The Type III Secretion System-Related CPn0809 from Chlamydia pneumoniae

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 19;11(2):e0148509. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148509. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Chlamydia pneumoniae is an intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that possesses a type III secretion system (T3SS), which enables the pathogen to deliver, in a single step, effector proteins for modulation of host-cell functions into the human host cell cytosol to establish a unique intracellular niche for replication. The translocon proteins located at the top of the T3SS needle filament are essential for its function, as they form pores in the host-cell membrane. Interestingly, unlike other Gram-negative bacteria, C. pneumoniae has two putative translocon operons, named LcrH_1 and LcrH_2. However, little is known about chlamydial translocon proteins. In this study, we analyzed CPn0809, one of the putative hydrophobic translocators encoded by the LcrH_1 operon, and identified an 'SseC-like family' domain characteristic of T3S translocators. Using bright-field and confocal microscopy, we found that CPn0809 is associated with EBs during early and very late phases of a C. pneumoniae infection. Furthermore, CPn0809 forms oligomers, and interacts with the T3SS chaperone LcrH_1, via its N-terminal segment. Moreover, expression of full-length CPn0809 in the heterologous host Escherichia coli causes a grave cytotoxic effect that leads to cell death. Taken together, our data indicate that CPn0809 likely represents one of the translocon proteins of the C. pneumoniae T3SS, and possibly plays a role in the translocation of effector proteins in the early stages of infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Chlamydophila Infections / immunology
  • Chlamydophila Infections / metabolism
  • Chlamydophila Infections / microbiology
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / immunology
  • Chlamydophila pneumoniae / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Gene Order
  • Operon*
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Type III Secretion Systems / genetics*
  • Type III Secretion Systems / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Type III Secretion Systems

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants ERA-NET PathoGenoMics (ECIBUG; grant Nr. 0313935D; Pathomics, 362 grant Nr. 0315442B) to JHH. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.