Photo by bneale87 from unsplash
SignificanceRiboflavin (vitamin B2) is converted into flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), which are essential cofactors for many redox reactions across all domains of life. Listeria monocytogenes is… Click to show full abstract
SignificanceRiboflavin (vitamin B2) is converted into flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), which are essential cofactors for many redox reactions across all domains of life. Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that cannot synthesize riboflavin and must therefore obtain flavins from the host. In this study, we show that a previously identified riboflavin transporter (RibU) is essential for virulence and intracellular growth, but rather than transporting riboflavin, RibU transports FMN and FAD directly from the host cell cytosol. Mutants unable to convert riboflavin to FMN and FAD retained their capacity to grow intracellularly and were virulent, but they were unable to grow extracellularly and were thus converted from facultative to obligate intracellular pathogens.
Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year Published: 2022
Link to full text (if available)
Share on Social Media: Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!