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Updated: Dec 17, 2025

Imaging InlC Secretion to Investigate Cellular Infection by the Bacterial Pathogen Listeria monocytogenes
Published on: September 19, 2013
A Role for Taok2 in Listeria monocytogenes Vacuolar Escape
Juan J Quereda1,2, Camille Morel1, Noelia Lopez-Montero3,4
1Unité des Interactions Bactéries-Cellules, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Abstract:
The bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes invades host cells, ruptures the internalization vacuole, and reaches the cytosol for replication. A high-content small interfering RNA (siRNA) microscopy screen allowed us to identify epithelial cell factors involved in L. monocytogenes vacuolar rupture, including the serine/threonine kinase Taok2. Kinase activity inhibition using a specific drug validated a role for Taok2 in favoring L. monocytogenes cytoplasmic access. Furthermore, we showed that Taok2 recruitment to L. monocytogenes vacuoles requires the presence of pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O. Overall, our study identified the first set of host factors modulating L. monocytogenes vacuolar rupture and cytoplasmic access in epithelial cells.
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