The C-terminal domain of the type III secretion chaperone HpaB contributes to dissociation of chaperone-effector complex in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

PLoS One. 2021 Jan 28;16(1):e0246033. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246033. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Many animal and plant pathogenic bacteria employ a type three secretion system (T3SS) to deliver type three effector proteins (T3Es) into host cells. Efficient secretion of many T3Es in the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) relies on the global chaperone HpaB. However, how the domain of HpaB itself affects effector translocation/secretion is poorly understood. Here, we used genetic and biochemical approaches to identify a novel domain at the C-terminal end of HpaB (amino acid residues 137-160) that contributes to virulence and hypersensitive response (HR). Both in vitro secretion assay and in planta translocation assay showed that the secretion and translocation of T3E proteins depend on the C-terminal region of HpaB. Deletion of the C-terminal region of HpaB did not affect binding to T3Es, self-association or interaction with T3SS components. However, the deletion of C-terminal region sharply reduced the mounts of free T3Es liberated from the complex of HpaB with the T3Es, a reaction catalyzed in an ATP-dependent manner by the T3SS-associated ATPase HrcN. Our findings demonstrate the C-terminal domain of HpaB contributes to disassembly of chaperone-effector complex and reveal a potential molecular mechanism underpinning the involvement of HpaB in secretion of T3Es in Xcc.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism*
  • Protein Transport
  • Type III Secretion Systems / metabolism*
  • Xanthomonas campestris / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Type III Secretion Systems

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the research grants of the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province (2014GXNSFFA118005), the Ba Gui Scholar Program of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China (2014A002), and the Natural Science Foundation of China (31860033, 31860195).