Function of Salmonella bongori SPI-22 T6SS in bacterial competitions and interactions with phagocytic host cells

• Grant number: 19/22715-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Ethel Bayer Santos
• Grantee: Daniel Enrique Sánchez Limache
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/02178-2 - Function of type VI secretion systems of pathogenic bacteria in the interaction with eukaryotic cells, AP.JP

Abstract

Bacterial secretion systems are versatile structures that can secrete proteins into the extracellular medium or into prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is present in several animal and plant pathogens. Salmonella enterica serotypes comprise facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacteria responsible for causing infections in various vertebrates. The genus Salmonella comprises two species: S. bongori and S. enterica, with S. enterica being subdivided into six subspecies. Most serotypes of S. enterica subsp. enterica encode a T6SS from the pathogenicity island SPI-6 (Salmonella pathogenicity island 6). However, in other serotypes and subspecies distinct T6SSs are found encoded from other pathogenicity islands such as SPI-19, SPI-20 and SPI-21. S. bongori encodes a T6SS from SPI-22. Phylogenetic analyzes suggest that these systems were acquired by different horizontal transfer events and could perform distinct functions. S. bongori is mainly associated with cold-blooded animal infections. This species does not encode one of the type 3 secretion systems (SPI-2 T3SS) contained in S. enterica, which is required for multiplication within macrophages. Interestingly, comparative genomics analyzes revealed that SPI-22 T6SS is inserted into the locus where SPI-2 T3SS is located in S. enterica. There is no information in the literature about the function of S. bongori SPI-22 T6SS. In this context, this project aims to investigate whether this system is functional and whether it targets prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells. These results would help explain the evolution of the acquisition of different virulence factors by Salmonella species, and the characterization of new virulence factors used by these bacteria to maintain environmental reservoirs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

JULIA TAKUNO HESPANHOL; LIOR KARMAN; DANIEL ENRIQUE SANCHEZ-LIMACHE; ETHEL BAYER-SANTOS. Intercepting biological messages: Antibacterial molecules targeting nucleic acids during interbacterial conflicts. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 46, n. 1, 2023-03-06. (19/22715-8, 22/01364-5, 22/01444-9, 17/02178-2, 18/04553-8)

HESPANHOL, JULIA TAKUNO; SANCHEZ-LIMACHE, DANIEL ENRIQUE; NICASTRO, GIANLUCCA GONCALVES; MEAD, LIAM; LLONTOP, EDGAR ENRIQUE; CHAGAS-SANTOS, GUSTAVO; FARAH, CHUCK SHAKER; DE SOUZA, ROBSON FRANCISCO; GALHARDO, RODRIGO DA SILVA; LOVERING, ANDREW L.; et al. Antibacterial T6SS effectors with a VRR-Nuc domain are structure-specific nucleases. eLIFE, v. 11, p. 26-pg., 2022-10-13. (17/17303-7, 19/12234-2, 21/03400-6, 16/09047-8, 20/15389-4, 18/25316-4, 18/04553-8, 17/02178-2, 19/22715-8)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

LIMACHE, Daniel Enrique Sánchez. Study of the function of SPI-22 T6SS from Salmonella bongori in bacterial competition and interactions with phagocytic cells.. 2022. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.