Identification of novel substrates of Shigella T3SA through analysis of its virulence plasmid-encoded secretome

PLoS One. 2017 Oct 26;12(10):e0186920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186920. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Many human Gram-negative bacterial pathogens express a Type Three Secretion Apparatus (T3SA), including among the most notorious Shigella spp., Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). These bacteria express on their surface multiple copies of the T3SA that mediate the delivery into host cells of specific protein substrates critical to pathogenesis. Shigella spp. are Gram-negative bacterial pathogens responsible for human bacillary dysentery. The effector function of several Shigella T3SA substrates has largely been studied but their potential cellular targets are far from having been comprehensively delineated. In addition, it is likely that some T3SA substrates have escaped scrutiny as yet. Indeed, sequencing of the virulence plasmid of Shigella flexneri has revealed numerous open reading frames with unknown functions that could encode additional T3SA substrates. Taking advantage of label-free mass spectrometry detection of proteins secreted by a constitutively secreting strain of S. flexneri, we identified five novel substrates of the T3SA. We further confirmed their secretion through the T3SA and translocation into host cells using β-lactamase assays. The coding sequences of two of these novel T3SA substrates (Orf13 and Orf131a) have a guanine-cytosine content comparable to those of T3SA components and effectors. The three other T3SA substrates identified (Orf48, Orf86 and Orf176) have significant homology with antitoxin moieties of type II Toxin-Antitoxin systems usually implicated in the maintenance of low copy plasmids. While Orf13 and Orf131a might constitute new virulence effectors contributing to S. flexneri pathogenicity, potential roles for the translocation into host cells of antitoxins or antitoxin-like proteins during Shigella infection are discussed.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Plasmids*
  • Proteome
  • Shigella flexneri / genetics
  • Shigella flexneri / metabolism
  • Shigella flexneri / pathogenicity*
  • Virulence*
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Proteome
  • beta-Lactamases

Grants and funding

The following funding organisms supported this study: the Marie Curie fellowship program (grant number 141063, FXCV), the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (grant number RGPIN-2016-05587, FXCV) and the Faculty of Science of the University of Ottawa (FXCV), the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the French medical research foundation (grant numbers FDT20150532160, SPF20121226366 and SPF20111223288 to LP, MLF and FXCV, respectively), the European Research Council (grant number 339579 to PJS), the French Government's Investissement d'Avenir program, Laboratoire d'Excellence "Integrative Biology of Emerging Infectious Diseases" (grant number ANR-10-LABX-62-IBEID), and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant number SPP 2002 to NJ and MvB). PJS is a Senior International Research Scholar of the Howard Hugues Medical Institute. The analytical facilities of the Centre for Chemical Microscopy (ProVIS) at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research are supported by European Regional Development Funds (EFRE - Europe funds Saxony to MvB and NJ) and the Helmholtz Association (to MvB and NJ).