A virulence locus of Pseudomonas aeruginosa encodes a protein secretion apparatus

Science. 2006 Jun 9;312(5779):1526-30. doi: 10.1126/science.1128393.

Abstract

Bacterial pathogens frequently use protein secretion to mediate interactions with their hosts. Here we found that a virulence locus (HSI-I) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa encodes a protein secretion apparatus. The apparatus assembled in discrete subcellular locations and exported Hcp1, a hexameric protein that forms rings with a 40 angstrom internal diameter. Regulatory patterns of HSI-I suggested that the apparatus functions during chronic infections. We detected Hcp1 in pulmonary secretions of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and Hcp1-specific antibodies in their sera. Thus, HSI-I likely contributes to the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa in CF patients. HSI-I-related loci are widely distributed among bacterial pathogens and may play a general role in mediating host interactions.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / physiology
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cystic Fibrosis / complications
  • Cystic Fibrosis / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Pseudomonas Infections / complications
  • Pseudomonas Infections / microbiology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity
  • Rats
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Virulence / genetics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • RetS protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Associated data

  • PDB/1Y12