidoglycan acetylation in conferring lysozyme sensitivity during infection of macrophages and mice. Pgd(-) and Pgd(-) Oat(-) double mutants were attenuated approximately 2 and 3.5 logs, respectively, in vivo. In bone-marrow derived macrophages, the mutants demonstrated intracellular growth defects and increased induction of cytokine transcriptional responses that emanated from a phagosome and the cytosol. Lysozyme-sensitive mutants underwent bacteriolysis in the macrophage cytosol, resulting in AIM2-dependent pyroptosis. Each of the in vitro phenotypes was rescued upon infection of LysM(-) macrophages. The addition of extracellular lysozyme to LysM(-) macrophages restored cytokine induction, host cell death, and L. monocytogenes growth inhibition. This surprising observation suggests that extracellular lysozyme can access the macrophage cytosol and act on intracellular lysozyme-sensitive bacteria. |