PGLYRP4 Enhances Shigella flexneri Virulence by Promoting virF Transcription via the CpxA/R Two-Component System.

ABSTRACT: The human gastrointestinal tract provides a complex environment for bacterial pathogens, necessitating their adaptation to host defenses and microbiota. Shigella, a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for bacillary dysentery, has evolved sophisticated mechanisms to regulate its virulence in response to intestinal signals. This study focuses on the role of peptidoglycan recognition protein 4 (PGLYRP4), a component of the host's innate immune system, in modulating Shigella's virulence. We demonstrate that PGLYRP4, at sub-bactericidal concentrations, significantly induces the transcription of the virulence regulator virF, through the CpxA/R TCS activation, therefore enhancing Shigella's infectivity without compromising bacterial viability. Moreover, our findings suggest that Shigella has deve

SUBMITTER: Trirocco R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12597783 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature