SmcL, a novel membrane-damaging virulence factor in Listeria.

Imagen de Alberto Tierrez Martínez
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TítuloSmcL, a novel membrane-damaging virulence factor in Listeria.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2000
AutoresGonzález-Zorn, B, Domínguez-Bernal, G, Suárez, M, Ripio, MT, Vega, Y, Novella, S, Rodríguez, A, Chico, I, Tierrez, A, Vázquez-Boland, JA
JournalInt J Med Microbiol
Volume290
Issue4-5
Pagination369-74
Date Published2000 Oct
ISSN1438-4221
Palabras claveAmino Acid Sequence, Animals, Cattle, Cell Division, Cell Membrane, Listeria, Mice, Molecular Sequence Data, Phagosomes, Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase, Transcription, Genetic, Virulence
Abstract

We describe here the fourth listerial membrane-damaging virulence factor, a sphingomyelinase C (SMase) that is produced specifically by the ruminant pathogen Listeria ivanovii. Its coding gene, smcL, is a monocistron expressed independently of PrfA. The smcL product, SmcL, is highly similar to the staphylococcal beta-toxin and is responsible for the differential hemolytic properties of L. ivanovii (bizonal hemolysis and CAMP-like reaction with R. equi). The role of SmcL in virulence was assessed by gene disruption and complementation. Our data show that SmcL mediates disruption of the membrane of primary phagosomes, thereby promoting bacterial intracellular proliferation. They also suggest that SmcL may play a role in host tropism. smcL is located in LIPI-2, a novel 18-kb pathogenicity island which also contains a cluster of internalin genes. LIPI-2 is unstable, L. ivanovii-specific and required for full virulence in mice and lambs.

Alternate JournalInt. J. Med. Microbiol.
PubMed ID11111913