AbstractSecretion systems are essential for bacteria to survive and manipulate their environment. The bacterial Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) generates the force needed for protein translocation by the contraction of a long polymer called sheath, which is composed of interconnected VipA/VipB subunits forming a six-start helix. The mechanism of T6SS sheath contraction and the structure of its extended state are unknown. Here we show that elongating the N-terminal VipA linker or eliminating charge of a specific VipB residue abolished sheath contraction and delivery of effectors into target cells. The assembly of the non-contractile sheaths was dependent on the baseplate component TssE and mass-spectrometry analysis identified Hcp, VgrG and other components of the T6SS baseplate specifically associated with stable non-contractile sheaths. The ability to lock T6SS in the pre-firing state opens new possibilities for understanding its mode of action.
Dissecting the bacterial type VI secretion system by a genome wide in silico analysis: what can be learned from available microbial genomic resources?