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The molecular basis of FimT-mediated DNA uptake during bacterial natural transformation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1065. [PMID: 35246533 PMCID: PMC8897410 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28690-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Naturally competent bacteria encode sophisticated protein machinery for the uptake and translocation of exogenous DNA into the cell. If this DNA is integrated into the bacterial genome, the bacterium is said to be naturally transformed. Most competent bacterial species utilise type IV pili for the initial DNA uptake step. These proteinaceous cell-surface structures are composed of thousands of pilus subunits (pilins), designated as major or minor according to their relative abundance in the pilus. Here, we show that the minor pilin FimT plays an important role in the natural transformation of Legionella pneumophila. We use NMR spectroscopy, in vitro DNA binding assays and in vivo transformation assays to understand the molecular basis of FimT's role in this process. FimT binds to DNA via an electropositive patch, rich in arginines, several of which are well-conserved and located in a conformationally flexible C-terminal tail. FimT orthologues from other Gammaproteobacteria share the ability to bind to DNA. Our results suggest that FimT plays an important role in DNA uptake in a wide range of competent species.
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Zheng H, Huang Y, Liu P, Yan L, Zhou Y, Yang C, Wu Y, Qin J, Guo Y, Pei X, Guo Y, Cui Y, Liang W. Population genomics of the food-borne pathogen Vibrio fluvialis reveals lineage associated pathogenicity-related genetic elements. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35212619 PMCID: PMC8942032 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio fluvialis is a food-borne pathogen with epidemic potential that causes cholera-like acute gastroenteritis and sometimes extraintestinal infections in humans. However, research on its genetic diversity and pathogenicity-related genetic elements based on whole genome sequences is lacking. In this study, we collected and sequenced 130 strains of V. fluvialis from 14 provinces of China, and also determined the susceptibility of 35 of the strains to 30 different antibiotics. Combined with 52 publicly available V. fluvialis genomes, we inferred the population structure and investigated the characteristics of pathogenicity-related factors. The V. fluvialis strains exhibited high levels of homologous recombination and were assigned to two major populations, VflPop1 and VflPop2, according to the different compositions of their gene pools. VflPop2 was subdivided into groups 2.1 and 2.2. Except for VflPop2.2, which consisted only of Asian strains, the strains in VflPop1 and VflPop2.1 were distributed in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Analysis of the pathogenicity potential of V. fluvialis showed that most of the identified virulence-related genes or gene clusters showed high prevalence in V. fluvialis, except for three mobile genetic elements: pBD146, ICEVflInd1 and MGIVflInd1, which were scattered in only a few strains. A total of 21 antimicrobial resistance genes were identified in the genomes of the 182 strains analysed in this study, and 19 (90%) of them were exclusively present in VflPop2. Notably, the tetracycline resistance-related gene tet(35) was present in 150 (95%) of the strains in VflPop2, and in only one (4%) strain in VflPop1, indicating it was population-specific. In total, 91% of the 35 selected strains showed resistance to cefazolin, indicating V. fluvialis has a high resistance rate to cefazolin. Among the 15 genomes that carried the previously reported drug resistance-related plasmid pBD146, 11 (73%) showed resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which we inferred was related to the presence of the dfr6 gene in the plasmid. On the basis of the population genomics analysis, the genetic diversity, population structure and distribution of pathogenicity-related factors of V. fluvialis were delineated in this study. The results will provide further clues regarding the evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of V. fluvialis, and improve our knowledge for the prevention and control of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyuan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Yuanming Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, PR China
| | - Ping Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, PR China
| | - Lin Yan
- National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100022, PR China
| | - Yanyan Zhou
- Center of Clinical Laboratory, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, PR China
| | - Chao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Yarong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Jingliang Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Yan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Xiaoyan Pei
- National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100022, PR China
| | - Yunchang Guo
- National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100022, PR China
| | - Yujun Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, PR China
| | - Weili Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, PR China
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Structural interactions define assembly adapter function of a type II secretion system pseudopilin. Structure 2021; 29:1116-1127.e8. [PMID: 34139172 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2021.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The type IV filament superfamily comprises widespread membrane-associated polymers in prokaryotes. The type II secretion system (T2SS), a virulence pathway in many pathogens, belongs to this superfamily. A knowledge gap in understanding of the T2SS is the molecular role of a small "pseudopilin" protein. Using multiple biophysical techniques, we have deciphered how this missing component of the Xcp T2SS architecture is structurally integrated, and thereby unlocked its function. We demonstrate that low-abundance XcpH is the adapter that bridges a trimeric initiating tip complex, XcpIJK, with a periplasmic filament of XcpG subunits. Each pseudopilin protein caps an XcpG protofilament in an overall pseudopilus compatible with dimensions of the periplasm and the outer membrane-spanning secretin through which substrates pass. Unexpectedly, to fulfill its adapter function, the XcpH N-terminal helix must be unwound, a property shared with XcpG subunits. We provide an experimentally validated three-dimensional structural model of a complete type IV filament.
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Naskar S, Hohl M, Tassinari M, Low HH. The structure and mechanism of the bacterial type II secretion system. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:412-424. [PMID: 33283907 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The type II secretion system (T2SS) is a multi-protein complex used by many bacteria to move substrates across their cell membrane. Substrates released into the environment serve as local and long-range effectors that promote nutrient acquisition, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity. In both animals and plants, the T2SS is increasingly recognized as a key driver of virulence. The T2SS spans the bacterial cell envelope and extrudes substrates through an outer membrane secretin channel using a pseudopilus. An inner membrane assembly platform and a cytoplasmic motor controls pseudopilus assembly. This microreview focuses on the structure and mechanism of the T2SS. Advances in cryo-electron microscopy are enabling increasingly elaborate sub-complexes to be resolved. However, key questions remain regarding the mechanism of pseudopilus extension and retraction, and how this is coupled with the choreography of the substrate moving through the secretion system. The T2SS is part of an ancient type IV filament superfamily that may have been present within the last universal common ancestor (LUCA). Overall, mechanistic principles that underlie T2SS function have implication for other closely related systems such as the type IV and tight adherence pilus systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Naskar
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Michael Hohl
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College, London, UK
| | | | - Harry H Low
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College, London, UK
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Ramamurthy T, Nandy RK, Mukhopadhyay AK, Dutta S, Mutreja A, Okamoto K, Miyoshi SI, Nair GB, Ghosh A. Virulence Regulation and Innate Host Response in the Pathogenicity of Vibrio cholerae. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:572096. [PMID: 33102256 PMCID: PMC7554612 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.572096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human pathogen Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of severe diarrheal disease known as cholera. Of the more than 200 "O" serogroups of this pathogen, O1 and O139 cause cholera outbreaks and epidemics. The rest of the serogroups, collectively known as non-O1/non-O139 cause sporadic moderate or mild diarrhea and also systemic infections. Pathogenic V. cholerae circulates between nutrient-rich human gut and nutrient-deprived aquatic environment. As an autochthonous bacterium in the environment and as a human pathogen, V. cholerae maintains its survival and proliferation in these two niches. Growth in the gastrointestinal tract involves expression of several genes that provide bacterial resistance against host factors. An intricate regulatory program involving extracellular signaling inputs is also controlling this function. On the other hand, the ability to store carbon as glycogen facilitates bacterial fitness in the aquatic environment. To initiate the infection, V. cholerae must colonize the small intestine after successfully passing through the acid barrier in the stomach and survive in the presence of bile and antimicrobial peptides in the intestinal lumen and mucus, respectively. In V. cholerae, virulence is a multilocus phenomenon with a large functionally associated network. More than 200 proteins have been identified that are functionally linked to the virulence-associated genes of the pathogen. Several of these genes have a role to play in virulence and/or in functions that have importance in the human host or the environment. A total of 524 genes are differentially expressed in classical and El Tor strains, the two biotypes of V. cholerae serogroup O1. Within the host, many immune and biological factors are able to induce genes that are responsible for survival, colonization, and virulence. The innate host immune response to V. cholerae infection includes activation of several immune protein complexes, receptor-mediated signaling pathways, and other bactericidal proteins. This article presents an overview of regulation of important virulence factors in V. cholerae and host response in the context of pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ranjan K Nandy
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
| | - Asish K Mukhopadhyay
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
| | - Shanta Dutta
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
| | - Ankur Mutreja
- Global Health-Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Keinosuke Okamoto
- Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.,Collaborative Research Center of Okayama University for Infectious Diseases in India, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
| | - Shin-Ichi Miyoshi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - G Balakrish Nair
- Microbiome Laboratory, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Amit Ghosh
- Division of Bacteriology, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India
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Abstract
The type II secretion system (T2SS) delivers toxins and a range of hydrolytic enzymes, including proteases, lipases, and carbohydrate-active enzymes, to the cell surface or extracellular space of Gram-negative bacteria. Its contribution to survival of both extracellular and intracellular pathogens as well as environmental species of proteobacteria is evident. This dynamic, multicomponent machinery spans the entire cell envelope and consists of a cytoplasmic ATPase, several inner membrane proteins, a periplasmic pseudopilus, and a secretin pore embedded in the outer membrane. Despite the trans-envelope configuration of the T2S nanomachine, proteins to be secreted engage with the system first once they enter the periplasmic compartment via the Sec or TAT export system. Thus, the T2SS is specifically dedicated to their outer membrane translocation. The many sequence and structural similarities between the T2SS and type IV pili suggest a common origin and argue for a pilus-mediated mechanism of secretion. This minireview describes the structures, functions, and interactions of the individual T2SS components and the general architecture of the assembled T2SS machinery and briefly summarizes the transport and function of a growing list of T2SS exoproteins. Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy, which have led to an increased understanding of the structure-function relationship of the secretin channel and the pseudopilus, are emphasized.
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Zhang Y, Faucher F, Zhang W, Wang S, Neville N, Poole K, Zheng J, Jia Z. Structure-guided disruption of the pseudopilus tip complex inhibits the Type II secretion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PLoS Pathog 2018; 14:e1007343. [PMID: 30346996 PMCID: PMC6211770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes the Type II secretion system (T2SS) to translocate a wide range of large, structured protein virulence factors through the periplasm to the extracellular environment for infection. In the T2SS, five pseudopilins assemble into the pseudopilus that acts as a piston to extrude exoproteins out of cells. Through structure determination of the pseudopilin complexes of XcpVWX and XcpVW and function analysis, we have confirmed that two minor pseudopilins, XcpV and XcpW, constitute a core complex indispensable to the pseudopilus tip. The absence of either XcpV or -W resulted in the non-functional T2SS. Our small-angle X-ray scattering experiment for the first time revealed the architecture of the entire pseudopilus tip and established the working model. Based on the interaction interface of complexes, we have developed inhibitory peptides. The structure-based peptides not only disrupted of the XcpVW core complex and the entire pseudopilus tip in vitro but also inhibited the T2SS in vivo. More importantly, these peptides effectively reduced the virulence of P. aeruginosa towards Caenorhabditis elegans. The Type II secretion system has been characterized as an important virulence factor translocation machine that secrets various toxic proteins from the periplasm into the extracellular milieu used by a wide spectrum of Gram-negative bacteria. Through the characterization of the structure of the pseudopilus tip complex by protein crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering, we have identified a critical interaction interface in the core binary complex formed by two minor pseudopilins, XcpV and–W, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Based on the interaction interface, two inhibitory peptides were developed, which showed potency of disrupting the entire pseudopilus tip complex and further inhibited the Type II secretion system. When applied to Caenorhabditis elegans, these peptides prevent the killing of worms by the P. aeruginosa. Our work has represented the first successful research on the inhibition of the Type II secretion system based on the structure of the pseudopilus tip complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Zhang
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frédérick Faucher
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wenwen Zhang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Shu Wang
- College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Nolan Neville
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Keith Poole
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jun Zheng
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Zongchao Jia
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Gu S, Shevchik VE, Shaw R, Pickersgill RW, Garnett JA. The role of intrinsic disorder and dynamics in the assembly and function of the type II secretion system. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2017; 1865:1255-1266. [PMID: 28733198 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 07/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Many Gram-negative commensal and pathogenic bacteria use a type II secretion system (T2SS) to transport proteins out of the cell. These exported proteins or substrates play a major role in toxin delivery, maintaining biofilms, replication in the host and subversion of host immune responses to infection. We review the current structural and functional work on this system and argue that intrinsically disordered regions and protein dynamics are central for assembly, exo-protein recognition, and secretion competence of the T2SS. The central role of intrinsic disorder-order transitions in these processes may be a particular feature of type II secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Gu
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Vladimir E Shevchik
- Université de Lyon, F-69003, Université Lyon 1, Lyon, F-69622, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne F-69621, CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie Adaptation et Pathogénie, Lyon F-69622, France
| | - Rosie Shaw
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Richard W Pickersgill
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - James A Garnett
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
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Chung HY, Kim YT, Kim S, Na EJ, Ku HJ, Lee KH, Heo ST, Ryu S, Kim H, Choi SH, Lee JH. Complete genome sequence of Vibrio vulnificus FORC_017 isolated from a patient with a hemorrhagic rash after consuming raw dotted gizzard shad. Gut Pathog 2016; 8:22. [PMID: 27325916 PMCID: PMC4913425 DOI: 10.1186/s13099-016-0104-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Vibrio vulnificus, a resident in the human gut, is frequently found in seafood, causing food-borne illnesses including gastroenteritis and severe septicemia. While V. vulnificus has been known to be one of the major food-borne pathogens, pathogenicity and virulence factors are not fully understood yet. To extend our understanding of the pathogenesis of V. vulnificus at the genomic level, the genome of V. vulnificus FORC_017 isolated from a female patient experiencing a hemorrhagic rash was completely sequenced and analyzed. Results Three discontinuous contigs were generated from a hybrid assembly using Illumina MiSeq and PacBio platforms, revealing that the genome of the FORC_017 consists of two circular chromosomes and a plasmid. Chromosome I consists of 3,253,417-bp (GC content 46.49 %) containing 2943 predicted open reading frames (ORFs) and chromosome II of 1,905,745-bp (GC content 46.90 %) containing 1638 ORFs. The plasmid pFORC17 consists of 70,069-bp (GC content 43.77 %) containing 84 ORFs. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) value of the FORC_017 and CMCP6 strains was 98.53, suggesting that they are closely related. Conclusions Pathogenesis-associated genes including vvhA, rtx gene cluster, and various hemolysin genes were present in FORC_017. In addition, three complete secretion systems (Type I, II and VI) as well as iron uptake-related genes for virulence of the FORC_017 were detected, suggesting that this strain is pathogenic. Further comparative genome analysis revealed that FORC_017 and CMCP6 share major toxin genes including vvhA and rtx for pathogenesis activities. The genome information of the FORC_017 provides novel insights into pathogenicity and virulence factors of V. vulnificus. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13099-016-0104-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Young Chung
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - You-Tae Kim
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - Suyeon Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Jung Na
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Jin Ku
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun Hwa Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Taek Heo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangryeol Ryu
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heebal Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Ho Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Hoon Lee
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Republic of Korea
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Gorgel M, Ulstrup JJ, Bøggild A, Jones NC, Hoffmann SV, Nissen P, Boesen T. High-resolution structure of a type IV pilin from the metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis. BMC STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2015; 15:4. [PMID: 25886849 PMCID: PMC4376143 DOI: 10.1186/s12900-015-0031-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background Type IV pili are widely expressed among Gram-negative bacteria, where they are involved in biofilm formation, serve in the transfer of DNA, motility and in the bacterial attachment to various surfaces. Type IV pili in Shewanella oneidensis are also supposed to play an important role in extracellular electron transfer by the attachment to sediments containing electron acceptors and potentially forming conductive nanowires. Results The potential nanowire type IV pilin PilBac1 from S. oneidensis was characterized by a combination of complementary structural methods and the atomic structure was determined at a resolution of 1.67 Å by X-ray crystallography. PilBac1 consists of one long N-terminal α-helix packed against four antiparallel β-strands, thus revealing the core fold of type IV pilins. In the crystal, PilBac1 forms a parallel dimer with a sodium ion bound to one of the monomers. Interestingly, our PilBac1 crystal structure reveals two unusual features compared to other type IVa pilins: an unusual position of the disulfide bridge and a straight α-helical section, which usually exhibits a pronounced kink. This straight helix leads to a distinct packing in a filament model of PilBac1 based on an EM model of a Neisseria pilus. Conclusions In this study we have described the first structure of a pilin from Shewanella oneidensis. The structure possesses features of the common type IV pilin core, but also exhibits significant variations in the α-helical part and the D-region. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12900-015-0031-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Gorgel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10c, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Jakob Jensen Ulstrup
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10c, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Andreas Bøggild
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10c, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Nykola C Jones
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1525, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Søren V Hoffmann
- ISA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1525, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Poul Nissen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10c, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
| | - Thomas Boesen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10c, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark.
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11
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Nguyen Y, Sugiman-Marangos S, Harvey H, Bell SD, Charlton CL, Junop MS, Burrows LL. Pseudomonas aeruginosa minor pilins prime type IVa pilus assembly and promote surface display of the PilY1 adhesin. J Biol Chem 2014; 290:601-11. [PMID: 25389296 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.616904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Type IV pili (T4P) contain hundreds of major subunits, but minor subunits are also required for assembly and function. Here we show that Pseudomonas aeruginosa minor pilins prime pilus assembly and traffic the pilus-associated adhesin and anti-retraction protein, PilY1, to the cell surface. PilV, PilW, and PilX require PilY1 for inclusion in surface pili and vice versa, suggestive of complex formation. PilE requires PilVWXY1 for inclusion, suggesting that it binds a novel interface created by two or more components. FimU is incorporated independently of the others and is proposed to couple the putative minor pilin-PilY1 complex to the major subunit. The production of small amounts of T4P by a mutant lacking the minor pilin operon was traced to expression of minor pseudopilins from the P. aeruginosa type II secretion (T2S) system, showing that under retraction-deficient conditions, T2S minor subunits can prime T4P assembly. Deletion of all minor subunits abrogated pilus assembly. In a strain lacking the minor pseudopilins, PilVWXY1 and either FimU or PilE comprised the minimal set of components required for pilus assembly. Supporting functional conservation of T2S and T4P minor components, our 1.4 Å crystal structure of FimU revealed striking architectural similarity to its T2S ortholog GspH, despite minimal sequence identity. We propose that PilVWXY1 form a priming complex for assembly and that PilE and FimU together stably couple the complex to the major subunit. Trafficking of the anti-retraction factor PilY1 to the cell surface allows for production of pili of sufficient length to support adherence and motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylan Nguyen
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Seiji Sugiman-Marangos
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Hanjeong Harvey
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Stephanie D Bell
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Carmen L Charlton
- the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada, the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2J2, Canada, and
| | - Murray S Junop
- the Department of Biochemistry, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Lori L Burrows
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5, Canada,
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Lu C, Korotkov KV, Hol WGJ. Crystal structure of the full-length ATPase GspE from the Vibrio vulnificus type II secretion system in complex with the cytoplasmic domain of GspL. J Struct Biol 2014; 187:223-235. [PMID: 25092625 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The type II secretion system (T2SS) is present in many Gram-negative bacteria and is responsible for secreting a large number of folded proteins, including major virulence factors, across the outer membrane. The T2SS consists of 11-15 different proteins most of which are present in multiple copies in the assembled secretion machinery. The ATPase GspE, essential for the functioning of the T2SS, contains three domains (N1E, N2E and CTE) of which the N1E domain is associated with the cytoplasmic domain of the inner membrane protein GspL. Here we describe and analyze the structure of the GspE•cyto-GspL complex from Vibrio vulnificus in the presence of an ATP analog, AMPPNP. There are three such ∼83 kDa complexes per asymmetric unit with essentially the same structure. The N2E and CTE domains of a single V. vulnificus GspE subunit adopt a mutual orientation that has not been seen before in any of the previous GspE structures, neither in structures of related ATPases from other secretion systems. This underlines the tremendous conformational flexibility of the T2SS secretion ATPase. Cyto-GspL interacts not only with the N1E domain, but also with the CTE domain and is even in contact with AMPPNP. Moreover, the cyto-GspL domains engage in two types of mutual interactions, resulting in two essentially identical, but crystallographically independent, "cyto-GspL rods" that run throughout the crystal. Very similar rods are present in previous crystals of cyto-GspL and of the N1E•cyto-GspL complex. This arrangement, now seen four times in three entirely different crystal forms, involves contacts between highly conserved residues suggesting a role in the biogenesis or the secretion mechanism or both of the T2SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Konstantin V Korotkov
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Wim G J Hol
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.
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Type II secretion system: A magic beanstalk or a protein escalator. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2014; 1843:1568-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2013.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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The 1.59Å resolution structure of the minor pseudopilin EpsH of Vibrio cholerae reveals a long flexible loop. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2014; 1844:406-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2013.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Revised: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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15
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Abstract
Type IV pili (T4P) are multifunctional protein fibers produced on the surfaces of a wide variety of bacteria and archaea. The major subunit of T4P is the type IV pilin, and structurally related proteins are found as components of the type II secretion (T2S) system, where they are called pseudopilins; of DNA uptake/competence systems in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive species; and of flagella, pili, and sugar-binding systems in the archaea. This broad distribution of a single protein family implies both a common evolutionary origin and a highly adaptable functional plan. The type IV pilin is a remarkably versatile architectural module that has been adopted widely for a variety of functions, including motility, attachment to chemically diverse surfaces, electrical conductance, acquisition of DNA, and secretion of a broad range of structurally distinct protein substrates. In this review, we consider recent advances in this research area, from structural revelations to insights into diversity, posttranslational modifications, regulation, and function.
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The type II secretion system – a dynamic fiber assembly nanomachine. Res Microbiol 2013; 164:545-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2013.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2012] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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17
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von Tils D, Blädel I, Schmidt MA, Heusipp G. Type II secretion in Yersinia-a secretion system for pathogenicity and environmental fitness. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2012; 2:160. [PMID: 23248779 PMCID: PMC3521999 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In Yersinia species, type III secretion (T3S) is the most prominent and best studied secretion system and a hallmark for the infection process of pathogenic Yersinia species. Type II secretion (T2S), on the other hand, is less well-characterized, although all Yersinia species, pathogenic as well as non-pathogenic, possess one or even two T2S systems. The only Yersinia strain in which T2S has so far been studied is the human pathogenic strain Y. enterocolitica 1b. Mouse infection experiments showed that at least one of the two T2S systems of Y. enterocolitica 1b, termed Yts1, is involved in dissemination and colonization of deeper tissues like liver and spleen. Interestingly, in vitro studies revealed a complex regulation of the Yts1 system, which is mainly active at low temperatures and high Mg2+-levels. Furthermore, the functional characterization of the proteins secreted in vitro indicates a role of the Yts1 machinery in survival of the bacteria in an environmental habitat. In silico analyses identified Yts1 homologous systems in bacteria that are known as plant symbionts or plant pathogens. Thus, the recent studies point to a dual function of the Yts1 T2S systems, playing a role in virulence of humans and animals, as well as in the survival of the bacteria outside of the mammalian host. In contrast, the role of the second T2S system, Yts2, remains ill defined. Whereas the T3S system and its virulence-mediating role has been intensively studied, it might now be time to also focus on the T2S system and its role in the Yersinia lifestyle, especially considering that most of the Yersinia isolates are not found in infected humans but have been gathered from various environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik von Tils
- Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), Institute of Infectiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster Münster, Germany
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18
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Douzi B, Filloux A, Voulhoux R. On the path to uncover the bacterial type II secretion system. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2012; 367:1059-72. [PMID: 22411978 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria have evolved several secretory pathways to release enzymes or toxins into the surrounding environment or into the target cells. The type II secretion system (T2SS) is conserved in Gram-negative bacteria and involves a set of 12 to 16 different proteins. Components of the T2SS are located in both the inner and outer membranes where they assemble into a supramolecular complex spanning the bacterial envelope, also called the secreton. The T2SS substrates transiently go through the periplasm before they are translocated across the outer membrane and exposed to the extracellular milieu. The T2SS is unique in its ability to promote secretion of large and sometimes multimeric proteins that are folded in the periplasm. The present review describes recently identified protein-protein interactions together with structural and functional advances in the field that have contributed to improve our understanding on how the type II secretion apparatus assembles and on the role played by individual proteins of this highly sophisticated system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badreddine Douzi
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (CNRS-LISM-UPR 9027), Aix-Marseille Universités, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
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19
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The type II secretion system: biogenesis, molecular architecture and mechanism. Nat Rev Microbiol 2012; 10:336-51. [PMID: 22466878 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 347] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Many gram-negative bacteria use the sophisticated type II secretion system (T2SS) to translocate a wide range of proteins from the periplasm across the outer membrane. The inner-membrane platform of the T2SS is the nexus of the system and orchestrates the secretion process through its interactions with the periplasmic filamentous pseudopilus, the dodecameric outer-membrane complex and a cytoplasmic secretion ATPase. Here, recent structural and biochemical information is reviewed to describe our current knowledge of the biogenesis and architecture of the T2SS and its mechanism of action.
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20
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McLaughlin LS, Haft RJF, Forest KT. Structural insights into the Type II secretion nanomachine. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2012; 22:208-16. [PMID: 22425326 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2012.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2011] [Revised: 02/16/2012] [Accepted: 02/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The Type II secretion nanomachine transports folded proteins across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Recent X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, and molecular modeling studies provide structural insights into three functionally and spatially connected units of this nanomachine: the cytoplasmic and inner membrane energy-harvesting complex, the periplasmic helical pseudopilus, and the outer membrane secretin. Key advances include cryo-EM reconstruction of the secretin and demonstration that it interacts with both secreted substrates and a crucial transmembrane clamp protein, plus a biochemical and structural explanation of the role of low-abundance pseudopilins in initiating pseudopilus growth. Combining structures and protein interactions, we synthesize a 3D view of the complete complex consistent with a stepwise pathway in which secretin oligomerization defines sites of nanomachine biogenesis.
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Durand E, Alphonse S, Brochier-Armanet C, Ball G, Douzi B, Filloux A, Bernard C, Voulhoux R. The assembly mode of the pseudopilus: a hallmark to distinguish a novel secretion system subtype. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:24407-16. [PMID: 21586577 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.234278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In gram-negative bacteria, type II secretion systems assemble a piston-like structure, called pseudopilus, which expels exoproteins out of the cell. The pseudopilus is constituted by a major pseudopilin that when overproduced multimerizes into a long cell surface structure named hyper-pseudopilus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses two type II secretion systems, Xcp and Hxc. Although major pseudopilins are exchangeable among type II secretion systems, we show that XcpT and HxcT are not. We demonstrate that HxcT does not form a hyper-pseudopilus and is different in amino acid sequence and multimerization properties. Using structure-based mutagenesis, we observe that five mutations are sufficient to revert HxcT into a functional XcpT-like protein, which also becomes capable of forming a hyper-pseudopilus. Phylogenetic and experimental analysis showed that the whole Hxc system was acquired by P. aeruginosa PAO1 and other Pseudomonas species through horizontal gene transfer. We thus identified a new type II secretion subfamily, of which the P. aeruginosa Hxc system is the archetype. This finding demonstrates how similar bacterial machineries evolve toward distinct mechanisms that may contribute specific functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Durand
- Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires (LISM-UPR9027), CNRS, Université de la Méditerranée, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France
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22
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Gray MD, Bagdasarian M, Hol WGJ, Sandkvist M. In vivo cross-linking of EpsG to EpsL suggests a role for EpsL as an ATPase-pseudopilin coupling protein in the Type II secretion system of Vibrio cholerae. Mol Microbiol 2011; 79:786-98. [PMID: 21255118 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07487.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The type II secretion system is a multi-protein complex that spans the cell envelope of Gram-negative bacteria and promotes the secretion of proteins, including several virulence factors. This system is homologous to the type IV pilus biogenesis machinery and contains five proteins, EpsG-K, termed the pseudopilins that are structurally homologous to the type IV pilins. The major pseudopilin EpsG has been proposed to form a pilus-like structure in an energy-dependent process that requires the ATPase, EpsE. A key remaining question is how the membrane-bound EpsG interacts with the cytoplasmic ATPase, and if this is a direct or indirect interaction. Previous studies have established an interaction between the bitopic inner membrane protein EpsL and EpsE; therefore, in this study we used in vivo cross-linking to test the hypothesis that EpsG interacts with EpsL. Our findings suggest that EpsL may function as a scaffold to link EpsG and EpsE and thereby transduce the energy generated by ATP hydrolysis to support secretion. The recent discovery of structural homology between EpsL and a protein in the type IV pilus system implies that this interaction may be conserved and represent an important functional interaction for both the type II secretion and type IV pilus systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda D Gray
- University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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23
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Franz LP, Douzi B, Durand E, Dyer DH, Voulhoux R, Forest KT. Structure of the minor pseudopilin XcpW from the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type II secretion system. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D: BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2011; 67:124-30. [PMID: 21245534 DOI: 10.1107/s0907444910051954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2010] [Accepted: 12/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes the type II secretion machinery to transport virulence factors through the outer membrane into the extracellular space. Five proteins in the type II secretion system share sequence homology with pilin subunits of type IV pili and are called the pseudopilins. The major pseudopilin XcpT(G) assembles into an intraperiplasmic pilus and is thought to act in a piston-like manner to push substrates through an outer membrane secretin. The other four minor pseudopilins, XcpU(H), XcpV(I), XcpW(J) and XcpX(K), play less well defined roles in pseudopilus formation. It was recently discovered that these four minor pseudopilins form a quaternary complex that is presumed to initiate the formation of the pseudopilus and to localize to its tip. Here, the structure of XcpW(J) was refined to 1.85 Å resolution. The structure revealed the type IVa pilin fold with an embellished variable antiparallel β-sheet as also found in the XcpW(J) homologue enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli GspJ(W) and the XcpU(H) homologue Vibrio cholerae EpsU(H). It is proposed that the exposed surface of this sheet may cradle the long N-terminal α1 helix of another pseudopilin. The final 31 amino acids of the XcpW(J) structure are instrinsically disordered. Deletion of this unstructured region of XcpW(J) did not prevent type II secretion in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura P Franz
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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24
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Structure of the cholera toxin secretion channel in its closed state. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2010; 17:1226-32. [PMID: 20852644 PMCID: PMC2950906 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.1910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2010] [Accepted: 07/27/2010] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The type II secretion system (T2SS) is a macromolecular complex spanning the inner and outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. Remarkably, the T2SS secretes folded proteins, including multimeric assemblies such as cholera toxin and heat-labile enterotoxin from Vibrio cholerae and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, respectively. The major outer membrane T2SS protein is the 'secretin' GspD. Cryo-EM reconstruction of the V. cholerae secretin at 19-Å resolution reveals a dodecameric structure reminiscent of a barrel, with a large channel at its center that contains a closed periplasmic gate. The GspD periplasmic domain forms a vestibule with a conserved constriction, and it binds to a pentameric exoprotein and to the trimeric tip of the T2SS pseudopilus. By combining our results with structures of the cholera toxin and T2SS pseudopilus tip, we provide a structural basis for a possible secretion mechanism of the T2SS.
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25
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Abstract
The type II secretion system (T2SS) is used by Escherichia coli and other gram-negative bacteria to translocate many proteins, including toxins and proteases, across the outer membrane of the cell and into the extracellular space. Depending on the bacterial species, between 12 and 15 genes have been identified that make up a T2SS operon. T2SSs are widespread among gram-negative bacteria, and most E. coli appear to possess one or two complete T2SS operons. Once expressed, the multiple protein components that form the T2S system are localized in both the inner and outer membranes, where they assemble into an apparatus that spans the cell envelope. This apparatus supports the secretion of numerous virulence factors; and therefore secretion via this pathway is regarded in many organisms as a major virulence mechanism. Here, we review several of the known E. coli T2S substrates that have proven to be critical for the survival and pathogenicity of these bacteria. Recent structural and biochemical information is also reviewed that has improved our current understanding of how the T2S apparatus functions; also reviewed is the role that individual proteins play in this complex system.
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26
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Abstract
Bacterial toxins damage the host at the site of bacterial infection or distant from the site. Bacterial toxins can be single proteins or oligomeric protein complexes that are organized with distinct AB structure-function properties. The A domain encodes a catalytic activity. ADP ribosylation of host proteins is the earliest post-translational modification determined to be performed by bacterial toxins; other modifications include glucosylation and proteolysis. Bacterial toxins also catalyze the non-covalent modification of host protein function or can modify host cell properties through direct protein-protein interactions. The B domain includes two functional domains: a receptor-binding domain, which defines the tropism of a toxin for a cell and a translocation domain that delivers the A domain across a lipid bilayer, either on the plasma membrane or the endosome. Bacterial toxins are often characterized based upon the secretion mechanism that delivers the toxin out of the bacterium, termed types I-VII. This review summarizes the major families of bacterial toxins and also describes the specific structure-function properties of the botulinum neurotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Henkel
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Milwaukee, WI 53151, USA.
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27
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Structural Characterization of Novel Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type IV Pilins. J Mol Biol 2010; 395:491-503. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2009.10.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2009] [Revised: 10/28/2009] [Accepted: 10/28/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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28
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Douzi B, Durand E, Bernard C, Alphonse S, Cambillau C, Filloux A, Tegoni M, Voulhoux R. The XcpV/GspI pseudopilin has a central role in the assembly of a quaternary complex within the T2SS pseudopilus. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:34580-9. [PMID: 19828448 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.042366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria use the sophisticated type II secretion system (T2SS) to secrete a large number of exoproteins into the extracellular environment. Five proteins of the T2SS, the pseudopilins GspG-H-I-J-K, are proposed to assemble into a pseudopilus involved in the extrusion of the substrate through the outer membrane channel. Recent structural data have suggested that the three pseudopilins GspI-J-K are organized in a trimeric complex located at the tip of the GspG-containing pseudopilus. In the present work we combined two biochemical techniques to investigate the protein-protein interaction network between the five Pseudomonas aeruginosa Xcp pseudopilins. The soluble domains of XcpT-U-V-W-X (respectively homologous to GspG-H-I-J-K) were purified, and the interactions were tested by surface plasmon resonance and affinity co-purification in all possible combinations. We found an XcpV(I)-W(J)-X(K) complex, which demonstrates that the crystallized trimeric complex also exists in the P. aeruginosa T2SS. Interestingly, our systematic approach revealed an additional and yet uncharacterized interaction between XcpU(H) and XcpW(J). This observation suggested the existence of a quaternary, rather than ternary, complex (XcpU(H)-V(I)-W(J)-X(K)) at the tip of the pseudopilus. The assembly of this quaternary complex was further demonstrated by co-purification using affinity chromatography. Moreover, by testing various combinations of pseudopilins by surface plasmon resonance and affinity chromatography, we were able to dissect the different possible successive steps occurring during the formation of the quaternary complex. We propose a model in which XcpV(I) is the nucleator that first binds XcpX(K) and XcpW(J) at different sites. Then the ternary complex recruits XcpU(H) through a direct interaction with XcpW(J).
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Affiliation(s)
- Badreddine Douzi
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolecules Biologiques, UMR6098, CNRS, and Universites d'Aix-Marseille I and II, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
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29
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Abendroth J, Kreger AC, Hol WGJ. The dimer formed by the periplasmic domain of EpsL from the Type 2 Secretion System of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. J Struct Biol 2009; 168:313-22. [PMID: 19646531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2009.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2009] [Revised: 07/21/2009] [Accepted: 07/27/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Type 2 Secretion System (T2SS), occurring in many Gram-negative bacteria, is responsible for the transport of a diversity of proteins from the periplasm across the outer membrane into the extracellular space. In Vibrio cholerae, the T2SS secretes several unrelated proteins including the major virulence factor cholera toxin. The T2SS consists of three sub-assemblies, one of which is the Inner Membrane Complex which contains multiple copies of five proteins, including the bitopic membrane protein EpsL. Here, we report the 2.3A resolution crystal structure of the periplasmic domain of EpsL (peri-EpsL) from Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which is 56% identical in sequence to its homolog in V. cholerae. The domain adopts a circular permutation of the "common" ferredoxin fold with two contiguous sub-domains. Remarkably, this infrequently occurring permutation was for the first time observed in the periplasmic domain of EpsM (peri-EpsM), another T2SS protein which interacts with EpsL. These two domains are 18% identical in sequence which may indicate a common evolutionary origin. Both peri-EpsL and peri-EpsM form dimers, but the organization of the subunits in these dimers appears to be entirely different. We have previously shown that the cytoplasmic domain of EpsL is also dimeric and forms a heterotetramer with the first domain of the "secretion ATPase" EpsE. The latter enzyme is most likely hexameric. The possible consequences of the combination of the different symmetries of EpsE and EpsL for the architecture of the T2SS are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Abendroth
- Department of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA
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30
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Korotkov KV, Gray MD, Kreger A, Turley S, Sandkvist M, Hol WGJ. Calcium is essential for the major pseudopilin in the type 2 secretion system. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:25466-70. [PMID: 19640838 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.c109.037655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The pseudopilus is a key feature of the type 2 secretion system (T2SS) and is made up of multiple pseudopilins that are similar in fold to the type 4 pilins. However, pilins have disulfide bridges, whereas the major pseudopilins of T2SS do not. A key question is therefore how the pseudopilins, and in particular, the most abundant major pseudopilin, GspG, obtain sufficient stability to perform their function. Crystal structures of Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio vulnificus, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) GspG were elucidated, and all show a calcium ion bound at the same site. Conservation of the calcium ligands fully supports the suggestion that calcium ion binding by the major pseudopilin is essential for the T2SS. Functional studies of GspG with mutated calcium ion-coordinating ligands were performed to investigate this hypothesis and show that in vivo protease secretion by the T2SS is severely impaired. Taking all evidence together, this allows the conclusion that, in complete contrast to the situation in the type 4 pili system homologs, in the T2SS, the major protein component of the central pseudopilus is dependent on calcium ions for activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin V Korotkov
- Department of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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31
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Raghunathan K, Vago FS, Ball T, Yakubova N, Grindem D, Wedemeyer WJ, Arvidson DN. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of Vibrio cholerae pseudopilin EpsH. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun 2009; 65:702-4. [PMID: 19574644 DOI: 10.1107/s1744309109020454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2009] [Accepted: 05/28/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
EpsH is a minor pseudopilin protein of the Vibrio cholerae type II secretion system. A truncated form of EpsH with a C-terminal noncleavable His tag was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized by sitting-drop vapor diffusion. A complete data set was collected to 1.71 A resolution. The crystals belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 53.39, b = 71.11, c = 84.64 A. There were two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit, which gave a Matthews coefficient V(M) of 2.1 A(3) Da(-1), corresponding to 41.5% solvent content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Raghunathan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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32
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Abendroth J, Mitchell DD, Korotkov KV, Johnson TL, Kreger A, Sandkvist M, Hol WGJ. The three-dimensional structure of the cytoplasmic domains of EpsF from the type 2 secretion system of Vibrio cholerae. J Struct Biol 2009; 166:303-15. [PMID: 19324092 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2009.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2008] [Revised: 03/04/2009] [Accepted: 03/18/2009] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The type 2 secretion system (T2SS), a multi-protein machinery that spans both the inner and the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, is used for the secretion of several critically important proteins across the outer membrane. Here we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of EpsF, an inner membrane spanning T2SS protein from Vibrio cholerae. This domain consists of a bundle of six anti-parallel helices and adopts a fold that has not been described before. The long C-terminal helix alpha6 protrudes from the body of the domain and most likely continues as the first transmembrane helix of EpsF. Two N-terminal EpsF domains form a tight dimer with a conserved interface, suggesting that the observed dimer occurs in the T2SS of many bacteria. Two calcium binding sites are present in the dimer interface with ligands provided for each site by both subunits. Based on this new structure, sequence comparisons of EpsF homologs and localization studies of GFP fused with EpsF, we propose that the second cytoplasmic domain of EpsF adopts a similar fold as the first cytoplasmic domain and that full-length EpsF, and its T2SS homologs, have a three-transmembrane helix topology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Abendroth
- Department of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, 1959 Pacific Ave. NE, Box 357742, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Korotkov KV, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Hol WG. Crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of the secretin GspD from ETEC determined with the assistance of a nanobody. Structure 2009; 17:255-65. [PMID: 19217396 PMCID: PMC2662362 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2008.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2008] [Revised: 11/24/2008] [Accepted: 11/24/2008] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Secretins are among the largest bacterial outer membrane proteins known. Here we report the crystal structure of the periplasmic N-terminal domain of GspD (peri-GspD) from the type 2 secretion system (T2SS) secretin in complex with a nanobody, the VHH domain of a heavy-chain camelid antibody. Two different crystal forms contained the same compact peri-GspD:nanobody heterotetramer. The nanobody contacts peri-GspD mainly via CDR3 and framework residues. The peri-GspD structure reveals three subdomains, with the second and third subdomains exhibiting the KH fold which also occurs in ring-forming proteins of the type 3 secretion system. The first subdomain of GspD is related to domains in phage tail proteins and outer membrane TonB-dependent receptors. A dodecameric peri-GspD model is proposed in which a solvent-accessible beta strand of the first subdomain interacts with secreted proteins and/or T2SS partner proteins by beta strand complementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin V. Korotkov
- Department of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Els Pardon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Interactions, VIB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium,Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jan Steyaert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Interactions, VIB, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium,Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Wim G.J. Hol
- Department of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Beeby M, Bobik TA, Yeates TO. Exploiting genomic patterns to discover new supramolecular protein assemblies. Protein Sci 2009; 18:69-79. [PMID: 19177352 PMCID: PMC2708037 DOI: 10.1002/pro.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2008] [Revised: 09/19/2008] [Accepted: 09/22/2008] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial microcompartments are supramolecular protein assemblies that function as bacterial organelles by compartmentalizing particular enzymes and metabolic intermediates. The outer shells of these microcompartments are assembled from multiple paralogous structural proteins. Because the paralogs are required to assemble together, their genes are often transcribed together from the same operon, giving rise to a distinctive genomic pattern: multiple, typically small, paralogous proteins encoded in close proximity on the bacterial chromosome. To investigate the generality of this pattern in supramolecular assemblies, we employed a comparative genomics approach to search for protein families that show the same kind of genomic pattern as that exhibited by bacterial microcompartments. The results indicate that a variety of large supramolecular assemblies fit the pattern, including bacterial gas vesicles, bacterial pili, and small heat-shock protein complexes. The search also retrieved several widely distributed protein families of presently unknown function. The proteins from one of these families were characterized experimentally and found to show a behavior indicative of supramolecular assembly. We conclude that cotranscribed paralogs are a common feature of diverse supramolecular assemblies, and a useful genomic signature for discovering new kinds of large protein assemblies from genomic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Beeby
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California Los AngelesLos Angeles, California 90095
| | - Thomas A Bobik
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011
| | - Todd O Yeates
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, University of California Los AngelesLos Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los AngelesCalifornia 90095-1569
- Molecular Biology Institute, Paul D. Boyer HallLos Angeles, California 90095-1570
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Nanobody-aided structure determination of the EpsI:EpsJ pseudopilin heterodimer from Vibrio vulnificus. J Struct Biol 2008; 166:8-15. [PMID: 19118632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2008.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2008] [Revised: 11/22/2008] [Accepted: 11/24/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pseudopilins form the central pseudopilus of the sophisticated bacterial type 2 secretion systems. The crystallization of the EpsI:EpsJ pseudopilin heterodimer from Vibrio vulnificus was greatly accelerated by the use of nanobodies, which are the smallest antigen-binding fragments derived from heavy-chain only camelid antibodies. Seven anti-EpsI:EpsJ nanobodies were generated and co-crystallization of EpsI:EpsJ nanobody complexes yielded several crystal forms very rapidly. In the structure solved, the nanobodies are arranged in planes throughout the crystal lattice, linking layers of EpsI:EpsJ heterodimers. The EpsI:EpsJ dimer observed confirms a right-handed architecture of the pseudopilus, but, compared to a previous structure of the EpsI:EpsJ heterodimer, EpsI differs 6 degrees in orientation with respect to EpsJ; one loop of EpsJ is shifted by approximately 5A due to interactions with the nanobody; and a second loop of EpsJ underwent a major change of 17A without contacts with the nanobody. Clearly, nanobodies accelerate dramatically the crystallization of recalcitrant protein complexes and can reveal conformational flexibility not observed before.
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Yanez ME, Korotkov KV, Abendroth J, Hol WGJ. The crystal structure of a binary complex of two pseudopilins: EpsI and EpsJ from the type 2 secretion system of Vibrio vulnificus. J Mol Biol 2008; 375:471-86. [PMID: 18022192 PMCID: PMC2219201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2007.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2007] [Revised: 10/10/2007] [Accepted: 10/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Type II secretion systems (T2SS) translocate virulence factors from the periplasmic space of many pathogenic bacteria into the extracellular environment. The T2SS of Vibrio cholerae and related species is called the extracellular protein secretion (Eps) system that consists of a core of multiple copies of 11 different proteins. The pseudopilins, EpsG, EpsH, EpsI, EpsJ and EpsK, are five T2SS proteins that are thought to assemble into a pseudopilus, which is assumed to interact with the outer membrane pore, and may actively participate in the export of proteins. We report here biochemical evidence that the minor pseudopilins EpsI and EpsJ from Vibrio species interact directly with one another. Moreover, the 2.3 A resolution crystal structure of a complex of EspI and EpsJ from Vibrio vulnificus represents the first atomic resolution structure of a complex of two different pseudopilin components from the T2SS. Both EpsI and EpsJ appear to be structural extremes within the family of type 4a pilin structures solved to date, with EpsI having the smallest, and EpsJ the largest, "variable pilin segment" seen thus far. A high degree of sequence conservation in the EpsI:EpsJ interface indicates that this heterodimer occurs in the T2SS of a large number of bacteria. The arrangement of EpsI and EpsJ in the heterodimer would correspond to a right-handed helical character of proteins assembled into a pseudopilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa E Yanez
- Department of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Structure Center, University of Washington, Box 357742, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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