Article
Microbiology
Siu Lung Ng, Sophia Kammann, Gabi Steinbach, Tobias Hoffmann, Peter J. Yunker, Brian K. Hammer
Summary: Organisms sense external cues and use transcription factors to regulate gene expression and adapt to new niches. This study identifies the regulatory element of the major type VI locus in Vibrio cholerae and discovers a single nucleotide polymorphism that controls the killing activity of the type VI secretion system. This finding highlights the role of noncoding DNA in pathogen adaptation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junxiang Yan, Qian Liu, Xinke Xue, Jinghao Li, Yuehua Li, Yingying Su, Boyang Cao
Summary: This study reveals that the VC1795 gene plays a key role in the intestinal colonization and pathogenicity of Vibrio cholerae, and it regulates the expression of its downstream gene, VC1794, and the toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) cluster. These findings provide insights into the regulatory mechanisms of VC1795 in bacterial pathogenesis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Guangli Wang, Chan Fan, Hui Wang, Chengyi Jia, Xiaoting Li, Jianru Yang, Tao Zhang, Song Gao, Xun Min, Jian Huang
Summary: This study reveals a novel regulatory role of the FHA domain protein TagH in controlling the hemolytic activity of Vibrio cholerae, in addition to regulating the T6SS. TagH negatively regulates HlyA expression at the transcriptional and post-translational levels, and the phosphopeptide binding sites of the FHA domain play a crucial role in the regulation of hemolytic activity. Deletion of tagH enhances the intestinal pathogenicity and extraintestinal invasion ability of V. cholerae, which mostly rely on the expression of HlyA.
Article
Microbiology
Mei Zou, Kaiying Wang, Jiajun Zhao, Huifang Lu, Hui Yang, Meirong Huang, Lu Wang, Guangli Wang, Jian Huang, Xun Min
Summary: The DegS protease in bacteria activates the sigma(E) envelope stress response system, leading to the transcription of stress response genes. It is found to be involved in regulating the motility of V. cholerae. DegS regulates V. cholerae motility and chemotaxis via the cAMP-CRP-RpoS-FlhF pathway and influences the colonization of mouse intestines.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin Kostiuk, Francis J. Santoriello, Laura Diaz-Satizabal, Fabiana Bisaro, Kyung-Jo Lee, Anna N. Dhody, Daniele Provenzano, Daniel Unterweger, Stefan Pukatzki
Summary: It was found that classical Vibrio cholerae underwent sequential mutations in T6SS genetic determinants, making them disadvantaged in competition with the 7th pandemic El Tor biotype strains.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Alexis Proutiere, Natalia C. Drebes Dorr, Loriane Bader, Sandrine Stutzmann, Lisa C. Metzger, Sandrine Isaac, Nicolas Chiaruttini, Melanie Blokesch
Summary: Vibrio cholerae, the pathogen responsible for cholera, can overcome the colonization barrier created by the host's natural microbiota through its type VI secretion system (T6SS). Recent research suggests that T6SS activity is low in pandemic V. cholerae strains, but our study found modest T6SS activity in most tested strains. We also observed T6SS activity through immunodetection of the T6SS protein Hcp in culture supernatants. Additionally, we found that T6SS production is sporadic within the bacterial population and is dependent on the VxrAB two-component system.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mengting Shi, Feifei Zhao, Na Li, Zhengjia Wang, Menghua Yang
Summary: This study reveals that modulating the activity of the ToxT regulon is critical for Vibrio cholerae to enhance its colonization in the intestine of adult mice. Constitutively active ToxT regulon causes growth retardation and colonization defect in adult mice.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ming Liu, Meng-Yu Zhao, Heng Wang, Zeng-Hang Wang, Zhao Wang, Ying Liu, Yin-Peng Li, Tao Dong, Yang Fu
Summary: This study identified a novel T6SS toxin family called VgrG3(cp), which affects bacterial cell division and integrity by degrading the cell wall. This allows Vibrio cholerae to gain dominance within polymicrobial communities.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michaela Huber, Anne Lippegaus, Sahar Melamed, Malte Siemers, Benjamin R. Wucher, Mona Hoyos, Carey Nadell, Gisela Storz, Kai Papenfort
Summary: The study reveals the interaction between small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) and the RNA-chaperone Hfq in Vibrio cholerae, a human pathogen. By using RIL-seq, the researchers identify multiple sRNA-mRNA interactions as well as RNA duplexes formed between two sRNA regulators. They also discover an RNA sponge called QrrX, which can bind and inactivate the Qrr1-4 sRNAs that modulate the quorum sensing pathway. The results indicate the importance of QrrX and QrrT in the rapid transition from individual to community behaviors in V. cholerae.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Minh Nguyen, Tzu-Hui Wu, Katie J. Danielson, Nabeel M. Khan, John Zhijia Zhang, Lisa Craig
Summary: Many bacteria have dynamic filaments called Type IV pili (T4P) that play various roles in colonization and dissemination. A specific segment in the TcpF protein functions as an export signal (ES) recognized by the Vibrio cholerae toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). This ES is proteolyzed from TcpF during secretion and is capable of mediating the export of Neisseria gonorrhoeae FbpA by V. cholerae. Specificity is achieved through the interaction between the ES and TcpB, a minor pilin protein. These findings provide insights into the mechanism of TcpF delivery across the outer membrane.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
John C. Macbeth, Rui Liu, Salma Alavi, Ansel Hsiao
Summary: The composition of the gut microbiome at the time of infection or vaccination appears to be crucial for providing robust mucosal immunity against Vibrio cholerae. In cholera-endemic areas, dysbiotic human gut microbiomes may suppress the immune response against V. cholerae via CD4+ lymphocytes.
Article
Immunology
Xiaoshu Liu, Jingjing Pan, He Gao, Yu Han, Anran Zhang, Yuanming Huang, Ping Liu, Biao Kan, Weili Liang
Summary: In this study, the researchers found that the CqsA/LuxS-HapR quorum sensing system regulates the VflT6SS2 in Vibrio fluvialis through the regulator proteins LuxO and HapR. HapR is crucial for the promoter activity of VflT6SS2.
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kevin Manera, Florence Caro, Hao Li, Tong-Tong Pei, Steven J. Hersch, John J. Mekalanos, Tao G. Dong
Summary: The study reveals a quantity-sensing control mechanism of the T6SS, which down-regulates the expression of secreted components in the cytosol when T6SS is inactive. This Hcp-dependent sensing control allows organisms carrying T6SS to quickly adjust T6SS expression and prevent wasteful build-up of its major secreted components.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Mei Luo, Guozhong Chen, Chunrong Yi, Baoshuai Xue, Xiaoman Yang, Yao Ma, Zixin Qin, Jin Yan, Xiaoyun Liu, Zhi Liu
Summary: During long-term colonization in adult mice, Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) increased its fitness by producing nonmotile mutants through deletion of the cyclin gene dps. Methionine metabolism pathway may be involved in the increased colonization in the adult mice.
Article
Cell Biology
Antonio Serapio-Palacios, Sarah E. Woodward, Stefanie L. Vogt, Wanyin Deng, Anna Creus-Cuadros, Kelsey E. Huus, Mihai Cirstea, Madeleine Gerrie, Weronika Barcik, Hongbing Yu, B. Brett Finlay
Summary: The T6SS is a widely distributed contractile nanomachine used for bacterial competition. This study discovers that the murine pathogen Citrobacter rodentium harbors two functional T6SSs, employing T6SS-1 to colonize the murine gastrointestinal tract by targeting commensal Enterobacteriaceae. Conversely, commensal prey species E. coli Mt1B1 employs its own two T6SSs to counter C. rodentium colonization.