title: Growth temperature-dependent expression of structural variants of Listeria monocytogenes lipoteichoic acid.
abstract: Investigating the expression of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Listeria monocytogenes, we found two distinct structural variants of LTA (LTA1 and LTA2) using NMR and MS technology. While both LTA consisted of a poly-glycerophosphate backbone (differing in length) bound via a disaccharide to a diacyl-glycerol moiety, one LTA type (LTA2) possessed a second diacyl-glycerol moiety linked to the disaccharide via a phosphodiester. As examined in vitro, LTA2 in contrast to LTA1 failed to activate the L-ficolin dependent pathway of complement. Most interestingly, growth temperature had a strong influence on the expression levels of LTA1 and LTA2 in the cell wall: while the amount of LTA1 was comparable, the expression of LTA2 was low when Listeria had grown at room temperature (ratio of LTA1 to LTA2 was 1:0.06), but increased when Listeria had been cultivated at 37°C (ratio of LTA1 to LTA2 was 1:0.68). The observed shift in LTA expression, probably accompanying the switch from the saprophytic to the virulent entity, indicates an important adaptation to the different structural requirements inside the host cells.
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Pharmacology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78467, Germany. olidehus@web.de
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dehus
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfitzenmaier
authors.forename: Gunthard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stuebs
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schwaeble
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morath
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hermann
mesh_terms: D000940:Antigenic Variation / Q000187:drug effects; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000502:physiology*; D008088:Listeriosis; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D000097604:Ficolins
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D000097604:Ficolins; C009900:lipoteichoic acid