Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC
ABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoeae relies on type IV pili (T4p) to promote colonization of their human host and to cause the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. This organelle cycles through a process of extension and retraction back into the bacterial cell. Through a genetic screen, we identified...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2020-10-01
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| Series: | mBio |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.02528-20 |
| _version_ | 1818933572750278656 |
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| author | Linda I. Hu Shaohui Yin Egon A. Ozer Lee Sewell Saima Rehman James A. Garnett H Steven Seifert |
| author_facet | Linda I. Hu Shaohui Yin Egon A. Ozer Lee Sewell Saima Rehman James A. Garnett H Steven Seifert |
| author_sort | Linda I. Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoeae relies on type IV pili (T4p) to promote colonization of their human host and to cause the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. This organelle cycles through a process of extension and retraction back into the bacterial cell. Through a genetic screen, we identified the NGO0783 locus of N. gonorrhoeae strain FA1090 as containing a gene encoding a protein required to stabilize the type IV pilus in its extended, nonretracted conformation. We have named the gene tfpC and the protein TfpC. Deletion of tfpC produces a nonpiliated colony morphology, and immuno-transmission electron microscopy confirms that the pili are lost in the ΔtfpC mutant, although there is some pilin detected near the bacterial cell surface. A copy of the tfpC gene expressed from a lac promoter restores pilus expression and related phenotypes. A ΔtfpC mutant shows reduced levels of pilin protein, but complementation with a tfpC gene restored pilin to normal levels. Bioinformatic searches show that there are orthologues in numerous bacterial species, but not all type IV pilin-expressing bacteria contain orthologous genes. Coevolution and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis indicates that TfpC contains an N-terminal transmembrane helix, a substantial extended/unstructured region, and a highly charged C-terminal coiled-coil domain. IMPORTANCE Most bacterial species express one or more extracellular organelles called pili/fimbriae that are required for many properties of each bacterial cell. The Neisseria gonorrhoeae type IV pilus is a major virulence and colonization factor for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. We have discovered a new protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae called TfpC that is required to maintain type IV pili on the bacterial cell surface. There are similar proteins found in other members of the Neisseria genus and many other bacterial species important for human health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:50:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7433bfb745f4e0e8eed99d7c5401af8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-7511 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:50:31Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | mBio |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7433bfb745f4e0e8eed99d7c5401af82022-12-21T19:52:52ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymBio2150-75112020-10-0111510.1128/mBio.02528-20Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpCLinda I. Hu0Shaohui Yin1Egon A. Ozer2Lee Sewell3Saima Rehman4James A. Garnett5H Steven Seifert6Department of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USADepartment of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USADepartment of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USACentre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Dental Institute, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Dental Institute, King’s College London, London, United KingdomCentre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Dental Institute, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USAABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoeae relies on type IV pili (T4p) to promote colonization of their human host and to cause the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. This organelle cycles through a process of extension and retraction back into the bacterial cell. Through a genetic screen, we identified the NGO0783 locus of N. gonorrhoeae strain FA1090 as containing a gene encoding a protein required to stabilize the type IV pilus in its extended, nonretracted conformation. We have named the gene tfpC and the protein TfpC. Deletion of tfpC produces a nonpiliated colony morphology, and immuno-transmission electron microscopy confirms that the pili are lost in the ΔtfpC mutant, although there is some pilin detected near the bacterial cell surface. A copy of the tfpC gene expressed from a lac promoter restores pilus expression and related phenotypes. A ΔtfpC mutant shows reduced levels of pilin protein, but complementation with a tfpC gene restored pilin to normal levels. Bioinformatic searches show that there are orthologues in numerous bacterial species, but not all type IV pilin-expressing bacteria contain orthologous genes. Coevolution and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis indicates that TfpC contains an N-terminal transmembrane helix, a substantial extended/unstructured region, and a highly charged C-terminal coiled-coil domain. IMPORTANCE Most bacterial species express one or more extracellular organelles called pili/fimbriae that are required for many properties of each bacterial cell. The Neisseria gonorrhoeae type IV pilus is a major virulence and colonization factor for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. We have discovered a new protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae called TfpC that is required to maintain type IV pili on the bacterial cell surface. There are similar proteins found in other members of the Neisseria genus and many other bacterial species important for human health.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.02528-20Neisseria gonorrhoeaepilipilus assemblytype IV pili |
| spellingShingle | Linda I. Hu Shaohui Yin Egon A. Ozer Lee Sewell Saima Rehman James A. Garnett H Steven Seifert Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC mBio Neisseria gonorrhoeae pili pilus assembly type IV pili |
| title | Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC |
| title_full | Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC |
| title_fullStr | Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC |
| title_full_unstemmed | Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC |
| title_short | Discovery of a New <named-content content-type="genus-species">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</named-content> Type IV Pilus Assembly Factor, TfpC |
| title_sort | discovery of a new named content content type genus species neisseria gonorrhoeae named content type iv pilus assembly factor tfpc |
| topic | Neisseria gonorrhoeae pili pilus assembly type IV pili |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.02528-20 |
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