Legionella pneumophila Philadelphia-1 tatB and tatC affect intracellular replication and biofilm formation.
Legionella pneumophila is a facultative intracellular human pathogen and an important cause of Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia. Recently, we showed the presence of a putative twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway in L. pneumophila Philadelphia-1. This secretion pathway is used to transport completely folded proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane. The importance of the Tat pathway in L. pneumophila was investigated by constructing a tatB and a tatC mutant. Functionality of the Tat pathway was shown using a proven heterologous Tat substrate. It was shown that tatB and tatC are involved in intracellular replication in Acanthamoeba castellanii and differentiated U937 cells, and in biofilm forming ability. A putative Legionella Tat substrate was identified via 2D gel electrophoresis.
De Buck
Emmy
E
Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Louvain, Belgium.
Maes
Liesbeth
L
Meyen
Eef
E
Van Mellaert
Lieve
L
Geukens
Nick
N
Anné
Jozef
J
Lammertyn
Elke
E
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms; D006801:Humans; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D020298:U937 Cells
D001426:Bacterial Proteins