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PMID: 22367545 Published · epublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Type VI secretion requires a dynamic contractile phage tail-like structure.

Nature ·Vol. 483 ·No. 7388 ·2012-02-26 ·Pages 182-6

Basler M, Pilhofer M, Henderson GP, Jensen GJ, Mekalanos JJ

Abstract

Type VI secretion systems are bacterial virulence-associated nanomachines composed of proteins that are evolutionarily related to components of bacteriophage tails. Here we show that protein secretion by the type VI secretion system of Vibrio cholerae requires the action of a dynamic intracellular tubular structure that is structurally and functionally homologous to contractile phage tail sheath. Time-lapse fluorescence light microscopy reveals that sheaths of the type VI secretion system cycle between assembly, quick contraction, disassembly and re-assembly. Whole-cell electron cryotomography further shows that the sheaths appear as long tubular structures in either extended or contracted conformations that are connected to the inner membrane by a distinct basal structure. These data support a model in which the contraction of the type VI secretion system sheath provides the energy needed to translocate proteins out of effector cells and into adjacent target cells.

MeSH Terms
Bacterial Proteins/chemistry,metabolism,ultrastructure Bacterial Secretion Systems/physiology Bacteriophages/chemistry,physiology Cell Membrane/metabolism Cryoelectron Microscopy Electron Microscope Tomography Microscopy, Fluorescence Vibrio cholerae/chemistry,cytology,metabolism,ultrastructure
Chemicals
Bacterial Proteins Bacterial Secretion Systems
Authors & Affiliations
5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Basler M
Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Pilhofer M
Henderson G P
Jensen G J
Mekalanos J J
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Article Info
Journal
Nature
Abbr.
Nature
ISSN
1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/nature10846
Published
2012-02-26
Epub
2012-00-26
Pages
182-6
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
0410462
PMCID
PMC3527127
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI026289 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI018045 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI-26289 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM094800 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI-018045 · United States
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · R37 AI018045 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM094800B · United States
Corrections
CommentIn
PMID: 22421876
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/nature10846 PMC Full Text View journal details
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