Specific targeting of intestinal Prevotella copri by a Listeria monocytogenes bacteriocin

Colonization of the intestine by pathogens often requires displacement of commensal microbiota. Hence, we presumed the Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) gene Lmo2776, a putative bacteriocin, would aid its colonization. We confirmed that Lmo2776 was a bacteriocin and discovered that it targeted the abundant gut commensal bacteria Prevotella copri in that WT Lm, Lm supernatants, and synthetic lmo2776 peptide, but not a??lmo2776 Lm mutant, ablated P. copri in mouse intestine, a human microbiota model, and traditional in vitro cultures. However, surprisingly, addition of P. copri or genetic ablation of ?lmo2776 enhanced Lm's colonization both in vitro and in vivo indicating that Lm's ablation of P. copri limits, rather than promotes, its colonization of the intestine. Thus some pathogens may selectively deplete microbiota, perhaps to avoid excessive inflammation.