Correlation of phenotypic profiles using targeted proteomics identifies mycobacterial esx-1 substrates

Mycobacterium marinum as a model for understanding principles of mycobacterial pathogenesis

Mycobacterium marinum is a fish pathogen that has become a powerful and well-established model that has accelerated our understanding of the mechanisms of mycobacterial disease. M. marinum is a versatile surrogate for understanding the closely related human pathogen M. tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis in humans. M. marinum has defined key mechanisms of pathogenesis, both shared with M. tuberculosis and unique to this species. In this review, we discuss the discovery of M. marinum as an occasional human pathogen, the shared aspects of pathogenesis with M. tuberculosis, and how M. marinum has been exploited as a model to define the molecular mechanisms of mycobacterial pathogenesis across several phases of infection.

The regulatory functions of ESX-1 substrates, EspE and EspF, are separable from secretion

Pathogenic mycobacteria are a significant global health burden. The ESX-1 secretion system is essential for mycobacterial pathogenesis. The secretion of ESX-1 substrates is required for phagosomal lysis, which allows the bacteria to enter the macrophage cytoplasm, induce a Type I IFN response, and spread to new host cells. EspE and EspF are dual-functioning ESX-1 substrates. Inside the mycobacterial cell, they regulate transcription of ESX-1-associated genes. Following secretion, EspE and EspF are essential for lytic activity. The link between EspE/F secretion and regulatory function has not been investigated. We investigated the relationship between EspE and EspF using molecular genetics in Mycobacterium marinum, a non-tuberculous mycobacterial species that serves as an established model for ESX-1 secretion and function in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our data support that EspE and EspF, which require each other for secretion, directly interact. The disruption of the predicted protein-protein interaction abrogates hemolytic activity and secretion but does not impact their gene regulatory activities in the mycobacterial cell. In addition, we predict a direct protein-protein interaction between the EsxA/EsxB heterodimer and EspF. Our data support that the EspF/EsxA interaction is also required for hemolytic activity and EspE secretion. Our study sheds light on the intricate molecular mechanisms governing the interactions between ESX-1 substrates, regulatory function, and ESX-1 secretion, moving the field forward.IMPORTANCETuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a historical and pervasive disease responsible for millions of deaths annually. The rise of antibiotic and treatment-resistant TB, as well as the rise of infection by non-tuberculous mycobacterial species, calls for a better understanding of pathogenic mycobacteria. The ESX-1 secreted substrates, EspE and EspF, are required for mycobacterial virulence and may be responsible for phagosomal lysis. This study focuses on the mechanism of EspE and EspF secretion from the mycobacterial cell.

The loss of the PDIM/PGL virulence lipids causes differential secretion of ESX-1 substrates in Mycobacterium marinum

The mycobacterial cell envelope is a major virulence determinant in pathogenic mycobacteria. Specific outer lipids play roles in pathogenesis, modulating the immune system and promoting the secretion of virulence factors. ESX-1 (ESAT-6 system-1) is a conserved protein secretion system required for mycobacterial pathogenesis. Previous studies revealed that mycobacterial strains lacking the outer lipid PDIM have impaired ESX-1 function during laboratory growth and infection. The mechanisms underlying changes in ESX-1 function are unknown. We used a proteo-genetic approach to measure phthiocerol dimycocerosate (PDIM)- and phenolic glycolipid (PGL)-dependent protein secretion in M. marinum, a non-tubercular mycobacterial pathogen that causes tuberculosis-like disease in ectothermic animals. Importantly, M. marinum is a well-established model for mycobacterial pathogenesis. Our findings showed that M. marinum strains without PDIM and PGL showed specific, significant reductions in protein secretion compared to the WT and complemented strains. We recently established a hierarchy for the secretion of ESX-1 substrates in four (I-IV) groups. Loss of PDIM differentially impacted secretion of Group III and IV ESX-1 substrates, which are likely the effectors of pathogenesis. Our data suggest that the altered secretion of specific ESX-1 substrates is responsible for the observed ESX-1-related effects in PDIM-deficient strains.IMPORTANCEMycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of human tuberculosis, killed an estimated 1.3 million people in 2022. Non-tubercular mycobacterial species cause acute and chronic human infections. Understanding how these bacteria cause disease is critical. Lipids in the cell envelope are essential for mycobacteria to interact with the host and promote disease. Strains lacking outer lipids are attenuated for infection, but the reasons are unclear. Our research aims to identify a mechanism for attenuation of mycobacterial strains without the PDIM and PGL outer lipids in M. marinum. These findings will enhance our understanding of the importance of lipids in pathogenesis and how these lipids contribute to other established virulence mechanisms.

Proteomics from compartment-specific APEX2 labeling in Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals Type VII secretion substrates in the cell wall

The cell wall of mycobacteria plays a key role in interactions with the environment. Its ability to act as a selective filter is crucial to bacterial survival. Proteins in the cell wall enable this function by mediating the import and export of diverse metabolites, from ions to lipids to proteins. Identifying cell wall proteins is an important step in assigning function, especially as many mycobacterial proteins lack functionally characterized homologues. Current methods for protein localization have inherent limitations that reduce accuracy. Here we showed that although chemical labeling of live cells did not exclusively label surface proteins, protein tagging by the engineered peroxidase APEX2 within live Mycobacterium tuberculosis accurately identified the cytosolic and cell wall proteomes. Our data indicate that substrates of the virulence-associated Type VII ESX secretion system are exposed to the periplasm, providing insight into the currently unknown mechanism by which these proteins cross the mycobacterial cell envelope.

An N-acetyltransferase required for ESAT-6 N-terminal acetylation and virulence in Mycobacterium marinum

IMPORTANCE

N-terminal acetylation is a protein modification that broadly impacts basic cellular function and disease in higher organisms. Although bacterial proteins are N-terminally acetylated, little is understood how N-terminal acetylation impacts bacterial physiology and pathogenesis. Mycobacterial pathogens cause acute and chronic disease in humans and in animals. Approximately 15% of mycobacterial proteins are N-terminally acetylated, but the responsible enzymes are largely unknown. We identified a conserved mycobacterial protein required for the N-terminal acetylation of 23 mycobacterial proteins including the EsxA virulence factor. Loss of this enzyme from M. marinum reduced macrophage killing and spread of M. marinum to new host cells. Defining the acetyltransferases responsible for the N-terminal protein acetylation of essential virulence factors could lead to new targets for therapeutics against mycobacteria.

The ESX-1 Substrate PPE68 Has a Key Function in ESX-1-Mediated Secretion in Mycobacterium marinum

Mycobacteria use specialized type VII secretion systems (T7SSs) to secrete proteins across their diderm cell envelope. One of the T7SS subtypes, named ESX-1, is a major virulence determinant in pathogenic species such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the fish pathogen Mycobacterium marinum. ESX-1 secretes a variety of substrates, called Esx, PE, PPE, and Esp proteins, at least some of which are folded heterodimers. Investigation into the functions of these substrates is problematic, because of the intricate network of codependent secretion between several ESX-1 substrates. Here, we describe the ESX-1 substrate PPE68 as essential for secretion of the highly immunogenic substrates EsxA and EspE via the ESX-1 system in M. marinum. While secreted PPE68 is processed on the cell surface, the majority of cell-associated PPE68 of M. marinum and M. tuberculosis is present in a cytosolic complex with its PE partner and the EspG₁ chaperone. Interfering with the binding of EspG₁ to PPE68 blocked its export and the secretion of EsxA and EspE. In contrast, esxA was not required for the secretion of PPE68, revealing a hierarchy in codependent secretion. Remarkably, the final 10 residues of PPE68, a negatively charged domain, seem essential for EspE secretion, but not for the secretion of EsxA and of PPE68 itself. This indicates that distinctive domains of PPE68 are involved in secretion of the different ESX-1 substrates. Based on these findings, we propose a mechanistic model for the central role of PPE68 in ESX-1-mediated secretion and substrate codependence. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic mycobacteria, such Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium marinum, use a type VII secretion system (T7SS) subtype, called ESX-1, to mediate intracellular survival via phagosomal rupture and subsequent translocation of the mycobacterium to the host cytosol. Identifying the ESX-1 substrate that is responsible for this process is problematic because of the intricate network of codependent secretion between ESX-1 substrates. Here, we show the central role of the ESX-1 substrate PPE68 for the secretion of ESX-1 substrates in Mycobacterium marinum. Unravelling the mechanism of codependent secretion will aid the functional understanding of T7SSs and will allow the analysis of the individual roles of ESX-1 substrates in the virulence caused by the significant human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

mTOR-regulated mitochondrial metabolism limits mycobacterium-induced cytotoxicity

Necrosis of macrophages in the granuloma, the hallmark immunological structure of tuberculosis, is a major pathogenic event that increases host susceptibility. Through a zebrafish forward genetic screen, we identified the mTOR kinase, a master regulator of metabolism, as an early host resistance factor in tuberculosis. We found that mTOR complex 1 protects macrophages from mycobacterium-induced death by enabling infection-induced increases in mitochondrial energy metabolism fueled by glycolysis. These metabolic adaptations are required to prevent mitochondrial damage and death caused by the secreted mycobacterial virulence determinant ESAT-6. Thus, the host can effectively counter this early critical mycobacterial virulence mechanism simply by regulating energy metabolism, thereby allowing pathogen-specific immune mechanisms time to develop. Our findings may explain why Mycobacterium tuberculosis, albeit humanity's most lethal pathogen, is successful in only a minority of infected individuals.

Proteo-genetic analysis reveals clear hierarchy of ESX-1 secretion in Mycobacterium marinum

The ESX-1 (ESAT-6-system-1) system and the protein substrates it transports are essential for mycobacterial pathogenesis. The precise ways that ESX-1 substrates contribute to virulence remains unknown. Several known ESX-1 substrates are also required for the secretion of other proteins. We used a proteo-genetic approach to construct high-resolution dependency relationships for the roles of individual ESX-1 substrates in secretion and virulence in Mycobacterium marinum, a pathogen of humans and animals. Characterizing a collection of M. marinum strains with in-frame deletions in each of the known ESX-1 substrate genes and the corresponding complementation strains, we demonstrate that ESX-1 substrates are differentially required for ESX-1 activity and for virulence. Using isobaric-tagged proteomics, we quantified the degree of requirement of each substrate on protein secretion. We conclusively defined distinct contributions of ESX-1 substrates in protein secretion. Our data reveal a hierarchy of ESX-1 substrate secretion, which supports a model for the composition of the extracytoplasmic ESX-1 secretory machinery. Overall, our proteo-genetic analysis demonstrates discrete roles for ESX-1 substrates in ESX-1 function and secretion in M. marinum.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis EspK Has Active but Distinct Roles in the Secretion of EsxA and EspB

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis type-7 protein secretion system ESX-1 is a major driver of its virulence. While the functions of most ESX-1 components are characterized, many others remain poorly defined. In this study, we examined the role of EspK, an ESX-1-associated protein that is thought to be dispensable for ESX-1 activity in members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. We show that EspK is needed for the timely and optimal secretion of EsxA and absolutely essential for EspB secretion in M. tuberculosis Erdman. We demonstrate that only the EsxA secretion defect can be alleviated in EspK-deficient M. tuberculosis by culturing it in media containing detergents like Tween 80 or tyloxapol. Subcellular fractionation experiments reveal EspK is exported by M. tuberculosis in an ESX-1-independent manner and localized to its cell wall. We also show a conserved W-X-G motif in EspK is important for its interaction with EspB and enabling its secretion. The same motif, however, is not important for EspK localization in the cell wall. Finally, we show EspB in EspK-deficient M. tuberculosis tends to adopt higher-order oligomeric conformations, more so than EspB in wild-type M. tuberculosis. These results suggest EspK interacts with EspB and prevents it from assembling prematurely into macromolecular complexes that are presumably too large to pass through the membrane-spanning ESX-1 translocon assembly. Collectively, our findings indicate M. tuberculosis EspK has a far more active role in ESX-1-mediated secretion than was previously appreciated and underscores the complex nature of this secretion apparatus. IMPORTANCE Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses its ESX-1 system to secrete EsxA and EspB into a host to cause disease. We show that EspK, a protein whose role in the ESX-1 machinery was thought to be nonessential, is needed by M. tuberculosis for optimal EsxA and EspB secretion. Culturing EspK-deficient M. tuberculosis with detergents alleviates EsxA but not EspB secretion defects. We also show that EspK, which is exported by M. tuberculosis in an ESX-1-independent manner to the cell wall, interacts with and prevents EspB from assembling into large structures inside the M. tuberculosis cell that are nonsecretable. Collectively, our observations demonstrate EspK is an active component of the ESX-1 secretion machinery of the tubercle bacillus.

The C terminus of the mycobacterium ESX-1 secretion system substrate ESAT-6 is required for phagosomal membrane damage and virulence

SignificanceTuberculosis (TB), an ancient disease of humanity, continues to be a major cause of worldwide death. The causative agent of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and its close pathogenic relative Mycobacterium marinum, initially infect, evade, and exploit macrophages, a major host defense against invading pathogens. Within macrophages, mycobacteria reside within host membrane-bound compartments called phagosomes. Mycobacterium-induced damage of the phagosomal membranes is integral to pathogenesis, and this activity has been attributed to the specialized mycobacterial secretion system ESX-1, and particularly to ESAT-6, its major secreted protein. Here, we show that the integrity of the unstructured ESAT-6 C terminus is required for macrophage phagosomal damage, granuloma formation, and virulence.

An In Vivo Model of Separate M. tuberculosis Phagocytosis by Neutrophils and Macrophages: Gene Expression Profiles in the Parasite and Disease Development in the Mouse Host

The role of neutrophils in tuberculosis infection remains less well studied compared to that of the CD4⁺ T-lymphocytes and macrophages. Thus, alterations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcription profile following phagocytosis by neutrophils and how these shifts differ from those caused by macrophage phagocytosis remain unknown. We developed a mouse model that allows obtaining large amounts of either neutrophils or macrophages infected in vivo with M. tuberculosis for mycobacteria isolation in quantities sufficient for the whole genome RNA sequencing and aerosol challenge of mice. Here, we present: (i) the differences in transcription profiles of mycobacteria isolated from liquid cultures, neutrophils and macrophages infected in vivo; (ii) phenotypes of infection and lung inflammation (life span, colony forming units (CFU) counts in organs, lung pathology, immune cells infiltration and cytokine production) in genetically TB-susceptible mice identically infected via respiratory tract with neutrophil-passaged (NP), macrophage-passaged (MP) and conventionally prepared (CP) mycobacteria. Two-hour residence within neutrophils caused transcriptome shifts consistent with mycobacterial transition to dormancy and diminished their capacity to attract immune cells to infected lung tissue. Mycobacterial multiplication in organs did not depend upon pre-phagocytosis, whilst survival time of infected mice was shorter in the group infected with NP bacilli. We also discuss possible reasons for these phenotypic divergences.

Crosstalk between the ancestral type VII secretion system ESX-4 and other T7SS in Mycobacterium marinum

The type VII secretion system (T7SS) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis secretes three substrate classes: Esx, Esp, and PE/PPE proteins, that play important roles in bacterial physiology and host interaction. Five subtypes of T7SS, namely ESX-1 to ESX-5, are present in M. tb. ESX-4 is the progenitor of T7SS but its function is not understood. We investigated the ESX-4 system in Mycobacterium marinum. We show that ESX-4 of M. marinum does not secrete its cognate substrates, EsxT and EsxU, under the conditions tested. Paradoxically, the deletion of eccC4, an essential component of ESX-4, resulted in elevated secretion of protein substrates of ESX-1 and ESX-5. Consequently, the ΔeccC4 mutant was more efficient in inducing actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, which led to enhanced phagocytosis by macrophages. Our results reveal an intimate crosstalk between the progenitor of T7SS and its more recent duplication and expansion, and provide new insight into the evolution of T7SS in mycobacteria.

Post-translational knockdown and post-secretional modification of EsxA determine contribution of EsxA membrane permeabilizing activity for mycobacterial intracellular survival

Current genetic studies (e.g. gene knockout) have suggested that EsxA and EsxB function as secreted virulence factors that are essential for Mycobaterium tuberculosis (Mtb) intracellular survival, specifically in mediating phagosome rupture and translocation of Mtb to the cytosol of host cells, which further facilitates Mtb intracellular replicating and cell-to-cell spreading. The EsxA-mediated intracellular survival is presumably achieved by its pH-dependent membrane-permeabilizing activity (MPA). However, the data from other studies have generated a discrepancy regarding the role of EsxA MPA in mycobacterial intracellular survival, which has raised a concern that genetic manipulations, such as deletion of esxB-esxA operon or RD-1 locus, may affect other codependently secreted factors that could be also directly involved cytosolic translocation, or stimulate extended disturbance on other genes' expression. To avoid the drawbacks of gene knockout, we first engineered a Mycobacterium marinum (Mm) strain, in which a DAS4+ tag was fused to the C-terminus of EsxB to allow inducible knockdown of EsxB (also EsxA) at the post-translational level. We also engineered an Mm strain by fusing a SpyTag (ST) to the C-terminus of EsxA, which allowed inhibition of EsxA-ST MPA at the post-secretional level through a covalent linkage to SpyCatcher-GFP. Both post-translational knockdown and functional inhibition of EsxA resulted in attenuation of Mm intracellular survival in lung epithelial cells or macrophages, which unambiguously confirms the direct role of EsxA MPA in mycobacterial intracellular survival.

A Small Protein but with Diverse Roles: A Review of EsxA in Mycobacterium-Host Interaction

As a major effector of the ESX-1 secretion system, EsxA is essential for the virulence of pathogenic mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Mycobacterium marinum (Mm). EsxA possesses an acidic pH-dependent membrane permeabilizing activity and plays an essential role by mediating mycobacterial escape from the phagosome and translocation to the cytosol for intracellular replication. Moreover, EsxA regulates host immune responses as a potent T-cell antigen and a strong immunoregulator. EsxA interacts with multiple cellular proteins and stimulates several signal pathways, such as necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy, and antigen presentation. Interestingly, there is a co-dependency in the expression and secretion of EsxA and other mycobacterial factors, which greatly increases the complexity of dissecting the precise roles of EsxA and other factors in mycobacterium-host interaction. In this review, we summarize the current understandings of the roles and functions of EsxA in mycobacterial infection and discuss the challenges and future directions.

The genetic proteome: Using genetics to inform the proteome of mycobacterial pathogens

Mycobacterial pathogens pose a sustained threat to human health. There is a critical need for new diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines targeting both tuberculous and nontuberculous mycobacterial species. Understanding the basic mechanisms used by diverse mycobacterial species to cause disease will facilitate efforts to design new approaches toward detection, treatment, and prevention of mycobacterial disease. Molecular, genetic, and biochemical approaches have been widely employed to define fundamental aspects of mycobacterial physiology and virulence. The recent expansion of genetic tools in mycobacteria has further increased the accessibility of forward genetic approaches. Proteomics has also emerged as a powerful approach to further our understanding of diverse mycobacterial species. Detection of large numbers of proteins and their modifications from complex mixtures of mycobacterial proteins is now routine, with efforts of quantification of these datasets becoming more robust. In this review, we discuss the “genetic proteome,” how the power of genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry informs and amplifies the quality of subsequent analytical approaches and maximizes the potential of hypothesis-driven mycobacterial research. Published proteomics datasets can be used for hypothesis generation and effective post hoc supplementation to experimental data. Overall, we highlight how the integration of proteomics, genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches can be employed successfully to define fundamental aspects of mycobacterial pathobiology.

Structural Analysis of the Partially Disordered Protein EspK from Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

For centuries, tuberculosis has been a worldwide burden for human health, and gaps in our understanding of its pathogenesis have hampered the development of new treatments. ESX-1 is a complex machinery responsible for the secretion of virulence factors that manipulate the host response. Despite the importance of these secreted proteins for pathogenicity, only a few of them have been structurally and functionally characterised. Here, we describe a structural study of the ESX-secretion associated protein K (EspK), a 74 kDa protein known to be essential for the secretion of other substrates and the cytolytic effects of ESX-1. Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) data show that EspK is a long molecule with a maximal dimension of 228 Å. It consists of two independent folded regions at each end of the protein connected by a flexible unstructured region driving the protein to coexist as an ensemble of conformations. Limited proteolysis identified a 26 kDa globular domain at the C-terminus of the protein consisting of a mixture of α-helices and β-strands, as shown by circular dichroism (CD) and SAXS. In contrast, the N-terminal portion is mainly helical with an elongated shape. Sequence conservation suggests that this architecture is preserved amongst the different mycobacteria species, proposing specific roles for the N- and C-terminal domains assisted by the middle flexible linker.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESX-1-secreted substrate protein EspC promotes mycobacterial survival through endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis

EsxA, secreted by the ESAT-6 secretion system 1 (ESX-1) secretion system, is considered the major Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) virulence determinant. However, the roles of the individual ESX-1 substrates, such as EspC, remain unclear due to their interdependency for secretion with EsxA. Here, we validated that EspC triggered ER stress-mediated apoptosis in macrophages. The EspC-mediated ER stress was involved in pro-inflammatory cytokines generation, intracellular Ca₂₊ release, and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation and mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization occurred in EspC-treated macrophages, causing apoptosis. Furthermore, ER stress-mediated apoptosis was effectively induced in EspC-overexpressing Mycobacterium smegmatis-infected macrophages and mice. EspC overexpression caused a significant increase in bacterial survival in the macrophages, spleens, and lungs, and accelerated mouse death was observed. Moreover, the increased viability of bacteria in the macrophages was significantly reduced by pretreatment with the apoptosis inhibitor. Overall, our results revealed that EspC is an essential ESX-1 protein for Mtb–host interactions and EspC-induced ER stress-mediated apoptosis may be employed by Mtb to establish and spread infection. Given the critical roles of the ESX systems in Mtb pathogenesis and immunity, our findings offer new perspectives on the complex host-pathogen interactions and mechanisms underlying ESX-1-mediated pathogenesis.

Modeling Tubercular ESX-1 Secretion Using Mycobacterium marinum

Pathogenic mycobacteria cause chronic and acute diseases ranging from human tuberculosis (TB) to nontubercular infections. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes both acute and chronic human tuberculosis. Environmentally acquired nontubercular mycobacteria (NTM) cause chronic disease in humans and animals. Not surprisingly, NTM and M. tuberculosis often use shared molecular mechanisms to survive within the host. The ESX-1 system is a specialized secretion system that is essential for virulence and is functionally conserved between M. tuberculosis and Mycobacterium marinum .

Conserved ESX-1 Substrates EspE and EspF Are Virulence Factors That Regulate Gene Expression

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of human tuberculosis, and Mycobacterium marinum, a nontubercular pathogen with a broad host range, require the ESX-1 secretion system for virulence. The ESX-1 system secretes proteins which cause phagosomal lysis within the macrophage via an unknown mechanism. As reported elsewhere (R. E. Bosserman et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E10772-E10781, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1710167114), we recently discovered that the ESX-1 system regulates gene expression in M. marinum This finding was confirmed in M. tuberculosis in reports by C. Sala et al. (PLoS Pathog 14:e1007491, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1007491) and A. M. Abdallah et al. (PLoS One 14:e0211003, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211003). We further demonstrated that a feedback control mechanism connects protein secretion to WhiB6-dependent expression of the esx-1 genes via an unknown mechanism. Here, we connect protein secretion and gene expression by showing for the first time that specific ESX-1 substrates have dual functions inside and outside the mycobacterial cell. We demonstrate that the EspE and EspF substrates negatively control esx-1 gene expression in the M. marinum cytoplasm through the conserved WhiB6 transcription factor. We found that EspE and EspF are required for virulence and promote lytic activity independently of the major EsxA and EsxB substrates. We show that the dual functions of EspE and EspF are conserved in the orthologous proteins from M. tuberculosis Our findings support a role for EspE and EspF in virulence that is independent of the EsxA and EsxB substrates and demonstrate that ESX-1 substrates have a conserved role in regulating gene expression.

The ESX-1 Virulence Factors Downregulate miR-147-3p in Mycobacterium marinum-Infected Macrophages

As important virulence factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, EsxA and EsxB not only play a role in phagosome rupture and M. tuberculosis cytosolic translocation but also function as modulators of host immune responses by modulating numerous microRNAs (miRNAs). Recently, we have found that mycobacterial infection downregulated miR-148a-3p (now termed miR-148) in macrophages in an ESX-1-dependent manner. The upregulation of miR-148 reduced mycobacterial intracellular survival. Here, we investigated miR-147-3p (now termed miR-147), a negative regulator of inflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin-6 [IL-6] and IL-10), in mycobacterial infection. We infected murine RAW264.7 macrophages with Mycobacterium marinum, a surrogate model organism for M. tuberculosis, and found that the esxBA-knockout strain (M. marinum ΔesxBA) upregulated miR-147 to a level that was significantly higher than that induced by the M. marinum wild-type (WT) strain or by the M. marinum ΔesxBA complemented strain, M. marinum ΔesxBA/pesxBA, suggesting that the ESX-1 system (potentially EsxBA and/or other codependently secreted factors) is the negative regulator of miR-147. miR-147 was also downregulated by directly incubating the macrophages with the purified recombinant EsxA or EsxB protein or the EsxBA heterodimer, which further confirms the role of the EsxBA proteins in the downregulation of miR-147. The upregulation of miR-147 inhibited the production of IL-6 and IL-10 and significantly reduced M. marinum intracellular survival. Interestingly, inhibitors of either miR-147 or miR-148 reciprocally compromised the effects of the mimics of their counterparts on M. marinum intracellular survival. This suggests that miR-147 and miR-148 share converged downstream pathways in response to mycobacterial infection, which was supported by data indicating that miR-147 upregulation inhibits the Toll-like receptor 4/NF-κB pathway.

Comparative Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses of Mycobacterium kansasii Subtypes Provide New Insights Into Their Pathogenicity and Taxonomy

Mycobacterium kansasii is an important opportunistic pathogen of humans and has a close phylogenetic relationship with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Seven subtypes (I-VII) have been identified using molecular biology approaches, of which subtype I is the most frequent causative agent of human disease. To investigate the genotypes and pathogenic components of M. kansasii, we sequenced and compared the complete base-perfect genomes of different M. kansasii subtypes. Our findings support the proposition that M. kansasii "subtypes" I-VI, whose assemblies are currently available, should be considered as different species. Furthermore, we identified the exclusive presence of the espACD operon in M. kansasii subtype I, and we confirmed its role in the pathogenicity of M. kansasii in a cell infection model. The espACD operon is exclusively present in mycobacterial species that induce phagosomal rupture in host phagocytes and is known to be a major determinant of ESX1-mediated virulence in pathogenic mycobacteria. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the M. kansasii I-V strains identified genes potentially associated with virulence. Using a comparative genomics approach, we designed primers for PCR genotyping of M. kansasii subtypes I-V and tested their efficacy using clinically relevant strains of M. kansasii.

Identification of scavenger receptor B1 as the airway microfold cell receptor for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can enter the body through multiple routes, including via specialized transcytotic cells called microfold cells (M cell). However, the mechanistic basis for M cell entry remains undefined. Here, we show that M cell transcytosis depends on the Mtb Type VII secretion machine and its major virulence factor EsxA. We identify scavenger receptor B1 (SR-B1) as an EsxA receptor on airway M cells. SR-B1 is required for Mtb binding to and translocation across M cells in mouse and human tissue. Together, our data demonstrate a previously undescribed role for Mtb EsxA in mucosal invasion and identify SR-B1 as the airway M cell receptor for Mtb.

The Mycobacterium marinum ESX-1 system mediates phagosomal permeabilization and type I interferon production via separable mechanisms

Following mycobacterial entry into macrophages the ESX-1 type VII secretion system promotes phagosomal permeabilization and type I IFN production, key features of tuberculosis pathogenesis. The current model states that the secreted substrate ESAT-6 is required for membrane permeabilization and that a subsequent passive leakage of extracellular bacterial DNA into the host cell cytosol is sensed by the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) and stimulator of IFN genes (STING) pathway to induce type I IFN production. We employed a collection of Mycobacterium marinum ESX-1 transposon mutants in a macrophage infection model and show that permeabilization of the phagosomal membrane does not require ESAT-6 secretion. Moreover, loss of membrane integrity is insufficient to induce type I IFN production. Instead, type I IFN production requires intact ESX-1 function and correlates with release of mitochondrial and nuclear host DNA into the cytosol, indicating that ESX-1 affects host membrane integrity and DNA release via genetically separable mechanisms. These results suggest a revised model for major aspects of ESX-1-mediated host interactions and put focus on elucidating the mechanisms by which ESX-1 permeabilizes host membranes and induces the type I IFN response, questions of importance for our basic understanding of mycobacterial pathogenesis and innate immune sensing.

Uncovering Structural and Molecular Dynamics of ESAT-6:β2M Interaction: Asp53 of Human β2-Microglobulin Is Critical for the ESAT-6:β2M Complexation

ESAT-6 is a small secreted protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis involved in the ESAT-6 secretion system (ESX-1)-mediated virulence and pathogenesis. The protein interacts with β2M, causing downregulation of MHC class I Ag presentation, which could be one of the mechanisms by which it favors increased survival of the bacilli inside the host. In an earlier study, we have shown that the C-terminal region of ESAT-6 is crucial for its interaction with β2M. However, the interface of β2M involved in interaction with ESAT-6 and detailed physicochemical changes associated with ESAT-6:β2M complexation are not fully defined. In this study, using computational and site-directed mutagenesis studies, we demonstrate the presence of strong noncovalent hydrophobic interactions between ESAT-6 and β2M in addition to the vital hydrogen bonding between the aspartate residue (Asp53) of β2M and methionine (Met93) of ESAT-6. Docking-based high-throughput virtual screening followed by 16-point screening on microscale thermophoresis resulted in the identification of two potent inhibitors (SM09 and SM15) that mask the critical Met93 residue of ESAT-6 that is required for ESAT-6:β2M interaction and could rescue cell surface expression of β2M and HLA in human macrophages as well as MHC class I Ag presentation suppressed by ESAT-6 in peritoneal macrophages isolated from C57BL/6 mice. Both SM09 and SM15 significantly inhibited intracellular survival of M. tuberculosis in human macrophages. Further, we characterized the physicochemical properties involved in the ESAT-6:β2M complexation, which may help in understanding host-pathogen interactions.

Protein Export into and across the Atypical Diderm Cell Envelope of Mycobacteria

Mycobacteria, including the infamous pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are high-GC Gram-positive bacteria with a distinctive cell envelope. Although there is a typical inner membrane, the mycobacterial cell envelope is unusual in having its peptidoglycan layer connected to a polymer of arabinogalactan, which in turn is covalently attached to long-chain mycolic acids that help form a highly impermeable mycobacterial outer membrane. This complex double-membrane, or diderm, cell envelope imparts mycobacteria with unique requirements for protein export into and across the cell envelope for secretion into the extracellular environment. In this article, we review the four protein export pathways known to exist in mycobacteria: two conserved systems that exist in all types of bacteria (the Sec and Tat pathways) and two specialized systems that exist in mycobacteria, corynebacteria, and a subset of low-GC Gram-positive bacteria (the SecA2 and type VII secretion pathways). We describe the progress made over the past 15 years in understanding each of these mycobacterial export pathways, and we highlight the need for research to understand the specific steps of protein export across the mycobacterial outer membrane.

A New ESX-1 Substrate in Mycobacterium marinum That Is Required for Hemolysis but Not Host Cell Lysis

The ESX-1 (ESAT-6 system 1) secretion system plays a conserved role in the virulence of diverse mycobacterial pathogens, including the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. marinum, an environmental mycobacterial species. The ESX-1 system promotes the secretion of protein virulence factors to the extracytoplasmic environment. The secretion of these proteins triggers the host response by lysing the phagosome during macrophage infection. Using proteomic analyses of the M. marinum secretome in the presence and absence of a functional ESX-1 system, we and others have hypothesized that MMAR_2894, a PE family protein, is a potential ESX-1 substrate in M. marinum We used genetic and quantitative proteomic approaches to determine if MMAR_2894 is secreted by the ESX-1 system, and we defined the requirement of MMAR_2894 for ESX-1-mediated secretion and virulence. We show that MMAR_2894 is secreted by the ESX-1 system in M. marinum and is itself required for the optimal secretion of the known ESX-1 substrates in M. marinum Moreover, we found that MMAR_2894 was differentially required for hemolysis and cytolysis of macrophages, two lytic activities ascribed to the M. marinum ESX-1 system.IMPORTANCE Both Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of human tuberculosis (TB), and Mycobacterium marinum, a pathogen of ectotherms, use the ESX-1 secretion system to cause disease. There are many established similarities between the ESX-1 systems in M. tuberculosis and in M. marinum Yet the two bacteria infect different hosts, hinting at species-specific functions of the ESX-1 system. Our findings demonstrate that MMAR_2894 is a PE protein secreted by the ESX-1 system of M. marinum We show that MMAR_2894 is required for the optimal secretion of mycobacterial proteins required for disease. Because the MMAR_2894 gene is not conserved in M. tuberculosis, our findings demonstrate that MMAR_2894 may contribute to a species-specific function of the ESX-1 system in M. marinum, providing new insight into how the M. marinum and M. tuberculosis systems differ.

Screening Mycobacterium tuberculosis Secreted Proteins Identifies Mpt64 as a Eukaryotic Membrane-Binding Bacterial Effector

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis, is one of the most successful human pathogens. One reason for its success is that Mtb can reside within host macrophages, a cell type that normally functions to phagocytose and destroy infectious bacteria. However, Mtb is able to evade macrophage defenses in order to survive for prolonged periods of time. Many intracellular pathogens secrete virulence factors targeting host membranes and organelles to remodel their intracellular environmental niche. We hypothesized that Mtb secreted proteins that target host membranes are vital for Mtb to adapt to and manipulate the host environment for survival. Thus, we characterized 200 secreted proteins from Mtb for their ability to associate with eukaryotic membranes using a unique temperature-sensitive yeast screen and to manipulate host trafficking pathways using a modified inducible secretion screen. We identified five Mtb secreted proteins that both associated with eukaryotic membranes and altered the host secretory pathway. One of these secreted proteins, Mpt64, localized to the endoplasmic reticulum during Mtb infection of murine and human macrophages and impaired the unfolded protein response in macrophages. These data highlight the importance of secreted proteins in Mtb pathogenesis and provide a basis for further investigation into their molecular mechanisms.IMPORTANCE Advances have been made to identify secreted proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during animal infections. These data, combined with transposon screens identifying genes important for M. tuberculosis virulence, have generated a vast resource of potential M. tuberculosis virulence proteins. However, the function of many of these proteins in M. tuberculosis pathogenesis remains elusive. We have integrated three cell biological screens to characterize nearly 200 M. tuberculosis secreted proteins for eukaryotic membrane binding, host subcellular localization, and interactions with host vesicular trafficking. In addition, we observed the localization of one secreted protein, Mpt64, to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during M. tuberculosis infection of macrophages. Interestingly, although Mpt64 is exported by the Sec pathway, its delivery into host cells was dependent upon the action of the type VII secretion system. Finally, we observed that Mpt64 impairs the ER-mediated unfolded protein response in macrophages.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis effector MAVA5_06970 promotes rapid apoptosis in secondary-infected macrophages during cell-to-cell spread

Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis is an opportunistic intracellular pathogen associated with disease in patients either immunosuppression or chronic lung pathology. Once in the host, M. avium preferentially infects and replicates within the phagocytic cells. The host driven macrophage apoptosis appears to be an essential aspect of innate immunity during bacterial infection; however, the existing evidence suggests that M. avium has evolved adaptive approaches to trigger the phagocyte apoptosis, exit apoptotic cells or via ingestion of infected apoptotic bodies subsequently infect neighboring macrophages. By evaluating 4,000 transposon mutants of M. avium in THP-1 cells, we identified clones that can trigger a new form of early host cell apoptosis, which is only observed upon entry into the “secondary-infected” macrophages. Inactivation of MAVA5_06970 gene lead to significant attenuation in intracellular growth within macrophages and mice, and impaired M. avium to induce rapid apoptosis in the “secondary-infected” cells as measured by Annexin V-FITC detection assay. Complementation of MAVA5_06970 gene corrected the attenuation as well as apoptotic phenotypes. The MAVA5_06970 gene encodes for a secreted protein. Using the pull-down assay and then confirmed with the yeast two-hybrid screen, we found that MAVA5_06970 effector interacts with the Secreted Phosphoprotein 1, the cytokine also known as Osteopontin. This interaction enhances the THP-1 cell apoptosis and, consequently, restricts the production of interleukin-12 that likely may limit the activation of the type I immunity pathway in vivo. This work identified a key virulence effector of M. avium that contributes to the cell-to-cell spread of the pathogen.

Retention of EsxA in the Capsule-Like Layer of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Is Associated with Cytotoxicity and Is Counteracted by Lung Surfactant

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis, primarily infects macrophages but withstands the host cell's bactericidal effects. EsxA, also called virulence factor 6-kDa early secretory antigenic target (ESAT-6), is involved in phagosomal rupture and cell death. We provide confocal and electron microscopy data showing that M. tuberculosis bacteria grown without detergent retain EsxA on their surface. Lung surfactant has detergent-like properties and effectively strips off this surface-associated EsxA, which advocates a novel mechanism of lung surfactant-mediated defense against pathogens. Upon challenge of human macrophages with these M. tuberculosis bacilli, the amount of surface-associated EsxA rapidly declines in a phagocytosis-independent manner. Furthermore, M. tuberculosis bacteria cultivated under exclusion of detergent exert potent cytotoxic activity associated with bacterial growth. Together, this study suggests that the surface retention of EsxA contributes to the cytotoxicity of M. tuberculosis and highlights how cultivation conditions affect the experimental outcome.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Type VII Secretion System Effectors Differentially Impact the ESCRT Endomembrane Damage Response

Intracellular pathogens have varied strategies to breach the endolysosomal barrier so that they can deliver effectors to the host cytosol, access nutrients, replicate in the cytoplasm, and avoid degradation in the lysosome. In the case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium perforates the phagosomal membrane shortly after being taken up by macrophages. Phagosomal damage depends upon the mycobacterial ESX-1 type VII secretion system (T7SS). Sterile insults, such as silica crystals or membranolytic peptides, can also disrupt phagosomal and endolysosomal membranes. Recent work revealed that the host endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery rapidly responds to sterile endolysosomal damage and promotes membrane repair. We hypothesized that ESCRTs might also respond to pathogen-induced phagosomal damage and that M. tuberculosis could impair this host response. Indeed, we found that ESCRT-III proteins were recruited to M. tuberculosis phagosomes in an ESX-1-dependent manner. We previously demonstrated that the mycobacterial effectors EsxG/TB9.8 and EsxH/TB10.4, both secreted by the ESX-3 T7SS, can inhibit ESCRT-dependent trafficking of receptors to the lysosome. Here, we additionally show that ESCRT-III recruitment to sites of endolysosomal damage is antagonized by EsxG and EsxH, both within the context of M. tuberculosis infection and sterile injury. Moreover, EsxG and EsxH themselves respond within minutes to membrane damage in a manner that is independent of calcium and ESCRT-III recruitment. Thus, our study reveals that T7SS effectors and ESCRT participate in a series of measures and countermeasures for control of phagosome integrity.IMPORTANCE Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis, which kills more people than any other infection. M. tuberculosis grows in macrophages, cells that specialize in engulfing and degrading microorganisms. Like many intracellular pathogens, in order to cause disease, M. tuberculosis damages the membrane-bound compartment (phagosome) in which it is enclosed after macrophage uptake. Recent work showed that when chemicals damage this type of intracellular compartment, cells rapidly detect and repair the damage, using machinery called the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT). Therefore, we hypothesized that ESCRT might also respond to pathogen-induced damage. At the same time, our previous work showed that the EsxG-EsxH heterodimer of M. tuberculosis can inhibit ESCRT, raising the possibility that M. tuberculosis impairs this host response. Here, we show that ESCRT is recruited to damaged M. tuberculosis phagosomes and that EsxG-EsxH undermines ESCRT-mediated endomembrane repair. Thus, our studies demonstrate a battle between host and pathogen over endomembrane integrity.

Quantitative N-Terminal Footprinting of Pathogenic Mycobacteria Reveals Differential Protein Acetylation

N-terminal acetylation (NTA) is a post-transcriptional modification of proteins that is conserved from bacteria to humans. In bacteria, the enzymes that mediate protein NTA also promote antimicrobial resistance. In pathogenic mycobacteria, which cause human tuberculosis and other chronic infections, NTA has been linked to pathogenesis and stress response, yet the fundamental biology underlying NTA of mycobacterial proteins remains unclear. We enriched, defined, and quantified the NT-acetylated populations of both cell-associated and secreted proteins from both the human pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the nontuberculous opportunistic pathogen, Mycobacterium marinum. We used a parallel N-terminal enrichment strategy from proteolytic digests coupled to charge-based selection and stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. We show that NTA of the mycobacterial proteome is abundant, diverse, and primarily on Thr residues, which is unique compared with other bacteria. We isolated both the acetylated and unacetylated forms of 256 proteins, indicating that NTA of mycobacterial proteins is homeostatic. We identified 16 mycobacterial proteins with differential levels of NTA on the cytoplasmic and secreted forms, linking protein modification and localization. Our findings reveal novel biology underlying the NTA of mycobacterial proteins, which may provide a basis to understand NTA in mycobacterial physiology, pathogenesis, and antimicrobial resistance.

EspH is a hypervirulence factor for Mycobacterium marinum and essential for the secretion of the ESX-1 substrates EspE and EspF

The pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis employs a range of ESX-1 substrates to manipulate the host and build a successful infection. Although the importance of ESX-1 secretion in virulence is well established, the characterization of its individual components and the role of individual substrates is far from complete. Here, we describe the functional characterization of the Mycobacterium marinum accessory ESX-1 proteins EccA₁, EspG₁ and EspH, i.e. proteins that are neither substrates nor structural components. Proteomic analysis revealed that EspG₁ is crucial for ESX-1 secretion, since all detectable ESX-1 substrates were absent from the cell surface and culture supernatant in an espG₁ mutant. Deletion of eccA₁ resulted in minor secretion defects, but interestingly, the severity of these secretion defects was dependent on the culture conditions. Finally, espH deletion showed a partial secretion defect; whereas several ESX-1 substrates were secreted in normal amounts, secretion of EsxA and EsxB was diminished and secretion of EspE and EspF was fully blocked. Interaction studies showed that EspH binds EspE and therefore could function as a specific chaperone for this substrate. Despite the observed differences in secretion, hemolytic activity was lost in all M. marinum mutants, implying that hemolytic activity is not strictly correlated with EsxA secretion. Surprisingly, while EspH is essential for successful infection of phagocytic host cells, deletion of espH resulted in a significantly increased virulence phenotype in zebrafish larvae, linked to poor granuloma formation and extracellular outgrowth. Together, these data show that different sets of ESX-1 substrates play different roles at various steps of the infection cycle of M. marinum.

M. tuberculosis is a facultative intracellular pathogen that has an intimate relationship with host macrophages. Proteins secreted by the ESX-1 secretion system play an important role in this interaction, for instance by orchestrating the escape from the phagosome into the cytosol of the macrophage. However, the exact role of the ESX-1 substrates is unknown, due to their complicated interdependency for secretion. Here, we study the function of ESX-1 accessory proteins EccA₁, EspG₁ and EspH in ESX-1 secretion in Mycobacterium marium, the causative agent of fish tuberculosis. We found that these proteins affect the secretion of different substrate classes, which offers an approach to study the roles of these substrate groups. An espG₁ deletion broadly aborts ESX-1 secretion and thus resulted in severe attenuation in a zebrafish model for tuberculosis, whereas EccA₁ is only crucial under specific growth conditions. The most surprising results were obtained for EspH. This protein seems to function as a molecular chaperone for EspE and is as such involved in the secretion of a small subset of ESX-1 substrates. Disruption of espH showed a dual character: whereas this gene is essential for the successful infection of macrophages, deletion of espH resulted in significantly increased virulence in zebrafish larvae. These data convincingly show that different subsets of ESX-1 substrates play different roles at various steps in the mycobacterial infection cycle.

Role of the Mycobacterium marinum ESX-1 Secretion System in Sliding Motility and Biofilm Formation

Mycobacterium marinum is a close relative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that can cause systemic tuberculosis-like infections in ectotherms and skin infections in humans. Sliding motility correlates with biofilm formation and virulence in most bacteria. In this study, we used a sliding motility assay to screen 2,304 transposon mutants of M. marinum NTUH-M6885 and identified five transposon mutants with decreased sliding motility. Transposons that interrupted the type VII secretion system (T7SS) ESX-1-related genes, espE (mmar_5439), espF (mmar_5440), and eccA1 (mmar_5443), were present in 3 mutants. We performed reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to verify genes from mmar_5438 to mmar_5450, which were found to belong to a single transcriptional unit. Deletion mutants of espE, espF, espG (mmar_5441), and espH (mmar_5442) displayed significant attenuation regarding sliding motility and biofilm formation. M. marinum NTUH-M6885 possesses a functional ESX-1 secretion system. However, deletion of espG or espH resulted in slightly decreased secretion of EsxB (which is also known as CFP-10). Thus, the M. marinum ESX-1 secretion system mediates sliding motility and is crucial for biofilm formation. These data provide new insight into M. marinum biofilm formation.

Esx Paralogs Are Functionally Equivalent to ESX-1 Proteins but Are Dispensable for Virulence in Mycobacterium marinum

Mycobacterium marinum is a nontuberculous pathogen of poikilothermic fish and an opportunistic human pathogen. Like tuberculous mycobacteria, the M. marinum M strain requires the ESX-1 (ESAT-6 system 1) secretion system for virulence in host cells. EsxB and EsxA, two major virulence factors exported by the ESX-1 system, are encoded by the esxBA genes within the ESX-1 locus. Deletion of the esxBA genes abrogates ESX-1 export and attenuates M. marinum in ex vivo and in vivo models of infection. Interestingly, there are several duplications of the esxB and esxA genes (esxB_1, esxB_2, esxA_1, esxA_2, and esxA_3) in the M. marinum M genome located outside the ESX-1 locus. We sought to understand if this region, known as ESX-6, contributes to ESX-1-mediated virulence. We found that deletion of the esxB_1 gene alone or the entire ESX-6 locus did not impact ESX-1 export or function, supporting the idea that the esxBA genes present at the ESX-1 locus are the primary contributors to ESX-1-mediated virulence. Nevertheless, overexpression of the esxB_1 locus complemented ESX-1 function in the ΔesxBA strain, signifying that the two loci are functionally equivalent. Our findings raise questions about why duplicate versions of the esxBA genes are maintained in the M. marinum M genome and how these proteins, which are functionally equivalent to virulence factors, contribute to mycobacterial biology.IMPORTANCEMycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of the human disease tuberculosis (TB). There are 10.4 million cases and 1.7 million TB-associated deaths annually, making TB a leading cause of death globally. Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) cause chronic human infections that are acquired from the environment. Despite differences in disease etiology, both tuberculous and NTM pathogens use the ESX-1 secretion system to cause disease. The nontubercular mycobacterial species, Mycobacterium marinum, has additional copies of specific ESX-1 genes. Our findings demonstrate that the duplicated genes do not contribute to virulence but can substitute for virulence factors in M. marinum These findings suggest that the duplicated genes may play a specific role in NTM biology.

WhiB6 regulation of ESX-1 gene expression is controlled by a negative feedback loop in Mycobacterium marinum

ESX (ESAT-6 system) export systems play diverse roles across mycobacterial species. Interestingly, genetic disruption of ESX systems in different species does not result in an accumulation of protein substrates in the mycobacterial cell. However, the mechanisms underlying this observation are elusive. We hypothesized that the levels of ESX substrates were regulated by a feedback-control mechanism, linking the levels of substrates to the secretory status of ESX systems. To test this hypothesis, we used a combination of genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches to define export-dependent mechanisms regulating the levels of ESX-1 substrates in Mycobacterium marinum WhiB6 is a transcription factor that regulates expression of genes encoding ESX-1 substrates. We found that, in the absence of the genes encoding conserved membrane components of the ESX-1 system, the expression of the whiB6 gene and genes encoding ESX-1 substrates were reduced. Accordingly, the levels of ESX-1 substrates were decreased, and WhiB6 was not detected in M. marinum strains lacking genes encoding ESX-1 components. We demonstrated that, in the absence of EccCb₁, a conserved ESX-1 component, substrate gene expression was restored by constitutive, but not native, expression of the whiB6 gene. Finally, we found that the loss of WhiB6 resulted in a virulent M. marinum strain with reduced ESX-1 secretion. Together, our findings demonstrate that the levels of ESX-1 substrates in M. marinum are fine-tuned by negative feedback control, linking the expression of the whiB6 gene to the presence, not the functionality, of the ESX-1 membrane complex.

Esx Systems and the Mycobacterial Cell Envelope: What's the Connection?

Mycobacterial 6-kDa early secreted antigenic target (ESAT-6) system (ESX) exporters transport proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane. Many proteins transported by ESX systems are then translocated across the mycobacterial cell envelope and secreted from the cell. Although the mechanism underlying protein transport across the mycolate outer membrane remains elusive, the ESX systems are closely connected with and localize to the cell envelope. Links between ESX-associated proteins, cell wall synthesis, and the maintenance of cell envelope integrity have been reported. Genes encoding the ESX systems and those required for biosynthesis of the mycobacterial envelope are coregulated. Here, we review the interplay between ESX systems and the mycobacterial cell envelope.

Mycobacterial ESX-1 secretion system mediates host cell lysis through bacterium contact-dependent gross membrane disruptions

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium marinum are thought to exert virulence, in part, through their ability to lyse host cell membranes. The type VII secretion system ESX-1 [6-kDa early secretory antigenic target (ESAT-6) secretion system 1] is required for both virulence and host cell membrane lysis. Both activities are attributed to the pore-forming activity of the ESX-1-secreted substrate ESAT-6 because multiple studies have reported that recombinant ESAT-6 lyses eukaryotic membranes. We too find ESX-1 of M. tuberculosis and M. marinum lyses host cell membranes. However, we find that recombinant ESAT-6 does not lyse cell membranes. The lytic activity previously attributed to ESAT-6 is due to residual detergent in the preparations. We report here that ESX-1-dependent cell membrane lysis is contact dependent and accompanied by gross membrane disruptions rather than discrete pores. ESX-1-mediated lysis is also morphologically distinct from the contact-dependent lysis of other bacterial secretion systems. Our findings suggest redirection of research to understand the mechanism of ESX-1-mediated lysis.

A Nonsense Mutation in Mycobacterium marinum That Is Suppressible by a Novel Mechanism

Mycobacterial pathogens use the ESAT-6 system 1 (Esx-1) exporter to promote virulence. Previously, we used gene disruption and complementation to conclude that the MMAR_0039 gene in Mycobacterium marinum is required to promote Esx-1 export. Here we applied molecular genetics, proteomics, and whole-genome sequencing to demonstrate that the MMAR_0039 gene is not required for Esx-1 secretion or virulence. These findings suggest that we initially observed an indirect mechanism of genetic complementation. We identified a spontaneous nonsense mutation in a known Esx-1-associated gene which causes a loss of Esx-1 activity. We show that the Esx-1 function was restored by nonsense suppression. Moreover, we identified a polar mutation in the ppsC gene which reduced cellular impermeability but did not impact cytotoxicity in macrophages. Our studies reveal insight into Esx-1 export, nonsense suppression, and cell envelope lipid biogenesis.

DegP Chaperone Suppresses Toxic Inner Membrane Translocation Intermediates

The periplasm of Gram-negative bacteria includes a variety of molecular chaperones that shepherd the folding and targeting of secreted proteins. A central player of this quality control network is DegP, a protease also suggested to have a chaperone function. We serendipitously discovered that production of the Bordetella pertussis autotransporter virulence protein pertactin is lethal in Escherichia coli ΔdegP strains. We investigated specific contributions of DegP to secretion of pertactin as a model system to test the functions of DegP in vivo. The DegP chaperone activity was sufficient to restore growth during pertactin production. This chaperone dependency could be relieved by changing the pertactin signal sequence: an E. coli signal sequence leading to co-translational inner membrane (IM) translocation was sufficient to suppress lethality in the absence of DegP, whereas an E. coli post-translational signal sequence was sufficient to recapitulate the lethal phenotype. These results identify a novel connection between the DegP chaperone and the mechanism used to translocate a protein across the IM. Lethality coincided with loss of periplasmic proteins, soluble σ^E, and proteins regulated by this essential stress response. These results suggest post-translational IM translocation can lead to the formation of toxic periplasmic folding intermediates, which DegP can suppress.

Mycobacterial WhiB6 Differentially Regulates ESX-1 and the Dos Regulon to Modulate Granuloma Formation and Virulence in Zebrafish

During the course of infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is exposed to diverse redox stresses that trigger metabolic and physiological changes. How these stressors are sensed and relayed to the Mtb transcriptional apparatus remains unclear. Here, we provide evidence that WhiB6 differentially regulates the ESX-1 and DosR regulons through its Fe-S cluster. When challenged with NO, WhiB6 continually activates expression of the DosR regulons but regulates ESX-1 expression through initial activation followed by gradual inhibition. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the holo- and reduced apo-WhiB6 complemented strains confirms these results and also reveals that WhiB6 controls aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, cell division, and virulence. Using the Mycobacterium marinum zebrafish infection model, we find that holo- and apo-WhiB6 modulate levels of mycobacterial infection, granuloma formation, and dissemination. These findings provide fresh insight into the role of WhiB6 in mycobacterial infection, dissemination, and disease development.

The ins and outs of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis-containing vacuole

The past few years have seen publication of reports from several groups documenting the escape of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) from its intracellular vacuole to access the cytosol. The major questions addressed in these publications are the mechanism(s) underlying this process, the frequency of its occurrence and, most importantly, the biological significance of this phenomenon to bacterial survival, growth and virulence. I believe that the first two questions are moving towards resolution, but questions relating to biological context have yet to be answered fully. In this viewpoint article, I will try to convince the readers why escape from the vacuole in no way diminishes the significance of Mtb's intravacuolar survival mechanisms and why, as a lab, we continue to focus the majority of our efforts on the 'bug in the bag'.

Structures of EccB1 and EccD1 from the core complex of the mycobacterial ESX-1 type VII secretion system

Background

The ESX-1 type VII secretion system is an important determinant of virulence in pathogenic mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This complicated molecular machine secretes folded proteins through the mycobacterial cell envelope to subvert the host immune response. Despite its important role in disease very little is known about the molecular architecture of the ESX-1 secretion system.

Results

This study characterizes the structures of the soluble domains of two conserved core ESX-1 components – EccB₁ and EccD₁. The periplasmic domain of EccB₁ consists of 4 repeat domains and a central domain, which together form a quasi 2-fold symmetrical structure. The repeat domains of EccB₁ are structurally similar to a known peptidoglycan binding protein suggesting a role in anchoring the ESX-1 system within the periplasmic space. The cytoplasmic domain of EccD₁has a ubiquitin-like fold and forms a dimer with a negatively charged groove.

Conclusions

These structures represent a major step towards resolving the molecular architecture of the entire ESX-1 assembly and may contribute to ESX-1 targeted tuberculosis intervention strategies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12900-016-0056-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Homeostasis of N-α-terminal acetylation of EsxA correlates with virulence in Mycobacterium marinum

The mycobacterial Esx-1 (ESAT-6 system 1) exporter translocates virulence factors across the cytoplasmic membrane to the cell wall, cell surface, and the bacteriological medium in vitro. The mechanisms underlying substrate targeting to distinct locations are unknown. Several Esx-1 substrates are N-α-terminally acetylated. The role of this rare modification in bacteria is unclear. We sought to identify genes required for Esx-1 substrate modification, transport, and localization. Pathogenic mycobacteria lyse Acanthamoeba castellanii in an Esx-1-dependent manner. We conducted a genetic screen to identify Mycobacterium marinum strains which failed to lyse amoebae. We identified a noncytotoxic M. marinum strain with a transposon insertion in a predicted N-α-terminal acetyltransferase not previously linked to mycobacterial pathogenesis. Disruption of this gene led to attenuation of virulence, failure to induce a type I interferon response during macrophage infection, and loss of hemolytic activity. The major Esx-1 substrates, EsxA and EsxB, were exported to the cell surface, but only low levels were released into the bacteriological medium. The balance of EsxA N-α-terminal acetylation was disrupted, resulting in a mycobacterial strain in which surface-associated EsxA was hyperacetylated. Genetic complementation completely restored Esx-1 function and the levels of N-α-terminally acetylated EsxA on the surface but restored only low levels of Esx-1 substrates in the bacteriological medium. Our results reveal a novel gene required for mycobacterial Esx-1 export. Our findings indicate that maintaining the homeostasis of Esx-1 substrate N-α-terminal acetylation is essential for Esx-1-mediated virulence. We propose an inverse correlation between EsxA acetylation and virulence.