Genome-wide screen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected macrophages identified the GID/CTLH complex as a determinant of intracellular bacterial growth.
SummaryThe eukaryotic GID/CTLH complex is a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in a broad range of biological processes. However, a role of this complex in host antimicrobial defenses has not been described. We exploited Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) induced cytotoxicity in macrophages in a FACS based CRISPR genetic screen to identify host determinants of intracellular Mtb growth restriction. Our screen identified 5 (GID8, YPEL5, WDR26, UBE2H, MAEA) of the 10 predicted members of the GID/CTLH complex as determinants of intracellular growth of both Mtb and Salmonella serovar Typhimurium. We show that the antimicrobial properties of the GID/CTLH complex knockdown macrophages are mediated by enhanced GABAergic signaling, activated AMPK, increased autophagic flux and resistance to cell death. Meanwhile, Mtb isolated from GID/CTLH knockdown macrophages are nutritionally starved and oxidatively stressed. Our study identifies the GID/CTLH complex activity as broadly suppressive of host antimicrobial responses against intracellular bacterial infections. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=122 SRC="FIGDIR/small/592714v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (23K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1fc273aorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@173927borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@95cb02org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@42fcea_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG