title: Immunomodulatory Yersinia outer proteins (Yops)-useful tools for bacteria and humans alike.
abstract: Human-pathogenic Yersinia produce plasmid-encoded Yersinia outer proteins (Yops), which are necessary to down-regulate anti-bacterial responses that constrict bacterial survival in the host. These Yops are effectively translocated directly from the bacterial into the target cell cytosol by the type III secretion system (T3SS). Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) in contrast are characterized by their ability to autonomously cross cell membranes and to transport cargo - independent of additional translocation systems. The recent discovery of bacterial cell-penetrating effector proteins (CPEs) - with the prototype being the T3SS effector protein YopM - established a new class of autonomously translocating immunomodulatory proteins. CPEs represent a vast source of potential self-delivering, anti-inflammatory therapeutics. In this review, we give an update on the characteristic features of the plasmid-encoded Yops and, based on recent findings, propose the further development of these proteins for potential therapeutic applications as natural or artificial cell-penetrating forms of Yops might be of value as bacteria-derived biologics.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Infectiology - Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grabowski
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Infectiology - Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: M Alexander
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Infectiology - Centre for Molecular Biology of Inflammation (ZMBE), University of Münster , Münster , Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rüter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D000069296:Type III Secretion Systems / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015007:Yersinia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D000069296:Type III Secretion Systems
keywords: Yersinia outer proteins; Yop; auto-inflammatory disease; cell-penetrating effector protein; immunomodulatory; type 3 secretion system