Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Total Protein Extraction and 2-D Gel Electrophoresis Methods for Burkholderia Species
Published on: October 15, 2013
Functional characterizations of effector protein BipC, a type III secretion system protein, in Burkholderia
Wen-Tyng Kang1, Kumutha Malar Vellasamy1, Eng-Guan Chua1
1Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Objectives:
The bsa locus of Burkholderia pseudomallei encodes several proteins that are components of the type III secretion system (TTSS). BipC was postulated as one of the TTSS-3 effector proteins, but its role in the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei infection is not well understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine its role(s) in the virulence of B. pseudomallei pathogenesis.
Methods:
A bipC TTSS-3-deficient strain of B. pseudomallei and complemented strains were generated to assess the role of BipC as a type III translocation apparatus. Human cell lines and a mouse model of melioidosis were used for in vitro and in vivo assays, respectively.
Results:
A significant 2-fold reduction was demonstrated in the percentage of adherence, invasion, intracellular survival, and phagosomal escape of the bipC mutant. Interestingly, microscopic studies have shown that BipC was capable of delayed B. pseudomallei actin-based motility. The virulence of the mutant strain in a murine model of melioidosis demonstrated that the bipC mutant was less virulent, compared with the wild type.
Conclusion:
The results suggested that BipC possesses virulence determinants that play significant roles in host cell invasion and immune evasion.
More Related Videos
11:50Bacterial Leaf Infiltration Assay for Fine Characterization of Plant Defense Responses using the Arabidopsis thaliana-Pseudomonas syringae Pathosystem
Published on: October 1, 2015
08:38Using a Bacterial Pathogen to Probe for Cellular and Organismic-level Host Responses
Published on: February 22, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence
Bacterial Toxins
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria
Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria
Gram-negative Bacterial Protein Secretion Systems