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Title: Listeria monocytogenes virulence factors, including listeriolysin O, are secreted in biologically active extracellular vesicles

Journal Article · · Journal of Biological Chemistry

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) produced by Gram-negative bacteria have been studied for half a century but the possibility that Gram-positive bacteria made extracellular vesicles (EVs) was not pursued due to the assumption that the thick peptidoglycan cell wall would prevent their release to the extracellular environment. However, following discovery in fungi, which also have cell walls, EVs have now been described in a variety of Gram-positive bacteria. EVs purified from Gram-positive bacteria have been implicated in virulence, toxin release, and delivery of molecules to host cells, eliciting immune responses, and transfer of antibiotic resistance. Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium that is the etiological agent of listeriosis. Here we report that L. monocytogenes produces extracellular EVs with similar size and morphology to EVs from other microorganisms, with average diameter of approximately 20-200 nm. EV composition analyzed using a simultaneous metabolite, protein, and lipid extraction (MPLEx) multi-omics approach. Listeriolysin-O (LLO) was recently reported to be associated with EVs; we confirm this finding and report that EVs contain phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). Cell free EV preparations were toxic to mammalian cells demonstrating biological activity of the EV and a complex EV-LLO-PI-PLC association. High-resolution fluorescence imaging revealed L. monocytogenes derived lipid structures colocalizing with LLO in infected human epithelial cells, a finding consistent with intracellular EV-mediated secretion of LLO. Furthermore these results demonstrate that L. monocytogenes, like other toxin-producing Gram-positive bacteria, utilize EVs for toxin release and implicate these structures in mammalian cytotoxicity.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1765007
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1502052
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-128462; S002192582038858X; PII: S002192582038858X
Journal Information:
Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Biological Chemistry Vol. 294 Journal Issue: 4; ISSN 0021-9258
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 64 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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