A Salmonella virulence protein that inhibits cellular trafficking

EMBO J. 1999 Jul 15;18(14):3924-33. doi: 10.1093/emboj/18.14.3924.

Abstract

Salmonella enterica requires a type III secretion system, designated Spi/Ssa, to survive and proliferate within macrophages. The Spi/Ssa system is encoded within the SPI-2 pathogenicity island and appears to function intracellularly. Here, we establish that the SPI-2-encoded SpiC protein is exported by the Spi/Ssa type III secretion system into the host cell cytosol where it interferes with intracellular trafficking. In J774 macrophages, wild-type Salmonella inhibited fusion of Salmonella-containing phagosomes with lysosomes and endosomes, and interfered with trafficking of vesicles devoid of the microorganism. These inhibitory activities required living Salmonella and a functional spiC gene. Purified SpiC protein inhibited endosome-endosome fusion in vitro. A Sindbis virus expressing the SpiC protein interfered with normal trafficking of the transferrin receptor in vivo. A spiC mutant was attenuated for virulence, suggesting that the ability to interfere with intracellular trafficking is essential for Salmonella pathogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biological Transport
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Endosomes / metabolism
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Genes, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genes, Bacterial / physiology
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Lysosomes / metabolism
  • Macrophages / cytology*
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Macrophages / microbiology
  • Membrane Fusion
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Phagosomes / metabolism
  • Receptors, Transferrin / metabolism
  • Salmonella enterica / genetics
  • Salmonella enterica / metabolism
  • Salmonella enterica / pathogenicity*
  • Virulence
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Receptors, Transferrin
  • SpiA protein, Salmonella typhimurium
  • SpiC protein, Salmonella
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins