Palladin is an important component of motile actin-rich structures and nucleates branched actin filament arrays in vitro. Here we examine the role of palladin during Listeria monocytogenes infections in order to tease out novel functions of palladin. We show that palladin is co-opted by L. monocytogenes during its cellular entry and intracellular motility. Depletion of palladin resulted in shorter and misshapen comet tails, and when actin- or VASP-binding mutants of palladin were overexpressed in cells, comet tails disintegrated or became thinner. Comet tail thinning resulted in parallel actin bundles within the structures. To determine whether palladin could compensate for the Arp2/3 complex, we overexpressed palladin in cells treated with the Arp2/3 inhibitor CK-666. In treated cells, bacterial motility could be initiated and maintained when levels of palladin were increased. To confirm these findings, we utilized a cell line depleted of multiple Arp2/3 complex subunits. Within these cells, L. monocytogenes failed to generate comet tails. When palladin was overexpressed in this Arp2/3 functionally null cell line, the ability of L. monocytogenes to generate comet tails was restored. Using purified protein components, we demonstrate that L. monocytogenes actin clouds and comet tails can be generated (in a cell-free system) by palladin in the absence of the Arp2/3 complex. Collectively, our results demonstrate that palladin can functionally replace the Arp2/3 complex during bacterial actin-based motility.

Palladin is an actin binding protein that is specifically upregulated in metastatic cancer cells but also co-localizes with actin stress fibers in normal cells and is critical for embryonic development as well as wound healing. Of nine isoforms present in humans, only the 90 kDa isoform of palladin, comprising three immunoglobulin (Ig) domains and one proline-rich region, is ubiquitously expressed. Previous work has also established that the Ig3 domain of palladin is the minimal binding site for F-actin. In this work, we compare functions of the 90 kDa isoform of palladin to the isolated actin binding domain. To understand the mechanism of action for how palladin can influence actin assembly, we monitored F-actin binding and bundling as well as actin polymerization, depolymerization, and copolymerization. We also provide initial evidence that 90 kDa palladin exists in a closed conformation that prevents binding by the Ig3 domain to G-actin as compared to the isolated domain. Understanding the role of palladin in regulating the actin cytoskeleton may help us develop means to prevent cancer cells from reaching the metastatic stage of cancer progression.

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Palladin is an actin binding protein that is specifically upregulated in metastatic cancer cells but also colocalizes with actin stress fibers in normal cells and is critical for embryonic development as well as wound healing. Of nine isoforms present in humans, only the 90 kDa isoform of palladin, comprising three immunoglobulin (Ig) domains and one proline‐rich region, is ubiquitously expressed. Previous work has established that the Ig3 domain of palladin is the minimal binding site for F‐actin. In this work, we compare functions of the 90 kDa isoform of palladin to the isolated actin binding domain. To understand the mechanism of action for how palladin can influence actin assembly, we monitored F‐actin binding and bundling as well as actin polymerization, depolymerization, and copolymerization. Together, these results demonstrate that there are key differences between the Ig3 domain and full‐length palladin in actin binding stoichiometry, polymerization, and interactions with G‐actin. Understanding the role of palladin in regulating the actin cytoskeleton may help us develop means to prevent cancer cells from reaching the metastatic stage of cancer progression.

Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) bacteria are well‐known for their ability to hijack the eukaryotic actin cytoskeleton during infections. To propagate disease, Listeria generate Arp2/3‐based actin‐rich structures called comet tails that move the bacteria within and amongst host cells. The host protein palladin is a key component of actin‐rich structures normally generated during eukaryotic cell motility, however the precise function(s) of palladin during motility remains unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that palladin is a crucial factor for Listeria motility and simultaneously used Listeria as a model to determine if palladin itself could functionally replace the Arp2/3 complex. Using palladin‐targeting antibodies, we identified palladin at Listeria invasion sites and comet tails. Strikingly, when we depleted cells of palladin, comet tails became shorter and severely misshapen. In cells expressing palladin mutants defective for actin or VASP binding, comet tails began to disintegrate or became progressively thinner as they moved. Ultrastructural examination of these thin comet tails revealed a switch in the comet tail actin network from highly branched arrays to parallel bundles. To test whether palladin could compensate for the Arp2/3 complex during bacterial motility, we overexpressed palladin in cells treated with the potent Arp2/3 inhibitor CK‐666. In these cells Listeria motility was unperturbed. Next we used a cell line depleted of several Arp2/3 complex subunits. As expected, Listeria were non‐motile during infections of these cells, however palladin overexpression in this Arp2/3 functionally null cell line restored the ability of Listeria to generate the actin‐rich structures formed by the bacteria. To definitively demonstrate palladin's ability to compensate for a lack of functional Arp2/3, we used purified protein components in conjunction with Listeria bacteria to show that actin‐rich structures formed by Listeria are generated in a cell‐free system containing palladin in place of the Arp2/3 complex. In conclusion, we show that palladin structurally organizes bacterial actin‐rich structures and importantly, compensates for the Arp2/3 complex without hindrance during bacterial actin‐based motility.Support or Funding InformationGrant Funding Source: NSERC (grant no. 355316 to J.A.G and grant no. 155397 to A.W.V), NIH (grant no. R15 GM120670 to M.R.B), SFU departmental funds and SFU Multi‐Year Funding (A.S.D)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.