scholarly journals The outer membrane phospholipase A is essential for membrane integrity and type III secretion in Shigella flexneri

Open Biology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 160073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Wang ◽  
Feng Jiang ◽  
Jianhua Zheng ◽  
Lihong Chen ◽  
Jie Dong ◽  
...  

Outer membrane phospholipase A (OMPLA) is an enzyme located in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. OMPLA exhibits broad substrate specificity, and some of its substrates are located in the cellular envelope. Generally, the enzymatic activity can only be induced by perturbation of the cell envelope integrity through diverse methods. Although OMPLA has been thoroughly studied as a membrane protein in Escherichia coli and is constitutively expressed in many other bacterial pathogens, little is known regarding the functions of OMPLA during the process of bacterial infection. In this study, the proteomic and transcriptomic data indicated that OMPLA in Shigella flexneri , termed PldA, both stabilizes the bacterial membrane and is involved in bacterial infection under ordinary culture conditions. A series of physiological assays substantiated the disorganization of the bacterial outer membrane and the periplasmic space in the ΔpldA mutant strain. Furthermore, the ΔpldA mutant strain showed decreased levels of type III secretion system expression, contributing to the reduced internalization efficiency in host cells. The results of this study support that PldA, which is widespread across Gram-negative bacteria, is an important factor for the bacterial life cycle, particularly in human pathogens.

Microbiology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 156 (9) ◽  
pp. 2807-2817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Botteaux ◽  
Christian A. Kayath ◽  
Anne-Laure Page ◽  
Nouredine Jouihri ◽  
Musa Sani ◽  
...  

The type III secretion apparatus (T3SA) is a central virulence factor of many Gram-negative bacteria. Its overall morphology consists of a cytoplasmic region, inner- and outer-membrane sections and an extracellular needle. In Shigella, the length of the needle is regulated by Spa32. To understand better the role of Spa32 we searched for its interacting partners using a two-hybrid screen in yeast. We found that Spa32 interacts with the 33 C-terminal residues (CC*) of Spa40, a member of the conserved FlhB/YscU family. Using a GST pull-down assay we confirmed this interaction and identified additional interactions between Spa40 and the type III secretion components Spa33, Spa47, MxiK, MxiN and MxiA. Inactivation of spa40 abolished protein secretion and led to needleless structures. Genetic and functional analyses were used to investigate the roles of residues L310 and V320, located within the CC* domain of Spa40, in the assembly of the T3SA. Spa40 cleavage, at the conserved NPTH motif, is required for assembly of the T3SA and for its interaction with Spa32, Spa33 and Spa47. In contrast, unprocessed forms of Spa40 interacted only with MxiA, MxiK and MxiN. Our data suggest that the conformation of the cytoplasmic domain of Spa40 defines the multi-step assembly process of the T3SA.


mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia V. Monjarás Feria ◽  
Matthew D. Lefebre ◽  
York-Dieter Stierhof ◽  
Jorge E. Galán ◽  
Samuel Wagner

ABSTRACTType III secretion systems (T3SSs) are multiprotein machines employed by many Gram-negative bacteria to inject bacterial effector proteins into eukaryotic host cells to promote bacterial survival and colonization. The core unit of T3SSs is the needle complex, a supramolecular structure that mediates the passage of the secreted proteins through the bacterial envelope. A distinct feature of the T3SS is that protein export occurs in a strictly hierarchical manner in which proteins destined to form the needle complex filament and associated structures are secreted first, followed by the secretion of effectors and the proteins that will facilitate their translocation through the target host cell membrane. The secretion hierarchy is established by complex mechanisms that involve several T3SS-associated components, including the “switch protein,” a highly conserved, inner membrane protease that undergoes autocatalytic cleavage. It has been proposed that the autocleavage of the switch protein is the trigger for substrate switching. We show here that autocleavage of theSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium switch protein SpaS is an unregulated process that occurs after its folding and before its incorporation into the needle complex. Needle complexes assembled with a precleaved form of SpaS function in a manner indistinguishable from that of the wild-type form. Furthermore, an engineered mutant of SpaS that is processed by an external protease also displays wild-type function. These results demonstrate that the cleavage eventper sedoes not provide a signal for substrate switching but support the hypothesis that cleavage allows the proper conformation of SpaS to render it competent for its switching function.IMPORTANCEBacterial interaction with eukaryotic hosts often involves complex molecular machines for targeted delivery of bacterial effector proteins. One such machine, the type III secretion system of some Gram-negative bacteria, serves to inject a multitude of structurally diverse bacterial proteins into the host cell. Critical to the function of these systems is their ability to secrete proteins in a strict hierarchical order, but it is unclear how the mechanism of switching works. Central to the switching mechanism is a highly conserved inner membrane protease that undergoes autocatalytic cleavage. Although it has been suggested previously that the autocleavage event is the trigger for substrate switching, we show here that this is not the case. Rather, our results show that cleavage allows the proper conformation of the protein to render it competent for its switching function. These findings may help develop inhibitors of type III secretion machines that offer novel therapeutic avenues to treat various infectious diseases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanh N. Lam ◽  
Tannia Lau ◽  
Adam Lentz ◽  
Jessica Sherry ◽  
Alejandro Cabrera-Cortez ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTAntibiotic resistant bacteria are an emerging global health threat. New antimicrobials are urgently needed. The injectisome type III secretion system (T3SS), required by dozens of Gram-negative bacteria for virulence but largely absent from non-pathogenic bacteria, is an attractive antimicrobial target. We previously identified synthetic cyclic peptomers, inspired by the natural product phepropeptin D, that inhibit protein secretion through the Yersinia Ysc and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Psc T3SSs, but do not inhibit bacterial growth. Here we describe identification of an isomer, 4EpDN, that is two-fold more potent (IC50 4 μM) than its parental compound. Furthermore, 4EpDN inhibited the Yersinia Ysa and the Salmonella SPI-1 T3SSs, suggesting that this cyclic peptomer has broad efficacy against evolutionarily distant injectisome T3SSs. Indeed, 4EpDN strongly inhibited intracellular growth of Chlamydia trachomatis in HeLa cells, which requires the T3SS. 4EpDN did not inhibit the unrelated Twin arginine translocation (Tat) system, nor did it impact T3SS gene transcription. Moreover, although the injectisome and flagellar T3SSs are evolutionarily and structurally related, the 4EpDN cyclic peptomer did not inhibit secretion of substrates through the Salmonella flagellar T3SS, indicating that cyclic peptomers broadly but specifically target the injestisome T3SS. 4EpDN reduced the number of T3SS basal bodies detected on the surface of Y. enterocolitica, as visualized using a fluorescent derivative of YscD, an inner membrane ring with low homology to flagellar protein FliG. Collectively, these data suggest that cyclic peptomers specifically inhibit the injectisome T3SS from a variety of Gram-negative bacteria, possibly by preventing complete T3SS assembly.IMPORTANCETraditional antibiotics target both pathogenic and commensal bacteria, resulting in a disruption of the microbiota, which in turn is tied to a number of acute and chronic diseases. The bacterial type III secretion system (T3SS) is an appendage used by many bacterial pathogens to establish infection, but is largely absent from commensal members of the microbiota. In this study, we identify a new derivative of the cyclic peptomer class of T3SS inhibitors. These compounds inhibit the T3SS of the nosocomial ESKAPE pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and enteropathogenic Yersinia and Salmonella. The impact of cyclic peptomers is specific to the T3SS, as other bacterial secretory systems are unaffected. Importantly, cyclic peptomers completely block replication of Chlamydia trachomatis, the causative agent of genital, eye, and lung infections, in human cells, a process that requires the T3SS. Therefore, cyclic peptomers represent promising virulence blockers that can specifically disarm a broad spectrum of Gram-negative pathogens.


Physiology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 326-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Troisfontaines ◽  
Guy R. Cornelis

The type III secretion (T3S) pathway allows bacteria to inject effector proteins into the cytosol of target animal or plant cells. T3S systems evolved into seven families that were distributed among Gram-negative bacteria by horizontal gene transfer. There are probably a few hundred effectors interfering with control and signaling in eukaryotic cells and offering a wealth of new tools to cell biologists.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perumal Perumal ◽  
Rahul Raina ◽  
Sundara Baalaji Narayanan ◽  
Arulandu Arockiasamy

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance is widespread in Salmonella infections that affect millions worldwide. Salmonella typhi and other Gram-negative bacterial pathogens encode an outer membrane phospholipase A (OmpLA), crucial for their membrane integrity. Further, OmpLA is implicated in pathogen internalization, haemolysis, acid tolerance, virulence and sustained infection in human hosts. OmpLA is an attractive drug target for developing novel anti-microbials that attenuate virulence, as the abrogation of OmpLA encoding pldA gene causes loss of virulence. Here, we present the crystal structure of Salmonella typhi OmpLA in dimeric calcium bound activated state at 2.95 Å. Structure analysis suggests that OmpLA is a potential druggable target. Further, we have identified and shortlisted small molecules that bind at the dimer interface using structure based in silico screening, docking and molecular dynamics. While it requires further experimental validation, anti-microbial discovery targeting OmpLA from gram-negative pathogens offers an advantage as OmpLA is required for virulence.


1999 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1982-1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Schuch ◽  
Anthony T. Maurelli

ABSTRACT Invasion of epithelial cells by Shigella flexneri is mediated by a set of translocated bacterial invasins, the Ipa proteins, and its dedicated type III secretion system, called Mxi-Spa. We show here that mxiM, part of the mxi-spa locus in the S. flexneri virulence plasmid, encodes an indispensable type III secretion apparatus component, required for both Ipa translocation and tissue culture cell invasion. We demonstrated that mature MxiM, first identified as a putative lipoprotein, is lipidated in vivo. Consistent with features of known lipoproteins, MxiM (i) can be labeled with [3H]palmitate and [2-3H]glycerol, (ii) is associated with the cell envelope, (iii) is secreted independently of the type III pathway, and (iv) requires an intact lipoprotein modification and processing site for full activity. The lipidated form of MxiM was detected primarily in the outer membrane, where it establishes a peripheral association with the inner leaflet. Through analysis of subcellular Ipa distribution in a mxiM null mutant background, MxiM was found to be required for the assembly and/or function of outer, but not inner, membrane regions of Mxi-Spa. This function probably requires interactions with other Mxi-Spa subunits within the periplasmic space. We discuss implications of these findings with respect to the function of MxiM and the structure of Mxi-Spa as a whole.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document