A Brucella effector modulates the Arf6-Rab8a GTPase cascade to promote intravacuolar replication

Brucella NyxA and NyxB dimerization enhances effector function during infection

Brucella abortus is the cause of one of the most prevalent zoonoses worldwide. We have recently discovered two translocated effectors, NyxA and NyxB, that contribute to the late stages of the infectious cycle. Although their structure was solved, the importance of their interactions and dimeric states remains unknown. We found that NyxA and NyxB directly interact and that their dimerization is essential for their function during infection. We show that monomeric forms of the Nyx effectors still interact with their host cellular target, the deSUMOylase sentrin-specific protease 3 (SENP3) but are less able than the dimers to delocalize SENP3 from the nucleoli. This study provides new insights into the intra- and inter-effector molecular interactions during Brucella pathogenesis.

The Brucella Effector Protein BspF Crotonylates TRIM38 to Inhibit NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathway

The type IV secretion system (T4SS) is an important virulence factor of Brucella. T4SS secretes 16 effector proteins, which affect the intracellular transport of Brucella-containing vacuoles and regulate the host immune response, helping Brucella survive and replicate in host cells. In our previous crotonylation proteomics data of HEK-293T cell proteins triggered by BspF, we found BspF crotonylated on TRIM38, which is an important modulator in the pathways of inflammation, and the crotonylation site is K142. Therefore, it is speculated that BspF may be involved in the regulation of host inflammatory response during Brucella infection. In this study, we found that BspF-mediated TRIM38K142 crotonylation promotes the ubiquitination of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), leading to the degradation of TRAF6 and thereby inhibiting the transduction of Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) MAPK signaling pathways and the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-8, which finally helps Brucella promote intracellular survival. This study provides a new theoretical basis for the intracellular survival of host innate immunity through the T4SS, provides new insights into the pathogenic mechanism and treatment of Brucella, and provides an important reference for the study of non-histone crotonylation function.

Brucella suis S2 strain inhibits IRE1/caspase-12/caspase-3 pathway-mediated apoptosis of microglia HMC3 by affecting the ubiquitination of CALR

Neurobrucellosis represents a severe complication of brucellosis, posing a considerable risk to human health and quality of life. This condition arises from an increased susceptibility to chronic Brucella infection, a significant clinical challenge. One key factor contributing to chronic neurobrucellosis is the regulation of microglial apoptosis by Brucella; however, the exact molecular mechanisms remain largely unresolved. In this study, human microglial clone 3 (HMC3) cells were infected with Brucella suis vaccine strain S2 (B. suis S2) at varying multiplicity of infection (MOI) and durations to assess its effects on the IRE1/caspase-12/caspase-3 signaling pathway. Following the suppression of this pathway by B. suis S2, calreticulin (CALR) was identified through ubiquitin-modified proteomics (data accessible via ProteomeXchange, identifier PXD056006). To further investigate, CALR-overexpression and knockdown HMC3 cell lines were infected with B. suis S2 to elucidate the mechanism by which B. suis S2 inhibits apoptosis in HMC3 cells. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that B. suis S2 suppresses HMC3 cell apoptosis via the IRE1/caspase-12/caspase-3 pathway by modulating CALR ubiquitination. This study provides a theoretical basis for exploring the mechanisms of neurobrucellosis and offers insights into its clinical treatment.IMPORTANCENeurobrucellosis is a severe complication impacting the central nervous system (CNS) due to neurological deficits caused by Brucella, with primary clinical features including meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscesses, and demyelinating lesions. These nonspecific symptoms often lead to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, increasing the risk of recurrent or chronic neurobrucellosis infections. Consequently, persistent infection and relapse are critical challenges in the clinical management of neurobrucellosis, which are closely linked to Brucella's survival and replication within microglia. Interestingly, Brucella may inhibit microglia apoptosis by mitigating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, though the precise molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Thus, this study will elucidate the specific mechanisms by which Brucella suppresses microglial apoptosis and provide deeper insights into the molecular pathogenesis and clinical treatment of neurobrucellosis.

TMC7 is required for spermiogenesis and male fertility by regulating TGN-derived vesicles

Infertility affects 10-12 % of couples worldwide, 50 % of which are male. Abnormal spermatogenesis is among the main causes of male infertility. We were curious about the possible role of transmembrane channel-like protein 7 (TMC7) in spermatogenesis because of its aberrant expression in several male infertility patients. In this study, we found that deletion of Tmc7, which is highly expressed during spermiogenesis, causes a human oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT)-like phenotype in male mice. By histological analysis, TEM, RNA-seq and library-free data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS) of TMC7-null mouse testes, we found that Tmc7 deletion caused abnormal swelling of trans-Golgi network (TGN) vesicles in elongated spermatids. Further immunofluorescence localization analysis revealed that these vesicles were defined by synaptophysin-like 1 (SYPL1). In addition, TMC7 may act as a potential chloride transport channel to regulate the size of transport vesicles. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that TMC7 is essential for male fertility and may be used as a potential protein for the identification and recognition of OAT. On the other hand, TMC7 may be a potential male contraceptive target.

The 'ins and outs' of Brucella intracellular journey

Members of the genus Brucella are the causative agents of brucellosis, a worldwide zoonosis affecting wild and domestic animals and humans. These facultative intracellular pathogens cause long-lasting chronic infections by evolving sophisticated strategies to counteract, evade, or subvert host bactericidal mechanisms in order to establish a secure replicative niche necessary for their survival. In this review, we present recent findings on selected Brucella effectors to illustrate how this pathogen modulates host cell signaling pathways to gain control of the vacuole, promote the formation of a safe intracellular replication niche, alter host cell metabolism to its advantage, and exploit various cellular pathways to ensure egress from the infected cell.

Effector Proteins of Type IV Secretion System: Weapons of Brucella Used to Fight Against Host Immunity

Brucella is an intracellular bacterial pathogen capable of long-term persistence in the host, resulting in chronic infections in livestock and wildlife. The type IV secretion system (T4SS) is an important virulence factor of Brucella and is composed of 12 protein complexes encoded by the VirB operon. T4SS exerts its function through its secreted 15 effector proteins. The effector proteins act on important signaling pathways in host cells, inducing host immune responses and promoting the survival and replication of Brucella in host cells to promote persistent infection. In this article, we describe the intracellular circulation of Brucella-infected cells and survey the role of Brucella VirB T4SS in regulating inflammatory responses and suppressing host immune responses during infection. In addition, the important mechanisms of these 15 effector proteins in resisting the host immune response during Brucella infection are elucidated. For example, VceC and VceA assist in achieving sustained survival of Brucella in host cells by affecting autophagy and apoptosis. BtpB, together with BtpA, controls the activation of dendritic cells during infection, induces inflammatory responses, and controls host immunity. This article reviews the effector proteins secreted by Brucella T4SS and their involvement in immune responses, which can provide a reliable theoretical basis for the subsequent mechanism of hijacking the host cell signaling pathway by bacteria and contribute to the development of better vaccines to effectively treat Brucella bacterial infection.

The Brucella Effector Protein BspF Regulates Apoptosis through the Crotonylation of p53

The Brucella type IV secretion system (T4SS) can promote the intracellular survival and reproduction of Brucella. T4SS secretes effector proteins to act on cellular signaling pathways to inhibit the host's innate immune response and cause a chronic, persistent Brucella infection. Brucella can survive in host cells for a long time by inhibiting macrophage apoptosis and avoiding immune recognition. The effector protein, BspF, secreted by T4SS, can regulate host secretory transport and accelerate the intracellular replication of Brucella. BspF has an acetyltransferase domain of the GNAT (GCN5-related N-acetyltransferases) family, and in our previous crotonylation proteomics data, we have found that BspF has crotonyl transferase activity and crotonylation regulation of host cell protein in the proteomics data. Here, we found that BspF attenuates the crotonylation modification of the interacting protein p53, which reduces the p53 expression through the GNAT domain. BspF can inhibit the transcription and protein expression of downstream apoptotic genes, thereby inhibiting host cell apoptosis. Additionally, the Brucella ΔbspF mutant stain promotes apoptosis and reduces the survival rate of Brucella in the cells. In conclusion, we identified that the T4SS effector protein BspF can regulate host cell apoptosis to assist Brucella in its long-term survival by attenuating crotonylation modification of p53 and decreasing p53 expression. Our findings reveal a unique mechanism of elucidating how Brucella regulates host cell apoptosis and promotes its proliferation through the secretion of effector proteins.

Host cell egress of Brucella abortus requires BNIP3L-mediated mitophagy

The facultative intracellular pathogen Brucella abortus interacts with several organelles of the host cell to reach its replicative niche inside the endoplasmic reticulum. However, little is known about the interplay between the intracellular bacteria and the host cell mitochondria. Here, we showed that B. abortus triggers substantive mitochondrial network fragmentation, accompanied by mitophagy and the formation of mitochondrial Brucella-containing vacuoles during the late steps of cellular infection. Brucella-induced expression of the mitophagy receptor BNIP3L is essential for these events and relies on the iron-dependent stabilisation of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. Functionally, BNIP3L-mediated mitophagy appears to be advantageous for bacterial exit from the host cell as BNIP3L depletion drastically reduces the number of reinfection events. Altogether, these findings highlight the intricate link between Brucella trafficking and the mitochondria during host cell infection.

To eat or not to eat mitochondria? How do host cells cope with mitophagy upon bacterial infection?

Mitochondria fulfil a plethora of cellular functions ranging from energy production to regulation of inflammation and cell death control. The fundamental role of mitochondria makes them a target of choice for invading pathogens, with either an intracellular or extracellular lifestyle. Indeed, the modulation of mitochondrial functions by several bacterial pathogens has been shown to be beneficial for bacterial survival inside their host. However, so far, relatively little is known about the importance of mitochondrial recycling and degradation pathways through mitophagy in the outcome (success or failure) of bacterial infection. On the one hand, mitophagy could be considered as a defensive response triggered by the host upon infection to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. However, on the other hand, the pathogen itself may initiate the host mitophagy to escape from mitochondrial-mediated inflammation or antibacterial oxidative stress. In this review, we will discuss the diversity of various mechanisms of mitophagy in a general context, as well as what is currently known about the different bacterial pathogens that have developed strategies to manipulate the host mitophagy.

The Brucella abortus Type IV Effector BspA Inhibits MARCH6-Dependent ERAD To Promote Intracellular Growth

Brucella abortus, the intracellular causative agent of brucellosis, relies on type IV secretion system (T4SS) effector-mediated modulation of host cell functions to establish a replicative niche, the Brucella-containing vacuole (BCV). Brucella exploits the host's endocytic, secretory, and autophagic pathways to modulate the nature and function of its vacuole from an endocytic BCV (eBCV) to an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived replicative BCV (rBCV) to an autophagic egress BCV (aBCV). A role for the host ER-associated degradation pathway (ERAD) in the B. abortus intracellular cycle was recently uncovered, as it is enhanced by the T4SS effector BspL to control the timing of aBCV-mediated egress. Here, we show that the T4SS effector BspA also interferes with ERAD, yet to promote B. abortus intracellular proliferation. BspA was required for B. abortus replication in bone marrow-derived macrophages and interacts with membrane-associated RING-CH-type finger 6 (MARCH6), a host E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in ERAD. Pharmacological inhibition of ERAD and small interfering RNA (siRNA) depletion of MARCH6 did not affect the replication of wild-type B. abortus but rescued the replication defect of a bspA deletion mutant, while depletion of the ERAD component UbxD8 affected replication of B. abortus and rescued the replication defect of the bspA mutant. BspA affected the degradation of ERAD substrates and destabilized the MARCH6 E3 ligase complex. Taken together, these findings indicate that BspA inhibits the host ERAD pathway via targeting of MARCH6 to promote B. abortus intracellular growth. Our data reveal that targeting ERAD components by type IV effectors emerges as a multifaceted theme in Brucella pathogenesis.

Brucella effectors NyxA and NyxB target SENP3 to modulate the subcellular localisation of nucleolar proteins

The cell nucleus is a primary target for intracellular bacterial pathogens to counteract immune responses and hijack host signalling pathways to cause disease. Here we identify two Brucella abortus effectors, NyxA and NyxB, that interfere with host protease SENP3, and this facilitates intracellular replication of the pathogen. The translocated Nyx effectors directly interact with SENP3 via a defined acidic patch (identified from the crystal structure of NyxB), preventing nucleolar localisation of SENP3 at late stages of infection. By sequestering SENP3, the effectors promote cytoplasmic accumulation of nucleolar AAA-ATPase NVL and ribosomal protein L5 (RPL5) in effector-enriched structures in the vicinity of replicating bacteria. The shuttling of ribosomal biogenesis-associated nucleolar proteins is inhibited by SENP3 and requires the autophagy-initiation protein Beclin1 and the SUMO-E3 ligase PIAS3. Our results highlight a nucleomodulatory function of two Brucella effectors and reveal that SENP3 is a crucial regulator of the subcellular localisation of nucleolar proteins during Brucella infection, promoting intracellular replication of the pathogen.

Idiosyncratic Biogenesis of Intracellular Pathogens-Containing Vacuoles

While most bacterial species taken up by macrophages are degraded through processing of the bacteria-containing vacuole through the endosomal-lysosomal degradation pathway, intravacuolar pathogens have evolved to evade degradation through the endosomal-lysosomal pathway. All intra-vacuolar pathogens possess specialized secretion systems (T3SS-T7SS) that inject effector proteins into the host cell cytosol to modulate myriad of host cell processes and remodel their vacuoles into proliferative niches. Although intravacuolar pathogens utilize similar secretion systems to interfere with their vacuole biogenesis, each pathogen has evolved a unique toolbox of protein effectors injected into the host cell to interact with, and modulate, distinct host cell targets. Thus, intravacuolar pathogens have evolved clear idiosyncrasies in their interference with their vacuole biogenesis to generate a unique intravacuolar niche suitable for their own proliferation. While there has been a quantum leap in our knowledge of modulation of phagosome biogenesis by intravacuolar pathogens, the detailed biochemical and cellular processes affected remain to be deciphered. Here we discuss how the intravacuolar bacterial pathogens Salmonella, Chlamydia, Mycobacteria, Legionella, Brucella, Coxiella, and Anaplasma utilize their unique set of effectors injected into the host cell to interfere with endocytic, exocytic, and ER-to-Golgi vesicle traffic. However, Coxiella is the main exception for a bacterial pathogen that proliferates within the hydrolytic lysosomal compartment, but its T4SS is essential for adaptation and proliferation within the lysosomal-like vacuole.

Nucleomodulin BspJ as an effector promotes the colonization of Brucella abortus in the host

BACKGROUND

Brucella infection induces brucellosis, a zoonotic disease. The intracellular circulation process and virulence of Brucella mainly depend on its type IV secretion system (T4SS) expressing secretory effectors. Secreted protein BspJ is a nucleomodulin of Brucella that invades the host cell nucleus. BspJ mediates host energy synthesis and apoptosis through interaction with proteins. However, the mechanism of BspJ as it affects the intracellular survival of Brucella remains to be clarified.

OBJECTIVES

To verify the functions of nucleomodulin BspJ in Brucella's intracellular infection cycles.

METHODS

Constructed Brucella abortus BspJ gene deletion strain (B. abortus ΔBspJ) and complement strain (B. abortus pBspJ) and studied their roles in the proliferation of Brucella both in vivo and in vitro.

RESULTS

BspJ gene deletion reduced the survival and intracellular proliferation of Brucella at the replicating Brucella-containing vacuoles (rBCV) stage. Compared with the parent strain, the colonization ability of the bacteria in mice was significantly reduced, causing less inflammatory infiltration and pathological damage. We also found that the knockout of BspJ altered the secretion of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ) in host cells and in mice to affect the intracellular survival of Brucella.

CONCLUSIONS

BspJ is extremely important for the circulatory proliferation of Brucella in the host, and it may be involved in a previously unknown mechanism of Brucella's intracellular survival.

A Brucella effector modulates the Arf6-Rab8a GTPase cascade to promote intravacuolar replication

Remodeling of host cellular membrane transport pathways is a common pathogenic trait of many intracellular microbes that is essential to their intravacuolar life cycle and proliferation. The bacterium Brucella abortus generates a host endoplasmic reticulum‐derived vacuole (rBCV) that supports its intracellular growth, via VirB Type IV secretion system‐mediated delivery of effector proteins, whose functions and mode of action are mostly unknown. Here, we show that the effector BspF specifically promotes Brucella replication within rBCVs by interfering with vesicular transport between the trans‐Golgi network (TGN) and recycling endocytic compartment. BspF targeted the recycling endosome, inhibited retrograde traffic to the TGN, and interacted with the Arf6 GTPase‐activating Protein (GAP) ACAP1 to dysregulate Arf6‐/Rab8a‐dependent transport within the recycling endosome, which resulted in accretion of TGN‐associated vesicles by rBCVs and enhanced bacterial growth. Altogether, these findings provide mechanistic insight into bacterial modulation of membrane transport used to promote their own proliferation within intracellular vacuoles.