Shigella Spa47 Regulator Proteins Provide a Potential Means of Controlling Type Three Secretion System Activation and Pathogen Virulence
Class
Article
Graduation Year
2017
College
College of Science
Department
Chemistry and Biochemistry Department
Faculty Mentor
Nick Dickenson
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Shigella flexneri is a gram negative bacterial pathogen and is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery. Like many related pathogens, Shigella uses a type three secretion system (T3SS) to infect targeted host cells and avoid host immune responses. Within the T3SS, we have identified the protein Spa47 as an active ATPase that is essential for apparatus formation and the ability of Shigella to cause infection. Specifically, Spa47 knockout and or mutant strains of Shigella are non-virulent while complemented strains regain virulence, suggesting that control over of Spa47 activity may ultimately serve to regulate Shigella virulence in vivo. In this study, we identify and characterize Shigella proteins that interact with Spa47 and find that these interactions do in fact serve to regulate Spa47 activity in vitro, providing valuable insight into the mechanism of Shigella virulence regulation and providing a valuable target for much needed non-antibiotic based anti-infective treatments.
Location
South Atrium
Start Date
4-13-2017 10:30 AM
End Date
4-13-2017 11:45 AM
Shigella Spa47 Regulator Proteins Provide a Potential Means of Controlling Type Three Secretion System Activation and Pathogen Virulence
South Atrium
Shigella flexneri is a gram negative bacterial pathogen and is the causative agent of bacillary dysentery. Like many related pathogens, Shigella uses a type three secretion system (T3SS) to infect targeted host cells and avoid host immune responses. Within the T3SS, we have identified the protein Spa47 as an active ATPase that is essential for apparatus formation and the ability of Shigella to cause infection. Specifically, Spa47 knockout and or mutant strains of Shigella are non-virulent while complemented strains regain virulence, suggesting that control over of Spa47 activity may ultimately serve to regulate Shigella virulence in vivo. In this study, we identify and characterize Shigella proteins that interact with Spa47 and find that these interactions do in fact serve to regulate Spa47 activity in vitro, providing valuable insight into the mechanism of Shigella virulence regulation and providing a valuable target for much needed non-antibiotic based anti-infective treatments.