title: Interaction between the protein InlB of Listeria monocytogenes and lipoteichoic acid: a novel mechanism of protein association at the surface of gram-positive bacteria.
abstract: InlB is a Listeria monocytogenes protein that is sufficient to promote entry in a variety of mammalian cells. The last 232-amino-acid domain (Csa) of InlB has been shown to mediate attachment on the listerial surface, although its sequence does not suggest any known mechanism of association to the bacterial surface. InlB is present both on the bacterial surface and in culture supernatants. As has been recently demonstrated, both forms of InlB, soluble and surface-bound, can trigger signalling in host cells. To elucidate the specific role of each of the two forms, it was important to understand how InlB associates with the bacterial surface. Using microscopy, we find evidence that InlB is partially buried in the cell wall layer, and using fractionation experiments we demonstrate that InlB associates with the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Moreover, using purified lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and the three polypeptides InlB, Csa, or InlBDeltaCsa (InlB lacking the last 232 amino acids), we demonstrate that LTA is a ligand for the Csa domain of InlB. These results provide the first evidence of an interaction between lipoteichoic acids and a bacterial protein involved in adhesion and signalling, and highlight a new mechanism of protein association on the surface of Gram-positive bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Unité des Interactions Bactéries-Cellules, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jonquières
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bierne
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiedler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gounon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cossart
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D013682:Teichoic Acids; C095768:inlB protein, Listeria monocytogenes; C009900:lipoteichoic acid