Acid stress signals are integrated into the σB-dependent general stress response pathway via the stressosome in the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.

ABSTRACT: The general stress response (GSR) in Listeria monocytogenes plays a critical role in the survival of this pathogen in the host gastrointestinal tract. The GSR is regulated by the alternative sigma factor B (σB), whose role in protection against acid stress is well established. Here, we investigated the involvement of the stressosome, a sensory hub, in transducing low pH signals to induce the GSR. Mild acid shock (15 min at pH 5.0) activated σB and conferred protection against a subsequent lethal pH challenge. A mutant strain where the stressosome subunit RsbR1 was solely present retained the ability to induce σB activity at pH 5.0. The role of stressosome phosphorylation in signal transduction was investigated by mutating the putative phosphorylation sites in the core stressosome proteins

SUBMITTER: Guerreiro DN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8942246 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature