The Legionella pneumophila F-box protein Lpp2082 (AnkB) modulates ubiquitination of the host protein parvin B and promotes intracellular replication

Cell Microbiol. 2010 Sep 1;12(9):1272-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2010.01467.x. Epub 2010 Mar 25.

Abstract

The environmental pathogen Legionella pneumophila encodes three proteins containing F-box domains and additional protein-protein interaction domains, reminiscent of eukaryotic SCF ubiquitin-protein ligases. Here we show that the F-box proteins of L. pneumophila strain Paris are Dot/Icm effectors involved in the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins associated with the Legionella-containing vacuole. Single, double and triple mutants of the F-box protein encoding genes were impaired in infection of Acanthamoeba castellanii, THP-1 macrophages and human lung epithelial cells. Lpp2082/AnkB was essential for infection of the lungs of A/J mice in vivo, and bound Skp1, the interaction partner of the SCF complex in mammalian cells, similar to AnkB from strain AA100/130b. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen and co-immunoprecipitation analysis we identified ParvB a protein present in focal adhesions and in lamellipodia, as a target. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed that ectopically expressed Lpp2082/AnkB colocalized with ParvB at the periphery of lamellipodia. Unexpectedly, ubiquitination tests revealed that Lpp2082/AnkB diminishes endogenous ubiquitination of ParvB. Based on these results we propose that L. pneumophila modulates ubiquitination of ParvB by competing with eukaryotic E3 ligases for the specific protein-protein interaction site of ParvB, thereby revealing a new mechanism by which L. pneumophila may employ translocated effector proteins to promote bacterial survival.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acanthamoeba castellanii / microbiology
  • Actinin / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Epithelial Cells / microbiology
  • F-Box Proteins / physiology*
  • Female
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Humans
  • Legionella pneumophila / metabolism
  • Legionella pneumophila / physiology*
  • Legionnaires' Disease / microbiology*
  • Lung / microbiology
  • Macrophages / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Ubiquitinated Proteins / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination*

Substances

  • F-Box Proteins
  • PARVB protein, human
  • Phosphoproteins
  • S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins
  • Ubiquitinated Proteins
  • Actinin