Structural and functional probing of PorZ, an essential bacterial surface component of the type-IX secretion system of human oral-microbiomic Porphyromonas gingivalis

Structural and functional insights into the C-terminal signal domain of the Bacteroidetes type-IX secretion system

Gram-negative bacteria from the Bacteroidota phylum possess a type-IX secretion system (T9SS) for protein secretion, which requires cargoes to have a C-terminal domain (CTD). Structurally analysed CTDs are from Porphyromonas gingivalis proteins RgpB, HBP35, PorU and PorZ, which share a compact immunoglobulin-like antiparallel 3+4 β-sandwich (β1-β7). This architecture is essential as a P. gingivalis strain with a single-point mutant of RgpB disrupting the interaction of the CTD with its preceding domain prevented secretion of the protein. Next, we identified the C-terminus ('motif C-t.') and the loop connecting strands β3 and β4 ('motif Lβ3β4') as conserved. We generated two strains with insertion and replacement mutants of PorU, as well as three strains with ablation and point mutants of RgpB, which revealed both motifs to be relevant for T9SS function. Furthermore, we determined the crystal structure of the CTD of mirolase, a cargo of the Tannerella forsythia T9SS, which shares the same general topology as in Porphyromonas CTDs. However, motif Lβ3β4 was not conserved. Consistently, P. gingivalis could not properly secrete a chimaeric protein with the CTD of peptidylarginine deiminase replaced with this foreign CTD. Thus, the incompatibility of the CTDs between these species prevents potential interference between their T9SSs.

Structural insights into the mechanism of protein transport by the Type 9 Secretion System translocon

Secretion systems are protein export machines that enable bacteria to exploit their environment through the release of protein effectors. The Type 9 Secretion System (T9SS) is responsible for protein export across the outer membrane (OM) of bacteria of the phylum Bacteroidota. Here we trap the T9SS of Flavobacterium johnsoniae in the process of substrate transport by disrupting the T9SS motor complex. Cryo-EM analysis of purified substrate-bound T9SS translocons reveals an extended translocon structure in which the previously described translocon core is augmented by a periplasmic structure incorporating the proteins SprE, PorD and a homologue of the canonical periplasmic chaperone Skp. Substrate proteins bind to the extracellular loops of a carrier protein within the translocon pore. As transport intermediates accumulate on the translocon when energetic input is removed, we deduce that release of the substrate-carrier protein complex from the translocon is the energy-requiring step in T9SS transport.

Protein interactome mapping of Porphyromonas gingivalis provides insights into the formation of the PorQ-Z complex of the type IX secretion system

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an anaerobic Gram-negative human oral pathogen highly associated with the more severe forms of periodontal disease. Porphyromonas gingivalis utilises the type IX secretion system (T9SS) to transport ∼30 cargo proteins, including multiple virulence factors, to the cell surface. The T9SS is a multiprotein system consisting of at least 20 proteins, and recently, we characterised the protein interactome of these components. Similar to the T9SS, almost all biological processes are mediated through protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Therefore, mapping PPIs is important to understand the biological functions of many proteins in P. gingivalis. Herein, we provide native migration profiles of over 1000 P. gingivalis proteins. Using the T9SS, we demonstrate that our dataset is a useful resource for identifying novel protein interactions. Using this dataset and further analysis of T9SS P. gingivalis mutants, we discover new mechanistic insights into the formation of the PorQ-Z complex of the T9SS. This dataset is a valuable resource for studies of P. gingivalis.

A unique network of attack, defence and competence on the outer membrane of the periodontitis pathogen Tannerella forsythia

Periodontopathogenic Tannerella forsythia uniquely secretes six peptidases of disparate catalytic classes and families that operate as virulence factors during infection of the gums, the KLIKK-peptidases. Their coding genes are immediately downstream of novel ORFs encoding the 98-132 residue potempins (Pot) A, B1, B2, C, D and E. These are outer-membrane-anchored lipoproteins that specifically and potently inhibit the respective downstream peptidase through stable complexes that protect the outer membrane of T. forsythia, as shown in vivo. Remarkably, PotA also contributes to bacterial fitness in vivo and specifically inhibits matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 12, a major defence component of oral macrophages, thus featuring a novel and highly-specific physiological MMP inhibitor. Information from 11 structures and high-confidence homology models showed that the potempins are distinct β-barrels with either a five-stranded OB-fold (PotA, PotC and PotD) or an eight-stranded up-and-down fold (PotE, PotB1 and PotB2), which are novel for peptidase inhibitors. Particular loops insert like wedges into the active-site cleft of the genetically-linked peptidases to specifically block them either via a new "bilobal" or the classic "standard" mechanism of inhibition. These results discover a unique, tightly-regulated proteolytic armamentarium for virulence and competence, the KLIKK-peptidase/potempin system.

Structural Model of a Porphyromonas gingivalis type IX Secretion System Shuttle Complex

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative oral anaerobic pathogen and is one of the key causative agents of periodontitis. P. gingivalis utilises a range of virulence factors, including the cysteine protease RgpB, to drive pathogenesis and these are exported and attached to the cell surface via the type IX secretion system (T9SS). All cargo proteins possess a conserved C-terminal signal domain (CTD) which is recognised by the T9SS, and the outer membrane β-barrel protein PorV (PG0027/LptO) can interact with cargo proteins as they are exported to the bacterial surface. Using a combination of solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, biochemical analyses, machine-learning-based modelling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we present a structural model of a PorV:RgpB-CTD complex from P. gingivalis. This is the first structural insight into CTD recognition by the T9SS and shows how the conserved motifs in the CTD are the primary sites that mediate binding. In PorV, interactions with extracellular surface loops are important for binding the CTD, and together these appear to cradle and lock RgpB-CTD in place. This work provides insight into cargo recognition by PorV but may also have important implications for understanding other aspects of type-IX dependent secretion.

Research Progress on Small Molecular Inhibitors of the Type 3 Secretion System

The overuse of antibiotics has led to severe bacterial drug resistance. Blocking pathogen virulence devices is a highly effective approach to combating bacterial resistance worldwide. Type three secretion systems (T3SSs) are significant virulence factors in Gram-negative pathogens. Inhibition of these systems can effectively weaken infection whilst having no significant effect on bacterial growth. Therefore, T3SS inhibitors may be a powerful weapon against resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, and there has been increasing interest in the research and development of T3SS inhibitors. This review outlines several reported small-molecule inhibitors of the T3SS, covering those of synthetic and natural origin, including their sources, structures, and mechanisms of action.

Differential affinity chromatography reveals a link between Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced changes in vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation and the type 9 secretion system

Porphyromonas gingivalis is implicated in adverse pregnancy outcome. We previously demonstrated that intrauterine infection with various strains of P. gingivalis impairs the physiologic remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries (IRSA) during pregnancy, which underlies the major obstetrical syndromes. Women diagnosed with IRSA also have a greater risk for premature cardiovascular disease in later life. The dysregulated plasticity of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is present in both IRSA and premature cardiovascular events. We hypothesized that VSMCs could serve as a bait to identify P. gingivalis proteins associated with dysregulated VSMC plasticity as seen in IRSA. We first confirmed that dams with P. gingivalis A7UF-induced IRSA also show perturbed aortic smooth muscle cell (AoSMC) plasticity along with the P. gingivalis colonization of the tissue. The in vitro infection of AoSMCs with IRSA-inducing strain A7UF also perturbed AoSMC plasticity that did not occur with infection by non-IRSA-inducing strain W83. Far-Western blotting with strain W83 and strain A7UF showed a differential binding pattern to the rat aorta and primary rat AoSMCs. The affinity chromatography/pull-down assay combined with mass spectrometry was used to identify P. gingivalis/AoSMC protein interactions specific to IRSA. Membrane proteins with a high binding affinity to AoSMCs were identified in the A7UF pull-down but not in the W83 pull-down, most of which were the outer membrane components of the Type 9 secretion system (T9SS) and T9SS cargo proteins. Additional T9SS cargo proteins were detected in greater abundance in the A7UF pull-down eluate compared to W83. None of the proteins enriched in the W83 eluate were T9SS components nor T9SS cargo proteins despite their presence in the prey preparations used in the pull-down assay. In summary, differential affinity chromatography established that the components of IRSA-inducing P. gingivalis T9SS as well as its cargo directly interact with AoSMCs, which may play a role in the infection-induced dysregulation of VSMC plasticity. The possibility that the T9SS is involved in the microbial manipulation of host cell events important for cell differentiation and tissue remodeling would constitute a new virulence function for this system.

Genome-Wide Analysis and Characterization of the Riemerella anatipestifer Putative T9SS Secretory Proteins with a Conserved C-Terminal Domain

Riemerella anatipestifer is a major pathogenic agent of duck septicemic and exudative diseases. Recent studies have shown that the R. anatipestifer type IX secretion system (T9SS) acts as a crucial virulence factor. We previously identified two T9SS component proteins, GldK and GldM, and one T9SS effector metallophosphoesterase, which play important roles in bacterial virulence. In this study, 19 T9SS-secreted proteins that contained a conserved T9SS C-terminal domain (CTD) were predicted in R. anatipestifer strain Yb2 by searching for CTD-encoding sequences in the whole genome. The proteins were confirmed with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the bacterial culture supernatant. Nine of them were reported in our previous study. We generated recombinant proteins and mouse antisera for the 19 predicted proteins to confirm their expression in the bacterial culture supernatant and in bacterial cells. Western blotting indicated that the levels of 14 proteins were significantly reduced in the T9SS mutant Yb2ΔgldM culture medium but were increased in the bacterial cells. RT-qPCR indicated that the expression of these genes did not differ between the wild-type strain Yb2 and the T9SS mutant Yb2ΔgldM. Nineteen mutant strains were successfully constructed to determine their virulence and proteolytic activity, which indicated that seven proteins are associated with bacterial virulence, and two proteins, AS87_RS04190 and AS87_RS07295, are protease-activity-associated virulence factors. In summary, we have identified at least 19 genes encoding T9SS-secreted proteins in the R. anatipestifer strain Yb2 genome, which encode multiple functions associated with the bacterium's virulence and proteolytic activity. IMPORTANCE Riemerella anatipestifer T9SS plays an important role in bacterial virulence. We have previously reported nine R. anatipestifer T9SS-secreted proteins and clarified the function of the metallophosphoesterase. In this study, we identified 10 more secreted proteins associated with the R. anatipestifer T9SS, in addition to the nine previously reported. Of these, 14 proteins showed significantly reduced secretion into the bacterial culture medium but increased expression in the bacterial cells of the T9SS mutant Yb2ΔgldM; seven proteins were shown to be associated with bacterial virulence; and two proteins, AS87_RS04190 and AS87_RS07295, were shown to be protease-activity-associated virulence factors. Thus, we have demonstrated that multiple R. anatipestifer T9SS-secreted proteins function in virulence and proteolytic activity.

Type B CTD Proteins Secreted by the Type IX Secretion System Associate with PorP-like Proteins for Cell Surface Anchorage

The Bacteroidetes type IX secretion system (T9SS) consists of at least 20 components that translocate proteins with type A or type B C-terminal domain (CTD) signals across the outer membrane (OM). While type A CTD proteins are anchored to the cell surface via covalent linkage to the anionic lipopolysaccharide, it is still unclear how type B CTD proteins are anchored to the cell surface. Moreover, very little is known about the PorE and PorP components of the T9SS. In this study, for the first time, we identified a complex comprising the OM β-barrel protein PorP, the OM-associated periplasmic protein PorE and the type B CTD protein PG1035. Cross-linking studies supported direct interactions between PorE-PorP and PorP-PG1035. Furthermore, we show that the formation of the PorE-PorP-PG1035 complex was independent of PorU and PorV. Additionally, the Flavobacterium johnsoniae PorP-like protein, SprF, was found bound to the major gliding motility adhesin, SprB, which is also a type B CTD protein. Together, these results suggest that type B-CTD proteins may anchor to the cell surface by binding to their respective PorP-like proteins.

Design Principles of the Rotary Type 9 Secretion System

The Fo ATP synthase, the bacterial flagellar motor, and the bacterial type 9 secretion system (T9SS) are the three known proton motive force driven biological rotary motors. In this review, we summarize the current information on the nuts and bolts of T9SS. Torque generation by T9SS, its role in gliding motility of bacteria, and the mechanism via which a T9SS-driven swarm shapes the microbiota are discussed. The knowledge gaps in our current understanding of the T9SS machinery are outlined.

Structures of the Type IX Secretion/Gliding Motility Motor from across the Phylum Bacteroidetes

Gliding motility using cell surface adhesins, and export of proteins by the type IX secretion system (T9SS) are two phylum-specific features of the Bacteroidetes. Both of these processes are energized by the GldLM motor complex, which transduces the proton motive force at the inner membrane into mechanical work at the outer membrane. We previously used cryo-electron microscopy to solve the structure of the GldLM motor core from Flavobacterium johnsoniae at 3.9-Å resolution (R. Hennell James, J. C. Deme, A. Kjaer, F. Alcock, et al., Nat Microbiol 6:221–233, 2021, https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-00823-6). Here, we present structures of homologous complexes from a range of pathogenic and environmental Bacteroidetes species at up to 3.0-Å resolution. These structures show that the architecture of the GldLM motor core is conserved across the Bacteroidetes phylum, although there are species-specific differences at the N terminus of GldL. The resolution improvements reveal a cage-like structure that ties together the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic region of GldL and influences gliding function. These findings add detail to our structural understanding of bacterial ion-driven motors that drive the T9SS and gliding motility.

Protein Interactome Analysis of the Type IX Secretion System Identifies PorW as the Missing Link between the PorK/N Ring Complex and the Sov Translocon

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) transports cargo proteins through the outer membrane of Bacteroidetes and attaches them to the cell surface for functions including pathogenesis, gliding motility, and degradation of carbon sources. The T9SS comprises at least 20 different proteins and includes several modules: the trans-envelope core module comprising the PorL/M motor and the PorK/N ring, the outer membrane Sov translocon, and the cell attachment complex. However, the spatial organization of these modules is unknown. We have characterized the protein interactome of the Sov translocon in Porphyromonas gingivalis and identified Sov-PorV-PorA as well as Sov-PorW-PorN-PorK to be novel networks. PorW also interacted with PGN_1783 (PorD), which was required for maximum secretion efficiency. The identification of PorW as the missing link completes a continuous interaction network from the PorL/M motor to the Sov translocon, providing a pathway for cargo delivery and energy transduction from the inner membrane to the secretion pore.

IMPORTANCE The T9SS is a newly identified protein secretion system of the Fibrobacteres-Chlorobi-Bacteroidetes superphylum used by pathogens associated with diseases of humans, fish, and poultry for the secretion and cell surface attachment of virulence factors. The T9SS comprises three known modules: (i) the trans-envelope core module comprising the PorL/M motor and the PorK/N ring, (ii) the outer membrane Sov translocon, and (iii) the cell surface attachment complex. The spatial organization and interaction of these modules have been a mystery. Here, we describe the protein interactome of the Sov translocon in the human pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis and have identified PorW as the missing link which bridges PorN with Sov and so completes a continuous interaction network from the PorL/M motor to the Sov translocon, providing, for the first time, a pathway for cargo delivery and energy transduction from the inner membrane to the secretion pore.

Shut-Down of Type IX Protein Secretion Alters the Host Immune Response to Tannerella forsythia and Porphyromonas gingivalis

Tannerella forsythia and Porphyromonas gingivalis target distinct virulence factors bearing a structurally conserved C-terminal domain (CTD) to the type IX protein secretion system (T9SS). The T9SS comprises an outer membrane translocation complex which works in concert with a signal peptidase for CTD cleavage. Among prominent T9SS cargo linked to periodontal diseases are the TfsA and TfsB components of T. forsythia’s cell surface (S-) layer, the bacterium’s BspA surface antigen and a set of cysteine proteinases (gingipains) from P. gingivalis. To assess the overall role of the bacterial T9SS in the host response, human macrophages and human gingival fibroblasts were stimulated with T. forsythia and P. gingivalis wild-type bacteria and T9SS signal peptidase-deficient mutants defective in protein secretion, respectively. The immunostimulatory potential of these bacteria was compared by analyzing the mRNA expression levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1 and TNF-α by qPCR and by measuring the production of the corresponding proteins by ELISA. Shot-gun proteomics analysis of T. forsythia and P. gingivalis outer membrane preparations confirmed that several CTD-bearing virulence factors which interact with the human immune system were depleted from the signal peptidase mutants, supportive of effective T9SS shut-down. Three and, more profoundly, 16 hours post stimulation, the T. forsythia T9SS mutant induced significantly less production of cytokines and the chemokine in human cells compared to the corresponding parent strain, while the opposite was observed for the P. gingivalis T9SS mutant. Our data indicate that T9SS shut-down translates into an altered inflammatory response in periodontal pathogens. Thus, the T9SS as a potential novel target for periodontal therapy needs further evaluation.

The Type IX Secretion System and Its Role in Bacterial Function and Pathogenesis

Porphyromonas, Tannerella, and Prevotella species found in severe periodontitis use the Type IX Secretion System (T9SS) to load their outer membrane surface with an array of virulence factors. These virulence factors are then released on outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which penetrate the host to dysregulate the immune response to establish a positive feedback loop of chronic, inflammatory destruction of the tooth's supporting tissues. In this review, we present the latest information on the molecular architecture of the T9SS and provide mechanistic insight into its role in secretion and attachment of cargo proteins to produce a virulence coat on cells and OMVs. The recent molecular structures of the T9SS motor comprising PorL and PorM as well as the secretion pore Sov, together with advances in the overall interactome, have provided insight into the possible mechanisms of secretion. We propose the presence of PorL/M motors arranged in a circle at the inner membrane with bent periplasmic rotors interacting with the PorN protein. At the outer membrane, we envisage a slide carousel model where the PorN protein is driven around a circular track composed of PorK. Cargo proteins are transported by PorN to PorW and the Sov translocon just as slides are rotated to the projection window. Secreted proteins are proposed to then be shuttled along highways consisting of the PorV shuttle protein to an array of attachment complexes distributed around the cell. The cell surface attachment of cargo is a hallmark of the T9SS, and in Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, this attachment is achieved via covalent bonding to a linking sugar synthesized by the Wbp/Vim pathway. The cell-surface attached cargo are enriched on OMVs, which are then released from the cell.

Intermolecular latency regulates the essential C-terminal signal peptidase and sortase of the Porphyromonas gingivalis type-IX secretion system

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone pathogen of the human dysbiotic oral microbiome that causes severe periodontitis. It employs a type-IX secretion system (T9SS) to shuttle proteins across the outer membrane (OM) for virulence. Uniquely, T9SS cargoes carry a C-terminal domain (CTD) as a secretion signal, which is cleaved and replaced with anionic lipopolysaccharide by transpeptidation for extracellular anchorage to the OM. Both reactions are carried out by PorU, the only known dual-function, C-terminal signal peptidase and sortase. PorU is itself secreted by the T9SS, but its CTD is not removed; instead, intact PorU combines with PorQ, PorV, and PorZ in the OM-inserted "attachment complex." Herein, we revealed that PorU transits between active monomers and latent dimers and solved the crystal structure of the ∼260-kDa dimer. PorU has an elongated shape ∼130 Å in length and consists of seven domains. The first three form an intertwined N-terminal cluster likely engaged in substrate binding. They are followed by a gingipain-type catalytic domain (CD), two immunoglobulin-like domains (IGL), and the CTD. In the first IGL, a long "latency β-hairpin" protrudes ∼30 Å from the surface to form an intermolecular β-barrel with β-strands from the symmetric CD, which is in a latent conformation. Homology modeling of the competent CD followed by in vivo validation through a cohort of mutant strains revealed that PorU is transported and functions as a monomer through a C⁶⁹⁰/H⁶⁵⁷ catalytic dyad. Thus, dimerization is an intermolecular mechanism for PorU regulation to prevent untimely activity until joining the attachment complex.

Polysaccharide degradation by the Bacteroidetes: mechanisms and nomenclature

The Bacteroidetes phylum is renowned for its ability to degrade a wide range of complex carbohydrates, a trait that has enabled its dominance in many diverse environments. The best studied species inhabit the human gut microbiome and use polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs), discrete genetic structures that encode proteins involved in the sensing, binding, deconstruction, and import of target glycans. In many environmental species, polysaccharide degradation is tightly coupled to the phylum-exclusive type IX secretion system (T9SS), which is used for the secretion of certain enzymes and is linked to gliding motility. In addition, within specific species these two adaptive systems (PULs and T9SS) are intertwined, with PUL-encoded enzymes being secreted by the T9SS. Here, we discuss the most noteworthy PUL and non-PUL mechanisms that confer specific and rapid polysaccharide degradation capabilities to the Bacteroidetes in a range of environments. We also acknowledge that the literature showcasing examples of PULs is rapidly expanding and developing a set of assumptions that can be hard to track back to original findings. Therefore, we present a simple universal description of conserved PUL functions and how they are determined, while proposing a common nomenclature describing PULs and their components, to simplify discussion and understanding of PUL systems.

Calcium-Regulated Protein CarP Responds to Multiple Host Signals and Mediates Regulation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence by Calcium

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen causing life-threatening infections. Previously, we showed that elevated calcium (Ca2+) levels increase the production of virulence factors in P. aeruginosa In an effort to characterize the Ca2+ regulatory network, we identified a Ca2+-regulated β-propeller protein, CarP, and showed that expression of the encoding gene is controlled by the Ca2+-regulated two-component system CarSR. Here, by using a Galleria melonella model, we showed that CarP plays a role in regulating P. aeruginosa virulence. By using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq), reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR), and promoter fusions, we determined that carP is transcribed into at least two transcripts and regulated by several bacterial and host factors. The transcription of carP is elevated in response to Ca2+ in P. aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolates and PAO1 laboratory strain. Elevated Fe2+ also induces carP The simultaneous addition of Ca2+ and Fe2+ increased the carP promoter activity synergistically, which requires the presence of CarR. In silico analysis of the intergenic sequence upstream of carP predicted recognition sites of RhlR/LasR, OxyR, and LexA, suggesting regulation by quorum sensing (QS) and oxidative stress. In agreement, the carP promoter was activated in response to stationary-phase PAO1 supernatant and required the presence of elevated Ca2+ and CarR but remained silent in the triple mutant lacking rhlI, lasI, and pqsA synthases. We also showed that carP transcription is regulated by oxidative stress and that CarP contributes to P. aeruginosa Ca2+-dependent H2O2 tolerance. The multifactorial regulation of carP suggests that CarP plays an important role in P. aeruginosa adaptations to host environments.IMPORTANCEP. aeruginosa is a human pathogen causing life-threatening infections. It is particularly notorious for its ability to adapt to diverse environments within the host. Understanding the signals and the signaling pathways enabling P. aeruginosa adaptation is imperative for developing effective therapies to treat infections caused by this organism. One host signal of particular importance is calcium. Previously, we identified a component of the P. aeruginosa calcium-signaling network, CarP, whose expression is induced by elevated levels of calcium. Here, we show that carP plays an important role in P. aeruginosa virulence and is upregulated in P. aeruginosa strains isolated from sputa of patients with cystic fibrosis. We also identified several bacterial and host factors that regulate the transcription of carP Such multifactorial regulation highlights the interconnectedness between regulatory circuits and, together with the pleotropic effect of CarP on virulence, suggests the importance of this protein in P. aeruginosa adaptations to the host.

In Search of Spectroscopic Signatures of Periodontitis: A SERS-Based Magnetomicrofluidic Sensor for Detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Recently, Porphyromonas gingivalis, the keystone pathogen implicated in the development of gum disease (periodontitis), was detected in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients, opening up a fascinating possibility that it is also involved in the pathobiology of this neurodegenerative illness. To verify this hypothesis, an unbiased, specific, and sensitive method to detect this pathogen in biological specimens is needed. To this end, our interdisciplinary studies demonstrate that P. gingivalis can be easily identified by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Moreover, based on SERS measurements, P. gingivalis can be distinguished from another common periodontal pathogen, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and also from ubiquitous oral Streptococcus spp. The results were confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA). Furthermore, we have shown that different P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans strains can easily adsorb to silver-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃@AgNPs). Thus, it is possible to magnetically separate investigated bacteria from other components of a specimen using the microfluidic chip. To obtain additional enhancement of the Raman signal, the NPs adsorbed to bacterial cells were magnetically attracted to the Si/Ag SERS platform. Afterward, the SERS spectra could be recorded. Such a time-saving procedure can be very helpful in rapid medical diagnostics and thus in starting the appropriate pharmacological therapy to prevent the development of periodontitis and associated comorbidities, e.g., Alzheimerʼs disease.

Complementation in trans of Porphyromonas gingivalis Lipopolysaccharide Biosynthetic Mutants Demonstrates Lipopolysaccharide Exchange

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterial pathogen contributing to human periodontitis, exports and anchors cargo proteins to its surface, enabling the production of black pigmentation using a type IX secretion system (T9SS) and conjugation to anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS). To determine whether T9SS components need to be assembled in situ for correct secretion and A-LPS modification of cargo proteins, combinations of nonpigmented mutants lacking A-LPS or a T9SS component were mixed to investigate in trans complementation. Reacquisition of pigmentation occurred only between an A-LPS mutant and a T9SS mutant, which coincided with A-LPS modification of cargo proteins detected by Western blotting and coimmunoprecipitation/quantitative mass spectrometry. Complementation also occurred using an A-LPS mutant mixed with outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) or purified A-LPS. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated that OMVs can fuse with and transfer lipid to P. gingivalis, leading to the conclusion that complementation of T9SS function occurred through A-LPS transfer between cells. None of the two-strain crosses involving only the five T9SS OM component mutants produced black pigmentation, implying that the OM proteins cannot be transferred in a manner that restores function and surface pigmentation, and hence, a more ordered temporal in situ assembly of T9SS components may be required. Our results show that LPS can be transferred between cells or between cells and OMVs to complement deficiencies in LPS biosynthesis and hemin-related pigmentation to reveal a potentially new mechanism by which the oral microbial community is modulated to produce clinical consequences in the human host.IMPORTANCE Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone pathogen contributing to periodontitis in humans, leading to tooth loss. The oral microbiota is essential in this pathogenic process and changes from predominantly Gram-positive (health) to predominantly Gram-negative (disease) species. P. gingivalis uses its type IX secretion system (T9SS) to secrete and conjugate virulence proteins to anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS). This study investigated whether components of this secretion system could be complemented and found that it was possible for A-LPS biosynthetic mutants to be complemented in trans both by strains that had the A-LPS on the cell surface and by exogenous sources of A-LPS. This is the first known example of LPS exchange in a human bacterial pathogen which causes disease through complex microbiota-host interactions.

Prediction of Selected Biosynthetic Pathways for the Lipopolysaccharide Components in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an oral human pathogen. The bacterium destroys dental tissue and is a serious health problem worldwide. Experimental data and bioinformatic analysis revealed that the pathogen produces three types of lipopolysaccharides (LPS): normal (O-type), anionic (A-type), and capsular (K-type). The enzymes involved in the production of all three types of lipopolysaccharide have been largely identified for the first two and partially for the third type. In the current work, we use bioinformatics tools to predict biosynthetic pathways for the production of the normal (O-type) lipopolysaccharide in the W50 strain Porphyromonas gingivalis and compare the pathway with other putative pathways in fully sequenced and completed genomes of other pathogenic strains. Selected enzymes from the pathway have been modeled and putative structures are presented. The pathway for the A-type antigen could not be predicted at this time due to two mutually exclusive structures proposed in the literature. The pathway for K-type antigen biosynthesis could not be predicted either due to the lack of structural data for the antigen. However, pathways for the synthesis of lipid A, its core components, and the O-type antigen ligase reaction have been proposed based on a combination of experimental data and bioinformatic analyses. The predicted pathways are compared with known pathways in other systems and discussed. It is the first report in the literature showing, in detail, predicted pathways for the synthesis of selected LPS components for the model W50 strain of P. gingivalis.

PorZ, an Essential Component of the Type IX Secretion System of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Delivers Anionic Lipopolysaccharide to the PorU Sortase for Transpeptidase Processing of T9SS Cargo Proteins

Cargo proteins of the type IX secretion system (T9SS) in human pathogens from the Bacteroidetes phylum invariably possess a conserved C-terminal domain (CTD) that functions as a signal for outer membrane (OM) translocation. In Porphyromonas gingivalis, the CTD of cargos is cleaved off after translocation, and anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS) is attached. This transpeptidase reaction anchors secreted proteins to the OM. PorZ, a cell surface-associated protein, is an essential component of the T9SS whose function was previously unknown. We recently solved the crystal structure of PorZ and found that it consists of two β-propeller moieties, followed by a CTD. In this study, we performed structure-based modeling, suggesting that PorZ is a carbohydrate-binding protein. Indeed, we found that recombinant PorZ specifically binds A-LPS in vitro Binding was blocked by monoclonal antibodies that specifically react with a phosphorylated branched mannan in the anionic polysaccharide (A-PS) component of A-LPS, but not with the core oligosaccharide or the lipid A endotoxin. Examination of A-LPS derived from a cohort of mutants producing various truncations of A-PS confirmed that the phosphorylated branched mannan is indeed the PorZ ligand. Moreover, purified recombinant PorZ interacted with the PorU sortase in an A-LPS-dependent manner. This interaction on the cell surface is crucial for the function of the "attachment complex" composed of PorU, PorZ, and the integral OM β-barrel proteins PorV and PorQ, which is involved in posttranslational modification and retention of T9SS cargos on the bacterial surface.IMPORTANCE Bacteria have evolved multiple systems to transport effector proteins to their surface or into the surrounding milieu. These proteins have a wide range of functions, including attachment, motility, nutrient acquisition, and toxicity in the host. Porphyromonas gingivalis, the human pathogen responsible for severe gum diseases (periodontitis), uses a recently characterized type IX secretion system (T9SS) to translocate and anchor secreted virulence effectors to the cell surface. Anchorage is facilitated by sortase, an enzyme that covalently attaches T9SS cargo proteins to a unique anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS) moiety of P. gingivalis Here, we show that the T9SS component PorZ interacts with sortase and specifically binds A-LPS. Binding is mediated by a phosphorylated branched mannan repeat in A-LPS polysaccharide. A-LPS-bound PorZ interacts with sortase with significantly higher affinity, facilitating modification of cargo proteins by the cell surface attachment complex of the T9SS.

Molecular Strategies Underlying Porphyromonas gingivalis Virulence

The anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered the keystone of periodontitis diseases, a set of inflammatory conditions that affects the tissues surrounding the teeth. In the recent years, the major virulence factors exploited by P. gingivalis have been identified and characterized, including a cocktail of toxins, mainly proteases called gingipains, which promote gingival tissue invasion. These effectors use the Sec pathway to cross the inner membrane and are then recruited and transported across the outer membrane by the type IX secretion system (T9SS). In P. gingivalis, most secreted effectors are attached to anionic lipopolysaccharides (A-LPS), and hence form a virulence coat at the cell surface. P. gingivalis produces additional virulence factors to evade host immune responses, such as capsular polysaccharide, fimbriae and outer membrane vesicles. In addition to periodontitis, it is proposed that this broad repertoire of virulence factors enable P. gingivalis to be involved in diverse human diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and neurodegenerative, Alzheimer, and cardiovascular disorders. Here, we review the major virulence determinants of P. gingivalis and discuss future directions to better understand their mechanisms of action.

Structural Characterization of the Type IX Secretion System in Porphyromonas gingivalis

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is the most recently discovered secretion system in the gram-negative bacteria and is specific to the Bacteroidetes phylum. It is comprised of at least 19 proteins, which together allows for the secretion and cell surface attachment of a specific group of proteins (T9SS substrates), that harbor a signal sequence at the C-terminus. Here we describe the structural characterization of the PorK, PorN and PorG components of the Porphyromonas gingivalis T9SS using electron microscopy and cross-linking mass spectrometry.

PorA, a conserved C-terminal domain-containing protein, impacts the PorXY-SigP signaling of the type IX secretion system

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a periodontal pathogen, translocates many virulence factors including the cysteine proteases referred to as gingipains to the cell surface via the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Expression of the T9SS component proteins is regulated by the tandem signaling of the PorXY two-component system and the ECF sigma factor SigP. However, the details of this regulatory pathway are still unknown. We found that one of the T9SS conserved C-terminal domain-containing proteins, PGN_0123, which we have designated PorA, is involved in regulating expression of genes encoding T9SS structural proteins and that PorA can be translocated onto the cell surface without the T9SS translocation machinery. X-ray crystallography revealed that PorA has a domain similar to the mannose-binding domain of Escherichia coli FimH, the tip protein of Type 1 pilus. Mutations in the cytoplasmic domain of the sensor kinase PorY conferred phenotypic recovery on the ΔporA mutant. The SigP sigma factor, which is activated by the PorXY two-component system, markedly decreased in the ΔporA mutant. These results strongly support a potential role for PorA in relaying a signal from the cell surface to the PorXY-SigP signaling pathway.

Arming the troops: Post-translational modification of extracellular bacterial proteins

Protein secretion is almost universally employed by bacteria. Some proteins are retained on the cell surface, whereas others are released into the extracellular milieu, often playing a key role in virulence. In this review, we discuss the diverse types and potential functions of post-translational modifications (PTMs) occurring to extracellular bacterial proteins.

The Type IX Secretion System: Advances in Structure, Function and Organisation

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is specific to the Bacteroidetes phylum. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen for periodontitis, utilises the T9SS to transport many proteins—including its gingipain virulence factors—across the outer membrane and attach them to the cell surface. Additionally, the T9SS is also required for gliding motility in motile organisms, such as Flavobacterium johnsoniae. At least nineteen proteins have been identified as components of the T9SS, including the three transcription regulators, PorX, PorY and SigP. Although the components are known, the overall organisation and the molecular mechanism of how the T9SS operates is largely unknown. This review focusses on the recent advances made in the structure, function, and organisation of the T9SS machinery to provide further insight into this highly novel secretion system.

Phylogenetic comparison between Type IX Secretion System (T9SS) protein components suggests evidence of horizontal gene transfer

Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the major bacteria that causes periodontitis. Chronic periodontitis is a severe form of periodontal disease that ultimately leads to tooth loss. Virulence factors that contribute to periodontitis are secreted by Type IX Secretion System (T9SS). There are aspects of T9SS protein components that have yet to be characterised. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the phylogenetic relationship between members of 20 T9SS component protein families. The Bayesian Inference (BI) trees for 19 T9SS protein components exhibit monophyletic clades for all major classes under Bacteroidetes with strong support for the monophyletic clades or its subclades that is consistent with phylogeny exhibited by the constructed BI tree of 16S rRNA. The BI tree of PorR is different from the 19 BI trees of T9SS protein components as it does not exhibit monophyletic clades for all major classes under Bacteroidetes. There is strong support for the phylogeny exhibited by the BI tree of PorR which deviates from the phylogeny based on 16S rRNA. Hence, it is possible that the porR gene is subjected to horizontal transfer as it is known that virulence factor genes could be horizontally transferred. Seven genes (porR included) that are involved in the biosynthesis of A-LPS are found to be flanked by insertion sequences (IS5 family transposons). Therefore, the intervening DNA segment that contains the porR gene might be transposed and subjected to conjugative transfer. Thus, the seven genes can be co-transferred via horizontal gene transfer. The BI tree of UgdA does not exhibit monophyletic clades for all major classes under Bacteroidetes which is similar to the BI tree of PorR (both are a part of the seven genes). Both BI trees also exhibit similar topology as the four identified clusters with strong support and have similar relative positions to each other in both BI trees. This reinforces the possibility that porR and the other six genes might be horizontally transferred. Other than the BI tree of PorR, the 19 other BI trees of T9SS protein components also exhibit evidence of horizontal gene transfer. However, their genes might undergo horizontal gene transfer less frequently compared to porR because the intervening DNA segment that contains porR is easily exchanged between bacteria under Bacteroidetes due to the presence of insertion sequences (IS5 family transposons) that flank it. In conclusion, this study can provide a better understanding about the phylogeny of T9SS protein components.

Overexpression and characterization of a novel GH16 β-agarase (Aga1) from Cellulophaga omnivescoria W5C

OBJECTIVE

To identify and characterize a new β-agarase from Cellulophaga omnivescoria W5C capable of producing biologically-active neoagarooligosaccharides from agar.

RESULTS

The β-agarase, Aga1, has signal peptides on both N- and C-terminals, which are involved in the type IX secretion system. It shares 75% protein sequence identity with AgaD from Zobellia galactanivorans and has a molecular weight of 54 kDa. Biochemical characterization reveals optimum agarolytic activities at pH 7-8 and temperature 30-45 °C. Aga1 retains at least 33% activity at temperatures lower than the sol-gel transition state of agarose. Metal ions are generally not essential, but calcium and potassium enhance its activity whereas iron and zinc are inhibitory. Finally, hydrolysis of agarose with Aga1 yields neoagarotetraose, neoagarohexaose, and neoagarooctaose.

CONCLUSIONS

Aga1 displays unique traits such as moderate psychrophilicity, stability, and synergy with other agarases, which makes it an excellent candidate for biosynthetic production of neoagarooligosaccharides from agar.

Crystal structure of Type IX secretion system PorE C-terminal domain from Porphyromonas gingivalis in complex with a peptidoglycan fragment

Porphyromonas gingivalis, the major human pathogen associated to periodontal diseases, utilizes the Bacteroidetes-specific type IX secretion system (T9SS) to export virulence factors. PorE is a periplasmic multi-domain lipoprotein associated to the outer membrane that was recently identified as essential for T9SS function. Little is known on T9SS at the structural level, and in particular its interaction with peptidoglycan. This prompted us to carry out structural studies on PorE full length as well as on its four isolated domains. Here we report the crystal structure of the C-terminal OmpA_C-like putative peptidoglycan-binding domain at 1.55 Å resolution. An electron density volume was identified in the protein cleft, making it possible to build a naturally-occurring peptidoglycan fragment. This result suggests that PorE interacts with peptidoglycan and that PorE could anchor T9SS to the cell wall.

Quantitative proteomic analysis of the type IX secretion system mutants in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an anaerobic, gram-negative human oral pathogen highly associated with chronic periodontitis. P. gingivalis utilizes the type IX secretion system (T9SS) to transport many of its virulence factors including the gingipains to the cell surface. The T9SS is comprised of at least 16 proteins and the involvement of these 16 proteins in the T9SS has been verified by creating gene deletion mutants in P. gingivalis. These T9SS mutants are regularly utilized to understand how these proteins function together to allow the secretion of the T9SS substrates. We performed label-free quantitative proteomic analysis on the T9SS protein mutants in P. gingivalis to understand the relative abundance of each T9SS component in different mutants. The T9SS components were reduced in abundance in the porK, porL, porM, porN, sov and porT mutants, whereas they were increased in the porE, porU, porV, porZ and porQ mutants. Sov and PorW appear to be the lowest in abundance and PorV the highest amongst all the T9SS components in P. gingivalis wild-type strain. These results are consistent with the proposed role of Sov as the translocation pore in the outer membrane and PorV as the shuttle protein that transports the T9SS substrates between sub-complexes. Together, the label-free quantitative proteomics analyses showed that different T9SS mutants have vastly different abundances of the T9SS components. This knowledge will greatly assist in interpreting the phenotype of the T9SS mutants as well as selecting the right mutant for exploring the role of an individual component.

Gingimaps: Protein Localization in the Oral Pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an oral pathogen involved in the widespread disease periodontitis. In recent years, however, this bacterium has been implicated in the etiology of another common disorder, the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis. Periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis were known to correlate for decades, but only recently a possible molecular connection underlying this association has been unveiled. P. gingivalis possesses an enzyme that citrullinates certain host proteins and, potentially, elicits autoimmune antibodies against such citrullinated proteins. These autoantibodies are highly specific for rheumatoid arthritis and have been purported both as a symptom and a potential cause of the disease. The citrullinating enzyme and other major virulence factors of P. gingivalis, including some that were implicated in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis, are targeted to the host tissue as secreted or outer-membrane-bound proteins. These targeting events play pivotal roles in the interactions between the pathogen and its human host. Accordingly, the overall protein sorting and secretion events in P. gingivalis are of prime relevance for understanding its full disease-causing potential and for developing preventive and therapeutic approaches. The aim of this review is therefore to offer a comprehensive overview of the subcellular and extracellular localization of all proteins in three reference strains and four clinical isolates of P. gingivalis, as well as the mechanisms employed to reach these destinations.

Bacteroidetes bacteria in the soil: Glycan acquisition, enzyme secretion, and gliding motility

The secretion of extracellular enzymes by soil microbes is rate-limiting in the recycling of biomass. Fungi and bacteria compete and collaborate for nutrients in the soil, with wide ranging ecological impacts. Within soil microbiota, the Bacteroidetes tend to be a dominant phylum, just like in human and animal intestines. The Bacteroidetes thrive because of their ability to secrete diverse arrays of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) that target the highly varied glycans in the soil. Bacteroidetes use an energy-saving system of genomic organization, whereby most of their CAZymes are grouped into Polysaccharide Utilization Loci (PULs). These loci enable high level production of specific CAZymes only when their substrate glycans are abundant in the local environment. This gives the Bacteroidetes a clear advantage over other species in the competitive soil environment, further enhanced by the phylum-specific Type IX Secretion System (T9SS). The T9SS is highly effective at secreting CAZymes and/or tethering them to the cell surface, and is tightly coupled to the ability to rapidly glide over solid surfaces, a connection that promotes an active hunt for nutrition. Although the soil Bacteroidetes are less well studied than human gut symbionts, research is uncovering important biochemical and physiological phenomena. In this review, we summarize the state of the art on research into the CAZymes secreted by soil Bacteroidetes in the contexts of microbial soil ecology and the discovery of novel CAZymes for use in industrial biotechnology. We hope that this review will stimulate further investigations into the somewhat neglected enzymology of non-gut Bacteroidetes.

Plasmin inhibition by bacterial serpin: Implications in gum disease

Tannerella forsythia is a periodontopathogen that expresses miropin, a protease inhibitor in the serpin superfamily. In this study, we show that miropin is also a specific and efficient inhibitor of plasmin; thus, it represents the first proteinaceous plasmin inhibitor of prokaryotic origin described to date. Miropin inhibits plasmin through the formation of a stable covalent complex triggered by cleavage of the Lys³⁶⁸-Thr³⁶⁹ (P2-P1) reactive site bond with a stoichiometry of inhibition of 3.8 and an association rate constant (k_ass) of 3.3 × 10⁵ M^-1s^-1. The inhibition of the fibrinolytic activity of plasmin was nearly as effective as that exerted by α₂-antiplasmin. Miropin also acted in vivo by reducing blood loss in a mice tail bleeding assay. Importantly, intact T. forsythia cells or outer membrane vesicles, both of which carry surface-associated miropin, strongly inhibited plasmin. In intact bacterial cells, the antiplasmin activity of miropin protects envelope proteins from plasmin-mediated degradation. In summary, in the environment of periodontal pockets, which are bathed in gingival crevicular fluid consisting of 70% of blood plasma, an abundance of T. forsythia in the bacterial biofilm can cause local inhibition of fibrinolysis, which could have possible deleterious effects on the tooth-supporting structures of the periodontium.

Plant-Derived Exosomal Nanoparticles Inhibit Pathogenicity of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Plant exosomes protect plants against infection; however, whether edible plant exosomes can protect mammalian hosts against infection is not known. In this study, we show that ginger exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) are selectively taken up by the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis in a GELN phosphatidic acid (PA) dependent manner via interactions with hemin-binding protein 35 (HBP35) on the surface of P. gingivalis. Compared with PA (34:2), PA (34:1) did not interact with HBP35, indicating that the degree of unsaturation of PA plays a critical role in GELN-mediated interaction with HBP35. On binding to HBP35, pathogenic mechanisms of P. gingivalis were significantly reduced following interaction with GELN cargo molecules, including PA and miRs. These cargo molecules interacted with multiple pathogenic factors in the recipient bacteria simultaneously. Using edible plant exosome-like nanoparticles as a potential therapeutic agent to prevent/treat chronic periodontitis was further demonstrated in a mouse model.

Type IX secretion system is pivotal for expression of gingipain-associated virulence of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen in periodontitis, secretes an array of virulence factors including gingipains via the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Inactivation of any component of the T9SS leads to the accumulation of secreted proteins in unprocessed and, in the case of progingipains, inactive forms in the periplasm. To cast light on the paradox that active gingipains are essential for P. gingivalis fitness in vivo but a functional T9SS is not (Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2017, 7:378), we have compared virulence of wild-type P. gingivalis W83 and the gingipain-null strain with isogenic mutants deficient in individual T9SS components. Using an in vivo subcutaneous chamber mouse model of infection, gingipain-null strain secretion mutants showed no virulence, but their pathogenic potential was reconstituted by coinfection with a low number of the parental strain. Apparently the same mechanism compensated fitness of mutants lacking functional T9SS the transposon library. In contrast to the parental strain, all mutants elicited significantly lower but an effective inflammatory immune response, which cleared infection and prevented systemic dissemination of P. gingivalis to organs. There were no significant differences in immune responses to different secretion mutants, which were generally more stimulatory than the gingipain-null strain. Together, these results indicate that functional T9SS is essential for P. gingivalis virulence apparently through delivery of active gingipains to the bacterial surface. Therefore, T9SS is a legitimate target for drug development to treat periodontitis.

The Carboxy-Terminal Region of Flavobacterium johnsoniae SprB Facilitates Its Secretion by the Type IX Secretion System and Propulsion by the Gliding Motility Machinery

Flavobacterium johnsoniae SprB moves rapidly along the cell surface, resulting in gliding motility. SprB secretion requires the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Proteins secreted by the T9SS typically have conserved C-terminal domains (CTDs) belonging to the type A CTD or type B CTD family. Attachment of 70- to 100-amino-acid type A CTDs to a foreign protein allows its secretion. Type B CTDs are common but have received little attention. Secretion of the foreign protein superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) fused to regions spanning the SprB type B CTD (sfGFP-CTD_SprB) was analyzed. CTDs of 218 amino acids or longer resulted in secretion of sfGFP, whereas a 149-amino-acid region did not. Some sfGFP was secreted in soluble form, whereas the rest was attached on the cell surface. Surface-attached sfGFP was rapidly propelled along the cell, suggesting productive interaction with the motility machinery. This did not result in rapid cell movement, which apparently requires additional regions of SprB. Secretion of sfGFP-CTD_SprB required coexpression with sprF, which lies downstream of sprB SprF is similar in sequence to Porphyromonas gingivalis PorP. Most F. johnsoniae genes encoding proteins with type B CTDs lie immediately upstream of porP/sprF-like genes. sfGFP was fused to the type B CTD from one such protein (Fjoh_3952). This resulted in secretion of sfGFP only when it was coexpressed with its cognate PorP/SprF-like protein. These results highlight the need for extended regions of type B CTDs and for coexpression with the appropriate PorP/SprF-like protein for efficient secretion and cell surface localization of cargo proteins.IMPORTANCE The F. johnsoniae gliding motility adhesin SprB is delivered to the cell surface by the type IX secretion system (T9SS) and is rapidly propelled along the cell by the motility machinery. How this 6,497-amino-acid protein interacts with the secretion and motility machines is not known. Fusion of the C-terminal 218 amino acids of SprB to a foreign cargo protein resulted in its secretion, attachment to the cell surface, and rapid movement by the motility machinery. Efficient secretion of SprB required coexpression with the outer membrane protein SprF. Secreted proteins that have sequence similarity to SprB in their C-terminal regions are common in the phylum Bacteroidetes and may have roles in adhesion, motility, and virulence.

Proteolytic processing and activation of gingipain zymogens secreted by T9SS of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis uses a type IX secretion system (T9SS) to deliver more than 30 proteins to the bacterial surface using a conserved C-terminal domain (CTD) as an outer membrane translocation signal. On the surface, the CTD is cleaved and an anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-PLS) is attached by PorU sortase. Among T9SS cargo proteins are cysteine proteases, gingipains, which are secreted as inactive zymogens requiring removal of an inhibiting N-terminal prodomain (PD) for activation. Here, we have shown that the gingipain proRgpB isolated from the periplasm of a T9SS-deficient P. gingivalis strain was stable and did not undergo autocatalytic activation. Addition of purified, active RgpA or RgpB, but not Lys-specific Kgp, efficiently cleaved the PD of proRgpB but catalytic activity remained inhibited because of inhibition of the catalytic domain in trans by the PD. In contrast, active RgpB was generated from the zymogen, although at a slow rate, by gingipain-null P. gingivalis lysate or intact bacterial cell suspension. This activation was dependent on the presence of the PorU sortase. Interestingly, maturation of proRgpB with the catalytic cysteine residues mutated to Ala expressed in the ΔRgpA mutant strain was indistinguishable from that in the parental strain. Cumulatively, this suggests that PorU not only has sortase activity but is also engaged in activation of gingipain zymogens on the bacterial cell surface.

PGN_0297 is an essential component of the type IX secretion system (T9SS) in Porphyromonas gingivalis: Tn-seq analysis for exhaustive identification of T9SS-related genes

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) was originally discovered in Porphyromonas gingivalis, one of the pathogenic bacteria associated with periodontal disease and is now known to be present in many members of the phylum Bacteroidetes. The T9SS secretes a number of potent virulence factors, including the highly hydrolytic proteases called gingipains, across the outer membrane in P. gingivalis. To understand the entire machinery of T9SS, an exhaustive search for T9SS‐related genes in P. gingivalis using the mariner family transposon (Tn) and Tn‐seq analysis was performed. Seven hundred and two Tn insertion sites in Tn mutants with no colony pigmentation that is associated with Lys‐gingipain (Kgp) defectiveness were determined, and it was found that the Tn was inserted in the kgp gene and 54 T9SS‐related candidate genes. Thirty‐three out of the 54 genes were already known as T9SS‐related genes. Furthermore, deletion mutant analysis of the remaining 21 genes revealed that they were not related to the T9SS. The 33 T9SS‐related genes include a gene for PGN_0297, which was found to be associated with the T9SS components PorK and PorN. A PGN_0297 gene deletion mutant was constructed, and it was found that the mutant showed no colony pigmentation, hemagglutination or gingipain activities, indicating that PGN_0297 was an essential component of the T9SS. The 33 genes did not include the six genes (gppX, omp17, porY, rfa, sigP and wzx) that were also reported as T9SS‐related genes. gppX deletion and insertion mutants were constructed, and it was found that they did not show deficiency in the T9SS.

Bacteroidetes Gliding Motility and the Type IX Secretion System

Members of the phylum Bacteroidetes have many unique features, including gliding motility and the type IX protein secretion system (T9SS). Bacteroidetes gliding and T9SSs are common in, but apparently confined to, this phylum. Most, but not all, members of the phylum secrete proteins using the T9SS, and most also exhibit gliding motility. T9SSs secrete cell surface components of the gliding motility machinery and also secrete many extracellular or cell surface enzymes, adhesins, and virulence factors. The components of the T9SS are novel and are unrelated to those of other bacterial secretion systems. Proteins secreted by the T9SS rely on the Sec system to cross the cytoplasmic membrane, and they use the T9SS for delivery across the outer membrane. Secreted proteins typically have conserved C-terminal domains that target them to the T9SS. Some of the T9SS components were initially identified as proteins required for gliding motility. Gliding does not involve flagella or pili and instead relies on the rapid movement of motility adhesins, such as SprB, along the cell surface by the gliding motor. Contact of the adhesins with the substratum provides the traction that results in cell movement. SprB and other motility adhesins are delivered to the cell surface by the T9SS. Gliding and the T9SS appear to be intertwined, and components of the T9SS that span the cytoplasmic membrane may energize both gliding and protein secretion. The functions of the individual proteins in each process are the subject of ongoing investigations.

Type 9 secretion system structures reveal a new protein transport mechanism

The type 9 secretion system (T9SS) is the protein export pathway of bacteria of the Gram-negative Fibrobacteres-Chlorobi-Bacteroidetes superphylum and is an essential determinant of pathogenicity in severe periodontal disease. The central element of the T9SS is a so-far uncharacterized protein-conducting translocon located in the bacterial outer membrane. Here, using cryo-electron microscopy, we provide structural evidence that the translocon is the T9SS protein SprA. SprA forms an extremely large (36-strand) single polypeptide transmembrane β-barrel. The barrel pore is capped on the extracellular end, but has a lateral opening to the external membrane surface. Structures of SprA bound to different components of the T9SS show that partner proteins control access to the lateral opening and to the periplasmic end of the pore. Our results identify a protein transporter with a distinctive architecture that uses an alternating access mechanism in which the two ends of the protein-conducting channel are open at different times.

The Bacteroidetes Q-Rule: Pyroglutamate in Signal Peptidase I Substrates

Bacteroidetes feature prominently in the human microbiome, as major colonizers of the gut and clinically relevant pathogens elsewhere. Here, we reveal a new Bacteroidetes specific feature in the otherwise widely conserved Sec/SPI (Sec translocase/signal peptidase I) pathway. In Bacteroidetes, but not the entire FCB group or related phyla, signal peptide cleavage exposes N-terminal glutamine residues in most SPI substrates. Reanalysis of published mass spectrometry data for five Bacteroidetes species shows that the newly exposed glutamines are cyclized to pyroglutamate (also termed 5-oxoproline) residues. Using the dental pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis as a model, we identify the PG2157 (also called PG_RS09565, Q7MT37) as the glutaminyl cyclase in this species, and map the catalytic activity to the periplasmic face of the inner membrane. Genetic manipulations that alter the glutamine residue immediately after the signal peptide in the pre-pro-forms of the gingipains affect the extracellular proteolytic activity of RgpA, but not RgpB and Kgp. Glutamine statistics, mass spectrometry data and the mutagenesis results show that the N-terminal glutamine residues or their pyroglutamate cyclization products do not act as generic sorting signals.

Importance of heterogeneity in Porhyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide lipid A in tissue specific inflammatory signalling

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Porphyromonas gingivalis exists in at least two known forms, O-LPS and A-LPS. A-LPS shows heterogeneity in which two isoforms designated LPS1,435/1,449 and LPS1,690 appear responsible for tissue-specific immune signalling pathways activation and increased virulence. The modification of lipid A to tetra-acylated1,435/1,449 and/or penta-acylated1,690 fatty acids indicates poor growth conditions and bioavailability of hemin. Hemin protects P. gingivalis from serum resistance and the lipid A serves as a site for its binding. The LPS1,435/1,449 and LPS1,690 isoforms can produce opposite effects on the human Toll-like receptors (TLR) TLR2 and TLR4 activation. This enables P. gingivalis to select the conditions for its entry, survival, and that of its co-habiting species in the host, orchestrating its virulence to control innate immune pathway activation and biofilm dysbiosis. This review describes a number of effects that LPS1,435/1,449 and LPS1,690 can exert on the host tissues such as deregulation of the innate immune system, subversion of host cell autophagy, regulation of outer membrane vesicle production, and adverse effects on pregnancy outcome. The ability to change its LPS1,435/1,449 and/or LPS1,690 composition may enable P. gingivalis to paralyze local pro-inflammatory cytokine production, thereby gaining access to its primary location in periodontal tissue.

More Than Gliding: Involvement of GldD and GldG in the Virulence of Flavobacterium psychrophilum

A fascinating characteristic of most members of the genus Flavobacterium is their ability to move over surfaces by gliding motility. Flavobacterium psychrophilum, an important pathogen of farmed salmonids worldwide, contains in its genome the 19 gld and spr genes shown to be required for gliding or spreading in Flavobacterium johnsoniae; however, their relative role in its lifestyle remains unknown. In order to address this issue, two spreading deficient mutants were produced as part of a Tn4351 mutant library in F. psychrophilum strain THCO2-90. The transposons were inserted in gldD and gldG genes. While the wild-type strain is proficient in adhesion, biofilm formation and displays strong proteolytic activity, both mutants lost these characteristics. Extracellular proteome comparisons revealed important modifications for both mutants, with a significant reduction of the amounts of proteins likely transported through the outer membrane by the Type IX secretion system, indicating that GldD and GldG proteins are required for an effective activity of this system. In addition, a significant decrease in virulence was observed using rainbow trout bath and injection infection models. Our results reveal additional roles of gldD and gldG genes that are likely of importance for the F. psychrophilum lifestyle, including virulence.

PorV is an Outer Membrane Shuttle Protein for the Type IX Secretion System

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis. Major virulence factors named gingipains (cysteine proteinases, RgpA, RgpB and Kgp) are secreted via the Type IX Secretion System (T9SS). These, together with approximately 30 other proteins, are secreted to the cell surface and anchored to the outer membrane by covalent modification to anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS) via the novel Gram negative sortase, PorU. PorU is localised on the cell surface and cleaves the C-terminal domain signal (CTD) of T9SS substrates and conjugates their new C-termini to A-LPS. A 440 kDa-attachment complex was identified in the wild-type (WT) comprising of PorU:PorV:PorQ:PorZ. In mutant strains, sub-complexes comprising PorU:PorV or PorQ:PorZ were also identified at smaller native sizes suggesting that PorU and PorZ are anchored to the cell surface via interaction with the PorV and PorQ outer membrane proteins, respectively. Analysis of porU mutants and a CTD cleavage mutant revealed accumulation of immature T9SS substrates in a PorV-bound form. Quantitative label-free proteomics of WT whole cell lysates estimated that the proportion of secretion channels:attachment complexes:free PorV:T9SS substrates was 1:6:110:2000 supporting a role for PorV as a shuttle protein delivering secreted proteins to the attachment complex for CTD signal cleavage and A-LPS modification.

The Type IX Secretion System (T9SS): Highlights and Recent Insights into Its Structure and Function

Protein secretion systems are vital for prokaryotic life, as they enable bacteria to acquire nutrients, communicate with other species, defend against biological and chemical agents, and facilitate disease through the delivery of virulence factors. In this review, we will focus on the recently discovered type IX secretion system (T9SS), a complex translocon found only in some species of the Bacteroidetes phylum. T9SS plays two roles, depending on the lifestyle of the bacteria. It provides either a means of movement (called gliding motility) for peace-loving environmental bacteria or a weapon for pathogens. The best-studied members of these two groups are Flavobacterium johnsoniae, a commensal microorganism often found in water and soil, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, a human oral pathogen that is a major causative agent of periodontitis. In P. gingivalis and some other periodontopathogens, T9SS translocates proteins, especially virulence factors, across the outer membrane (OM). Proteins destined for secretion bear a conserved C-terminal domain (CTD) that directs the cargo to the OM translocon. At least 18 proteins are involved in this still enigmatic process, with some engaged in the post-translational modification of T9SS cargo proteins. Upon translocation across the OM, the CTD is removed by a protease with sortase-like activity and an anionic LPS is attached to the newly formed C-terminus. As a result, a cargo protein could be secreted into the extracellular milieu or covalently attached to the bacterial surface. T9SS is regulated by a two-component system; however, the precise environmental signal that triggers it has not been identified. Exploring unknown systems contributing to bacterial virulence is exciting, as it may eventually lead to new therapeutic strategies. During the past decade, the major components of T9SS were identified, as well as hints suggesting the possible mechanism of action. In addition, the list of characterized cargo proteins is constantly growing. The actual structure of the translocon, situated in the OM of bacteria, remains the least explored area; however, new technical approaches and increasing scientific attention have resulted in a growing body of data. Therefore, we present a compact up-to-date review of this topic.

The Type IX Secretion System (T9SS): Highlights and Recent Insights into Its Structure and Function

Protein secretion systems are vital for prokaryotic life, as they enable bacteria to acquire nutrients, communicate with other species, defend against biological and chemical agents, and facilitate disease through the delivery of virulence factors. In this review, we will focus on the recently discovered type IX secretion system (T9SS), a complex translocon found only in some species of the Bacteroidetes phylum. T9SS plays two roles, depending on the lifestyle of the bacteria. It provides either a means of movement (called gliding motility) for peace-loving environmental bacteria or a weapon for pathogens. The best-studied members of these two groups are Flavobacterium johnsoniae, a commensal microorganism often found in water and soil, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, a human oral pathogen that is a major causative agent of periodontitis. In P. gingivalis and some other periodontopathogens, T9SS translocates proteins, especially virulence factors, across the outer membrane (OM). Proteins destined for secretion bear a conserved C-terminal domain (CTD) that directs the cargo to the OM translocon. At least 18 proteins are involved in this still enigmatic process, with some engaged in the post-translational modification of T9SS cargo proteins. Upon translocation across the OM, the CTD is removed by a protease with sortase-like activity and an anionic LPS is attached to the newly formed C-terminus. As a result, a cargo protein could be secreted into the extracellular milieu or covalently attached to the bacterial surface. T9SS is regulated by a two-component system; however, the precise environmental signal that triggers it has not been identified. Exploring unknown systems contributing to bacterial virulence is exciting, as it may eventually lead to new therapeutic strategies. During the past decade, the major components of T9SS were identified, as well as hints suggesting the possible mechanism of action. In addition, the list of characterized cargo proteins is constantly growing. The actual structure of the translocon, situated in the OM of bacteria, remains the least explored area; however, new technical approaches and increasing scientific attention have resulted in a growing body of data. Therefore, we present a compact up-to-date review of this topic.

Diverse C-Terminal Sequences Involved in Flavobacterium johnsoniae Protein Secretion

Flavobacteriumjohnsoniae and many related bacteria secrete proteins across the outer membrane using the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Proteins secreted by T9SSs have amino-terminal signal peptides for export across the cytoplasmic membrane by the Sec system and carboxy-terminal domains (CTDs) targeting them for secretion across the outer membrane by the T9SS. Most but not all T9SS CTDs belong to the family TIGR04183 (type A CTDs). We functionally characterized diverse CTDs for secretion by the F. johnsoniae T9SS. Attachment of the CTDs from F. johnsoniae RemA, AmyB, and ChiA to the foreign superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) that had a signal peptide at the amino terminus resulted in secretion across the outer membrane. In each case, approximately 80 to 100 amino acids from the extreme carboxy termini were needed for efficient secretion. Several type A CTDs from distantly related members of the phylum Bacteroidetes functioned in F. johnsoniae, supporting the secretion of sfGFP by the F. johnsoniae T9SS. F. johnsoniae SprB requires the T9SS for secretion but lacks a type A CTD. It has a conserved C-terminal domain belonging to the family TIGR04131, which we refer to as a type B CTD. The CTD of SprB was required for its secretion, but attachment of C-terminal regions of SprB of up to 1,182 amino acids to sfGFP failed to result in secretion. Additional features outside the C-terminal region of SprB may be required for its secretion.IMPORTANCE Type IX protein secretion systems (T9SSs) are common in but limited to members of the phylum Bacteroidetes Most proteins that are secreted by T9SSs have conserved carboxy-terminal domains that belong to the protein domain family TIGR04183 (type A CTDs) or TIGR04131 (type B CTDs). Here, we identify features of T9SS CTDs of F. johnsoniae that are required for protein secretion and demonstrate that type A CTDs from distantly related members of the phylum function with the F. johnsoniae T9SS to secrete the foreign protein sfGFP. In contrast, type B CTDs failed to target sfGFP for secretion, suggesting a more complex association with the T9SS.

Structural insights unravel the zymogenic mechanism of the virulence factor gingipain K from Porphyromonas gingivalis, a causative agent of gum disease from the human oral microbiome

Skewing of the human oral microbiome causes dysbiosis and preponderance of bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, the main etiological agent of periodontitis. P. gingivalis secretes proteolytic gingipains (Kgp and RgpA/B) as zymogens inhibited by a pro-domain that is removed during extracellular activation. Unraveling the molecular mechanism of Kgp zymogenicity is essential to design inhibitors blocking its activity. Here, we found that the isolated 209-residue Kgp pro-domain is a boomerang-shaped all-β protein similar to the RgpB pro-domain. Using composite structural information of Kgp and RgpB, we derived a plausible homology model and mechanism of Kgp-regulating zymogenicity. Accordingly, the pro-domain would laterally attach to the catalytic moiety in Kgp and block the active site through an exposed inhibitory loop. This loop features a lysine (Lys¹²⁹) likely occupying the S₁ specificity pocket and exerting latency. Lys¹²⁹ mutation to glutamate or arginine led to misfolded protein that was degraded in vivo Mutation to alanine gave milder effects but still strongly diminished proteolytic activity, without affecting the subcellular location of the enzyme. Accordingly, the interactions of Lys¹²⁹ within the S₁ pocket are also essential for correct folding. Uniquely for gingipains, the isolated Kgp pro-domain dimerized through an interface, which partially overlapped with that between the catalytic moiety and the pro-domain within the zymogen, i.e. both complexes are mutually exclusive. Thus, pro-domain dimerization, together with partial rearrangement of the active site upon activation, explains the lack of inhibition of the pro-domain in trans. Our results reveal that the specific latency mechanism of Kgp differs from those of Rgps.