Roles of type 5 secretion system-derived proteins in the pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24790426
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including Mycology)
• Research Institution: Kurume University
• Principal Investigator: KIDA YUTAKA 久留米大学, 医学部, 講師 (30309752)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 緑膿菌 / プロテアーゼ / 感染 / ５型分泌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. P. aeruginosa possesses an arsenal of both cell-associated (flagella, pili, alginate/biofilm, etc.) and secreted (exotoxin A, proteases, type 3 secretion system effectors, etc.) virulence factors. However, little has been known about the type 5 secretion system (T5SS)-derived proteins involving in the pathogenicity of this organism. In this study, we tried to elucidate whether EprS, an autotransporter protein, secreted via T5SS functions as a virulence factor of P. aeruginosa. Although EprS is predicted to encode a serine protease, there is no published experimental evidence to confirm this. Then, we performed functional analyses of recombinant EprS secreted by Escherichia coli. Our results indicated that EprS, a serine protease, exhibits the substrate specificity, cleaving at the carboxyl side of basic residues and induces host inflammatory responses through PARs.

Free Research Field

細菌学