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PMID: 25070807 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

A type VI secretion-related pathway in Bacteroidetes mediates interbacterial antagonism.

Cell host & microbe ·Vol. 16 ·No. 2 ·2014-08-13 ·Pages 227-236

Russell AB, Wexler AG, Harding BN, Whitney JC, Bohn AJ, Goo YA, Tran BQ, Barry NA, Zheng H, Peterson SB, Chou S, Gonen T, Goodlett DR, Goodman AL, Mougous JD

Abstract

Bacteroidetes are a phylum of Gram-negative bacteria abundant in mammalian-associated polymicrobial communities, where they impact digestion, immunity, and resistance to infection. Despite the extensive competition at high cell density that occurs in these settings, cell contact-dependent mechanisms of interbacterial antagonism, such as the type VI secretion system (T6SS), have not been defined in this group of organisms. Herein we report the bioinformatic and functional characterization of a T6SS-like pathway in diverse Bacteroidetes. Using prominent human gut commensal and soil-associated species, we demonstrate that these systems localize dynamically within the cell, export antibacterial proteins, and target competitor bacteria. The Bacteroidetes system is a distinct pathway with marked differences in gene content and high evolutionary divergence from the canonical T6S pathway. Our findings offer a potential molecular explanation for the abundance of Bacteroidetes in polymicrobial environments, the observed stability of Bacteroidetes in healthy humans, and the barrier presented by the microbiota against pathogens.

MeSH Terms
Antibiosis Bacterial Proteins/chemistry,metabolism Bacterial Secretion Systems Flavobacterium/physiology Genes, Bacterial Multigene Family Phylogeny
Chemicals
Bacterial Proteins Bacterial Secretion Systems
Authors & Affiliations
15 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Russell Alistair B
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Wexler Aaron G
Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Microbial Diversity Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.
Harding Brittany N
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Whitney John C
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Bohn Alan J
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Goo Young Ah
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Tran Bao Q
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Barry Natasha A
Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Microbial Diversity Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.
Zheng Hongjin
Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
Peterson S Brook
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Chou Seemay
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Gonen Tamir
Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
Goodlett David R
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Goodman Andrew L
Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Microbial Diversity Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06536, USA. Electronic address: andrew.goodman@yale.edu.
Mougous Joseph D
Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Electronic address: mougous@u.washington.edu.
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Article Info
Journal
Cell host & microbe
Abbr.
Cell Host Microbe
ISSN
1934-6069
DOI
10.1016/j.chom.2014.07.007
Email
andrew.goodman@yale.edu
mougous@u.washington.edu
Published
2014-08-13
Epub
2014-00-25
Pages
227-236
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101302316
PMCID
PMC4136423
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · T32 AI007640 · United States
CIHR · Canada
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI105268 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · DP2 GM105456 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · R21 AI105268 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM103574 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI080609 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM105456 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM103574 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI080609 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · K01 DK089121 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · DK089121 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2014.07.007 PMC Full Text View journal details
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