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Listeria monocytogenes Infection of the Brain
05:02

Listeria monocytogenes Infection of the Brain

Published on: October 2, 2018

Listeria infection modulates mitochondrial dynamics

Fabrizia Stavru1, Pascale Cossart

  • 1Institut Pasteur; Unité des Interactions Bactéries-Cellules; Département de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection; Paris, France.

Communicative & Integrative Biology
|October 8, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Listeria monocytogenes infection disrupts mitochondrial dynamics, causing fragmentation. This bacterial toxin impacts mitochondrial function, aiding infection establishment.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Pathogen-Host Interactions

Background:

  • Mitochondria are vital organelles for cellular energy production and are known targets for pathogens.
  • While pathogen effects on apoptosis are studied, impacts on mitochondrial dynamics during infection are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes affects mitochondrial dynamics during infection.
  • To identify the bacterial factors and cellular mechanisms involved in pathogen-induced mitochondrial alterations.

Main Methods:

  • Infection of host cells with Listeria monocytogenes.
  • Microscopy techniques to visualize mitochondrial networks.
  • siRNA-mediated gene silencing to assess the role of mitochondrial dynamics.
  • Biochemical assays to evaluate mitochondrial function.

Main Results:

  • Listeria monocytogenes infection causes transient fragmentation of the mitochondrial network early in the infection process.
  • This fragmentation is specific to pathogenic L. monocytogenes and not observed with other intracellular pathogens.
  • Listeriolysin O, a secreted toxin, was identified as the primary bacterial factor responsible for disrupting mitochondrial dynamics and impairing function.

Conclusions:

  • Listeria monocytogenes actively manipulates host cell mitochondrial dynamics to facilitate infection.
  • Transient disruption of mitochondrial network and function by Listeria monocytogenes is a key strategy for pathogen invasion.
Keywords:
bioenergeticsintracellular pathogenlisteriolysin Omitochondrial fission

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