Occurrence of type VI secretion system effector genes in longitudinal isolates of <i>P. aeruginosa</i> from people with cystic fibrosis.

ABSTRACT: Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses multiple type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) to manipulate eukaryotic cells, kill competing microbes and take up nutrients. Bacterial strains are known to differ in their T6SS apparatus and the toxic effector proteins responsible for killing. The ability to eliminate competitors has been repeatedly demonstrated in lab studies, but much less is known about effector genotypes during infection. We used comparative genomics to test for the presence and absence of T6SS effector genes in over 450 clinical P. aeruginosa isolates from people with cystic fibrosis in Copenhagen (Denmark) and complemented these findings with data of 52 isolates from people with cystic fibrosis in London (UK). We found natural variation in the occurrence and combination of effec

SUBMITTER: Habich A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12594252 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature