| 1. |
- Costa, Tiago, et al.
(författare)
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Measurement of Yersinia translocon pore formation in erythrocytes
- 2019
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Ingår i: Pathogenic Yersinia. - New York, NY, U.S.A. : Humana Press. - 9781493995400 ; , s. 211-229
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many Gram-negative pathogens produce a type III secretion system capable of intoxicating eukaryotic cells with immune-modulating effector proteins. Fundamental to this injection process is the prior secretion of two translocator proteins destined for injectisome translocon pore assembly within the host cell plasma membrane. It is through this pore that effectors are believed to travel to gain access to the host cell interior. Yersinia species especially pathogenic to humans and animals assemble this translocon pore utilizing two hydrophobic translocator proteins-YopB and YopD. Although a full molecular understanding of the biogenesis, function and regulation of this translocon pore and subsequent effector delivery into host cells remains elusive, some of what we know about these processes can be attributed to studies of bacterial infections of erythrocytes. Herein we describe the methodology of erythrocyte infections by Yersinia, and how analysis of the resultant contact-dependent hemolysis can serve as a relative measurement of YopB- and YopD-dependent translocon pore formation.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Farag, Salah, et al.
(författare)
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Macrophage innate immune responses delineate between defective translocon assemblies produced by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis YopD mutants
- 2023
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Ingår i: Virulence. - London : Taylor & Francis Group. - 2150-5594 .- 2150-5608. ; 14:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Translocon pores formed in the eukaryotic cell membrane by a type III secretion system facilitate the translocation of immune-modulatory effector proteins into the host cell interior. The YopB and YopD proteins produced and secreted by pathogenic Yersinia spp. harboring a virulence plasmid-encoded type III secretion system perform this pore-forming translocator function. We had previously characterized in vitro T3SS function and in vivo pathogenicity of a number of strains encoding sited-directed point mutations in yopD. This resulted in the classification of mutants into three different classes based upon the severity of the phenotypic defects. To investigate the molecular and functional basis for these defects, we explored the effectiveness of RAW 264.7 cell line to respond to infection by representative YopD mutants of all three classes. Signature cytokine profiles could separate the different YopD mutants into distinct categories. The activation and suppression of certain cytokines that function as central innate immune response modulators correlated well with the ability of mutant bacteria to alter anti-phagocytosis and programmed cell death pathways. These analyses demonstrated that sub-optimal translocon pores impact the extent and magnitude of host cell responsiveness, and this limits the capacity of pathogenic Yersinia spp. to fortify against attack by both early and late arms of the host innate immune response.
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| 4. |
- Kumar Gahlot, Dharmender, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Bioengineering of non-pathogenic Escherichia coli to enrich for accumulation of environmental copper
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heavy metal sequestration from industrial wastes and agricultural soils is a long-standing challenge. This is more critical for copper since copper pollution is hazardous both for the environment and for human health. In this study, we applied an integrated approach of Darwin's theory of natural selection with bacterial genetic engineering to generate a biological system with an application for the accumulation of Cu2+ ions. A library of recombinant non-pathogenic Escherichia coli strains was engineered to express seven potential Cu2+ binding peptides encoded by a 'synthetic degenerate' DNA motif and fused to Maltose Binding Protein (MBP). Most of these peptide-MBP chimeras conferred tolerance to high concentrations of copper sulphate, and in certain cases in the order of 160-fold higher than the recognised EC50 toxic levels of copper in soils. UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis indicated a molar ratio of peptide-copper complexes, while a combination of bioinformatics-based structure modelling, Cu2+ ion docking, and MD simulations of peptide-MBP chimeras corroborated the extent of Cu2+ binding among the peptides. Further, in silico analysis predicted the peptides possessed binding affinity toward a broad range of divalent metal ions. Thus, we report on an efficient, cost-effective, and environment-friendly prototype biological system that is potentially capable of copper bioaccumulation, and which could easily be adapted for the removal of other hazardous heavy metals or the bio-mining of rare metals.
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| 5. |
- Thanikkal, Edvin J., et al.
(författare)
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The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Cpx envelope stress system contributes to transcriptional activation of rovM
- 2019
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Ingår i: Virulence. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 2150-5594 .- 2150-5608. ; 10:1, s. 37-57
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Gram-negative enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis possesses a number of regulatory systems that detect cell envelope damage caused by noxious extracytoplasmic stresses. The CpxA sensor kinase and CpxR response regulator two-component regulatory system is one such pathway. Active Cpx signalling upregulates various factors designed to repair and restore cell envelope integrity. Concomitantly, this pathway also down-regulates key determinants of virulence. In Yersinia, cpxA deletion accumulates high levels of phosphorylated CpxR (CpxR~P). Accumulated CpxR~P directly repressed rovA expression and this limited expression of virulence-associated processes. A second transcriptional regulator, RovM, also negatively regulates rovA expression in response to nutrient stress. Hence, this study aimed to determine if CpxR~P can influence rovA expression through control of RovM levels. We determined that the active CpxR~P isoform bound to the promoter of rovM and directly induced its expression, which naturally associated with a concurrent reduction in rovA expression. Site-directed mutagenesis of the CpxR~P binding sequence in the rovM promoter region desensitised rovM expression to CpxR~P. These data suggest that accumulated CpxR~P inversely manipulates the levels of two global transcriptional regulators, RovA and RovM, and this would be expected to have considerable influence on Yersinia pathophysiology and metabolism.
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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. |
- Fei, Keke, et al.
(författare)
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CpxR regulates the Rcs phosphorelay system in controlling the Ysc-Yop type III secretion system in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- 2021
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Ingår i: Microbiology. - : Microbiology Society. - 1350-0872 .- 1465-2080. ; 167:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The CpxRA two-component regulatory system and the Rcs phosphorelay system are both employed by the Enterobacteriaceae family to preserve bacterial envelope integrity and function when growing under stress. Although both systems regulate several overlapping physiological processes, evidence demonstrating a molecular connection between Cpx and Rcs signalling outputs is scarce. Here, we show that CpxR negatively regulates the transcription of the rcsB gene in the Rcs phosphorelay system in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Interestingly, transcription of rcsB is under the control of three promoters, which were all repressed by CpxR. Critically, synthetic activation of Cpx signalling through mislocalization of the NlpE lipoprotein to the inner membrane resulted in an active form of CpxR that repressed activity of rcsB promoters. On the other hand, a site-directed mutation of the phosphorylation site at residue 51 in CpxR generated an inactive non-phosphorylated variant that was unable to regulate output from these rcsB promoters. Importantly, CpxR-mediated inhibition of rcsB transcription in turn restricted activation of the Ysc-Yop type III secretion system (T3SS). Moreover, active CpxR blocks zinc-mediated activation of Rcs signalling and the subsequent activation of lcrF transcription. Our results demonstrate a novel regulatory cascade linking CpxR-RcsB-LcrF to control production of the Ysc-Yop T3SS.
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| 8. |
- Fei, Keke, et al.
(författare)
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LcrQ coordinates with the YopD-LcrH complex to repress lcrF expression and control type III secretion by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- 2021
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Ingår i: mBio. - : American Society for Microbiology (ASM). - 2161-2129 .- 2150-7511. ; 12:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human-pathogenic Yersinia species employ a plasmid-encoded type III secretion system (T3SS) to negate immune cell function during infection. A critical element in this process is the coordinated regulation of T3SS gene expression, which involves both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. LcrQ is one of the earliest identified negative regulators of Yersinia T3SS, but its regulatory mechanism is still unclear. In a previous study, we showed that LcrQ antagonizes the activation role played by the master transcriptional regulator LcrF. In this study, we confirm that LcrQ directly interacts with LcrH, the chaperone of YopD, to facilitate the negative regulatory role of the YopD-LcrH complex in repressing lcrF expression at the posttranscriptional level. Negative regulation is strictly dependent on the YopD-LcrH complex, more so than on LcrQ. The YopD-LcrH complex helps to retain cytoplasmic levels of LcrQ to facilitate the negative regulatory effect. Interestingly, RNase E and its associated protein RhlB participate in this negative regulatory loop through a direct interaction with LcrH and LcrQ. Hence, we present a negative regulatory loop that physically connects LcrQ to the posttranscriptional regulation of LcrF, and this mechanism incorporates RNase E involved in mRNA decay.
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| 9. |
- Gurung, Jyoti Mohan, 1984-
(författare)
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Coordinating type III secretion system biogenesis in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Various Gram-negative bacteria utilize type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver effectors into eukaryotic host cells and establish mutualistic or pathogenic interactions. An example is the Ysc-Yop T3SS of pathogenic Yersinia species. The T3SS resembles a molecular syringe with a wide cylindrical membrane-spanning basal body that scaffolds a hollow extracellular needle with a pore-forming translocon complex crowned at the needle tip. Together they form a continuous conduit between bacteria and host cells that allow delivery of effector proteins. Dedicated actions of cytoplasmic chaperones, regulators and components of the cytoplasmic complex orchestrates hierarchical assembly of T3SS. On the basis of secretion hierarchy, proteins can be categorized as ‘early’ needle complex proteins, ‘middle’ translocators and ‘late’ Yop effectors. However, how the system recognizes, prepares and mediates temporal delivery of T3S substrates is not fully understood. Herein, we have investigated the roles of YscX and YscY (present specifically in the Ysc family of T3SS), as well as YopN-TyeA (broadly distributed among T3SS families) to provide a better understanding of some of the molecular mechanisms governing spatiotemporal control of T3SS assembly.Despite reciprocal YscX-YscY binary and YscX-YscY-SctV ternary interactions between the member proteins, functional interchangeability in Yersinia was not successful. This revealed YscX and YscY must perform functions unique to Yersinia T3SS. Defined domain swapping and site-directed mutagenesis identified two highly conserved cysteine residues important for YscX function. Moreover, the N-terminal region of YscX harboured an independent T3S signal. Manipulating the YscX N-terminus by exchanging it with equivalent secretion signals from different T3S substrates abrogated T3S activity. This was explained by the need for the YscX N-terminus to correctly localize and/or assemble the ‘early’ SctI inner adapter and SctF needle protein. Therefore, N-terminal YscX performs dual functions; one as a secretion signal and the other as a structural signal to control early stage assembly of T3SS.In Ysc-Yop T3SS, YopN-TyeA complex is involved in the later stage of T3SS assembly, inhibiting Yops secretion until host cell contact is achieved. Analysis of the YopN C-terminus identified a specific domain stretching 279-287 critical for regulating Ysc-Yop T3SS activity. The regulation was mediated by specific hydrophobic contacts between W279 of YopN and F8 of TyeA.In conclusion, this work has provided novel molecular mechanisms regarding the spatiotemporal assembly of T3SS. While the N-terminal region of YscX contributes to the early stage of T3SS assembly, the C-terminal region of YopN is critical for regulating Ysc-Yop activity at a later stage of T3SS assembly.
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| 10. |
- Gurung, Jyoti, et al.
(författare)
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Type III secretion by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is reliant upon an authentic N-terminal YscX secretor domain
- 2022
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Ingår i: Molecular Microbiology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0950-382X .- 1365-2958. ; 117:4, s. 886-906
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- YscX was discovered as an essential part of the Yersinia type III secretion system about 20 years ago. It is required for substrate secretion and is exported itself. Despite this central role, its precise function and mode of action remain unknown. In order to address this knowledge gap, this present study refocused attention on YscX to build on the recent advances in the understanding of YscX function. Our experiments identified an N-terminal secretion domain in YscX promoting its secretion, with the first five codons constituting a minimal signal capable of promoting secretion of the signal less β-lactamase reporter. Replacing the extreme YscX N-terminus with known secretion signals of other Ysc-Yop substrates revealed that the YscX N-terminal segment contains non-redundant information needed for YscX function. Further, both in cis deletion of the YscX N-terminus in the virulence plasmid and ectopic expression of epitope-tagged YscX variants again lead to stable YscX production but not type III secretion of Yop effector proteins. Mislocalisation of the needle components, SctI and SctF, accompanied this general defect in Yops secretion. Hence, a coupling exists between YscX secretion permissiveness and the assembly of an operational secretion system.
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