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Listeria monocytogenes Sigma B, but not PrfA, shows strain specific contributions to growth under salt stress, and prolongated lag phase of a sigB null mutant across strains

ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes is well known to have the ability to survive and grow under a variety of stress conditions. The ability to survive and grow under osmotic stress conditions in particular appears to be important for both growth in certain foods and food associated environments as well as for host infection. To characterize the contributions of transcriptional regulators important for stress response and virulence (i.e., Sigma B - σB and PrfA), we initially analyzed three L. monocytogenes parent strains and isogenic mutants ( delta sigB, delta prfA, and delta sigB delta prfA), representing different serotypes and lineages, for their ability to grow in BHI with 11% NaCl (1.9M) at 25°C. No significant differences were observed in terms of growth between the parent strains and their respective mutants lacking prfA (i.e. delta prfA, and delta sigB delta prfA mutant strains). While for all strains, the delta sigB mutant showed a prolonged lag phase as compared to the parent strains, maximum growth rates were only reduced for the delta sigB mutant of lineage I and IV strains. Interestingly, for the serotype 1/2b strain, the delta sigB mutant reached a higher maximum cell density than the parent strain or the delta prfA mutant. Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells invasion assays and hemolytic activity assays showed a significant role for σB in the former and for PrfA in the latter. To initially explore the mechanism that may contribute to the extended lag phase in the delta sigB mutant, microarray was performed to compare transcript levels between the lineage I, serotype 1/2b, parent strain and its isogenic delta sigB mutant in lag phase at 25°C in the presence of 11% NaCl. Microarray data showed significant lower and higher transcript levels for 135 and 173 genes, respectively, in the parent strain as compared to the delta sigB strains. Overall, 51 of the 173 σB up-regulated genes had previously been found among the 249 σB-dependent genes identified in a microarray study conducted in stationary phase cells, indicating that up to 122 genes may be transcribed in a σB-dependent manner during lag phase under salt stress. Notable genes that showed higher transcript levels in the parent strain include inlD (encoding an internalin protein that may be involved in virulence), sigH (encoding an alternative σ factor), glpK (encoding a glycerol kinase) and resD (encoding a two-component response regulator ResD); while, genes that showed lower transcript levels in the parent strain include dnaK (encoding a dihydroxyacetone kinase), groES (encoding a class I heat-shock protein GroES), grpE (encoding a co-chaperone GrpE) and fri (encoding a non-heme iron-binding ferritin). These data showed that although PrfA does not contribute to growth under osmotic stress at 25°C, σB does contribute to survival of L. monocytogenes under high salt conditions. Moreover, the σB-dependent transcriptome of L. monocytogenes lag phase cells under salt stress was characterized and includes previously identified as well as novel σB-dependent genes, including a number of stress response and virulence-associated genes.

ORGANISM(S): Listeria monocytogenes

PROVIDER: GSE49056 | GEO | 2013/07/20

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA212785

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Listeria monocytogenes is well known to have the ability to survive and grow under a variety of stress conditions. The ability to survive and grow under osmotic stress conditions in particular appears to be important for both growth in certain foods and food associated environments as well as for host infection. To characterize the contributions of transcriptional regulators important for stress response and virulence (i.e., Sigma B - M-OM-^CB and PrfA), we initially analyzed three L. monocytogenes parent strains and isogenic mutants ( delta sigB, delta prfA, and delta sigB delta prfA), representing different serotypes and lineages, for their ability to grow in BHI with 11% NaCl (1.9M) at 25M-BM-0C. No significant differences were observed in terms of growth between the parent strains and their respective mutants lacking prfA (i.e. delta prfA, and delta sigB delta prfA mutant strains). While for all strains, the delta sigB mutant showed a prolonged lag phase as compared to the parent strains, maximum growth rates were only reduced for the delta sigB mutant of lineage I and IV strains. Interestingly, for the serotype 1/2b strain, the delta sigB mutant reached a higher maximum cell density than the parent strain or the delta prfA mutant. Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells invasion assays and hemolytic activity assays showed a significant role for M-OM-^CB in the former and for PrfA in the latter. To initially explore the mechanism that may contribute to the extended lag phase in the delta sigB mutant, microarray was performed to compare transcript levels between the lineage I, serotype 1/2b, parent strain and its isogenic delta sigB mutant in lag phase at 25M-BM-0C in the presence of 11% NaCl. Microarray data showed significant lower and higher transcript levels for 135 and 173 genes, respectively, in the parent strain as compared to the delta sigB strains. Overall, 51 of the 173 M-OM-^CB up-regulated genes had previously been found among the 249 M-OM-^CB-dependent genes identified in a microarray study conducted in stationary phase cells, indicating that up to 122 genes may be transcribed in a M-OM-^CB-dependent manner during lag phase under salt stress. Notable genes that showed higher transcript levels in the parent strain include inlD (encoding an internalin protein that may be involved in virulence), sigH (encoding an alternative M-OM-^C factor), glpK (encoding a glycerol kinase) and resD (encoding a two-component response regulator ResD); while, genes that showed lower transcript levels in the parent strain include dnaK (encoding a dihydroxyacetone kinase), groES (encoding a class I heat-shock protein GroES), grpE (encoding a co-chaperone GrpE) and fri (encoding a non-heme iron-binding ferritin). These data showed that although PrfA does not contribute to growth under osmotic stress at 25M-BM-0C, M-OM-^CB does contribute to survival of L. monocytogenes under high salt conditions. Moreover, the M-OM-^CB-dependent transcriptome of L. monocytogenes lag phase cells under salt stress was characterized and includes previously identified as well as novel M-OM-^CB-dependent genes, including a number of stress response and virulence-associated genes. Independent RNA isolations were performed for one wildtype (lineage I) and M-NM-^TsigB strains from cells grown to lag phase. Three biological replicates were used in competitive whole-genome microarray experiments. For each set of hybridizations, RNA from a L. monocytogenes wildtype strain was hybridized with RNA from its isogenic M-NM-^TsigB null mutant.

Project description:The Listeria monocytogenes genome contains more than 20 genes that encode cell surface-associated proteins termed internalins, which are characterized by the presence of multiple leucine-rich repeats. Subsets of internalin genes have been reported previously as transcriptionally regulated by the stress responsive sigma factor B (inlA, inlB, inlC2 and inlD) and the pleiotropic transcriptional activator PrfA (inlA, inlB, inlC). To investigate contributions of σB and PrfA to internalin gene regulation, we designed a sub-genomic microarray containing two probes for each of the 24 internalin-like genes present in the L. monocytogenes 10403S genome. Competitive microarray hybridization was performed on RNA extracted from (i) the 10403S parent strain and an isogenic ΔsigB strain; (ii) 10403S and an isogenic ΔprfA strain; (iii) a 10403S derivative that expresses the constitutively active PrfA* (G155S) and the ΔprfA strain; and (iv) 10403S and an isogenic ΔsigBΔprfA strain. σB- and PrfA-dependent transcription of selected genes was further confirmed by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Statistical analyses of microarray data demonstrated that use of two probes on a microarray for a given target gene yielded more reliable transcriptional profiling information than use of a single probe. The suitability of the PrfA* strain for examining PrfA-dependent gene expression was established quantitatively by the observation that the plcA and prfA transcript levels generated by the PrfA* strain were similar to those obtained from intracellular L. monocytogenes and significantly higher than those in a wildtype strain grown in BHI broth. Among the 24 internalin-like genes examined, 4 and 6 were positively regulated by PrfA and σB, respectively, including inlA and inlB, which were positively regulated by both PrfA and σB. In summary, our findings clearly establish broad roles for both PrfA and σB in regulating L. monocytogenes internalin gene expression Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Internalins, sigB, PrfA, Microarrays

Project description:In several gram-positive bacterial genera including Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Listeria, sigma B (σB) has been identified as a stress-responsive alternative sigma factor responsible for initiating transcription of genes (the σB regulon) involved in response to stress-inducing environmental conditions. In L. monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen of considerable threat to public health and the food industry, σB is involved in regulation of stress response and virulence gene expression. We have defined the σB regulon in L. monocytogenes during early stationary phase and under salt stress (0.3M NaCl) conditions using whole-genome microarrays, identifying 168 genes that generated ≥2.0-fold higher signals in the parental strain 10403S than in an isogenic sigB null mutant (ΔsigB), categorized into nine functional groups including stress-response genes (12), virulence genes (5), and genes related to transport (26) and metabolism (45). To gain a broader biological perspective of the σB stress response system, we applied these microarrays to Listeria innocua under the same environmental conditions. Our studies revealed 64 candidates in the L. innocua σB regulon with ≥2.0-fold higher signals in the parent than in a ΔsigB mutant; 49 of the 64 genes overlap with the L. monocytogenes σB regulon, indicating extensive overlap in σB-controlled genes between the two species. Further transcriptional analysis using TaqMan quantitative real time RT-PCR was performed for selected genes that displayed contrasting fold changes among the four microarray data sets (two stress conditions per species). We report novel members of the L. monocytogenes σB regulon, as well as the initial definition of the L. innocua σB regulon. Our comparative studies of the σB stress response systems in L. monocytogenes and L. innocua revealed features of the σB regulon that are conserved and unique to the two species. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua, SigB regulon, salt stress, stationary phase

Project description:The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes experiences osmotic stress in many habitats, including foods and the gastrointestinal tract of the host. While osmotic stress induced changes in expression have been investigated for specific genes, identifying and understanding genome-wide temporal changes in the transcriptome due to salt stress will provide insights into how this pathogen adapts to and survives this stress, leading to development of new intervention strategies. To determine the short-term and long-term responses to salt stress, we exposed exponential phase cells of L. monocytogenes H7858 to 6% NaCl in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth at 7°C and 37°C and extracted RNA after 2.5%, 5%, 10%, and 20% of lag phase and during exponential growth in BHI + 6% NaCl, and evaluated temporal changes in transcript levels with microarrays. The temperature dependent short-term response to salt stress included a significant increase in transcript levels of the alternative sigma factor σB, with maximum expression at 2.5-5% of lag phase at 37°C, and at 20% of lag phase at 7°C. Transcript levels of genes known to be regulated by σB, including inlAB, opuCA, glpFK, and gadBC, were significantly upregulated at the same relative time points as σB As indicated by significantly elevated transcript levels during exponential growth in BHI + 6% NaCl, genes encoding proteins involved in purine and pyrimidine synthesis and amino acid biosynthesis are part of the long-term response to salt stress at 37°C. Transcript levels of virulence genes plcA, mpl, actA, and plcB were also significantly upregulated during exponential growth under salt stress at 37°C. Genes encoding proteins involved in protein degradation and stability and cell membrane modifications are part of the long-term response to salt stress at 7°C. Overall, an initial alteration in the transcriptome occurs, decreasing transcript levels of genes encoding proteins involved in energy conversion and metabolism, while increasing transcript levels of those involved in the stress response controlled by σB, followed by a long-term response, including increased expression of genes encoding compatible solute transporters and general stress proteins, facilitating growth under salt stress. A reference design was used to analyze gene expression differences. Exponential phase cultures at 37C and at 7C were used as a reference for salt stressed samples at each temperature. Salt stressed samples from the same relative time point were compared across temperatures. 4 biological replicates were tested for each comparison.

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Listeria monocytogenes Sigma B, but not PrfA, shows strain specific contributions to growth under salt stress, and prolongated lag phase of a sigB null mutant across strains

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