Identification of proteins recruited by the type vi secretion system in Xanthomonas citri PV citri through yeast two-hybrid system

• Grant number: 18/13729-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Cristina Elisa Alvarez Martinez
• Grantee: Gabriel Theizen Novaes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bacterial Secretion Systems are multiprotein nanomachines that translocate proteins to the extracellular millieu or directly into target cells, playing essential roles in several aspects of bacterial physiology, including virulence and interbacterial competition. Recently, our research group described the role of Xanthomonas citri pv citri type 6 secretion system (T6SS) in resistance to predation by the soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. X. citri is an important phytopathogen, which causes citrus canker disease in all important citrus crops. Thereby, the capacity to resist to its natural predators is an important mechanism for persistence and spread of the bacteria on the field. In view of these results, it is important to characterize the molecular mechanisms involved in X. citri T6SS function and identify the T6SS secreted proteins (effectors) responsible for promoting resistance. Thus, this project aims to identify proteins that interact with the T6SS structural components involved in the recruitment of effectors for translocation. For this, we will use the yeast two hybrid system methodology to detect new interactions with the structural proteins of the X. citri T6SS Hcp, VgrG and PAAR.