Dot/Icm effector translocation by Legionella longbeachae creates a replicative vacuole similar to that of Legionella pneumophila despite translocation of distinct effector repertoires

Abstract

Legionella organisms are environmental bacteria and accidental human pathogens that can cause severe pneumonia, termed Legionnaires' disease. These bacteria replicate within a pathogen-derived vacuole termed the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). Our understanding of the development and dynamics of this vacuole is based on extensive analysis of Legionella pneumophila. Here, we have characterized the Legionella longbeachae replicative vacuole (longbeachae-LCV) and demonstrated that, despite important genomic differences, key features of the replicative LCV are comparable to those of the LCV of L. pneumophila (pneumophila-LCV). We constructed a Dot/Icm-deficient strain by deleting dotB and d..