Abstract
Pathogenic Yersinia spp. possess a protein secretion system, designated as type 3, that plays a clear role in promoting their survival vis-à-vis the macrophage. Inductive expression of the Yersinia type 3 secretion system (T3SS), triggered either by host cell contact, or, in the absence of host cells, by a reduction in extracellular calcium ion levels, is accompanied by a withdrawal from the bacterial division cycle. Here, we analyzed Ca2+-dependent induction of the T3SS at the single-cell level to understand how Yersinia coordinates pro-survival and growth-related activities. We utilized a novel high-throughput quantitative microscopy approach as well as flow cytometry to determine how Ca2+ levels, T3SS expression, and cellular division are interrelated. Our analysis showed that there is a high degree of homogeneity in terms of T3SS expression levels among a population of Y. pseudotuberculosis cells following the removal of Ca2+, and that T3SS expression appears to be independent of the cellular division cycle. Unexpectedly, our analysis showed that Ca2+ levels are inversely related to the initiation of inductive T3SS expression, and not to the intensity of activation once initiated, thus providing a basis for the seemingly graded response of T3SS activation observed in bulk-level analyses. The properties of the system described here display both similarities to and differences from that of the lac operon first described 50 years ago by Novick and Weiner.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 27-37 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Molecular Biology |
| Volume | 373 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 12 2007 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- gene expression
- induction
- type 3 secretion
- Yersinia
- Yops
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Virology
Cite this
Induction of the Yersinia Type 3 Secretion System as an All-or-None Phenomenon. / Wiley, David J.; Rosqvist, Roland; Schesser, Kurt.
In: Journal of Molecular Biology, Vol. 373, No. 1, 12.10.2007, p. 27-37.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Induction of the Yersinia Type 3 Secretion System as an All-or-None Phenomenon
AU - Wiley, David J.
AU - Rosqvist, Roland
AU - Schesser, Kurt
PY - 2007/10/12
Y1 - 2007/10/12
N2 - Pathogenic Yersinia spp. possess a protein secretion system, designated as type 3, that plays a clear role in promoting their survival vis-à-vis the macrophage. Inductive expression of the Yersinia type 3 secretion system (T3SS), triggered either by host cell contact, or, in the absence of host cells, by a reduction in extracellular calcium ion levels, is accompanied by a withdrawal from the bacterial division cycle. Here, we analyzed Ca2+-dependent induction of the T3SS at the single-cell level to understand how Yersinia coordinates pro-survival and growth-related activities. We utilized a novel high-throughput quantitative microscopy approach as well as flow cytometry to determine how Ca2+ levels, T3SS expression, and cellular division are interrelated. Our analysis showed that there is a high degree of homogeneity in terms of T3SS expression levels among a population of Y. pseudotuberculosis cells following the removal of Ca2+, and that T3SS expression appears to be independent of the cellular division cycle. Unexpectedly, our analysis showed that Ca2+ levels are inversely related to the initiation of inductive T3SS expression, and not to the intensity of activation once initiated, thus providing a basis for the seemingly graded response of T3SS activation observed in bulk-level analyses. The properties of the system described here display both similarities to and differences from that of the lac operon first described 50 years ago by Novick and Weiner.
AB - Pathogenic Yersinia spp. possess a protein secretion system, designated as type 3, that plays a clear role in promoting their survival vis-à-vis the macrophage. Inductive expression of the Yersinia type 3 secretion system (T3SS), triggered either by host cell contact, or, in the absence of host cells, by a reduction in extracellular calcium ion levels, is accompanied by a withdrawal from the bacterial division cycle. Here, we analyzed Ca2+-dependent induction of the T3SS at the single-cell level to understand how Yersinia coordinates pro-survival and growth-related activities. We utilized a novel high-throughput quantitative microscopy approach as well as flow cytometry to determine how Ca2+ levels, T3SS expression, and cellular division are interrelated. Our analysis showed that there is a high degree of homogeneity in terms of T3SS expression levels among a population of Y. pseudotuberculosis cells following the removal of Ca2+, and that T3SS expression appears to be independent of the cellular division cycle. Unexpectedly, our analysis showed that Ca2+ levels are inversely related to the initiation of inductive T3SS expression, and not to the intensity of activation once initiated, thus providing a basis for the seemingly graded response of T3SS activation observed in bulk-level analyses. The properties of the system described here display both similarities to and differences from that of the lac operon first described 50 years ago by Novick and Weiner.
KW - gene expression
KW - induction
KW - type 3 secretion
KW - Yersinia
KW - Yops
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548561946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34548561946&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jmb.2007.07.077
DO - 10.1016/j.jmb.2007.07.077
M3 - Article
C2 - 17825321
AN - SCOPUS:34548561946
VL - 373
SP - 27
EP - 37
JO - Journal of Molecular Biology
JF - Journal of Molecular Biology
SN - 0022-2836
IS - 1
ER -