The Brucella effector BspL targets the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway and delays bacterial egress from infected cells.

Perturbation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a central organelle of the cell, can have critical consequences for cellular homeostasis. An elaborate surveillance system known as ER quality control ensures that cells can respond and adapt to stress via the unfolded protein response (UPR) and that only correctly assembled proteins reach their destination. Interestingly, several bacterial pathogens hijack the ER to establish an infection. However, it remains poorly understood how bacterial pathogens exploit ER quality-control functions to complete their intracellular cycle. Brucella spp. replicate extensively within an ER-derived niche, which evolves into specialized vacuoles suited for exit from infected cells. Here we present Brucella-secreted protein L (BspL), a Brucella abortus effector that interacts with Herp, a central component of the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) machinery. We found that BspL enhances ERAD at the late stages of the infection. BspL targeting of Herp and ERAD allows tight control of the kinetics of autophagic Brucella-containing vacuole formation, delaying the last step of its intracellular cycle and cell-to-cell spread. This study highlights a mechanism by which a bacterial pathogen hijacks ERAD components for fine regulation of its intracellular trafficking.

A Pseudomonas aeruginosa TIR effector mediates immune evasion by targeting UBAP1 and TLR adaptors.

Bacterial pathogens often subvert the innate immune system to establish a successful infection. The direct inhibition of downstream components of innate immune pathways is particularly well documented but how bacteria interfere with receptor proximal events is far less well understood. Here, we describe a Toll/interleukin 1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing protein (PumA) of the multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA7 strain. We found that PumA is essential for virulence and inhibits NF-κB, a property transferable to non-PumA strain PA14, suggesting no additional factors are needed for PumA function. The TIR domain is able to interact with the Toll-like receptor (TLR) adaptors TIRAP and MyD88, as well as the ubiquitin-associated protein 1 (UBAP1), a component of the endosomal-sorting complex required for transport I (ESCRT-I). These interactions are not spatially exclusive as we show UBAP1 can associate with MyD88, enhancing its plasma membrane localization. Combined targeting of UBAP1 and TLR adaptors by PumA impedes both cytokine and TLR receptor signalling, highlighting a novel strategy for innate immune evasion.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids Affect Quorum Sensing Communication System and Inhibit Motility and Biofilm Formation of Acinetobacter baumannii.

The increasing threat of Acinetobacter baumannii as a nosocomial pathogen is mainly due to the occurrence of multidrug-resistant strains that are associated with the real problem of its eradication from hospital wards. The particular ability of this pathogen to form biofilms contributes to its persistence, increases antibiotic resistance, and promotes persistent/device-related infections. We previously demonstrated that virstatin, which is a small organic compound known to decrease virulence of Vibrio cholera via an inhibition of T4-pili expression, displayed very promising activity to prevent A. baumannii biofilm development. Here, we examined the antibiofilm activity of mono-unsaturated chain fatty acids, palmitoleic (PoA), and myristoleic (MoA) acids, presenting similar action on V. cholerae virulence. We demonstrated that PoA and MoA (at 0.02 mg/mL) were able to decrease A. baumannii ATCC 17978 biofilm formation up to 38% and 24%, respectively, presented a biofilm dispersing effect and drastically reduced motility. We highlighted that these fatty acids decreased the expression of the regulator abaR from the LuxIR-type quorum sensing (QS) communication system AbaIR and consequently reduced the N-acyl-homoserine lactone production (AHL). This effect can be countered by addition of exogenous AHLs. Besides, fatty acids may have additional non-targeted effects, independent from QS. Atomic force microscopy experiments probed indeed that PoA and MoA could also act on the initial adhesion process in modifying the material interface properties. Evaluation of fatty acids effect on 22 clinical isolates showed a strain-dependent antibiofilm activity, which was not correlated to hydrophobicity or pellicle formation ability of the tested strains, and suggested a real diversity in cell-to-cell communication systems involved in A. baumannii biofilm formation.