ExPortal and the LiaFSR Regulatory System Coordinate the Response to Cell Membrane Stress in Streptococcus pyogenes

ABSTRACT LiaFSR is a gene regulatory system important for response to cell membrane stress in Gram-positive bacteria but is minimally studied in the important human pathogen group A Streptococcus (GAS). Using immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy, we discovered that LiaF (a membrane-bound repressor protein) and LiaS (a sensor kinase) reside within the GAS membrane microdomain (ExPortal). Cell envelope stress induced by antimicrobials resulted in ExPortal disruption and activation of the LiaFSR system. The only human antimicrobial peptide whose presence resulted in ExPortal disruption and LiaFSR activation was the alpha-defensin human neutrophil peptide 1 (hNP-1). Elimination of membrane cardiolipin through targeted gene deletion resulted in loss of LiaS colocalization with the GAS ExPortal and activation of LiaFSR, whereas LiaF membrane localization was unaffected. Isogenic mutants lacking either LiaF or LiaS revealed a critical role of LiaF in ExPortal integrity. Thus, LiaF and LiaS colocalize with the GAS ExPortal by distinct mechanisms, further supporting codependence. These are the first data identifying a multicomponent signal system within the ExPortal, thereby providing new insight into bacterial intramembrane signaling in GAS that may serve as a paradigm for Gram-positive bacteria. IMPORTANCE Bacterial two-component systems sense and induce transcriptional changes in response to environmental stressors, including antimicrobials and human antimicrobial peptides. Since the stresses imposed by the host’s defensive responses may act as markers of specific temporal stages of disease progression or host compartments, pathogens often coordinately regulate stress response programs with virulence factor expression. The mechanism by which bacteria recognize these stresses and subsequently induce transcriptional responses remains not well understood. In this study, we showed that LiaFSR senses cell envelope stress through colocalization of LiaF and LiaS with the group A Streptococcus (GAS) ExPortal and is activated in direct response to ExPortal disruption by antimicrobials or human antimicrobial peptides. Our studies shed new light on the sensing of cell envelope stress in Gram-positive bacteria and may contribute to the development of therapies targeting these processes.