Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STM) is an invasive, facultative intracellular pathogen that has evolved sophisticated molecular mechanisms to establish an intracellular niche within a specialised vesicular compartment, the Salmonella‐containing vacuole (SCV). The loss of the SCV and release of STM into the cytosol of infected host cells was observed, and a bimodal intracellular lifestyle of STM in the SCV versus life in the cytosol is currently discussed. We set out to investigate the parameters affecting SCV integrity and cytosolic release. A fluorescent protein‐based cytosolic reporter approach was established to quantify, time‐resolved, and on a single cell level, the release of STM into the cytosol of host cells. We observed that the extent of SCV damage and cytosolic release is highly dependent on experimental conditions such as multiplicity of infection, type of host cell line, and STM strain background. Trigger invasion mediated by the Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1‐encoded type III secretion system (SPI1‐T3SS) and its effector proteins promoted cytosolic release, whereas cytosolic bacteria were rarely observed if entry was mediated by zipper invasion. Presence of SPI1‐T3SS effector SopE was identified as major factor for damage of the SCV in the early phase after STM invasion and sopE‐expressing strains showed higher levels of cytosolic release.

The facultative intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica Typhimurium (STM) resides in a specific membrane-bound compartment termed the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). STM is able to obtain all nutrients required for rapid proliferation, although being separated from direct access to host cell metabolites. The formation of specific tubular membrane compartments, called Salmonella-induced filaments (SIFs) are known to provides bacterial nutrition by giving STM access to endocytosed material and enabling proliferation. Additionally, STM expresses a range of nutrient uptake system for growth in nutrient limited environments to overcome the nutrition depletion inside the host. By utilizing dual fluorescence reporters, we shed light on the nutritional environment of intracellular STM in various host cells and distinct intracellular niches. We showed that STM uses nutrients of the host cell and adapts uniquely to the different nutrient conditions. In addition, we provide further evidence for improved nutrient supply by SIF formation or presence in the cytosol of epithelial cells, and the correlation of nutrient supply to bacterial proliferation.

Intracellular pathogens need to establish specialised niches for survival and proliferation in host cells. The enteropathogen Salmonella enterica accomplishes this by extensive reorganisation of the host endosomal system deploying the SPI2-encoded type III secretion system (SPI2-T3SS). Fusion events of endosomal compartments with the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV) form elaborate membrane networks within host cells enabling intracellular nutrition. However, which host compartments exactly are involved in this process and how the integrity of Salmonellamodified membranes is accomplished are not fully resolved. An RNA interference knockdown screen of host factors involved in cellular logistics identified the ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) system as important for proper formation and integrity of the SCV in infected epithelial cells. We demonstrate that subunits of the ESCRT-III complex are specifically recruited to the SCV and membrane network. To investigate the role of ESCRT-III for the intracellular lifestyle of Salmonella, a CHMP3 knockout cell line was generated. Infected CHMP3 knockout cells formed amorphous, bulky SCV. Salmonella within these amorphous SCV were in contact with host cell cytosol, and the attenuation of an SPI2-T3SS-deficient mutant strain was partially abrogated. ESCRT-dependent endolysosomal repair mechanisms have recently been described for other intracellular pathogens, and we hypothesise that minor damages of the SCV during bacterial proliferation are repaired by the action of ESCRT-III recruitment in Salmonellainfected host cells.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STM) is an invasive, facultative intracellular pathogen and acquisition of nutrients from host cells is essential for survival and proliferation of intracellular STM. The nutritional environment of intracellular STM is only partially understood. We deploy bacteria harbouring reporter plasmids to interrogate the environmental cues acting on intracellular STM, and flow cytometry allows analyses on level of single STM. Phosphorus is a macro‐element for cellular life, and in STM inorganic phosphate (Pi), homeostasis is mediated by the two‐component regulatory system PhoBR, resulting in expression of the high affinity phosphate transporter pstSCAB‐phoU. Using fluorescent protein reporters, we investigated Pi availability for intracellular STM at single‐cell level over time. We observed that Pi concentration in the Salmonella‐containing vacuole (SCV) is limiting and activates the promoter of pstSCAB‐phoU encoding a high affinity phosphate uptake system. Correlation between reporter activation by STM in defined media and in host cells indicates Pi concentration less 10 μM within the SCV. STM proliferating within the SCV experience increasing Pi limitations. Activity of the Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI2)‐encoded type III secretion system (T3SS) is crucial for efficient intracellular proliferation, and SPI2‐T3SS‐mediated endosomal remodelling also reliefs Pi limitation. STM that are released from SCV to enter the cytosol of epithelial cells did not indicate Pi limitations. Addition of Pi to culture media of infected cells partially relieved Pi limitations in the SCV, as did inhibition of intracellular proliferation. We conclude that availability of Pi is critical for intracellular lifestyle of STM, and Pi acquisition is maintained by multiple mechanisms. Our work demonstrates the use of bacterial pathogens as sensitive single‐cell reporters for their environment in host cell or host organisms. Take Away Salmonella strains were engineered to report their intracellular niche and the availability of inorganic phosphate (Pi) on level of single intracellular bacteria Within the Salmonella‐containing vacuole (SCV), Pi is limited and limitation increases with bacterial proliferation Salmonella located in host cell cytosol are not limited in Pi availability Remodelling of the host cell endosomal system mediated by T3SS‐2 reliefs Pi limitation in the SCV

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STM) is an invasive, facultative intracellular pathogen that resides in a specialized membrane-bound compartment termed Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). Essential for survival and proliferation in the SCV is Salmonella pathogenicity island II (SPI2) that encodes a type III secretion system (T3SS). The SPI2-T3SS and the effector translocation maintain SCV integrity and formation of specific tubular membrane compartments, called Salmonella-induced filaments (SIFs). The SCV/SIF continuum allows STM to bypass nutritional restriction in the intracellular environment by acquiring nutrients from the host cell. Phosphate is one of the most abundant elements in living organisms and in STM, inorganic phosphate (Pi) homeostasis is mediated by the two-component regulatory system PhoBR, resulting in expression of the high affinity phosphate transporter pstSCAB-phoU. Using fluorescent protein reporters, we investigate Pi availability for STM at single cell level over time within the intracellular habitats of different host cells. We observed that the pstSCAB-phoU encoded phosphate uptake system is essential for intracellular replication of STM because there is a Pi ion concentration less 10 micromolar within the SCV. Additionally, the demand and consumption of Pi correlates with intracellular proliferation of STM and we identify a dependency of SPI2 activity and Pi starvation.