Biology subjects

Vormittag, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Vormittag, S..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Inter-kingdom signaling by the Legionella autoinducer LAI-1 involves the antimicrobial guanylate binding protein GBP

The causative agent of Legionnaires disease, Legionella pneumophila, is an amoebae-resistant environmental bacterium, which replicates intracellularly in a distinct compartment, the "Legionella-containing vacuole" (LCV). L. pneumophila employs the -hydroxyketone compound LAI-1 (Legionella autoinducer-1) for intra-species and inter-kingdom signaling. LAI-1 promotes intracellular replication and inhibits the migration of mammalian cells and Dictyostelium discoideum. In this study, we revealed that LAI-1 and "clickable" azido-LAI-1 derivatives inhibit the migration of D. discoideum and localize to LCVs. Azido-LAI-1 colocalizes with the LCV markers calnexin, P4C, and AmtA, but not with mitochondrial or lipid droplet markers. Intriguingly, LAI-1 dependent inhibition of D. discoideum migration involves the single guanylate-binding protein (GBP), a member of the GBP family of large GTPases, which in metazoan organisms promote cell autonomous immunity. D. discoideum lacking GBP ({Delta}gnbp) allows more efficient intracellular replication of L. pneumophila, without apparently compromising LCV remodeling or integrity, and GBP-GFP localizes to the ER at LCV-ER membrane contact sites (MCS). However, the peri-LCV localization of LAI-1 and GBP is not mutually dependent. Synthetic LAI-1 inhibits the expansion/remodeling of LCVs (but not vacuoles harboring avirulent L. pneumophila) in a GBP-dependent manner. Taken together, the work shows that LAI-1 localizes to LCVs, and LAI-1-dependent inter-kingdom signaling involves D. discoideum GBP, which localizes to LCV-ER MCS and acts as an antimicrobial factor by restricting the intracellular growth of L. pneumophila. Author SummarySmall molecule inter-kingdom signaling between pathogens and host cells represents a crucial but only partly understood aspect of microbial virulence. The amoeba-resistant opportunistic pathogen Legionella pneumophila employs the compound LAI-1 (Legionella autoinducer-1) for intra-species and inter-kingdom signaling. In metazoan cells, the conserved and wide-spread family of guanylate-binding protein (GBP) large GTPases usually comprises several distinct paralogues, which are implicated in pathogen detection, inflammation, cell death pathways, and cell autonomous immunity. In the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, only a single GBP gene of unknown function is present. Using approaches from organic chemistry, genetics, cell biology and infection biology, we reveal that GBP is involved in the inhibition of D. discoideum migration and pathogen vacuole expansion/remodeling by LAI-1 as well as in intracellular growth of L. pneumophila. This study provides a novel link between small molecule inter-kingdom signaling and GBP-dependent cell autonomous immunity.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2023

ER-dependent membrane repair of mycobacteria-induced vacuole damage

Several intracellular pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, damage endomembranes to access the cytosol and subvert innate immune responses. The host counteracts endomembrane damage by recruiting repair machineries that retain the pathogen inside the vacuole. Here, we show that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-Golgi protein oxysterol binding protein (OSBP) and its Dictyostelium discoideum homologue OSBP8 are recruited to the Mycobacterium-containing vacuole (MCV) after ESX-1-dependent membrane damage. Lack of OSBP8 causes a hyperaccumulation of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI4P) on the MCV and decreased cell viability. OSBP8-depleted cells had reduced lysosomal and degradative capabilities of their vacuoles that favoured mycobacterial growth. In agreement with a function of OSBP8 in membrane repair, human macrophages infected with M. tuberculosis recruited OSBP in an ESX-1 dependent manner. These findings identified an ER-dependent repair mechanism for restoring MCVs in which OSBP8 functions to equilibrate PI4P levels on damaged membranes. ImportanceTuberculosis still remains a global burden and is one of the top infectious diseases from a single pathogen. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent, has perfected many ways to replicate and persist within its host. While mycobacteria induce vacuole damage to evade the toxic environment and eventually escape into the cytosol, the host recruits repair machineries to restore the MCV membrane. However, how lipids are delivered for membrane repair is poorly understood. Using advanced fluorescence imaging and volumetric correlative approaches, we demonstrate that this involves the recruitment of the ER-Golgi lipid transfer protein OSBP8 in the D. discoideum/ M. marinum system. Strikingly, depletion of OSBP8 affects lysosomal function accelerating mycobacterial growth. This indicates that an ER-dependent repair pathway constitutes a host defence mechanism against intracellular pathogens such as M. tuberculosis.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2022

The Legionella-driven PtdIns(4)P gradient at LCV-ER membrane contact sites promotes Vap-, OSBP- and Sac1-dependent pathogen vacuole remodeling

The causative agent of Legionnaires disease, Legionella pneumophila, governs interactions with host cells by secreting ca. 330 different "effector" proteins. The facultative intracellular bacteria replicate in macrophages and amoeba within a unique compartment, the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). Hallmarks of LCV formation are the phosphoinositide (PI) lipid conversion from PtdIns(3)P to PtdIns(4)P, fusion with endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived vesicles and a tight association with the ER. Proteomics of purified LCVs revealed the presence of membrane contact sites (MCS) proteins implicated in lipid exchange. Using dually fluorescence-labeled Dictyostelium discoideum amoeba, we reveal that the VAMP-associated protein (Vap), the PtdIns(4)P 4-phosphatase Sac1, and the large fusion GTPase Sey1/atlastin-3 localize to the ER, but not to the LCV membrane, and that these ER-resident proteins promote intracellular replication of L. pneumophila and LCV remodeling. Moreover, oxysterol binding proteins (OSBPs) preferentially localize to the ER (OSBP8) or the LCV membrane (OSBP11), respectively, and promote (OSBP8) or restrict (OSBP11) intracellular replication of L. pneumophila and LCV expansion. Furthermore, the PtdIns(4)P-subverting L. pneumophila effectors LepB and SidC also promote LCV remodeling. Taken together, the Legionella- and host cell-driven PtdIns(4)P gradient at LCV-ER MCSs promotes Vap-, OSBP- and Sac1-dependent pathogen vacuole remodeling.

microbiology↗