title: The Legionella pneumophila collagen-like protein mediates sedimentation, autoaggregation, and pathogen-phagocyte interactions.
abstract: Although only partially understood, multicellular behavior is relatively common in bacterial pathogens. Bacterial aggregates can resist various host defenses and colonize their environment more efficiently than planktonic cells. For the waterborne pathogen Legionella pneumophila, little is known about the roles of autoaggregation or the parameters which allow cell-cell interactions to occur. Here, we determined the endogenous and exogenous factors sufficient to allow autoaggregation to take place in L. pneumophila. We show that isolates from Legionella species which do not produce the Legionella collagen-like protein (Lcl) are deficient in autoaggregation. Targeted deletion of the Lcl-encoding gene (lpg2644) and the addition of Lcl ligands impair the autoaggregation of L. pneumophila. In addition, Lcl-induced autoaggregation requires divalent cations. Escherichia coli producing surface-exposed Lcl is able to autoaggregate and shows increased biofilm production. We also demonstrate that L. pneumophila infection of Acanthamoeba castellanii and Hartmanella vermiformis is potentiated under conditions which promote Lcl dependent autoaggregation. Overall, this study shows that L. pneumophila is capable of autoaggregating in a process that is mediated by Lcl in a divalent-cation-dependent manner. It also reveals that Lcl potentiates the ability of L. pneumophila to come in contact, attach, and infect amoebae.
authors: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Mena
authors: M
authors: Abdel-Nour
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Duncan
authors: Akriti
authors: A
authors: Prashar
authors: Chitong
authors: C
authors: Rao
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Ginevra
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Jarraud
authors: Donald E
authors: DE
authors: Low
authors: Alexander W
authors: AW
authors: Ensminger
authors: Mauricio R
authors: MR
authors: Terebiznik
authors: Cyril
authors: C
authors: Guyard
mesh_terms: D048248:Acanthamoeba castellanii / Q000382:microbiology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002413:Cations, Divalent / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017353:Gene Deletion; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016840:Lobosea / Q000382:microbiology; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002413:Cations, Divalent