Structural basis for loading and inhibition of a bacterial T6SS phospholipase effector by the VgrG spike.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Flaugnatti N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7265238 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The bacterial Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a macromolecular machine that injects effectors into prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The mode of action of the T6SS is similar to contractile phages: the contraction of a sheath structure pushes a tube topped by a spike into target cells. Effectors are loaded onto the spike or confined into the tube. In enteroaggregative E. coli, the Tle1 phospholipase binds the C-terminal extension of the VgrG trimeric spike. Here we purify the VgrG-Tle1 complex and show that a VgrG trimer binds three Tle1 monomers and inhibits their activity. Using covalent cross-linking coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry we provide information on the sites of contact and further identify the requirement for a Tle1 N-terminal secretion sequence in complex formation. Finally, we report the 2.6-Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy tri-dimensional structure of the (VgrG)3-(Tle1)3 complex revealing how the effector binds its cargo, and how VgrG inhibits Tle1 phospholipase activity. The inhibition of Tle1 phospholipase activity once bound to VgrG suggests that Tle1 dissociation from VgrG is required upon delivery.
| S-SCDT-EMBOJ-2019-104129 | biostudies-other
Project description:The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is used by many bacteria to engage in social behavior and can affect the health of its host plant or animal. Because activities associated with T6SSs are often costly, T6SSs must be tightly regulated. However, our knowledge regarding how T6SS assembly and contraction are regulated remains limited. Using the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens, we show that effectors are not just passengers but also impact on T6SS assembly. The A. tumefaciens strain C58 encodes one T6SS and two Tde DNase toxin effectors used as major weapons for interbacterial competition. Here, we demonstrate that loading of Tde effectors onto their cognate carriers, the VgrG spikes, is required for active T6SS secretion. The assembly of the TssBC contractile sheath occurs only in the presence of Tde effectors. The requirement of effector loading for efficient T6SS secretion was also validated in other A. tumefaciens strains. We propose that such a mechanism is used by bacteria as a strategy for efficacious T6SS firing and to ensure that effectors are loaded onto the T6SS prior to completing its assembly.
| S-EPMC6945064 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Lysosomal phospholipase A2 (LPLA2/PLA2G15) is a key enzyme involved in lipid homeostasis and is characterized by both phospholipase A2 and transacylase activity and by an acidic pH optimum. Divalent cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ have previously been shown to have little effect on the activity of LPLA2, but the discovery of a novel crystal form of LPLA2 with Zn2+ bound in the active site suggested a role for this divalent cation in regulating enzyme activity. In this complex, the cation directly coordinates the serine and histidine of the α/β-hydrolase triad and stabilizes a closed conformation. This closed conformation is characterized by an inward shift of the lid loop, which extends over the active site and effectively blocks access to one of its lipid acyl chain binding tracks. Therefore, we hypothesized that Zn2+ would inhibit LPLA2 activity at a neutral but not acidic pH because histidine would be positively charged at lower pH. Indeed, Zn2+ was found to inhibit the esterase activity of LPLA2 in a noncompetitive manner exclusively at a neutral pH (between 6.5 and 8.0). Because lysosomes are reservoirs of Zn2+ in cells, the pH optimum of LPLA2 might allow it to catalyze acyl transfer unimpeded within the organelle. We conjecture that Zn2+ inhibition of LPLA2 at higher pH maintains a lower activity of the esterase in environments where its activity is not typically required.
| S-EPMC6677152 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is used by many bacteria to engage in social behavior and can affect the health of its host plant or animal. Because activities associated with T6SSs are often costly, T6SSs must be tightly regulated. However, our knowledge regarding how T6SS assembly and contraction are regulated remains limited. Using the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens, we show that effectors are not just passengers but also impact on T6SS assembly. The A. tumefaciens strain C58 encodes one T6SS and two Tde DNase toxin effectors used as major weapons for interbacterial competition. Here, we demonstrate that loading of Tde effectors onto their cognate carriers, the VgrG spikes, is required for active T6SS secretion. The assembly of the TssBC contractile sheath occurs only in the presence of Tde effectors. The requirement of effector loading for efficient T6SS secretion was also validated in other A. tumefaciens strains. We propose that such a mechanism is used by bacteria as a strategy for efficacious T6SS firing and to ensure that effectors are loaded onto the T6SS prior to completing its assembly.
| S-SCDT-EMBOR-2019-47961V1 | biostudies-other
Project description:The bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses three type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) to drive a multitude of effector proteins into eukaryotic or prokaryotic target cells. The T6SS is a supramolecular nanomachine, involving a set of 13 core proteins, which resembles the contractile tail of bacteriophages and whose tip is considered as a puncturing device helping to cross membranes. Effectors can attach directly to the T6SS spike which is composed of a VgrG (valine-glycine-rich proteins) trimer, of which P. aeruginosa produces several. We have previously shown that the master regulator RsmA controls the expression of all three T6SS gene clusters (H1-, H2- and H3-T6SS) and a range of remote vgrG and effector genes. We also demonstrated that specific interactions between VgrGs and various T6SS effectors are prerequisite for effector delivery in a process we called "à la carte delivery." Here, we provide an in-depth description on how the two H2-T6SS-dependent effectors PldA and PldB are delivered via their cognate VgrGs, VgrG4b and VgrG5, respectively. We show that specific recognition of the VgrG C terminus is required and effector specificity can be swapped by exchanging these C-terminal domains. Importantly, we established that effector recognition by a cognate VgrG is not always sufficient to achieve successful secretion, but it is crucial to provide effector stability. This study highlights the complexity of effector adaptation to the T6SS nanomachine and shows how the VgrG tip can possibly be manipulated to achieve effector delivery.
| S-EPMC6684961 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bile salt interactions with phospholipid monolayers of fat emulsions are known to regulate the actions of gastrointestinal lipolytic enzymes in order to control the uptake of dietary fat. Specifically, on the lipid/aqueous interface of fat emulsions, the anionic portions of amphipathic bile salts have been thought to interact with and activate the enzyme group-IB phospholipase A2 (PLA2) derived from the pancreas. To explore this regulatory process, we have determined the crystal structures of the complexes of pancreatic PLA2 with the naturally occurring bile salts: cholate, glycocholate, taurocholate, glycochenodeoxycholate, and taurochenodeoxycholate. The five PLA2-bile salt complexes each result in a partly occluded active site, and the resulting ligand binding displays specific hydrogen bonding interactions and extensive hydrophobic packing. The amphipathic bile salts are bound to PLA2 with their polar hydroxyl and sulfate/carboxy groups oriented away from the enzyme's hydrophobic core. The impaired catalytic and interface binding functions implied by these structures provide a basis for the previous numerous observations of a biphasic dependence of the rate of PLA2 catalyzed hydrolysis of zwitterionic glycerophospholipids in the presence of bile salts. The rising or activation phase is consistent with enhanced binding and activation of the bound PLA2 by the bile salt induced anionic charge in a zwitterionic interface. The falling or inhibitory phase can be explained by the formation of a catalytically inert stoichiometric complex between PLA2 and any bile salts in which it forms a stable complex. The model provides new insight into the regulatory role that specific PLA2-bile salt interactions are likely to play in fat metabolism.
| S-EPMC1933606 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A number of plant-associated proteobacteria have LuxR family transcription factors that we refer to as PipR subfamily members. PipR proteins play roles in interactions between bacteria and their plant hosts, and some are important for bacterial virulence of plants. We identified an ethanolamine derivative, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-(2-hydroxyethylamino) acetamide (HEHEAA), as a potent effector of PipR-mediated gene regulation in the plant endophyte Pseudomonas GM79. HEHEAA-dependent PipR activity requires an ATP-binding cassette-type active transport system, and the periplasmic substrate-binding protein (SBP) of that system binds HEHEAA. To begin to understand the molecular basis of PipR system responses to plant factors we crystallized a HEHEAA-responsive SBP in the free- and HEHEAA-bound forms. The SBP, which is similar to peptide-binding SBPs, was in a closed conformation. A narrow cavity at the interface of its two lobes is wide enough to bind HEHEAA, but it cannot accommodate peptides with side chains. The polar atoms of HEHEAA are recognized by hydrogen-bonding interactions, and additional SBP residues contribute to the binding site. This binding mode was confirmed by a structure-based mutational analysis. We also show that a closely related SBP from the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 does not recognize HEHEAA. However, a single amino acid substitution in the presumed effector-binding pocket of the P. syringae SBP converted it to a weak HEHEAA-binding protein. The P. syringae PipR depends on a plant effector for activity, and our findings imply that different PipR-associated SBPs bind different effectors.
| S-EPMC7958261 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The bacterial effector proteins SseK and NleB glycosylate host proteins on arginine residues, leading to reduced NF-?B-dependent responses to infection. Salmonella SseK1 and SseK2 are E. coli NleB1 orthologs that behave as NleB1-like GTs, although they differ in protein substrate specificity. Here we report that these enzymes are retaining glycosyltransferases composed of a helix-loop-helix (HLH) domain, a lid domain, and a catalytic domain. A conserved HEN motif (His-Glu-Asn) in the active site is important for enzyme catalysis and bacterial virulence. We observe differences between SseK1 and SseK2 in interactions with substrates and identify substrate residues that are critical for enzyme recognition. Long Molecular Dynamics simulations suggest that the HLH domain determines substrate specificity and the lid-domain regulates the opening of the active site. Overall, our data suggest a front-face SNi mechanism, explain differences in activities among these effectors, and have implications for future drug development against enteric pathogens.
| S-EPMC6191443 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Within the realm of Gram-negative bacteria, bacteriocins are secreted almost everywhere, and the most representative are colicin and pyocin, which are secreted by Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. Signal peptides at the amino terminus of bacteriocins or ABC transporters can secrete bacteriocins, which then enter bacteria through cell membrane receptors and exert toxicity. In general, the bactericidal spectrum is usually narrow, killing only the kin or closely related species. Our previous research indicates that YPK_0952 is an effector of the third Type VI secretion system (T6SS-3) in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Next, we sought to determine its identity and characterize its toxicity. We found that YPK_0952 (a pyocin-like effector) can achieve intra-species and inter-species competitive advantages through both contact-dependent and contact-independent mechanisms mediated by the T6SS-3 while enhancing the intestinal colonization capacity of Y. pseudotuberculosis. We further identified YPK_0952 as a DNase dependent on Mg2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ bivalent metal ions, and the homologous immune protein YPK_0953 can inhibit its activity. In summary, YPK_0952 exerts toxicity by degrading nucleic acids from competing cells, and YPK_0953 prevents self-attack in Y. pseudotuberculosis.IMPORTANCEBacteriocins secreted by Gram-negative bacteria generally enter cells through specific interactions on the cell surface, resulting in a narrow bactericidal spectrum. First, we identified a new pyocin-like effector protein, YPK_0952, in the third Type VI secretion system (T6SS-3) of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. YPK_0952 is secreted by T6SS-3 and can exert DNase activity through contact-dependent and contact-independent entry into nearby cells of the same and other species (e.g., Escherichia coli) to help Y. pseudotuberculosis to exert a competitive advantage and promote intestinal colonization. This discovery lays the foundation for an in-depth study of the different effector protein types within the T6SS and their complexity in competing interactions. At the same time, this study provides a new development for the toolbox of toxin/immune pairs for studying Gram-negative bacteriocin translocation.
| S-EPMC11237486 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a contractile injection apparatus that translocates a spike loaded with various effectors directly into eukaryotic and prokaryotic target cells. Such T6SS spike consists of a needle-shaped trimer of VgrG proteins topped by a conical and sharp PAAR protein that facilitates puncturing of the target membrane. T6SS-delivered effector proteins can be either fused to one of the two spike proteins or interact with either in a highly specific manner. In Agrobacterium tumefaciens the T6SS effector Tde1 is targeted to its cognate VgrG1 protein. Here, we attempted to use a VgrG shuttle to deliver a heterologous T6SS effector by directing Tde1 onto a T6SS spike in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For this, we designed chimeras between VgrG1 from A. tumefaciens and VgrG1a from P. aeruginosa and showed that modification of the spike protein hampered T6SS functionality in the presence of the Tde1 effector complex. We provide evidence suggesting that Tde1 specifically binds to the VgrG spike in the heterologous environment and propose that there are additional requirements to allow proper effector delivery and translocation. Our work sheds light on complex aspects of the molecular mechanisms of T6SS delivery and highlights some limitations on how effectors can be translocated using this nanomachine.
| S-EPMC7324665 | biostudies-literature