Type VI secretion system killing by commensal Neisseria is influenced by expression of type four pili

Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SSs) are widespread in bacteria and can dictate the development and organisation of polymicrobial ecosystems by mediating contact dependent killing. In species, including a commensal of the human respiratory tract, interbacterial contacts are mediated by Type four pili (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:eLife 2021-07, Vol.10
Main Authors: Custodio, Rafael, Ford, Rhian M, Ellison, Cara J, Liu, Guangyu, Mickute, Gerda, Tang, Christoph M, Exley, Rachel M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antagonism
Bacteria
Competition
Ecosystems
Fimbriae, Bacterial - metabolism
Genes
Genomes
Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Microbiota - physiology
Neisseria
Neisseria cinerea
Neisseria cinerea - physiology
Neisseria meningitidis
Pathogens
Pili
Prey
Respiratory tract
Sea lions
Secretion
Symbiosis - genetics
T6SS
Type IV pili
Type VI Secretion Systems - metabolism
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Summary:Type VI Secretion Systems (T6SSs) are widespread in bacteria and can dictate the development and organisation of polymicrobial ecosystems by mediating contact dependent killing. In species, including a commensal of the human respiratory tract, interbacterial contacts are mediated by Type four pili (Tfp) which promote formation of aggregates and govern the spatial dynamics of growing microcolonies. Here, we show that expresses a plasmid-encoded T6SS that is active and can limit growth of related pathogens. We explored the impact of Tfp on T6SS-dependent killing within a colony and show that pilus expression by a prey strain enhances susceptibility to T6SS compared to a non-piliated prey, by preventing segregation from a T6SS-wielding attacker. Our findings have important implications for understanding how spatial constraints during contact-dependent antagonism can shape the evolution of microbial communities.
ISSN:2050-084X
2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.63755