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The Burkholderia Type VI Secretion System 5: Composition, Regulation and Role in Virulence

Jan Lennings1, T Eoin West2, Sandra Schwarz1

  • 1Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|January 29, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Burkholderia pseudomallei uses Type VI Secretion System 5 (T6SS-5) to cause fatal infections by manipulating host cells and evading immune responses. This review details T6SS-5

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • * Burkholderia pseudomallei* is a soil bacterium and select agent causing severe infections.
  • * B. pseudomallei*'s intracellular lifestyle is key to its virulence.
  • * Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SSs)* are crucial for bacterial-host interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on *Burkholderia*'s T6SS-5.
  • To elucidate the mechanism and role of T6SS-5 in virulence.
  • To understand how T6SS-5 aids bacteria in overcoming host immunity.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of T6SS orthologs in *B. pseudomallei* and *B. thailandensis*.
  • Investigation of T6SS-5 function in host cell manipulation (e.g., multinucleated giant cell formation).
  • Assessment of T6SS-5's role in virulence using mouse models with varying innate immunity (MyD88-dependent pathways).

Main Results:

  • *B. pseudomallei* and *B. thailandensis* utilize T6SS-5 to manipulate host cells post-entry.
  • T6SS-5 facilitates intercellular spread by forming multinucleated giant cells.
  • T6SS-5 disruption attenuates virulence in wildtype mice but not in MyD88-deficient mice, indicating a role in overcoming innate immunity.

Conclusions:

  • T6SS-5 is a critical virulence factor for *Burkholderia* species.
  • The T6SS-5 likely functions to suppress host innate immune responses.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand T6SS-5's mechanism and physiological significance during infection.
Keywords:
B. pseudomalleiintracellular life cyclemultinucleated giant cell formationtype VI secretion systemvirulence

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