scholarly journals Redundant and Cooperative Roles for Yersinia pestis Yop Effectors in the Inhibition of Human Neutrophil Exocytic Responses Revealed by Gain-of-Function Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda R. Pulsifer ◽  
Aruna Vashishta ◽  
Shane A. Reeves ◽  
Jennifer K. Wolfe ◽  
Samantha G. Palace ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Yersinia pestis causes a rapid, lethal disease referred to as plague. Y. pestis actively inhibits the innate immune system to generate a noninflammatory environment during early stages of infection to promote colonization. The ability of Y. pestis to create this early noninflammatory environment is in part due to the action of seven Yop effector proteins that are directly injected into host cells via a type 3 secretion system (T3SS). While each Yop effector interacts with specific host proteins to inhibit their function, several Yop effectors either target the same host protein or inhibit converging signaling pathways, leading to functional redundancy. Previous work established that Y. pestis uses the T3SS to inhibit neutrophil respiratory burst, phagocytosis, and release of inflammatory cytokines. Here, we show that Y. pestis also inhibits release of granules in a T3SS-dependent manner. Moreover, using a gain-of-function approach, we discovered previously hidden contributions of YpkA and YopJ to inhibition and that cooperative actions by multiple Yop effectors are required to effectively inhibit degranulation. Independent from degranulation, we also show that multiple Yop effectors can inhibit synthesis of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a potent lipid mediator released by neutrophils early during infection to promote inflammation. Together, inhibition of these two arms of the neutrophil response likely contributes to the noninflammatory environment needed for Y. pestis colonization and proliferation.

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 4021-4033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Dolinsky ◽  
Ina Haneburger ◽  
Adam Cichy ◽  
Mandy Hannemann ◽  
Aymelt Itzen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTLegionellaspp. cause the severe pneumonia Legionnaires' disease. The environmental bacteria replicate intracellularly in free-living amoebae and human alveolar macrophages within a distinct, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived compartment termed theLegionella-containing vacuole (LCV). LCV formation requires the bacterial Icm/Dot type IV secretion system (T4SS) that translocates into host cells a plethora of different “effector” proteins, some of which anchor to the pathogen vacuole by binding to phosphoinositide (PI) lipids. Here, we identified by unbiased pulldown assays inLegionella longbeachaelysates a 111-kDa SidC homologue as the major phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate [PtdIns(4)P]-binding protein. The PI-binding domain was mapped to a 20-kDa P4C [PtdIns(4)Pbinding of SidC] fragment. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that SidC ofL. longbeachae(SidCLlo) binds PtdIns(4)Pwith aKd(dissociation constant) of 71 nM, which is 3 to 4 times lower than that of the SidC orthologue ofLegionella pneumophila(SidCLpn). Upon infection of RAW 264.7 macrophages withL. longbeachae, endogenous SidCLloor ectopically produced SidCLpnlocalized in an Icm/Dot-dependent manner to the PtdIns(4)P-positive LCVs. AnL. longbeachaeΔsidCdeletion mutant was impaired for calnexin recruitment to LCVs inDictyostelium discoideumamoebae and outcompeted by wild-type bacteria inAcanthamoeba castellanii. Calnexin recruitment was restored by SidCLloor its orthologues SidCLpnand SdcALpn. Conversely, calnexin recruitment was restored by SidCLloinL. pneumophilalackingsidCandsdcA. Together, biochemical, genetic, and cell biological data indicate that SidCLlois anL. longbeachaeeffector that binds through a P4C domain with high affinity to PtdIns(4)Pon LCVs, promotes ER recruitment to the LCV, and thus plays a role in pathogen-host interactions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (17) ◽  
pp. 6078-6087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Peng Gao ◽  
Pin Nie ◽  
Jin Fang Lu ◽  
Lu Yi Liu ◽  
Tiao Yi Xiao ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe type III secretion system (T3SS) ofEdwardsiella tardaplays an important role in infection by translocating effector proteins into host cells. EseB, a component required for effector translocation, is reported to mediate autoaggregation ofE. tarda. In this study, we demonstrate that EseB forms filamentous appendages on the surface ofE. tardaand is required for biofilm formation byE. tardain Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM). Biofilm formation byE. tardain DMEM does not require FlhB, an essential component for assembling flagella. Dynamic analysis of EseB filament formation, autoaggregation, and biofilm formation shows that the formation of EseB filaments occurs prior to autoaggregation and biofilm formation. The addition of an EseB antibody toE. tardacultures before bacterial autoaggregation prevents autoaggregation and biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the addition of the EseB antibody toE. tardacultures in which biofilm is already formed does not destroy the biofilm. Therefore, EseB filament-mediated bacterial cell-cell interaction is a prerequisite for autoaggregation and biofilm formation.


mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juanita Von Dwingelo ◽  
Ivy Yeuk Wah Chung ◽  
Christopher T. Price ◽  
Lei Li ◽  
Snake Jones ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Species of the Legionella genus encode at least 18,000 effector proteins that are translocated through the Dot/Icm type IVB translocation system into macrophages and protist hosts to enable intracellular growth. Eight effectors, including ankyrin H (AnkH), are common to all Legionella species. The AnkH effector is also present in Coxiella and Rickettsiella. To date, no pathogenic effectors have ever been described that directly interfere with host cell transcription. We determined that the host nuclear protein La-related protein 7 (LARP7), which is a component of the 7SK small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) complex, interacts with AnkH in the host cell nucleus. The AnkH-LARP7 interaction partially impedes interactions of the 7SK snRNP components with LARP7, interfering with transcriptional elongation by polymerase (Pol) II. Consistent with that, our data show AnkH-dependent global reprogramming of transcription of macrophages infected by Legionella pneumophila. The crystal structure of AnkH shows that it contains four N-terminal ankyrin repeats, followed by a cysteine protease-like domain and an α-helical C-terminal domain. A substitution within the β-hairpin loop of the third ankyrin repeat results in diminishment of LARP7-AnkH interactions and phenocopies the ankH null mutant defect in intracellular growth. LARP7 knockdown partially suppresses intracellular proliferation of wild-type (WT) bacteria and increases the severity of the defect of the ΔankH mutant, indicating a role for LARP7 in permissiveness of host cells to intracellular bacterial infection. We conclude that the AnkH-LARP7 interaction impedes interaction of LARP7 with 7SK snRNP, which would block transcriptional elongation by Pol II, leading to host global transcriptional reprogramming and permissiveness to L. pneumophila. IMPORTANCE For intracellular pathogens to thrive in host cells, an environment that supports survival and replication needs to be established. L. pneumophila accomplishes this through the activity of the ∼330 effector proteins that are injected into host cells during infection. Effector functions range from hijacking host trafficking pathways to altering host cell machinery, resulting in altered cell biology and innate immunity. One such pathway is the host protein synthesis pathway. Five L. pneumophila effectors have been identified that alter host cell translation, and 2 effectors have been identified that indirectly affect host cell transcription. No pathogenic effectors have been described that directly interfere with host cell transcription. Here we show a direct interaction of the AnkH effector with a host cell transcription complex involved in transcriptional elongation. We identify a novel process by which AnkH interferes with host transcriptional elongation through interference with formation of a functional complex and show that this interference is required for pathogen proliferation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 2700-2708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayde A. Gawthorne ◽  
Laurent Audry ◽  
Claire McQuitty ◽  
Paul Dean ◽  
John M. Christie ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBacterial type III secretion system (T3SS) effector proteins are critical determinants of infection for many animal and plant pathogens. However, monitoring of the translocation and delivery of these important virulence determinants has proved to be technically challenging. Here, we used a genetically engineered LOV (light-oxygen-voltage) sensing domain derivative to monitor the expression, translocation, and localization of bacterial T3SS effectors. We found theEscherichia coliO157:H7 bacterial effector fusion Tir-LOV was functional following its translocation and localized to the host cell membrane in discrete foci, demonstrating that LOV-based reporters can be used to visualize the effector translocation with minimal manipulation and interference. Further evidence for the versatility of the reporter was demonstrated by fusing LOV to the C terminus of theShigella flexnerieffector IpaB. IpaB-LOV localized preferentially at bacterial poles before translocation. We observed the rapid translocation of IpaB-LOV in a T3SS-dependent manner into host cells, where it localized at the bacterial entry site within membrane ruffles.


2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 1880-1890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa J. Randall ◽  
Nai-Jen Hsu ◽  
Dirk Lang ◽  
Susan Cooper ◽  
Boipelo Sebesho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection of the central nervous system is thought to be initiated once the bacilli have breached the blood brain barrier and are phagocytosed, primarily by microglial cells. In this study, the interactions ofM. tuberculosiswith neuronsin vitroandin vivowere investigated. The data obtained demonstrate that neurons can act as host cells forM. tuberculosis.M. tuberculosisbacilli were internalized by murine neuronal cultured cells in a time-dependent manner after exposure, with superior uptake by HT22 cells compared to Neuro-2a cells (17.7% versus 9.8%). Internalization ofM. tuberculosisbacilli by human SK-N-SH cultured neurons suggested the clinical relevance of the findings. Moreover, primary murine hippocampus-derived neuronal cultures could similarly internalizeM. tuberculosis. InternalizedM. tuberculosisbacilli represented a productive infection with retention of bacterial viability and replicative potential, increasing 2- to 4-fold within 48 h.M. tuberculosisbacillus infection of neurons was confirmedin vivoin the brains of C57BL/6 mice after intracerebral challenge. This study, therefore, demonstrates neurons as potential new target cells forM. tuberculosiswithin the central nervous system.


2012 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 2454-2463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Forbes ◽  
Daniel Martinelli ◽  
Chyongere Hsieh ◽  
Jeffrey G. Ault ◽  
Michael Marko ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTInvasion of intestinal epithelial cells bySalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium is an energetically demanding process, involving the transfer of effector proteins from invading bacteria into host cells via a specialized organelle known as theSalmonellapathogenicity island 1 (SPI-1) type 3 secretion system (T3SS). By a mechanism that remains poorly understood, entry ofS. Typhimurium into epithelial cells is inhibited by Sal4, a monoclonal, polymeric IgA antibody that binds an immunodominant epitope within the O-antigen (O-Ag) component of lipopolysaccharide. In this study, we investigated how the binding of Sal4 to the surface ofS. Typhimurium influences T3SS activity, bacterial energetics, and outer membrane integrity. We found that Sal4 treatment impaired T3SS-mediated translocon formation and attenuated the delivery of tagged effector proteins into epithelial cells. Sal4 treatment coincided with a partial reduction in membrane energetics and intracellular ATP levels, possibly explaining the impairment in T3SS activity. Sal4's effects on bacterial secretion and energetics occurred concurrently with an increase in O-Ag levels in culture supernatants, alterations in outer membrane permeability, and changes in surface ultrastructure, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy. We propose that Sal4, by virtue of its ability to bind and cross-link the O-Ag, induces a form of outer membrane stress that compromises the integrity of theS. Typhimurium cell envelope and temporarily renders the bacterium avirulent.


2018 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten F. de Jong ◽  
Neal M. Alto

ABSTRACT The enteric attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and the invasive pathogens enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and Shigella encode type III secretion systems (T3SS) used to inject effector proteins into human host cells during infection. Among these are a group of effectors required for NF-κB-mediated host immune evasion. Recent studies have identified several effector proteins from A/E pathogens and EIEC/ Shigella that are involved in suppression of NF-κB and have uncovered their cellular and molecular functions. A novel mechanism among these effectors from both groups of pathogens is to coordinate effector function during infection. This cooperativity among effector proteins explains how bacterial pathogens are able to effectively suppress innate immune defense mechanisms in response to diverse classes of immune receptor signaling complexes (RSCs) stimulated during infection.


mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Leoni Swart ◽  
Bernhard Steiner ◽  
Laura Gomez-Valero ◽  
Sabina Schütz ◽  
Mandy Hannemann ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Legionella pneumophila governs its interactions with host cells by secreting >300 different “effector” proteins. Some of these effectors contain eukaryotic domains such as the RCC1 (regulator of chromosome condensation 1) repeats promoting the activation of the small GTPase Ran. In this report, we reveal a conserved pattern of L. pneumophila RCC1 repeat genes, which are distributed in two main clusters of strains. Accordingly, strain Philadelphia-1 contains two RCC1 genes implicated in bacterial virulence, legG1 (Legionella eukaryotic gene 1), and ppgA, while strain Paris contains only one, pieG. The RCC1 repeat effectors localize to different cellular compartments and bind distinct components of the Ran GTPase cycle, including Ran modulators and the small GTPase itself, and yet they all promote the activation of Ran. The pieG gene spans the corresponding open reading frames of legG1 and a separate adjacent upstream gene, lpg1975. legG1 and lpg1975 are fused upon addition of a single nucleotide to encode a protein that adopts the binding specificity of PieG. Thus, a point mutation in pieG splits the gene, altering the effector target. These results indicate that divergent evolution of RCC1 repeat effectors defines the Ran GTPase cycle targets and that modulation of different components of the cycle might fine-tune Ran activation during Legionella infection. IMPORTANCE Legionella pneumophila is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium which, upon inhalation, causes a life-threatening pneumonia termed Legionnaires’ disease. The opportunistic pathogen grows in amoebae and macrophages by employing a “type IV” secretion system, which secretes more than 300 different “effector” proteins into the host cell, where they subvert pivotal processes. The function of many of these effector proteins is unknown, and their evolution has not been studied. L. pneumophila RCC1 repeat effectors target the small GTPase Ran, a molecular switch implicated in different cellular processes such as nucleocytoplasmic transport and microtubule cytoskeleton dynamics. We provide evidence that one or more RCC1 repeat genes are distributed in two main clusters of L. pneumophila strains and have divergently evolved to target different components of the Ran GTPase activation cycle at different subcellular sites. Thus, L. pneumophila employs a sophisticated strategy to subvert host cell Ran GTPase during infection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh S. Sharp ◽  
Arne Rietsch ◽  
Simon L. Dove

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen that employs a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into host cells. Using a protein depletion system, we show that the endoribonuclease RNase E positively regulates expression of the T3SS genes. We also present evidence that RNase E antagonizes the expression of genes of the type VI secretion system and limits biofilm production in P. aeruginosa. Thus, RNase E, which is thought to be the principal endoribonuclease involved in the initiation of RNA degradation in P. aeruginosa, plays a key role in controlling the production of factors involved in both acute and chronic stages of infection. Although the posttranscriptional regulator RsmA is also known to positively regulate expression of the T3SS genes, we find that RNase E does not appreciably influence the abundance of RsmA in P. aeruginosa. Moreover, we show that RNase E still exerts its effects on T3SS gene expression in cells lacking all four of the key small regulatory RNAs that function by sequestering RsmA. IMPORTANCE The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a protein complex produced by many Gram-negative pathogens. It is capable of injecting effector proteins into host cells that can manipulate cell metabolism and have toxic effects. Understanding how the T3SS is regulated is important in understanding the pathogenesis of bacteria with such systems. Here, we show that RNase E, which is typically thought of as a global regulator of RNA stability, plays a role in regulating the T3SS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Depleting RNase E results in the loss of T3SS gene expression as well as a concomitant increase in biofilm formation. These observations are reminiscent of the phenotypes associated with the loss of activity of the posttranscriptional regulator RsmA. However, RNase E-mediated regulation of these systems does not involve changes in the abundance of RsmA and is independent of the known small regulatory RNAs that modulate RsmA activity.


mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Netanel Elbaz ◽  
Yaakov Socol ◽  
Naama Katsowich ◽  
Ilan Rosenshine

ABSTRACT The transition from a planktonic lifestyle to a host-attached state is often critical for bacterial virulence. Upon attachment to host cells, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) employs a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject into the host cells ∼20 effector proteins, including Tir. CesT, which is encoded from the same operon downstream of tir, is a Tir-bound chaperone that facilitates Tir translocation. Upon Tir translocation, the liberated CesT remains in the bacterial cytoplasm and antagonizes the posttranscriptional regulator CsrA, thus eliciting global regulation in the infecting pathogen. Importantly, tight control of the Tir/CesT ratio is vital, since an uncontrolled surge in free CesT levels may repress CsrA in an untimely manner, thus abrogating colonization. We investigated how fluctuations in Tir translation affect the regulation of this ratio. By creating mutations that cause the premature termination of Tir translation, we revealed that the untranslated tir mRNA becomes highly unstable, resulting in a rapid drop in cesT mRNA levels and, thus, CesT levels. This mechanism couples Tir and CesT levels to ensure a stable Tir/CesT ratio. Our results expose an additional level of regulation that enhances the efficacy of the initial interaction of EPEC with the host cell, providing a better understanding of the bacterial switch from the planktonic to the cell-adherent lifestyle. IMPORTANCE Host colonization by extracellular pathogens often entails the transition from a planktonic lifestyle to a host-attached state. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), a Gram-negative pathogen, attaches to the intestinal epithelium of the host and employs a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject effector proteins into the cytoplasm of infected cells. The most abundant effector protein injected is Tir, whose translocation is dependent on the Tir-bound chaperon CesT. Upon Tir injection, the liberated CesT binds to and inhibits the posttranscriptional regulator CsrA, resulting in reprogramming of gene expression in the host-attached bacteria. Thus, adaptation to the host-attached state involves dynamic remodeling of EPEC gene expression, which is mediated by the relative levels of Tir and CesT. Fluctuating from the optimal Tir/CesT ratio results in a decrease in EPEC virulence. Here we elucidate a posttranscriptional circuit that prevents sharp variations from this ratio, thus improving host colonization.


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