Gain-of-Function Analysis Reveals Important Virulence Roles for the Yersinia pestis Type III Secretion System Effectors YopJ, YopT, and YpkA.

ABSTRACT: Virulence of Yersinia pestis in mammals requires the type III secretion system, which delivers seven effector proteins into the cytoplasm of host cells to undermine immune responses. All seven of these effectors are conserved across Y. pestis strains, but three, YopJ, YopT, and YpkA, are apparently dispensable for virulence. Some degree of functional redundancy between effector proteins would explain both observations. Here, we use a combinatorial genetic approach to define the minimal subset of effectors required for full virulence in mice following subcutaneous infection. We found that a Y. pestis strain lacking YopJ, YopT, and YpkA is attenuated for virulence in mice and that addition of any one of these effectors to this strain increases lethality significantly. Yo

SUBMITTER: Palace SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6105907 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature