scholarly journals Recombinant Yersinia YopT Leads to Uncoupling of RhoA-Effector Interaction

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 7535-7543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Sorg ◽  
Udo-Michael Goehring ◽  
Klaus Aktories ◽  
Gudula Schmidt

ABSTRACT Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Yersinia pestis deliver different Yop (Yersinia outer proteins) effector proteins into mammalian cells by a type III secretion mechanism. Recently, it was shown thatYersinia producing YopT leads to disruption of the actin cytoskeleton of HeLa cells (M. Iriarte and G. R. Cornelis, Mol. Microbiol. 29:915–929, 1998). To analyze the molecular mechanism of YopT, we cloned and expressed YopT as a glutathioneS-transferase fusion protein. Recombinant YopT caused rounding up of embryonic bovine lung cells and redistribution of the actin cytoskeleton rapidly after microinjection. The Escherichia coli cytotoxic necrotizing factor (CNF1), which constitutively activates Rho proteins, was not able to inhibit or revert YopT-induced cell rounding. YopT caused release of RhoA from embryonic bovine lung membranes and released recombinant isoprenylated RhoA from artificial PE or PE/PIP2 vesicles. Incubation of lysate or cytosol with YopT caused inhibition of the RhoA-rhotekin interaction but led to increased RhoA-RhoGDI interaction. It is suggested that inhibition of the interaction between RhoA and effectors is the underlying mechanism of the YopT action on the cytoskeleton.

2010 ◽  
Vol 192 (12) ◽  
pp. 3114-3122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loren Rodgers ◽  
Romila Mukerjea ◽  
Sara Birtalan ◽  
Devorah Friedberg ◽  
Partho Ghosh

ABSTRACT Most effector proteins of bacterial type III secretion (T3S) systems require chaperone proteins for translocation into host cells. Such effectors are bound by chaperones in a conserved and characteristic manner, with the chaperone-binding (Cb) region of the effector wound around the chaperone in a highly extended conformation. This conformation has been suggested to serve as a translocation signal in promoting the association between the chaperone-effector complex and a bacterial component required for translocation. We sought to test a prediction of this model by identifying a potential association site for the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis chaperone-effector pair SycE-YopE. We identified a set of residues in the YopE Cb region that are required for translocation but are dispensable for expression, SycE binding, secretion into the extrabacterial milieu, and stability in mammalian cells. These residues form a solvent-exposed patch on the surface of the chaperone-bound Cb region, and thus their effect on translocation is consistent with the structure of the chaperone-bound Cb region serving as a signal for translocation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 905-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Kwuan ◽  
Walter Adams ◽  
Victoria Auerbuch

ABSTRACTType III secretion systems (T3SSs) are used by Gram-negative pathogens to form pores in host membranes and deliver virulence-associated effector proteins inside host cells. In pathogenicYersinia, the T3SS pore-forming proteins are YopB and YopD. Mammalian cells recognize theYersiniaT3SS, leading to a host response that includes secretion of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Toll-like receptor (TLR)-independent expression of the stress-associated transcription factor Egr1 and the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and host cell death. The knownYersiniaT3SS effector proteins are dispensable for eliciting these responses, but YopB is essential. Three models describe how theYersiniaT3SS might trigger inflammation: (i) mammalian cells sense YopBD-mediated pore formation, (ii) innate immune stimuli gain access to the host cytoplasm through the YopBD pore, and/or (iii) the YopB-YopD translocon itself or its membrane insertion is proinflammatory. To test these models, we constructed aYersinia pseudotuberculosismutant expressing YopD devoid of its predicted transmembrane domain (YopDΔTM) and lacking the T3SS cargo proteins YopHEMOJTN. This mutant formed pores in macrophages, but it could not mediate translocation of effector proteins inside host cells. Importantly, this mutant did not elicit rapid host cell death, IL-1β secretion, or TLR-independent Egr1 and TNF-α expression. These data suggest that YopBD-mediated translocation of unknown T3SS cargo leads to activation of host pathways influencing inflammation, cell death, and response to stress. As the YopDΔTMY. pseudotuberculosismutant formed somewhat smaller pores with delayed kinetics, an alternative model is that the wild-type YopB-YopD translocon is specifically sensed by host cells.


2004 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 1145-1149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanna Mundy ◽  
Claire Jenkins ◽  
Jun Yu ◽  
Henry Smith ◽  
Gad Frankel

Enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) Escherichia coli are important diarrhoeagenic pathogens; infection is dependent on translocation of a number of type III effector proteins. Until recently all the known effectors were encoded on the LEE pathogenicity island, which also encodes the adhesin intimin and the type III secretion apparatus. Recently, a novel non-LEE effector protein, EspI/NleA, which is required for full virulence in vivo and is encoded on a prophage, was identified. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of espI among clinical EHEC and EPEC isolates. espI was detected in 86 % and 53 % of LEE+ EHEC and EPEC strains, respectively. Moreover, the espI gene was more commonly found in patients suffering from a more severe disease.


2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Roe ◽  
D.E.E. Hoey ◽  
D.L. Gally

Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 causes gastrointestinal disease with the potential for life-threatening sequelae. Although Shiga-like toxins are responsible for much of the serious pathology in humans, the bacterium also possesses a type III protein secretion system that is responsible for intimate attachment to host intestinal mucosa. This sophisticated interaction requires co-ordination that is governed by environmental and genetic factors. Ongoing research supports the following model for how EHEC enables and controls this process: (i) specific environmental cues that are present in the host result in the expression of a number of adhesins, including fimbriae, which allow the initial binding to the mucosal surface. The same conditions support the expression of the basal type III secretion apparatus; (ii) targeting and assembly of the translocon requires both an mRNA signal and chaperones, with coupled translation and secretion of translocon proteins, EspA, B and D; (iii) opening up of a conduit between the bacterium and host cell releases a cytoplasmic pool of effector proteins. A consequence of this is increased expression of particular effector proteins. Potentially, different proteins could be released into the cell at different times or have activities modulated with time; (iv) intimate contact between the translocated intimin receptor (Tir) and the bacterial surface factor intimin requires translocon expression to be down-regulated and translocon filaments to be lost. Fluorescent protein fusions allow contact-mediated regulation and protein targeting through the type III secretion system to be studied in detail.


mBio ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erez Mills ◽  
Kobi Baruch ◽  
Gili Aviv ◽  
Mor Nitzan ◽  
Ilan Rosenshine

ABSTRACT Type III secretion systems (TTSSs) are employed by pathogens to translocate host cells with effector proteins, which are crucial for virulence. The dynamics of effector translocation, behavior of the translocating bacteria, translocation temporal order, and relative amounts of each of the translocated effectors are all poorly characterized. To address these issues, we developed a microscopy-based assay that tracks effector translocation. We used this assay alongside a previously described real-time population-based translocation assay, focusing mainly on enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and partly comparing it to Salmonella. We found that the two pathogens exhibit different translocation behaviors: in EPEC, a subpopulation that formed microcolonies carried out most of the translocation activity, while Salmonella executed protein translocation as planktonic bacteria. We also noted variability in host cell susceptibility, with some cells highly resistant to translocation. We next extended the study to determine the translocation dynamics of twenty EPEC effectors and found that all exhibited distinct levels of translocation efficiency. Further, we mapped the global effects of key TTSS-related components on TTSS activity. Our results provide a comprehensive description of the dynamics of the TTSS activity of EPEC and new insights into the mechanisms that control the dynamics. IMPORTANCE EPEC and the closely related enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) represent a global public health problem. New strategies to combat EPEC and EHEC infections are needed, and development of such strategies requires better understanding of their virulence machinery. The TTSS is a critical virulence mechanism employed by these pathogens, and by others, including Salmonella. In this study, we aimed at elucidating new aspects of TTSS function. The results obtained provide a comprehensive description of the dynamics of TTSS activity of EPEC and new insights into the mechanisms that control these changes. This knowledge sets the stage for further analysis of the system and may accelerate the development of new ways to treat EPEC and EHEC infections. Further, the newly described microscopy-based assay can be readily adapted to study the dynamics of TTSS activity in other pathogens.


2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (23) ◽  
pp. 8164-8171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Ideses ◽  
Uri Gophna ◽  
Yossi Paitan ◽  
Roy R. Chaudhuri ◽  
Mark J. Pallen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The type III secretion system (T3SS) is an important virulence factor used by several gram-negative bacteria to deliver effector proteins which subvert host cellular processes. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 has a well-defined T3SS involved in attachment and effacement (ETT1) and critical for virulence. A gene cluster potentially encoding an additional T3SS (ETT2), which resembles the SPI-1 system in Salmonella enterica, was found in its genome sequence. The ETT2 gene cluster has since been found in many E. coli strains, but its in vivo role is not known. Many of the ETT2 gene clusters carry mutations and deletions, raising the possibility that they are not functional. Here we show the existence in septicemic E. coli strains of an ETT2 gene cluster, ETT2sepsis, which, although degenerate, contributes to pathogenesis. ETT2sepsis has several premature stop codons and a large (5 kb) deletion, which is conserved in 11 E. coli strains from cases of septicemia and newborn meningitis. A null mutant constructed to remove genes coding for the putative inner membrane ring of the secretion complex exhibited significantly reduced virulence. These results are the first demonstration of the importance of ETT2 for pathogenesis.


2016 ◽  
Vol 199 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Soto ◽  
Norma Espinosa ◽  
Miguel Díaz-Guerrero ◽  
Meztlli O. Gaytán ◽  
José L. Puente ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a supramolecular machine used by many bacterial pathogens to translocate effector proteins directly into the eukaryotic host cell cytoplasm. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is an important cause of infantile diarrheal disease in underdeveloped countries. EPEC virulence relies on a T3SS encoded within a chromosomal pathogenicity island known as the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). In this work, we pursued the functional characterization of the LEE-encoded protein EscK (previously known as Orf4). We provide evidence indicating that EscK is crucial for efficient T3S and belongs to the SctK (OrgA/YscK/MxiK) protein family, whose members have been implicated in the formation of a sorting platform for secretion of T3S substrates. Bacterial fractionation studies showed that EscK localizes to the inner membrane independently of the presence of any other T3SS component. Combining yeast two-hybrid screening and pulldown assays, we identified an interaction between EscK and the C-ring/sorting platform component EscQ. Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved residues revealed amino acids that are critical for EscK function and for its interaction with EscQ. In addition, we found that T3S substrate overproduction is capable of compensating for the absence of EscK. Overall, our data suggest that EscK is a structural component of the EPEC T3SS sorting platform, playing a central role in the recruitment of T3S substrates for boosting the efficiency of the protein translocation process. IMPORTANCE The type III secretion system (T3SS) is an essential virulence determinant for enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) colonization of intestinal epithelial cells. Multiple EPEC effector proteins are injected via the T3SS into enterocyte cells, leading to diarrheal disease. The T3SS is encoded within a genomic pathogenicity island termed the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). Here we unravel the function of EscK, a previously uncharacterized LEE-encoded protein. We show that EscK is central for T3SS biogenesis and function. EscK forms a protein complex with EscQ, the main component of the cytoplasmic sorting platform, serving as a docking site for T3S substrates. Our results provide a comprehensive functional analysis of an understudied component of T3SSs.


1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (13) ◽  
pp. 3393-3399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yixin Fu ◽  
Jorge E. Galán

ABSTRACT Salmonella typhimurium uses of a type III protein secretion system encoded at centisome 63 of its chromosome to deliver effector molecules into the host cell. These proteins stimulate host cell responses such as reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and activation of transcription factors. One of these effector proteins is SptP, a tyrosine phosphatase that causes disruption of the host cell actin cytoskeleton. A characteristic feature of many substrates of type III secretion systems is their association with specific cytoplasmic chaperones which appears to be required for secretion and/or translocation of these proteins into the host cell. We report here the identification of SicP, a 13-kDa acidic polypeptide that is encoded immediately upstream of sptP. A loss-of-function mutation in sicP resulted in drastically reduced levels of SptP but did not affect sptP expression, indicating that SicP exerts its effect posttranscriptionally. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that the loss of SicP leads to increased degradation of SptP. In addition, we show that SicP binds to SptP directly and that the binding site is located between residues 15 and 100 of the tyrosine phosphatase. Taken together, these results indicate that SicP acts as a specific chaperone for SptP.


2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 3104-3114 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Nordfelth ◽  
A. M. Kauppi ◽  
H. A. Norberg ◽  
H. Wolf-Watz ◽  
M. Elofsson

ABSTRACT The type III secretion (TTS) system is used by several animal and plant pathogens to deliver effector proteins into the cytosol of the eukaryotic target cell as a strategy to evade the defense reactions elicited by the infected organism. The fact that these systems are highly homologous implies that novel antibacterial agents that chemically attenuate the pathogens via a specific interaction with the type III secretion mechanism can be identified. A number of small organic molecules having this potential have recently been identified (A. M. Kauppi, R. Nordfelth, H. Uvell, H. Wolf-Watz, and M. Elofsson, Chem. Biol. 10:241-249, 2003). Using different reporter gene constructs, we showed that compounds that belong to a class of acylated hydrazones of different salicylaldehydes target the TTS system of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. One of these compounds, compound 1, was studied in detail and was found to specifically block Yop effector secretion under in vitro conditions by targeting the TTS system. In this respect the drug mimics the well-known effect of calcium on Yop secretion. In addition, compound 1 inhibits Yop effector translocation after infection of HeLa cells without affecting the eukaryotic cells or the bacteria. A HeLa cell model that mimics in vivo conditions showed that compound 1 chemically attenuates the pathogen to the advantage of the eukaryotic cell. Thus, our results show proof of concept, i.e., that small compounds targeting the TTS system can be identified, and they point to the possible use of TTS inhibitors as a novel class of antibacterial agents.


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