Influence of the LcrH chaperone on type III secretion system regulation in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

• Human pathogenic Yersiniae share a common virulence plasmid that encodes for the Ysc-Yop type III secretion system (T3SS). Control of yop expression involves several pathways in which their cross-talk is not completely understood. LcrF, an AraC-like transcriptional activator, is required for temperature-dependent yop-transcription. In contrast, a repressive effect of the T3S chaperone LcrH and the cognate translocator substrate YopD occurs through binding to yop mRNA and inhibiting translation; a process that is also thought to involve LcrQ. Several homologous members of the LcrH family of translocator-class of T3S chaperones can act as a cofactor to amplify the activity of transcriptional activators analogous to LcrF. However, we show here in Y. pseudotuberculosis that LcrH does not induce LcrF-dependent transcription of target genes. Moreover, a full length DlcrH null mutant in which YopB and YopD are rapidly degraded is totally de-repressed for Yop synthesis even though the anti-activator LcrQ is forced to accumulate in the cytoplasm through rendering the Ysc-Yop T3SS non-functional or ectopically producing LcrQ in trans. Typically, this mutant cannot grow at 37°C. Thus, in all respects, the DlcrH null mutant mirrors the regulatory defects established for Yersinia lacking the translocator and anti-activator YopD. On the other hand, Y. pseudotuberculosis producing the LcrHE30G point mutant that is defective for YscY chaperone binding exhibits a mild regulatory defect that permits some growth at 37°C, but is blind to the cytoplasmic accumulation of LcrQ. Critically however, this mutant still responds to repression caused by YopD accumulation, which is stably produced and efficiently secreted by this strain. Thus, our work with LcrHE30G indicates an additional regulatory function of this versatile T3S chaperone that is independent of the LcrF transcription factor and the YopD anti-activator. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Mikrobiologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Microbiology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

mikrobiologi

Microbiology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)