title: Posttranslational modification of pili upon cell contact triggers N. meningitidis dissemination.
abstract: The Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis asymptomatically colonizes the throat of 10 to 30% of the human population, but throat colonization can also act as the port of entry to the blood (septicemia) and then the brain (meningitis). Colonization is mediated by filamentous organelles referred to as type IV pili, which allow the formation of bacterial aggregates associated with host cells. We found that proliferation of N. meningitidis in contact with host cells increased the transcription of a bacterial gene encoding a transferase that adds phosphoglycerol onto type IV pili. This unusual posttranslational modification specifically released type IV pili-dependent contacts between bacteria. In turn, this regulated detachment process allowed propagation of the bacterium to new colonization sites and also migration across the epithelium, a prerequisite for dissemination and invasive disease.
authors.affiliation: Ecole Polytechnique, Laboratoire des Mécanismes Réactionnels, Palaiseau F-91128, France.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chamot-Rooke
authors.forename: Guillain
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mikaty
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malosse
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soyer
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dumont
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gault
authors.forename: Anne-Flore
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Imhaus
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trellet
authors.forename: Guilhem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clary
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chafey
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Camoin
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nilges
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Nassif
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duménil
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D005990:Glycerol