Induced expression of the Legionella pneumophila gene encoding a 20-kilodalton protein during intracellular infection

The eukaryotic protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximid has been used by many investigators to selectively radiolabel intracellular bacteria. Although cycloheximide has no direct effect on bacterial gene expression, there are concerns that long-term inhibition of the host cell protein synthesis may have secondary effects on bacterial gene expression. Therefore, prior to further identification and cloning of the macrophage-induced (MI) genes of Legionella pneumophila, the effects of cycloheximide on L. pneumophila-infected U937 cells were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Inhibition of protein synthesis of the host cell for 6 h had no major effect on the ultrastructure of the host cell, on the formation of rough endoplasmic reticulum-surrounded replicative phagosome, or on initiation of intracellular bacterial replication. In contrast, by 15 h of cycloheximide treatment, there was profound deterioration in the host cell as well as in the phagosome. To examine protein synthesis by L. pneumophila during the intracellular infection, U937 macrophage-like cells were infected with L. pneumophila, and intracellular bacteria were radiolabeled during a 2-h cycloheximide treatment or following 12 h of cycloheximide treatment. Comparison by two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the protein profile of radiolabeled in vitro-grown L. pneumophila to that of intracellularly radiolabeled bacteria showed that 23 proteins were induced in response to the intracellular environment during 2 h of inhibition of host cell protein biosynthesis. Twelve MI proteins of L. pneumophila were artifactually induced due to prolonged inhibition of the host cell protein synthesis. The gene encoding a 20-kDa MI protein was cloned by a reverse genetics technique. Sequence analysis showed that the cloned gene encoded a protein that was 80% similar to the enzyme inorganic pyrophosphatase. Studies of promoter fusion to a promoterless lacZ gene showed that compared to in vitro-grown bacteria, expression of the pyrophosphatase gene (ppa) was induced fourfold throughout the intracellular infection. There was no detectable induction in transcription of the ppa promoter during exposure to stress stimuli in vitro. The ppa gene of L. pneumophila is the first example of a regulated ppa gene which is selectively induced during intracellular infection and which may reflect enhanced capabilities of macromolecular biosynthesis by intracellular L. pneumophila. The data indicate caution in the long-term use of inhibition of host cell protein synthesis to selectively examine gene expression by intracellular bacteria.