A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a human opportunistic pathogen, is capable of provoking acute and chronic infections that are associated with defined sets of virulence factors. During chronic infections, the bacterium accumulates mutations that silence some and activate other genes. Here we show that the cy...

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Main Authors: Khady Mayebine Sall, Maria Guillermina Casabona, Christophe Bordi, Philippe Huber, Sophie de Bentzmann, Ina Attrée, Sylvie Elsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4004566?pdf=render
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author Khady Mayebine Sall
Maria Guillermina Casabona
Christophe Bordi
Philippe Huber
Sophie de Bentzmann
Ina Attrée
Sylvie Elsen
author_facet Khady Mayebine Sall
Maria Guillermina Casabona
Christophe Bordi
Philippe Huber
Sophie de Bentzmann
Ina Attrée
Sylvie Elsen
author_sort Khady Mayebine Sall
collection DOAJ
description Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a human opportunistic pathogen, is capable of provoking acute and chronic infections that are associated with defined sets of virulence factors. During chronic infections, the bacterium accumulates mutations that silence some and activate other genes. Here we show that the cystic fibrosis isolate CHA exhibits a unique virulence phenotype featuring a mucoid morphology, an active Type III Secretion System (T3SS, hallmark of acute infections), and no Type VI Secretion System (H1-T6SS). This virulence profile is due to a 426 bp deletion in the 3' end of the gacS gene encoding an essential regulatory protein. The absence of GacS disturbs the Gac/Rsm pathway leading to depletion of the small regulatory RNAs RsmY/RsmZ and, in consequence, to expression of T3SS, while switching off the expression of H1-T6SS and Pel polysaccharides. The CHA isolate also exhibits full ability to swim and twitch, due to active flagellum and Type IVa pili. Thus, unlike the classical scheme of balance between virulence factors, clinical strains may adapt to a local niche by expressing both alginate exopolysaccharide, a hallmark of membrane stress that protects from antibiotic action, host defences and phagocytosis, and efficient T3S machinery that is considered as an aggressive virulence factor.
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spelling doaj.art-0ac1ffdd55034cd29555d2e2f762d5752022-12-22T03:55:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0194e9593610.1371/journal.pone.0095936A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.Khady Mayebine SallMaria Guillermina CasabonaChristophe BordiPhilippe HuberSophie de BentzmannIna AttréeSylvie ElsenPseudomonas aeruginosa, a human opportunistic pathogen, is capable of provoking acute and chronic infections that are associated with defined sets of virulence factors. During chronic infections, the bacterium accumulates mutations that silence some and activate other genes. Here we show that the cystic fibrosis isolate CHA exhibits a unique virulence phenotype featuring a mucoid morphology, an active Type III Secretion System (T3SS, hallmark of acute infections), and no Type VI Secretion System (H1-T6SS). This virulence profile is due to a 426 bp deletion in the 3' end of the gacS gene encoding an essential regulatory protein. The absence of GacS disturbs the Gac/Rsm pathway leading to depletion of the small regulatory RNAs RsmY/RsmZ and, in consequence, to expression of T3SS, while switching off the expression of H1-T6SS and Pel polysaccharides. The CHA isolate also exhibits full ability to swim and twitch, due to active flagellum and Type IVa pili. Thus, unlike the classical scheme of balance between virulence factors, clinical strains may adapt to a local niche by expressing both alginate exopolysaccharide, a hallmark of membrane stress that protects from antibiotic action, host defences and phagocytosis, and efficient T3S machinery that is considered as an aggressive virulence factor.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4004566?pdf=render
spellingShingle Khady Mayebine Sall
Maria Guillermina Casabona
Christophe Bordi
Philippe Huber
Sophie de Bentzmann
Ina Attrée
Sylvie Elsen
A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.
PLoS ONE
title A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.
title_full A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.
title_fullStr A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.
title_full_unstemmed A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.
title_short A gacS deletion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate CHA shapes its virulence.
title_sort gacs deletion in pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolate cha shapes its virulence
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4004566?pdf=render
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