Bioinformatic analysis of the Campylobacter jejuni type VI secretion system and effector prediction
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) has important roles relating to bacterial antagonism, subversion of host cells, and niche colonisation. <jats:italic>Campylobacter jejuni</jats:italic> is one of the leading bacterial causes of human gastroenteritis worldwide and is a commensal coloniser of birds. Although recently discovered, the T6SS biological functions and identities of its effectors are still poorly defined in <jats:italic>C. jejuni</jats:italic>. Here, we perform a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the <jats:italic>C. jejuni</jats:italic> T6SS by investigating the prevalence and genetic architecture of the T6SS in 513 publicly available genomes using <jats:italic>C. jejuni</jats:italic> 488 strain as reference. A unique and conserved T6SS cluster associated with the <jats:italic>Campylobacter jejuni</jats:italic> Integrated Element 3 (CJIE3) was identified in the genomes of 117 strains. Analyses of the T6SS-positive 488 strain against the T6SS-negative <jats:italic>C. jejuni</jats:italic> RM1221 strain and the T6SS-positive plasmid pCJDM202 carried by <jats:italic>C. jejuni</jats:italic> WP2-202 strain defined the “T6SS-containing CJIE3” as a pathogenicity island, thus renamed as <jats:italic>Campylobacter jejuni</jats:italic> Pathogenicity Island-1 (CJPI-1). Analysis of CJPI-1 revealed two canonical VgrG homologues, CJ488_0978 and CJ488_0998, harbouring distinct C-termini in a genetically variable region downstream of the T6SS operon. CJPI-1 was also found to carry a putative DinJ-YafQ Type II toxin-antitoxin (TA) module, conserved across pCJDM202 and the genomic island CJIE3, as well as several open reading frames functionally predicted to encode for nucleases, lipases, and peptidoglycan hydrolases. This comprehensive <jats:italic>in silico</jats:italic> study provides a framework for experimental characterisation of T6SS-related effectors and TA modules in <jats:italic>C. jejuni</jats:italic>.
Date Issued
2021-06-29
Date Acceptance
2021-06-07
Citation
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2021, 12
ISSN
1664-302X
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Journal / Book Title
Frontiers in Microbiology
Volume
12
Copyright Statement
© 2021 Robinson, Liaw, Omole, Xia, van Vliet, Corcionivoschi, Hachani and Gundogdu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
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Publication Status
Published
Article Number
694824
Date Publish Online
2021-06-29