Epithelial Cell NOD1/IRGM Recruits STX17 to Neisseria gonorrhoeae–Containing Endosomes to Initiate Lysosomal Degradation

Abstract Neisseria gonorrhoeae establishes tight interactions with mucosal epithelia through activity of its type IV pilus, while pilus retraction forces activate autophagic responses toward invading gonococci. Here we studied pilus-independent epithelial cell responses and showed that pilus-negative gonococci residing in early and late endosomes are detected and targeted by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1). NOD1 subsequently forms a complex with immunity-related guanosine triphosphatase M (IRGM) and autophagy-related 16–like 1 (ATG16L1) to activate autophagy and recruit microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) to the intracellular bacteria. IRGM furthermore directly recruits syntaxin 17 (STX17), which is able to form tethering complexes with the lysosome. Importantly, IRGM-STX17 interactions are enhanced by LC3 but were still observed at lower levels in an LC3 knockout cell line. These findings demonstrate key roles for NOD1 and IRGM in the sensing of intracellular N gonorrhoeae and subsequent directing of the bacterium to the lysosome for degradation. This study shows that NOD1 detects intracellular Neisseria gonorrhoeae in epithelial cells and recruits IRGM and ATG16L1 to direct LC3 to the bacterial endosomes. IRGM subsequently recruits STX17 for the formation of tethering complexes with lysosomes to restrict intracellular survival.