Analysis of theZonula occludensToxin Found in the Genome of the Chilean Non-toxigenicVibrio parahaemolyticusStrain PMC53.7

Vibrio parahaemolyticusnon-toxigenic strains are responsible for about 10% of acute gastroenteritis associated with this species, suggesting they harbor unique virulence factors.Zonula occludenstoxin (Zot), firstly described inVibrio cholerae, is a secreted toxin that increases intestinal permeability. Recently, we identified Zot-encoding genes in the genomes of highly cytotoxic ChileanV. parahaemolyticusstrains, including the non-toxigenic clinical strain PMC53.7. To gain insights into a possible role of Zot inV. parahaemolyticus, we analyzed whether it could be responsible for cytotoxicity. However, we observed a barely positive correlation between Caco-2 cell membrane damage and Zot mRNA expression during PMC53.7 infection and non-cytotoxicity induction in response to purified PMC53.7-Zot. Unusually, we observed a particular actin disturbance on cells infected with PMC53.7. Based on this observation, we decided to compare the sequence of PMC53.7-Zot with Zot of human pathogenic species such asV. cholerae, Campylobacter concisus, Neisseria meningitidis, and otherV. parahaemolyticusstrains, using computational tools. The PMC53.7-Zot was compared with other toxins and identified as an endotoxin with conserved motifs in the N-terminus and a variable C-terminal region and without FCIGRL peptide. Notably, the C-terminal diversity among Zots meant that not all of them could be identified as toxins. Structurally, PMC53.7-Zot was modeled as a transmembrane protein. Our results suggested that it has partial 3D structure similarity withV. cholerae-Zot. Probably, the PMC53.7-Zot would affect the actin cytoskeletal, but, in the absence of FCIGRL, the mechanisms of actions must be elucidated.