Listeria monocytogenes MenI encodes a DHNA-CoA thioesterase necessary for menaquinone biosynthesis, cytosolic survival, and virulence

Listeria monocytogenes a Gram-positive intracellular pathogen that is highly adapted to invade and replicate in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. Intermediate metabolites in the menaquinone biosynthesis pathway are essential for the cytosolic survival and virulence of L. monocytogenes, independent of the production of MK and aerobic respiration. Determining which specific intermediate metabolite(s) are essential for cytosolic survival and virulence has been hindered by the lack of an identified DHNA-CoA thioesterase essential for converting DHNA-CoA to DHNA in the MK synthesis pathway. Using the recently identified Escherichia coli DHNA-CoA thioesterase as a query, homology sequence analysis revealed a single homolog in L. monocytogenes, LMRG_02730. Genetic deletion of LMRG_02730 resulted in an ablated membrane potential, indicative of a non-functional electron transport chain (ETC) and an inability to aerobically respire. Biochemical kinetic analysis of LMRG_02730 revealed strong activity towards DHNA-CoA, similar to its E. coli homolog, further demonstrating that LMRG_02730 is a DHNA-CoA thioesterase. Functional analyses in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo using mutants directly downstream and upstream of LMRG_02730 revealed that DHNA-CoA is sufficient to facilitate in vitro growth in minimal media, intracellular replication, and plaque formation in fibroblasts. In contrast, protection against bacteriolysis in the cytosol of macrophages and tissue specific virulence in vivo requires the production of DHNA. Taken together, these data implicate LMRG_02730 (renamed MenI) as a DHNA-CoA thioesterase and suggest that while DHNA protects the bacteria from killing in the macrophage cytosol, DHNA-CoA is necessary for intracellular bacterial replication.