title: The Helicobacter pylori CagF protein is a type IV secretion chaperone-like molecule that binds close to the C-terminal secretion signal of the CagA effector protein.
abstract: Type IV secretion systems are common bacterial macromolecule transporters that have been adapted to various functions, such as effector protein translocation to eukaryotic cells, nucleoprotein transfer to bacterial or eukaryotic cells, and DNA transport into and out of bacterial cells. Helicobacter pylori, the causative agent of bacterial gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastric adenocarcinoma and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, uses the Cag type IV secretion system to inject the CagA protein into host cells, thereby altering gene expression profiles and the host cell cytoskeleton. The molecular mechanism of CagA recognition as a type IV substrate is only poorly understood, but seems to be more complex than that of other type IV secretion systems. Apart from 14 essential components of the secretion apparatus, CagA translocation specifically requires the presence of four additional Cag proteins. Here we show that the CagA-binding protein CagF is a secretion chaperone-like protein that interacts with a 100 aa region that is adjacent to the C-terminal secretion signal of CagA. The interaction between CagA and CagF takes place at the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, and is independent of a functional type IV secretion apparatus and other cag-encoded factors. Our data indicate that CagF binding precedes recognition of the C-terminal CagA translocation signal, and that both steps are required to recruit CagA to the type IV translocation channel.
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pattis
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Romy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laugks
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Max von Pettenkofer-Institut für Hygiene und Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Pettenkoferstr. 9a, 80336 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D021381:Protein Transport; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C507457:cagF protein, Helicobacter pylori; D005982:Glutathione Transferase