Agrobacterium tumefaciens Deploys a Superfamily of Type VI Secretion DNase Effectors as Weapons for Interbacterial Competition In Planta
Author(s)
Ma, L-S
Hachani, A
Lin, J-S
Filloux, A
Lai, E-M
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a widespread molecular weapon deployed by many Proteobacteria to target effectors/toxins into both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. We report that Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a soil bacterium that triggers tumorigenesis in plants, produces a family of type VI DNase effectors (Tde) that are distinct from previously known polymorphic toxins and nucleases. Tde exhibits an antibacterial DNase activity that relies on a conserved HxxD motif and can be counteracted by a cognate immunity protein, Tdi. In vitro, A. tumefaciens T6SS could kill Escherichia coli but triggered a lethal counterattack by Pseudomonas aeruginosa upon injection of the Tde toxins. However, in an in planta coinfection assay, A. tumefaciens used Tde effectors to attack both siblings cells and P. aeruginosa to ultimately gain a competitive advantage. Such acquired T6SS-dependent fitness in vivo and conservation of Tde-Tdi couples in bacteria highlights a widespread antibacterial weapon beneficial for niche colonization.
Date Issued
2014-06-26
Date Acceptance
2014-05-27
Citation
Cell Host & Microbe, 2014, 16 (1), pp.94-104
ISSN
1934-6069
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
94
End Page
104
Journal / Book Title
Cell Host & Microbe
Volume
16
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
License URL
Sponsor
Medical Research Council (MRC)
Grant Number
MR/K001930/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Microbiology
Parasitology
Virology
ICMF FAMILY PROTEIN
VIBRIO-CHOLERAE
TARGET-CELLS
TN-SEQ
SYSTEM
PSEUDOMONAS
IMMUNITY
IDENTIFICATION
BIOFILMS
GENE
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antibiosis
Bacterial Secretion Systems
Deoxyribonucleases
Escherichia coli
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Tobacco
Virulence Factors
Immunology
0605 Microbiology
1108 Medical Microbiology
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2014-06-26