Subtle variation within conserved effector operon gene products contributes to T6SS-mediated killing and immunity.

ABSTRACT: Type VI secretion systems (T6SS) function to deliver lethal payloads into target cells. Many studies have shown that protection against a single, lethal T6SS effector protein requires a cognate antidote immunity protein, both of which are often encoded together in a two-gene operon. The T6SS and an effector-immunity pair is sufficient for both killing and immunity. HereIn this paper we describe a T6SS effector operon that differs from conventional effector-immunity pairs in that eight genes are necessary for lethal effector function, yet can be countered by a single immunity protein. In this study, we investigated the role that the PefE T6SS immunity protein plays in recognition between two strains harboring nearly identical effector operons. Interestingly, despite containing seven of eigh

SUBMITTER: Alteri CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5714391 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature