TY - JOUR
T1 - Independent Regulation of Type VI Secretion in Vibrio cholerae by TfoX and TfoY
AU - Metzger, Lisa C.
AU - Stutzmann, Sandrine
AU - Scrignari, Tiziana
AU - Van der Henst, Charles
AU - Matthey, Noémie
AU - Blokesch, Melanie
PY - 2016/5/3
Y1 - 2016/5/3
N2 - Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are nanomachines used for interbacterial killing and intoxication of eukaryotes. Although Vibrio cholerae is a model organism for structural studies on T6SSs, the underlying regulatory network is less understood. A recent study showed that the T6SS is part of the natural competence regulon in V. cholerae and is activated by the regulator TfoX. Here, we identify the TfoX homolog TfoY as a second activator of the T6SS. Importantly, despite inducing the same T6SS core machinery, the overall regulons differ significantly for TfoX and TfoY. We show that TfoY does not contribute to competence induction. Instead, TfoY drives the production of T6SS-dependent and T6SS-independent toxins, together with an increased motility phenotype. Hence, we conclude that V. cholerae uses its sole T6SS in response to diverse cues and for distinctive outcomes: either to kill for the prey's DNA, leading to horizontal gene transfer, or as part of a defensive escape reaction. Metzger et al. find that the type VI secretion system (T6SS) of Vibrio cholerae is activated by TfoX and TfoY. Such dual regulation of the T6SS of V. cholerae suggests that this molecular killing device is activated by diverse environmental cues.
AB - Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are nanomachines used for interbacterial killing and intoxication of eukaryotes. Although Vibrio cholerae is a model organism for structural studies on T6SSs, the underlying regulatory network is less understood. A recent study showed that the T6SS is part of the natural competence regulon in V. cholerae and is activated by the regulator TfoX. Here, we identify the TfoX homolog TfoY as a second activator of the T6SS. Importantly, despite inducing the same T6SS core machinery, the overall regulons differ significantly for TfoX and TfoY. We show that TfoY does not contribute to competence induction. Instead, TfoY drives the production of T6SS-dependent and T6SS-independent toxins, together with an increased motility phenotype. Hence, we conclude that V. cholerae uses its sole T6SS in response to diverse cues and for distinctive outcomes: either to kill for the prey's DNA, leading to horizontal gene transfer, or as part of a defensive escape reaction. Metzger et al. find that the type VI secretion system (T6SS) of Vibrio cholerae is activated by TfoX and TfoY. Such dual regulation of the T6SS of V. cholerae suggests that this molecular killing device is activated by diverse environmental cues.
KW - Interbacterial competition
KW - Motility
KW - TfoX-like regulators
KW - Type VI secretion system
KW - Vibrio cholerae
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84963973458&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.092
DO - 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.03.092
M3 - Article
C2 - 27117415
AN - SCOPUS:84963973458
SN - 2211-1247
VL - 15
SP - 951
EP - 958
JO - Cell Reports
JF - Cell Reports
IS - 5
ER -