The Mechanism of Action of the Pseudomonas Aeruginosa-encoded Type III Cytotoxin, ExoU

Overview

Journal EMBO J

Specialties Biotechnology
Molecular Biology

Date 2003 Jun 14

PMID 12805211

Citations 180

Authors

Hiromi Sato

Dara W Frank

Cecilia J Hillard

Jimmy B Feix

Ravi R Pankhaniya

Kiyoshi Moriyama

Viviane Finck-Barbancon

Adam Buchaklian

Ming Lei

Roy M Long

Jeanine Wiener-Kronish

Teiji Sawa

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa delivers the toxin ExoU to eukaryotic cells via a type III secretion system. Intoxication with ExoU is associated with lung injury, bacterial dissemination and sepsis in animal model and human infections. To search for ExoU targets in a genetically tractable system, we used controlled expression of the toxin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. ExoU was cytotoxic for yeast and caused a vacuolar fragmentation phenotype. Inhibitors of human calcium-independent (iPLA(2)) and cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) lipase activity reduce the cytotoxicity of ExoU. The catalytic domains of patatin, iPLA(2) and cPLA(2) align or are similar to ExoU sequences. Site-specific mutagenesis of predicted catalytic residues (ExoUS142A or ExoUD344A) eliminated toxicity. ExoU expression in yeast resulted in an accumulation of free palmitic acid, changes in the phospholipid profiles and reduction of radiolabeled neutral lipids. ExoUS142A and ExoUD344A expressed in yeast failed to release palmitic acid. Recombinant ExoU demonstrated lipase activity in vitro, but only in the presence of a yeast extract. From these data we conclude that ExoU is a lipase that requires activation or modification by eukaryotic factors.

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