0000000000247676
AUTHOR
Klaus Boller
Phobalysin, a Small β-Pore-Forming Toxin of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae
ABSTRACT Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae , an important pathogen of marine animals, may also cause septicemia or hyperaggressive necrotizing fasciitis in humans. We previously showed that hemolysin genes are critical for virulence of this organism in mice and fish. In the present study, we characterized the hlyA gene product, a putative small β-pore-forming toxin, and termed it phobalysin P (PhlyP), for “photobacterial lysin encoded on a plasmid.” PhlyP formed stable oligomers and small membrane pores, causing efflux of K + , with no significant leakage of lactate dehydrogenase but entry of vital dyes. The latter feature distinguished PhlyP from the related Vibrio cholerae cytolysin…
A subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α-phosphatase (CreP/PPP1R15B) regulates membrane traffic.
The constitutive reverter of eIF2α phosphorylation (CReP)/PPP1r15B targets the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1c) to phosphorylated eIF2α (p-eIF2α) to promote its dephosphorylation and translation initiation. Here, we report a novel role and mode of action of CReP. We found that CReP regulates uptake of the pore-forming Staphylococcus aureus α-toxin by epithelial cells. This function was independent of PP1c and translation, although p-eIF2α was involved. The latter accumulated at sites of toxin attack and appeared conjointly with α-toxin in early endosomes. CReP localized to membranes, interacted with phosphomimetic eIF2α, and, upon overexpression, induced and decorated a pop…
Human Papillomavirus Types 16, 18, and 31 Share Similar Endocytic Requirements for Entry
ABSTRACT Human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18), one of the HPVs with malignant potential, enters cells by an unknown endocytic mechanism. The key cellular requirements for HPV18 endocytosis were tested in comparison to those for HPV16 and -31 endocytoses. HPV18 (like HPV16 and -31) entry was independent of clathrin, caveolin, dynamin, and lipid rafts but required actin polymerization and tetraspanin CD151, and the viruses were routed to the same LAMP-1-positive compartment. Hence, the viruses shared similar cellular requirements for endocytic entry.
Elimination of a bacterial pore-forming toxin by sequential endocytosis and exocytosis
Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin is the archetype of bacterial pore forming toxins and a key virulence factor secreted by the majority of clinical isolates of S. aureus. Toxin monomers bind to target cells and oligomerize to form small beta-barrel pores in the plasma membrane. Many nucleated cells are able to repair a limited number of lesions by unknown, calcium-independent mechanisms. Here we show that cells can internalize alpha-toxin, that uptake is essential for cellular survival, and that pore-complexes are not proteolytically degraded, but returned to the extracellular milieu in the context of exosome-like structures, which we term toxosomes.
Clathrin- and Caveolin-Independent Entry of Human Papillomavirus Type 16—Involvement of Tetraspanin-Enriched Microdomains (TEMs)
BACKGROUND: Infectious entry of human papillomaviruses into their host cells is an important step in the viral life cycle. For cell binding these viruses use proteoglycans as initial attachment sites. Subsequent transfer to a secondary receptor molecule seems to be involved in virus uptake. Depending on the papillomavirus subtype, it has been reported that entry occurs by clathrin- or caveolin-mediated mechanisms. Regarding human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), the primary etiologic agent for development of cervical cancer, clathrin-mediated endocytosis was described as infectious entry pathway. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using immunofluorescence and infection studies we show in contra…