Two-partner secretion systems of Neisseria meningitidis associated with invasive clonal complexes.
The two-partner secretion (TPS) pathway is widespread among gram-negative bacteria and facilitates the secretion of very large and often virulence-related proteins. TPS systems consist of a secreted TpsA protein and a TpsB protein involved in TpsA transport across the outer membrane. Sequenced Neisseria meningitidis genomes contain up to five TpsA- and two TpsB-encoding genes. Here, we investigated the distribution of TPS-related open reading frames in a collection of disease isolates. Three distinct TPS systems were identified among meningococci. System 1 was ubiquitous, while systems 2 and 3 were significantly more prevalent among isolates of hyperinvasive clonal complexes than among isolates of poorly invasive clonal complexes. In laboratory cultures, systems 1 and 2 were expressed. However, several sera from patients recovering from disseminated meningococcal disease recognized the TpsAs of systems 2 and 3, indicating the expression of these systems during infection. Furthermore, we showed that the major secreted TpsAs of systems 1 and 2 depend on their cognate TpsBs for transport across the outer membrane and that the system 1 TpsAs undergo processing. Together, our data indicate that TPS systems may contribute to the virulence of N. meningitidis.
van Ulsen
Peter
P
Department of Molecular Microbiology, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. peter.van.ulsen@falw.vu.nl
Rutten
Lucy
L
Feller
Moniek
M
Tommassen
Jan
J
van der Ende
Arie
A
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D023061:Gene Order; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D021381:Protein Transport; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors