title: Secretion of virulence determinants by the general secretory pathway in gram-negative pathogens: an evolving story.
abstract: Secretion of proteins by the general secretory pathway (GSP) is a two-step process requiring the Sec translocase in the inner membrane and a separate substrate-specific secretion apparatus for translocation across the outer membrane. Gram-negative bacteria with pathogenic potential use the GSP to deliver virulence factors into the extracellular environment for interaction with the host. Well-studied examples of virulence determinants using the GSP for secretion include extracellular toxins, pili, curli, autotransporters, and crystaline S-layers. This article reviews our current understanding of the GSP and discusses examples of terminal branches of the GSP which are utilized by factors implicated in bacterial virulence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stathopoulos
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hendrixson
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Thanassi
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hultgren
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: St Geme
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Curtiss
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000378:metabolism; D000069816:SEC Translocation Channels; D000081416:SecA Proteins; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D000069816:SEC Translocation Channels; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C100181:pullulanase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000081416:SecA Proteins