Killing of Candida albicans Filaments by Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Is Mediated by sopB Effectors, Parts of a Type III Secretion System
ABSTRACTAlthough bacterial-fungal interactions shape microbial virulence during polymicrobial infections, only a limited number of studies have evaluated this interaction on a genetic level. We report here that one interaction is mediated bysopB, an effector of a type III secretion system (TTSS) ofSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium. In these studies, we screened 10 TTSS effector-related mutants and determined their role in the killing ofC. albicansfilamentsin vitroduring coinfection in planktonic environments. We found that deleting thesopBgene (which encodes inositol phosphatase) was associated with a significant decrease inC. albicanskilling at 25°C after 5 days, similar to that caused by the deletion ofsipB(which encodes TTSS translocation machinery components). ThesopBdeletion dramatically influenced the killing ofC. albicansfilaments. It was associated with repressed filamentation in theCaenorhabditis elegansmodel ofC. albicans-S.Typhimurium coinfection, as well as with biofilm formation byC. albicans. We confirmed that SopB translocated to fungal filaments through SipB during coinfection. Using quantitative real-time PCR assays, we found that theCandidasupernatant upregulated theS.Typhimurium genes associated withC. albicanskilling (sopBandsipB). Interestingly, the sopBeffector negatively regulated the transcription ofCDC42, which is involved in fungal viability. Taken together, these results indicate that specific TTSS effectors, including SopB, play a critical role in bacterial-fungal interactions and are important toS.Typhimurium in order to selectively compete with fungal pathogens. These findings highlight a new role for TTSS ofS.Typhimurium in the intestinal tract and may further explain the evolution and maintenance of these traits.