Evolutionary Dissection of the Dot/Icm System Based on Comparative Genomics of 58 Legionella Species.

ABSTRACT: The Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system of Legionella pneumophila is essential for its pathogenesis by delivering >300 effector proteins into the host cell. However, their precise secretion mechanism and which components interact with the host cell is only partly understood. Here, we undertook evolutionary analyses of the Dot/Icm system of 58 Legionella species to identify those components that interact with the host and/or the substrates. We show that high recombination rates are acting on DotA, DotG, and IcmX, supporting exposure of these proteins to the host. Specific amino acids under positive selection on the periplasmic region of DotF, and the cytoplasmic domain of DotM, support a role of these regions in substrate binding. Diversifying selection acting on the signal peptide of DotC su

SUBMITTER: Gomez-Valero L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6761968 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature