A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence

ABSTRACT Many Gram-negative bacteria utilize specialized secretion systems to inject proteins (effectors) directly into host cells. Little is known regarding how bacteria ensure that only small subsets of the thousands of proteins they encode are recognized as substrates of the secretion systems, li...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sonia C. P. Costa, Alexa M. Schmitz, Fathima F. Jahufar, Justin D. Boyd, Min Y. Cho, Marcie A. Glicksman, Cammie F. Lesser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2012-03-01
Series:mBio
Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00243-11
_version_ 1818424729442189312
author Sonia C. P. Costa
Alexa M. Schmitz
Fathima F. Jahufar
Justin D. Boyd
Min Y. Cho
Marcie A. Glicksman
Cammie F. Lesser
author_facet Sonia C. P. Costa
Alexa M. Schmitz
Fathima F. Jahufar
Justin D. Boyd
Min Y. Cho
Marcie A. Glicksman
Cammie F. Lesser
author_sort Sonia C. P. Costa
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Many Gram-negative bacteria utilize specialized secretion systems to inject proteins (effectors) directly into host cells. Little is known regarding how bacteria ensure that only small subsets of the thousands of proteins they encode are recognized as substrates of the secretion systems, limiting their identification through bioinformatic analyses. Many of these proteins require chaperones to direct their secretion. Here, using the newly described protein interaction platform assay, we demonstrate that type 3 secretion system class IB chaperones from one bacterium directly bind their own effectors as well as those from other species. In addition, we observe that expression of class IB homologs from seven species, including pathogens and endosymbionts, mediate the translocation of effectors from Shigella directly into host cells, demonstrating that class IB chaperones are often functionally interchangeable. Notably, class IB chaperones bind numerous effectors. However, as previously proposed, they are not promiscuous; rather they recognize a defined sequence that we designate the conserved chaperone-binding domain (CCBD) sequence [(LMIF)1XXX(IV)5XX(IV)8X(N)10]. This sequence is the first defined amino acid sequence to be identified for any interspecies bacterial secretion system, i.e., a system that delivers proteins directly into eukaryotic cells. This sequence provides a new means to identify substrates of type III secretion systems. Indeed, using a pattern search algorithm for the CCBD sequence, we have identified the first two probable effectors from an endosymbiont, Sodalis glossinidius. IMPORTANCE Many Gram-negative pathogens utilize type 3 secretion systems to deliver tens of effectors into host cells. In order to understand the diverse ways that these organisms cause disease, it is necessary to identify their effectors, many of which require chaperones to be secreted. Here we establish that class IB chaperones are not promiscuous, as previously proposed, but rather recognize a conserved effector sequence. We demonstrate that pattern search algorithms based on this defined sequence can be used to identify previously unknown effectors. Furthermore, we observe that class IB chaperones from at least seven bacterial species are functionally interchangeable. Not only do they bind and mediate the delivery of their own set of effectors into host cells but they also bind to type 3 substrates from other bacteria, suggesting that inhibitors that block chaperone-effector interactions could provide a novel means to effectively treat infections due to Gram-negative pathogens, including organisms resistant to currently available antibiotics.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T14:02:40Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a5b66c4311bb43ce8b399674eac47930
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2150-7511
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T14:02:40Z
publishDate 2012-03-01
publisher American Society for Microbiology
record_format Article
series mBio
spelling doaj.art-a5b66c4311bb43ce8b399674eac479302022-12-21T22:58:42ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymBio2150-75112012-03-013110.1128/mBio.00243-11A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved SequenceSonia C. P. Costa0Alexa M. Schmitz1Fathima F. Jahufar2Justin D. Boyd3Min Y. Cho4Marcie A. Glicksman5Cammie F. Lesser6Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USALaboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USALaboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USAABSTRACT Many Gram-negative bacteria utilize specialized secretion systems to inject proteins (effectors) directly into host cells. Little is known regarding how bacteria ensure that only small subsets of the thousands of proteins they encode are recognized as substrates of the secretion systems, limiting their identification through bioinformatic analyses. Many of these proteins require chaperones to direct their secretion. Here, using the newly described protein interaction platform assay, we demonstrate that type 3 secretion system class IB chaperones from one bacterium directly bind their own effectors as well as those from other species. In addition, we observe that expression of class IB homologs from seven species, including pathogens and endosymbionts, mediate the translocation of effectors from Shigella directly into host cells, demonstrating that class IB chaperones are often functionally interchangeable. Notably, class IB chaperones bind numerous effectors. However, as previously proposed, they are not promiscuous; rather they recognize a defined sequence that we designate the conserved chaperone-binding domain (CCBD) sequence [(LMIF)1XXX(IV)5XX(IV)8X(N)10]. This sequence is the first defined amino acid sequence to be identified for any interspecies bacterial secretion system, i.e., a system that delivers proteins directly into eukaryotic cells. This sequence provides a new means to identify substrates of type III secretion systems. Indeed, using a pattern search algorithm for the CCBD sequence, we have identified the first two probable effectors from an endosymbiont, Sodalis glossinidius. IMPORTANCE Many Gram-negative pathogens utilize type 3 secretion systems to deliver tens of effectors into host cells. In order to understand the diverse ways that these organisms cause disease, it is necessary to identify their effectors, many of which require chaperones to be secreted. Here we establish that class IB chaperones are not promiscuous, as previously proposed, but rather recognize a conserved effector sequence. We demonstrate that pattern search algorithms based on this defined sequence can be used to identify previously unknown effectors. Furthermore, we observe that class IB chaperones from at least seven bacterial species are functionally interchangeable. Not only do they bind and mediate the delivery of their own set of effectors into host cells but they also bind to type 3 substrates from other bacteria, suggesting that inhibitors that block chaperone-effector interactions could provide a novel means to effectively treat infections due to Gram-negative pathogens, including organisms resistant to currently available antibiotics.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00243-11
spellingShingle Sonia C. P. Costa
Alexa M. Schmitz
Fathima F. Jahufar
Justin D. Boyd
Min Y. Cho
Marcie A. Glicksman
Cammie F. Lesser
A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence
mBio
title A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence
title_full A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence
title_fullStr A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence
title_full_unstemmed A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence
title_short A New Means To Identify Type 3 Secreted Effectors: Functionally Interchangeable Class IB Chaperones Recognize a Conserved Sequence
title_sort new means to identify type 3 secreted effectors functionally interchangeable class ib chaperones recognize a conserved sequence
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00243-11
work_keys_str_mv AT soniacpcosta anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT alexamschmitz anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT fathimafjahufar anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT justindboyd anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT minycho anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT marcieaglicksman anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT cammieflesser anewmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT soniacpcosta newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT alexamschmitz newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT fathimafjahufar newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT justindboyd newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT minycho newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT marcieaglicksman newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence
AT cammieflesser newmeanstoidentifytype3secretedeffectorsfunctionallyinterchangeableclassibchaperonesrecognizeaconservedsequence