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Mass S, Cohen H, Podicheti R, Rusch DB, Gerlic M, Ushijima B, van Kessel JC, Bosis E, Salomon D. The coral pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus uses a T6SS to secrete a group of novel anti-eukaryotic effectors that contribute to virulence. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002734. [PMID: 39226241 PMCID: PMC11371242 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Vibrio coralliilyticus is a pathogen of coral and shellfish, leading to devastating economic and ecological consequences worldwide. Although rising ocean temperatures correlate with increased V. coralliilyticus pathogenicity, the specific molecular mechanisms and determinants contributing to virulence remain poorly understood. Here, we systematically analyzed the type VI secretion system (T6SS), a contact-dependent toxin delivery apparatus, in V. coralliilyticus. We identified 2 omnipresent T6SSs that are activated at temperatures in which V. coralliilyticus becomes virulent; T6SS1 is an antibacterial system mediating interbacterial competition, whereas T6SS2 mediates anti-eukaryotic toxicity and contributes to mortality during infection of an aquatic model organism, Artemia salina. Using comparative proteomics, we identified the T6SS1 and T6SS2 toxin arsenals of 3 V. coralliilyticus strains with distinct disease etiologies. Remarkably, T6SS2 secretes at least 9 novel anti-eukaryotic toxins comprising core and accessory repertoires. We propose that T6SSs differently contribute to V. coralliilyticus's virulence: T6SS2 plays a direct role by targeting the host, while T6SS1 plays an indirect role by eliminating competitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shir Mass
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hadar Cohen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ram Podicheti
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Douglas B. Rusch
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Motti Gerlic
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Blake Ushijima
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Julia C. van Kessel
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Eran Bosis
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Braude College of Engineering, Karmiel, Israel
| | - Dor Salomon
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Carobbi A, Leo K, Di Nepi S, Bosis E, Salomon D, Sessa G. PIX is an N-terminal delivery domain that defines a class of polymorphic T6SS effectors in Enterobacterales. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114015. [PMID: 38568810 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The type VI secretion system (T6SS), a widespread protein delivery apparatus, plays a role in bacterial competition by delivering toxic effectors into neighboring cells. Identifying new T6SS effectors and deciphering the mechanism that governs their secretion remain major challenges. Here, we report two orphan antibacterial T6SS effectors in the pathogen Pantoea agglomerans (Pa). These effectors share an N-terminal domain, Pantoea type six (PIX), that defines a widespread class of polymorphic T6SS effectors in Enterobacterales. We show that the PIX domain is necessary and sufficient for T6SS-mediated effector secretion and that PIX binds to a specialized Pa VgrG protein outside its C-terminal toxic domain. Our findings underline the importance of identifying and characterizing delivery domains in polymorphic toxin classes as a tool to reveal effectors and shed light on effector delivery mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Carobbi
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ksenia Leo
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Simone Di Nepi
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eran Bosis
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Braude College of Engineering, Karmiel, Israel
| | - Dor Salomon
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Guido Sessa
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Xu W, Chen M, Chen X, Su Y, Tang L, Zhang Y. Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection caused by market sewage: A case report and literature review. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23461. [PMID: 38148802 PMCID: PMC10750177 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is distributed worldwide in seafood such as fish, shrimp, and shellfish and is a major cause of seafood-borne diarrhoeal disease. Previous studies have reported infections contacting with contaminated seafood seawater. So far, 11 cases reported of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) caused by V. parahaemolyticus, which 5 patients died and 6 survived. We found that transmission through contact with contaminated water also causes infection. We report a 46-year-old male contracted V. parahaemolyticus after being splashed with market sewage. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he died eventually, suggesting that more atypical modes of V. parahaemolyticus transmission may be possible in the future. Literature review revealed that SSTIs due to V. parahaemolyticus are rare, so, detailed questioning of the patient's exposure history can help with empirical drug administration early. Patients with immunodeficiency disease and progressive blistering need mandatory debridement urgently. If fascial necrosis is found during debridement, early amputation may save the patient's life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixian Xu
- The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 6 Qinren Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
| | - Miaozhen Chen
- Foshan Clinical Medical School of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 3 Sanyou South Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
| | - Xinxi Chen
- The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 6 Qinren Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
| | - Yi Su
- The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 6 Qinren Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
| | - Liqun Tang
- The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 6 Qinren Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
| | - Yunhai Zhang
- The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 6 Qinren Road, Chancheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, China
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Kinch LN, Schaeffer RD, Zhang J, Cong Q, Orth K, Grishin N. Insights into virulence: structure classification of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus RIMD mobilome. mSystems 2023; 8:e0079623. [PMID: 38014954 PMCID: PMC10734457 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00796-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The pandemic Vpar strain RIMD causes seafood-borne illness worldwide. Previous comparative genomic studies have revealed pathogenicity islands in RIMD that contribute to the success of the strain in infection. However, not all virulence determinants have been identified, and many of the proteins encoded in known pathogenicity islands are of unknown function. Based on the EOCD database, we used evolution-based classification of structure models for the RIMD proteome to improve our functional understanding of virulence determinants acquired by the pandemic strain. We further identify and classify previously unknown mobile protein domains as well as fast evolving residue positions in structure models that contribute to virulence and adaptation with respect to a pre-pandemic strain. Our work highlights key contributions of phage in mediating seafood born illness, suggesting this strain balances its avoidance of phage predators with its successful colonization of human hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa N. Kinch
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - R. Dustin Schaeffer
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Qian Cong
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Kim Orth
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Nick Grishin
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Allsopp LP, Bernal P. Killing in the name of: T6SS structure and effector diversity. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001367. [PMID: 37490402 PMCID: PMC10433429 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
The life of bacteria is challenging, to endure bacteria employ a range of mechanisms to optimize their environment, including deploying the type VI secretion system (T6SS). Acting as a bacterial crossbow, this system delivers effectors responsible for subverting host cells, killing competitors and facilitating general secretion to access common goods. Due to its importance, this lethal machine has been evolutionarily maintained, disseminated and specialized to fulfil these vital functions. In fact, T6SS structural clusters are present in over 25 % of Gram-negative bacteria, varying in number from one to six different genetic clusters per organism. Since its discovery in 2006, research on the T6SS has rapidly progressed, yielding remarkable breakthroughs. The identification and characterization of novel components of the T6SS, combined with biochemical and structural studies, have revealed fascinating mechanisms governing its assembly, loading, firing and disassembly processes. Recent findings have also demonstrated the efficacy of this system against fungal and Gram-positive cells, expanding its scope. Ongoing research continues to uncover an extensive and expanding repertoire of T6SS effectors, the genuine mediators of T6SS function. These studies are shedding light on new aspects of the biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the T6SS, highlighting recent discoveries of its structure and the diversity of its effectors. Additionally, it injects a personal perspective on avenues for future research, aiming to deepen our understanding of this combative system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke P. Allsopp
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Patricia Bernal
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla 41012, Spain
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