Type-IVC secretion system: a novel subclass of type IV secretion system (T4SS) common existing in gram-positive genus Streptococcus

PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e46390. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046390. Epub 2012 Oct 4.

Abstract

A growing number of pathogens are being found to possess specialized secretion systems which they use in various ways to subvert host defenses. Type IV secretion system (T4SS) is one of versatile secretion systems essential for the virulence and even survival of some bacteria species, and they enable the secretion of protein and DNA substrates across the cell envelope. T4SS was once believed to be present only in Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we present evidence of a new subclass of T4SS, Type-IVC secretion system and indicate its common existence in the Gram-positive bacterial genus Streptococcus. We further identified that VirB1, VirB4, VirB6 and VirD4 are the minimal key components of this system. Using genome comparisons and evolutionary relationship analysis, we proposed that Type-IVC secretion system is movable via transposon factors and mediates the conjugative transfer of DNA, enhances bacterial pathogenicity, and could cause large-scale outbreaks of infections in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biological Evolution
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Phylogeny
  • Streptococcus / classification
  • Streptococcus / genetics
  • Streptococcus / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins

Grants and funding

Our work was supported by the Young Scholar Scientific Research Foundation of China CDC (No. 2010A104), the Priority Project on Infectious Disease Control and Prevention (No. 2008ZX10004–008), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Grant No. 81021003), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (20100470590) and the National Key Program of Mega Infectious Diseases (Grant No.2013ZX10004-221). There has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome.