Faculty Opinions recommendation of Type VI secretion delivers bacteriolytic effectors to target cells.

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) as a virulence factor-releasing system contributes to virulence development of various pathogens and is often activated upon contact with target cells.Citrobacter freundiistrain CF74 has a complete T6SS genomic island (GI) that containsclpV,hcp-2, andvgrT6SS genes. We constructedclpV,hcp-2,vgr, and T6SS GI deletion mutants in CF74 and analyzed their effects on the transcriptome overall and, specifically, on the flagellar system at the levels of transcription and translation. Deletion of the T6SS GI affected the transcription of 84 genes, with 15 and 69 genes exhibiting higher and lower levels of transcription, respectively. Members of the cell motility class of downregulated genes of the CF74ΔT6SS mutant were mainly flagellar genes, including effector proteins, chaperones, and regulators. Moreover, the production and secretion of FliC were also decreased inclpV,hcp-2,vgr, or T6SS GI deletion mutants in CF74 and were restored upon complementation. In swimming motility assays, the mutant strains were found to be less motile than the wild type, and motility was restored by complementation. The mutant strains were defective in adhesion to HEp-2 cells and were restored partially upon complementation. Further, the CF74ΔT6SS, CF74ΔclpV, and CF74Δhcp-2mutants induced lower cytotoxicity to HEp-2 cells than the wild type. These results suggested that the T6SS GI in CF74 regulates the flagellar system, enhances motility, is involved in adherence to host cells, and induces cytotoxicity to host cells. Thus, the T6SS plays a wide-ranging role inC. freundii.

Download Full-text

Fur-Dam Regulatory Interplay at an Internal Promoter of the Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Type VI Secretion sci1 Gene Cluster

Journal of Bacteriology ◽

10.1128/jb.00075-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 202 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yannick R. Brunet ◽

Christophe S. Bernard ◽

Eric Cascales

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Gene Cluster ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Secretion System ◽

Target Cells ◽

Type Vi Secretion System ◽

Content Type ◽

Internal Promoter ◽

E Coli ◽

Type Vi Secretion

ABSTRACT The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a weapon for delivering effectors into target cells that is widespread in Gram-negative bacteria. The T6SS is a highly versatile machine, as it can target both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, and it has been proposed that T6SSs are adapted to the specific needs of each bacterium. The expression of T6SS gene clusters and the activation of the secretion apparatus are therefore tightly controlled. In enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC), the sci1 T6SS gene cluster is subject to a complex regulation involving both the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) and DNA adenine methylase (Dam)-dependent DNA methylation. In this study, an additional, internal, promoter was identified within the sci1 gene cluster using +1 transcriptional mapping. Further analyses demonstrated that this internal promoter is controlled by a mechanism strictly identical to that of the main promoter. The Fur binding box overlaps the −10 transcriptional element and a Dam methylation site, GATC-32. Hence, the expression of the distal sci1 genes is repressed and the GATC-32 site is protected from methylation in iron-rich conditions. The Fur-dependent protection of GATC-32 was confirmed by an in vitro methylation assay. In addition, the methylation of GATC-32 negatively impacted Fur binding. The expression of the sci1 internal promoter is therefore controlled by iron availability through Fur regulation, whereas Dam-dependent methylation maintains a stable ON expression in iron-limited conditions. IMPORTANCE Bacteria use weapons to deliver effectors into target cells. One of these weapons, the type VI secretion system (T6SS), assembles a contractile tail acting as a spring to propel a toxin-loaded needle. Its expression and activation therefore need to be tightly regulated. Here, we identified an internal promoter within the sci1 T6SS gene cluster in enteroaggregative E. coli. We show that this internal promoter is controlled by Fur and Dam-dependent methylation. We further demonstrate that Fur and Dam compete at the −10 transcriptional element to finely tune the expression of T6SS genes. We propose that this elegant regulatory mechanism allows the optimum production of the T6SS in conditions where enteroaggregative E. coli encounters competing species.

Download Full-text

VipA N-terminal linker and VipB-VipB interaction modulate the contraction of Type VI secretion system sheath

10.1101/152785 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maximilian Brackmann ◽

Jing Wang ◽

Marek Basler

Keyword(s):

Protein Translocation ◽

Secretion System ◽

Mass Spectrometry Analysis ◽

Target Cells ◽

Extended State ◽

Type Vi Secretion System ◽

Secretion Systems ◽

Spectrometry Analysis ◽

Type Vi Secretion ◽

Bacterial Type

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.

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Type VI secretion delivers bacteriolytic effectors to target cells.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.12268956.14432058 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Jae-Hyuk Yu ◽

Kwang Cheol Casey Jeong

Keyword(s):

Target Cells ◽

Type Vi Secretion

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Type VI secretion delivers bacteriolytic effectors to target cells.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.12268956.13678054 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Hensel

Keyword(s):

Target Cells ◽

Type Vi Secretion

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Type VI secretion delivers bacteriolytic effectors to target cells.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.12268956.13444054 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Michael B Sherman

Keyword(s):

Target Cells ◽

Type Vi Secretion

Download Full-text

VgrG C terminus confers the type VI effector transport specificity and is required for binding with PAAR and adaptor–effector complex

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1600428113 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 113 (27) ◽

pp. E3931-E3940 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Devanand D. Bondage ◽

Jer-Sheng Lin ◽

Lay-Sun Ma ◽

Chih-Horng Kuo ◽

Erh-Min Lai

Keyword(s):

Variable Region ◽

Target Cells ◽

In Planta ◽

Type Vi Secretion System ◽

Bacterial Membranes ◽

Functional Studies ◽

Type Vi Secretion ◽

C Terminus ◽

Molecular Determinants ◽

Complex Forms

Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a macromolecular machine used by many Gram-negative bacteria to inject effectors/toxins into eukaryotic hosts or prokaryotic competitors for survival and fitness. To date, our knowledge of the molecular determinants and mechanisms underlying the transport of these effectors remains limited. Here, we report that two T6SS encoded valine-glycine repeat protein G (VgrG) paralogs in Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 specifically control the secretion and interbacterial competition activity of the type VI DNase toxins Tde1 and Tde2. Deletion and domain-swapping analysis identified that the C-terminal extension of VgrG1 specifically confers Tde1 secretion and Tde1-dependent interbacterial competition activity in planta, and the C-terminal variable region of VgrG2 governs this specificity for Tde2. Functional studies of VgrG1 and VgrG2 variants with stepwise deletion of the C terminus revealed that the C-terminal 31 aa (C31) of VgrG1 and 8 aa (C8) of VgrG2 are the molecular determinants specifically required for delivery of each cognate Tde toxin. Further in-depth studies on Tde toxin delivery mechanisms revealed that VgrG1 interacts with the adaptor/chaperone–effector complex (Tap-1–Tde1) in the absence of proline-alanine-alanine-arginine (PAAR) and the VgrG1–PAAR complex forms independent of Tap-1 and Tde1. Importantly, we identified the regions involved in these interactions. Although the entire C31 segment is required for binding with the Tap-1–Tde1 complex, only the first 15 aa of this region are necessary for PAAR binding. These results suggest that the VgrG1 C terminus interacts sequentially or simultaneously with the Tap-1–Tde1 complex and PAAR to govern Tde1 translocation across bacterial membranes and delivery into target cells for antibacterial activity.

Download Full-text