| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Bamyaci, Sarp, et al.
(författare)
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Identification of specific sequence motif of YopN of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis required for systemic infection
- 2019
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Ingår i: Virulence. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2150-5594 .- 2150-5608. ; 10:1, s. 10-25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are tightly regulated key virulence mechanisms shared by many Gram-negative pathogens. YopN, one of the substrates, is also crucial in regulation of expression, secretion and activation of the T3SS of pathogenic Yersinia species. Interestingly, YopN itself is also targeted into host cells but so far no activity or direct role for YopN inside host cells has been described. Recently, we were able show that the central region of YopN is required for efficient translocation of YopH and YopE into host cells. This was also shown to impact the ability of Yersinia to block phagocytosis. One difficulty in studying YopN is to generate mutants that are not impaired in regulation of the T3SS. In this study we extended our previous work and were able to generate specific mutants within the central region of YopN. These mutants were predicted to be crucial for formation of a putative coiled-coil domain (CCD). Similar to the previously described deletion mutant of the central region, these mutants were all impaired in translocation of YopE and YopH. Interestingly, these YopN variants were not translocated into host cells. Importantly, when these mutants were introduced in cis on the virulence plasmid, they retained full regulatory function of T3SS expression and secretion. This allowed us to evaluate one of the mutants, yopNGAGA, in the systemic mouse infection model. Using in vivo imaging technology we could verify that the mutant was also attenuated in vivo and highly impaired to establish systemic infection.
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| 3. |
- Bamyaci, Sarp, 1986-
(författare)
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Multiple functions of YopN in the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis type III secretion system : from regulation to in vivo infection
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The type 3 secretion systems (T3SSs) are virulence mechanisms used by various Gram-negative bacteria to overcome the host immunity. They are often target-cell contact induced and activated. Activation results in targeting of virulence effector substrates into host cells. One class of secreted substrates, translocators, are required for the intracellular targeting of the second class, the virulence effectors, into host target cells. T3SSs are mainly regulated at 2 levels; a shift from environmental to host temperature results in low level induction of the system whereas target cell contact further induces and activates the system. In the Yersinia T3SS, YopN, one of the secreted substrates, is involved in the latter level of activation. Under non-inducing conditions, YopN complexes with TyeA, SycN and YscB and this complex suppresses the T3SS via an unknown mechanism. When the system is induced, the complex is believed to dissociate and YopN is secreted resulting in the activation of the system. Earlier studies indicated that YopN is not only secreted but also translocated into target cells in a T3SS dependent manner. TyeA, SycN and YscB bind to the C-terminal and N-terminal YopN respectively but so far the central region (CR) of YopN has not been characterized. In this study we have focused on the function of the YopN central region.We therefore generated in-frame deletion mutants within the CR of YopN. One of these deletion mutants, aa 76-181, showed decreased early translocation of both YopE and YopH into infected host cells and also failed to efficiently block phagocytosis by macrophages. However, the YopNΔ76-181 protein was expressed at lower levels compared to wt YopN and also showed a slightly deregulated phenotype when expressed from its native promoter and were as a consequence not possible to use in in vivo infection studies.Therefore, we generated mutants that disrupted a putative coiled coil domain located at the very N-terminal of CR. Similar to YopNΔ76-181, these substitution mutants were affected in the early translocation of effector proteins. Importantly, they were as stable as wt YopN when expressed from the native promoter. One of these mutants was unable to cause systemic infection in mice indicating that YopN indeed also has a direct role in virulence and is required for establishment of systemic infection in vivo.
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| 4. |
- Bamyaci, Sarp, et al.
(författare)
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YopN Is Required for Efficient Effector Translocation and Virulence in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- 2018
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Ingår i: Infection and Immunity. - : AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY. - 0019-9567 .- 1098-5522. ; 86:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are used by various Gram-negative pathogens to subvert the host defense by a host cell contact-dependent mechanism to secrete and translocate virulence effectors. While the effectors differ between pathogens and determine the pathogenic life style, the overall mechanism of secretion and translocation is conserved. T3SSs are regulated at multiple levels, and some secreted substrates have also been shown to function in regulation. In Yersinia, one of the substrates, YopN, has long been known to function in the host cell contact-dependent regulation of the T3SS. Prior to contact, through its interaction with TyeA, YopN blocks secretion. Upon cell contact, TyeA dissociates from YopN, which is secreted by the T3SS, resulting in the induction of the system. YopN has also been shown to be translocated into target cells by a T3SS-dependent mechanism. However, no intracellular function has yet been assigned to YopN. The regulatory role of YopN involves the N-terminal and C-terminal parts, while less is known about the role of the central region of YopN. Here, we constructed different in-frame deletion mutants within the central region. The deletion of amino acids 76 to 181 resulted in an unaltered regulation of Yop expression and secretion but triggered reduced YopE and YopH translocation within the first 30 min after infection. As a consequence, this deletion mutant lost its ability to block phagocytosis by macrophages. In conclusion, we were able to differentiate the function of YopN in translocation and virulence from its function in regulation.
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| 5. |
- Edqvist, Petra, et al.
(författare)
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YscP and YscU Regulate Substrate Specificity of the Yersinia Type III Secretion System
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of Bacteriology. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0021-9193 .- 1098-5530. ; 185:7, s. 2259-2266
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pathogenic Yersinia species use a type III secretion system to inhibit phagocytosis by eukaryotic cells. At 37 degrees C, the secretion system is assembled, forming a needle-like structure on the bacterial cell surface. Upon eukaryotic cell contact, six effector proteins, called Yops, are translocated into the eukaryotic cell cytosol. Here, we show that a yscP mutant exports an increased amount of the needle component YscF to the bacterial cell surface but is unable to efficiently secrete effector Yops. Mutations in the cytoplasmic domain of the inner membrane protein YscU suppress the yscP phenotype by reducing the level of YscF secretion and increasing the level of Yop secretion. These results suggest that YscP and YscU coordinately regulate the substrate specificity of the Yersinia type III secretion system. Furthermore, we show that YscP and YscU act upstream of the cell contact sensor YopN as well as the inner gatekeeper LcrG in the pathway of substrate export regulation. These results further strengthen the strong evolutionary link between flagellar biosynthesis and type III synthesis.
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| 6. |
- Farag, Salah I., 1959-
(författare)
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Biogenesis, function and regulation of the type III secretion translocon of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many Gram negative bacteria use type III secretion systems to cross-talk with eukaryotic cells. Type III secretion system assembly and function is tightly regulated. It initiates with assembly of a basal body-like structure, and is followed by a cytoplasmic-located substrate sorting and export platform that first engages with early substrates required for needle assembly. At the needle tip, a translocon is formed upon eukaryotic cell contact to allow the translocation of effector proteins to the host cell. The focus of this thesis is on understanding aspects of biogenesis, regulation and function of the translocon and its interaction with the host cell. Research questions are addressed in enteropathogenic Yersinia pseudotuberculosis model.Prioritising the secretion of translocon components before effector proteins is a task given partly to the InvE/MxiC/HrpJ family of proteins. In Yersinia, homology to this protein family is partitioned over two proteins; YopN and TyeA. Certain Yersinia strains naturally produce a single YopN/TyeA polypeptide hybrid. To understand the implications of hybrid formation towards type III secretion control, a series of mutants were engineered to produce only a single hybrid peptide. Using in vitro assays revealed no difference in substrate secretion profiles between parent and mutants. Moreover, no obvious prioritisation of secretion between translocator and effector substrates was observed. Although these in vitro studies indicate that the YopN-TyeA single polypeptide is fully functionally competent, these mutants were attenuated in the mouse infection model. Hence, natural production of YopN and TyeA as a single polypeptide alone is unlikely to confer a fitness advantage to the infecting bacteria and is unlikely to orchestrate hierarchal substrate secretion.The YopB and YopD translocon components form a pore in the host cell plasma membrane to deliver the effectors into the host cell. To better understand how YopD contributes to the biogenesis, function and regulation of the translocon pore, a series of mutants were constructed to disrupt two predicted α-helix motifs, one lying at the N-terminus and the other at the C-terminus. Based upon phenotypes associated with environmental control of Yop synthesis and secretion, effector translocation, evasion of phagocytosis, killing of immune cells and virulence in a mouse infection model, the mutants were grouped into three phenotypic classes. A particularly interesting mutant class maintained full T3SS function in vitro, but were attenuated for virulence in a murine oral-infection model. To better understand the molecular basis for these phenotypic differences, the effectiveness of RAW 264.7 cells to respond to infection by these mutants was scrutinised. Sixteen individual cytokines were profiled with mouse cytokine screen multiplex analysis. Signature cytokine profiles were observed that could again separate the different YopD mutants into distinct categories. The activation and supression of certain cytokines that function as central innate immune response modulators correlated well with the ability of mutant bacteria to modulate programmed cell death and antiphagocytosis pathways. Hence, the biogenesis of sub-optimal translocon pores alters host cell responsiveness and limits the ability of Yersinia to fortify against attack by both early and late arms of the host innate immune response.The amount of bacteria now resistant to multiple antibiotics is alarming. By providing insights into a common virulence process, this work may ultimately facilitate the design of novel broad-acting inhibitors of type III secretion, and thereby be useful to treat an array of bacterial infections.
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| 7. |
- Forslund, Anna-Lena, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Direct repeat-mediated deletion of a type IV pilin gene results in major virulence attenuation of Francisella tularensis
- 2006
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Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 59:6, s. 1818-1830
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularaemia, is a highly infectious and virulent intracellular pathogen. There are two main human pathogenic subspecies, Francisella tularensis ssp. tularensis (type A), and Francisella tularensis ssp. holarctica (type B). So far, knowledge regarding key virulence determinants is limited but it is clear that intracellular survival and multiplication is one major virulence strategy of Francisella. In addition, genome sequencing has revealed the presence of genes encoding type IV pili (Tfp). One genomic region encoding three proteins with signatures typical for type IV pilins contained two 120 bp direct repeats. Here we establish that repeat-mediated loss of one of the putative pilin genes in a type B strain results in severe virulence attenuation in mice infected by subcutaneous route. Complementation of the mutant by introduction of the pilin gene in cis resulted in complete restoration of virulence. The level of attenuation was similar to that of the live vaccine strain and this strain was also found to lack the pilin gene as result of a similar deletion event mediated by the direct repeats. Presence of the pilin had no major effect on the ability to interact, survive and multiply inside macrophage-like cell lines. Importantly, the pilin-negative strain was impaired in its ability to spread from the initial site of infection to the spleen. Our findings indicate that this putative pilin is critical for Francisella infections that occur via peripheral routes.
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| 8. |
- Forslund, Anna-Lena, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Hfq, a novel pleiotropic regulator of virulence-associated genes in Francisella tularensis
- 2009
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Ingår i: Infection and Immunity. - : American society for microbiology. - 0019-9567 .- 1098-5522. ; 77:5, s. 1866-80
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious pathogen that infects animals and humans, causing tularemia. The ability to replicate within macrophages is central for virulence and relies on expression of genes located in the Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI), as well as expression of other genes. Regulation of FPI-encoded virulence gene expression in F. tularensis involves at least four regulatory proteins and is not fully understood. Here we studied the RNA-binding protein Hfq in F. tularensis and particularly the role that it plays as a global regulator of gene expression in stress tolerance and pathogenesis. We demonstrate that Hfq promotes resistance to several cellular stresses (including osmotic and membrane stresses). Furthermore, we show that Hfq is important for the ability of the F. tularensis vaccine strain LVS to induce disease and persist in organs of infected mice. We also demonstrate that Hfq is important for stress tolerance and full virulence in a virulent clinical isolate of F. tularensis, FSC200. Finally, microarray analyses revealed that Hfq regulates expression of numerous genes, including genes located in the FPI. Strikingly, Hfq negatively regulates only one of two divergently expressed putative operons in the FPI, in contrast to the other known regulators, which regulate the entire FPI. Hfq thus appears to be a new pleiotropic regulator of virulence in F. tularensis, acting mostly as a repressor, in contrast to the other regulators identified so far. Moreover, the results obtained suggest a novel regulatory mechanism for a subset of FPI genes.
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| 9. |
- Forslund, Anna-Lena, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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The type IV pilin, PilA, is required for full virulence of Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis
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Annan publikation (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Background: All four Francisella tularensis subspecies possess gene clusters with potential to express type IV pili (Tfp). These clusters include putative pilin genes, as well as pilB, pilC and pilQ, required for secretion and assembly of Tfp. A hallmark of Tfp is the ability to retract the pilus upon surface contact, a property mediated by the ATPase PilT. Interestingly, out of the two major human pathogenic subspecies only the highly virulent type A strains have a functional pilT gene.Results: In a previous study, we were able to show that one pilin gene, pilA, was essential for virulence of a type B strain in a mouse infection model. In this work we have examined the role of several pilin genes in the virulence of the pathogenic type A strain SCHU S4. pilA, pilC, pilQ, and pilT were mutated by in-frame deletion mutagenesis. Interestingly, when mice were infected with a mixture of each mutant strain and the wild-type strain, the pilA, pilC and pilQ mutants were out-competed, while the pilT mutant was equally competitive as the wild-type.Conclusions: This suggests that expression and surface localisation of PilA contribute to virulence in the highly virulent type A strain, while PilT was dispensable for virulence in the mouse infection model.
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| 10. |
- Holmström, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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LcrV is a channel size-determining component of the Yop effector translocon of Yersinia
- 2001
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Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 39:3, s. 620-632
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Delivery of Yop effector proteins by pathogenic Yersinia across the eukaryotic cell membrane requires LcrV, YopB and YopD. These proteins were also required for channel formation in infected erythrocytes and, using different osmolytes, the contact‐dependent haemolysis assay was used to study channel size. Channels associated with LcrV were around 3 nm, whereas the homologous PcrV protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa induced channels of around 2 nm in diameter. In lipid bilayer membranes, purified LcrV and PcrV induced a stepwise conductance increase of 3 nS and 1 nS, respectively, in 1 M KCl. The regions important for channel size were localized to amino acids 127–195 of LcrV and to amino acids 106–173 of PcrV. The size of the channel correlated with the ability to translocate Yop effectors into host cells. We suggest that LcrV is a size‐determining structural component of the Yop translocon.
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