Role of macrophage apoptosis in the pathogenesis of Yersinia.

Yersinia species that are pathogenic for humans (Yersinia pestis, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Yersinia enterocolitica) induce apoptosis in macrophages. Yersinia-induced apoptosis utilizes the mitochondrial pathway and is executed by activation of caspase cascades. The mechanism of Yersinia-induced apoptosis in macrophages has two essential components. One component is the innate immune response of macrophages to the pathogen, which leads to the activation of a survival response and a death response. Recognition of the bacterial cell envelope component lipopolysaccharide by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) constitutes an important part of the innate immune response to the pathogen. The second essential component is YopJ, a protein secreted into Yersinia-infected macrophages via a bacterial type III secretion system, which selectively shuts down the survival pathway. In the absence of the survival pathway, the death pathway is executed, and Yersinia-infected macrophages undergo apoptosis. In this review, we introduce the basic features of Yersinia pathogenesis, summarize our current understanding of Yersinia-induced apoptosis, and discuss the role of apoptosis during Yersinia infection.

A bacterial type III secretion system inhibits actin polymerization to prevent pore formation in host cell membranes.

The bacterial pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis uses type III secretion machinery to translocate Yop effector proteins through host cell plasma membranes. A current model suggests that a type III translocation channel is inserted into the plasma membrane, and if Yops are not present to fill the channel, the channel will form a pore. We examined the possibility that Yops act within the host cell to prevent pore formation. Yop- mutants of Y.pseudotuberculosis were assayed for pore-forming activity in HeLa cells. A YopE- mutant exhibited high levels of pore-forming activity. The GTPase-downregulating function of YopE was required to prevent pore formation. YopE+ bacteria had increased pore-forming activity when HeLa cells expressed activated Rho GTPases. Pore formation by YopE- bacteria required actin polymerization. F-actin was concentrated at sites of contact between HeLa cells and YopE- bacteria. The data suggest that localized actin polymerization, triggered by the type III machinery, results in pore formation in cells infected with YopE- bacteria. Thus, translocated YopE inhibits actin polymerization to prevent membane damage to cells infected with wild-type bacteria.

Identification of residues in the N-terminal domain of the Yersinia tyrosine phosphatase that are critical for substrate recognition.

YopH is a 468-amino acid protein-tyrosine phosphatase that is produced by pathogenic Yersinia species. YopH is translocated into host mammalian cells via a type III protein secretion system. Translocation of YopH into human epithelial cells results in dephosphorylation of p130(Cas) and paxillin, disruption of focal adhesions, and inhibition of integrin-mediated bacterial phagocytosis. Previous studies have shown that the N-terminal 129 amino acids of YopH comprise a bifunctional domain. This domain binds to the SycH chaperone in Yersinia to orchestrate translocation and to tyrosine-phosphorylated target proteins in host cells to mediate substrate recognition. We used random mutagenesis in combination with the yeast two-hybrid system to identify residues in the YopH N-terminal domain that are involved in substrate-binding activity. Four single codon changes (Q11R, V31G, A33D, and N34D) were identified that interfered with binding of the YopH N-terminal domain to tyrosine-phosphorylated p130(Cas) but not to SycH. These mutations did not impair YopH translocation into HeLa cells infected with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Introduction of the V31G substitution into catalytically inactive (substrate-trapping) forms of YopH interfered with the ability of these proteins to bind to p130(Cas) and to localize to focal adhesions in HeLa cells. In addition, the V31G substitution reduced the ability of catalytically active YopH to dephosphorylate target proteins in HeLa cells. These data indicate that the substrate- and SycH-binding activities of the YopH N-terminal domain can be separated and that the former activity is important for recognition and dephosphorylation of substrates by YopH in vivo.

Disruption of signaling by Yersinia effector YopJ, a ubiquitin-like protein protease.

Homologs of the Yersinia virulence effector YopJ are found in both plant and animal bacterial pathogens, as well as plant symbionts. These YopJ family members were shown to act as cysteine proteases. The catalytic triad of the protease was required for inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling in animal cells and for induction of localized cell death in plants. The substrates for YopJ were shown to be highly conserved ubiquitin-like molecules, which are covalently added to numerous regulatory proteins. YopJ family members exert their pathogenic effect on cells by disrupting this posttranslational modification.

The RhoGAP activity of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis cytotoxin YopE is required for antiphagocytic function and virulence.

A variety of pathogenic bacteria use type III secretion pathways to translocate virulence proteins into host eukaryotic cells. YopE is an important virulence factor that is translocated into mammalian cells via a plasmid-encoded type III system in Yersinia spp. YopE action in mammalian cells promotes the disruption of actin filaments, cell rounding and blockage of phagocytosis. It was reported recently that two proteins with sequence similarity to YopE, SptP of Salmonella typhimurium and ExoS of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, function as GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) for Rho GTPases. YopE contains an 'arginine finger' motif that is present in SptP, ExoS and other Rho GAPs and is essential for catalysis by this class of proteins. We show here that a GST-YopE fusion protein stimulated in vitro GTP hydrolysis by the Rho family members Cdc42, RhoA and Rac1, but not by Ras. Conversion of the essential arginine in the arginine finger motif to alanine (R144A) eliminated the in vitro GAP activity of GST-YopE. Infection assays carried out with a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis strain producing YopER144A demonstrated that GAP function was essential for the disruption of actin filaments, cell rounding and inhibition of phagocytosis by YopE in HeLa cells. Furthermore, the GAP function of YopE was important for Y. pseudotuberculosis pathogenesis in a mouse infection assay. Transfection of HeLa cells with a vector that produces a constitutively active form of RhoA (RhoA-V14) prevented the disruption of actin filaments and cell rounding by YopE. Production of an activated form of Rac1 (Rac1-V12), but not RhoA-V14, in HeLa cells interfered with YopE antiphagocytic activity. These results demonstrate that YopE functions as a RhoGAP to downregulate multiple Rho GTPases, leading to the disruption of actin filaments and inhibition of bacterial uptake into host cells.

The Yersinia tyrosine phosphatase YopH targets a novel adhesion-regulated signalling complex in macrophages.

The Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) YopH is translocated into eukaryotic cells by a type III secretion system that requires bacterial-host cell contact. YopH is composed of two modular effector domains: a substrate-binding domain located in the N-terminal region (residues 1-130) and a PTP catalytic domain located in the C-terminal region (residues 206-468). Previous studies have shown that YopH selectively targets tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins of approximate molecular weight 120 kDa (p120) and 55 kDa (p55) in murine macrophages. It has been demonstrated that p120 actually represents two tyrosine-phosphorylated target proteins, Cas and Fyb. We used the substrate-binding domain of YopH to affinity purify tyrosine-phosphorylated target proteins from lysates of J774A.1 macrophages. Protein microsequencing identified p55 as murine SKAP-HOM. Direct interaction between SKAP-HOM and a catalytically inactive form of YopH was demonstrated in vitro and in macrophages. In addition, we obtained evidence that SKAP-HOM is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to macrophage cell adhesion and that it forms a signalling complex with Fyb. We suggest that dephosphorylation of SKAP-HOM and Fyb by YopH allows yersiniae to interfere with a novel adhesion-regulated signal transduction pathway in macrophages.

CAS/Crk signalling mediates uptake of Yersinia into human epithelial cells.

Uptake of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis into mammalian cells involves engagement of beta1 integrin receptors by the bacterial protein invasin. This triggers a host response that involves tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins and the induction of actin rearrangements that lead to cellular uptake of bacteria. In this report, we show that the focal adhesion protein CAS plays an important role in Yersinia uptake, and that its function is linked to the phosphorylation-dependent interaction between CAS and Crk. These studies demonstrate that Yersinia binding to host cell receptors initiates a cascade of events involving tyrosine phosphorylation of CAS, subsequent formation of functional CAS-Crk complexes and the activity of the small GTP-binding protein Rac1. The delineation of this pathway lends support for a model in which Yersinia uptake into human epithelial cells is dependent upon aspects of host signalling pathways that govern actin cytoskeleton remodelling and cell migration.

Inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase superfamily by a Yersinia effector.

The bacterial pathogen Yersinia uses a type III secretion system to inject several virulence factors into target cells. One of the Yersinia virulence factors, YopJ, was shown to bind directly to the superfamily of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases (MKKs) blocking both phosphorylation and subsequent activation of the MKKs. These results explain the diverse activities of YopJ in inhibiting the extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun amino-terminal kinase, p38, and nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathways, preventing cytokine synthesis and promoting apoptosis. YopJ-related proteins that are found in a number of bacterial pathogens of animals and plants may function to block MKKs so that host signaling responses can be modulated upon infection.

YopJ of Yersinia spp. is sufficient to cause downregulation of multiple mitogen-activated protein kinases in eukaryotic cells.

Pathogenic Yersinia spp. utilize a plasmid-encoded type III secretion system to deliver a set of Yop effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. Previous studies have shown that the effector YopJ is required for Yersinia to cause downregulation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 in infected macrophages. Here we demonstrate that YopJ is sufficient to cause downregulation of multiple MAP kinases in eukaryotic cells. Cellular fractionation experiments confirmed that YopJ is delivered into the cytoplasmic fraction of macrophages by the type III system. Production of YopJ in COS-1 cells by transfection significantly reduced (5- to 10-fold) activation of JNK, p38, and ERK in response to several different stimuli, including serum and tumor necrosis factor alpha. JNK activation mediated by RacV12, an activated mutant of Rac1, was also blocked by YopJ in COS-1 cells, indicating that YopJ acts downstream of this small GTPase to downregulate MAP kinase signaling. Analysis of transfected COS-1 cells by immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that YopJ is recruited from the cytoplasmic compartment to the cell periphery in response to stimuli (e.g., serum) that induce membrane ruffling. These data indicate that YopJ functions as a "MAP kinase toxin" to selectively block nuclear responses that are triggered by Yersinia-host cell interaction.

Identification of an amino-terminal substrate-binding domain in the Yersinia tyrosine phosphatase that is required for efficient recognition of focal adhesion targets.

YopH is a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) that is delivered into host mammalian cells via a type III secretion pathway in pathogenic Yersinia species. Although YopH is a highly active PTP, it preferentially targets a subset of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in host cells, including p130Cas. Previous in vitro studies have indicated that the carboxy-terminal PTP domain contributes specificity to the interaction of YopH with substrates. However, it is not known if the PTP domain is sufficient for substrate recognition by YopH. Here, we have identified paxillin as an additional substrate of YopH in HeLa cells. In addition, we have identified a domain in the amino-terminal region of YopH that binds to both p130Cas and paxillin and is required for the efficient recognition of substrates by the wild-type enzyme. This 'substrate-binding' domain exhibits a ligand specificity that is similar to that of the Crk Src homology 2 (SH2) domain, and it binds substrates directly in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner. The substrate-binding domain of YopH may represent a novel type of protein-protein interaction module, as it lacks significant sequence similarity with any known SH2 or phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB) domain.

YopJ of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is required for the inhibition of macrophage TNF-alpha production and downregulation of the MAP kinases p38 and JNK.

Exposure of macrophages to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Previous studies have suggested that pathogenic Yersinia spp. inhibit LPS-mediated production of TNF-alpha in macrophages, and that one of the Yop proteins secreted by the plasmid-encoded type III pathway is required for this activity. We found that TNF-alpha production was inhibited when J774A.1 murine macrophages were infected with wild-type Y. pseudotuberculosis but not with an isogenic ysc mutant defective for Yop secretion. We inactivated multiple yop genes to identify which of these factors are required for the inhibition of TNF-alpha production. A mutant unable to express yopJ was defective for the inhibition of TNF-alpha production. Production of TNF-alpha is regulated at the transcriptional and translational levels by several mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. The MAP kinases p38 and JNK underwent sustained activation in macrophages infected with the yopJ mutant. Conversely, p38 and JNK were downregulated in macrophages infected with the wild-type strain. The ability of the yopJ mutant to downregulate p38 and JNK and to inhibit production of TNF-alpha was restored by the expression of yopJ+ in trans. Therefore, YopJ is required for Y. pseudotuberculosis to downregulate MAP kinases and inhibit the production of TNF-alpha in macrophages.

Identification of p130Cas as a substrate of Yersinia YopH (Yop51), a bacterial protein tyrosine phosphatase that translocates into mammalian cells and targets focal adhesions.

A number of pathogenic bacteria utilize type III secretion pathways to translocate virulence proteins into host eukaryotic cells. We identified a host target of YopH, a protein tyrosine phosphatase that is translocated into mammalian cells by Yersiniae. A catalytically inactive 'substrate-trapping' mutant, YopHC403S, was used as a probe to determine where YopH substrates localize in eukaryotic cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that YopHC403S localized to focal adhesions in human epithelial cells infected with Y. pseudotuberculosis. YopHC403S stabilized focal adhesions, as shown by its dominant-negative effect on focal adhesion disassembly mediated by YopE, a translocated protein which disrupts actin stress fibers. Conversely, YopH destabilized focal adhesions, even in the absence of YopE, as shown by loss of phosphotyrosine staining. Immunoprecipitation revealed that YopHC403S was trapped in a complex with a hyperphosphorylated 125-135 kDa protein, identified by immunoblotting as the focal adhesion protein p130Cas. YopHC403S bound directly to p130Cas in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner in vitro. Translocation of YopH into cells plated on fibronectin resulted in rapid and selective dephosphorylation of p130Cas. These results demonstrate that YopH targets focal adhesions in host cells and that p130Cas, a docking protein for multiple SH2 domains, is a direct substrate of this enzyme in vivo.

A secreted protein tyrosine phosphatase with modular effector domains in the bacterial pathogen Salmonella typhimurium.

A number of bacterial pathogens have evolved sophisticated strategies to subvert host-cell signal-transduction pathways for their own benefit. These bacteria produce and export proteins capable of specific interactions with key mammalian cell regulatory molecules in order to derail the normal functions of the cells. In this study, we describe the identification of a modular effector protein secreted by the bacterial pathogen Salmonella typhimurium that is required for its full display of virulence. Sequence analysis revealed that a carboxy-terminal region of this protein, which we have termed SptP, is homologous to the catalytic domains of protein tyrosine phosphatases. Purified SptP protein efficiently dephosphorylated peptide substrates phosphorylated on tyrosine. An engineered mutant of SptP in which a critical Cys residue in the catalytic domain was changed to Ser was devoid of phosphatase activity, indicating a catalytic mechanism similar to that of other tyrosine phosphatases. In addition, an amino-terminal region of SptP exhibited sequence similarity to the ribosyltransferase exoenzyme S from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the cytotoxin YopE from Yersinia spp. The modular nature of this effector protein may allow multiple interactions with host-cell signalling functions.

Cross-talk between bacterial pathogens and their host cells.

A taxonomically diverse group of bacterial pathogens have evolved a variety of strategies to subvert host-cellular functions to their advantage. This often involves two-way biochemical interactions leading to responses in both the pathogen and host cell. Central to this interaction is the function of a specialized protein secretion system that directs the export and/or translocation into the host cells of a number of bacterial proteins that can induce or interfere with host-cell signal transduction pathways. The understanding of these bacterial/host-cell interactions will not only lead to novel therapeutic approaches but will also result in a better understanding of a variety of basic aspects of cell physiology and immunology.

Inhibition of the Fc receptor-mediated oxidative burst in macrophages by the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis tyrosine phosphatase.

Suppression of host-cell-mediated immunity is a hallmark feature of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. To better understand this process, the interaction of Y. pseudotuberculosis with macrophages and the effect of the virulence plasmid-encoded Yersinia tyrosine phosphatase (YopH) on the oxidative burst was analyzed in a chemiluminescence assay. An oxidative burst was generated upon infection of macrophages with a plasmid-cured strain of Y. pseudotuberculosis opsonized with immunoglobulin G antibody. Infection with plasmid-containing Y. pseudotuberculosis inhibited the oxidative burst triggered by secondary infection with opsonized bacteria. The tyrosine phosphatase activity of YopH was necessary for this inhibition. These results indicate that YopH inhibits Fc receptor-mediated signal transduction in macrophages in a global fashion. In addition, bacterial protein synthesis was not required for macrophage inhibition, suggesting that YopH export and translocation are controlled at the posttranslational level.

The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis adhesin YadA mediates intimate bacterial attachment to and entry into HEp-2 cells.

We characterized a bacterium-host cell interaction that is mediated by the Yersinia adhesin YadA. Derivatives of the virulence plasmid pIB1 harboring mutations in yadA, yopE, or yopH or in a low-calcium-response regulatory locus were introduced into a Yersinia pseudotuberculosis YPIII strain defective for Inv. The mutant strains were tested for the capacity to attach to and enter HEp-2 cells and express the cytotoxic activities of YopE and YopH. As previously shown, expression of YadA was necessary for bacterial attachment and Yop activity in the absence of Inv (R. Rosqvist, A. Forsberg, M. Rimpilainen, T. Bergman, and H. Wolf-Watz, Mol. Microbiol. 4:657-667, 1990). In addition, bacterial entry into HEp-2 cells occurred efficiently when YadA was expressed in the absence of YopE and YopH. These results demonstrated that YadA mediates intimate attachment of Y. pseudotuberculosis to HEp-2 cells and that phagocytic uptake of bacteria by this pathway is inhibited by the synergistic activities of YopH and YopE. A role for beta 1 integrins as host cell receptors for this bacterial attachment and entry mechanism was supported by HEp-2 cell adhesion and monoclonal antibody neutralization studies.