THE BIPC MINOR TRANSLOCASE MEMBRANE PROTEIN OF THE BURKHOLDERIA TRANSLOCON
Some Gram-negative bacteria utilize type III secretion system (T3SS) as a tool in their arsenal in the pursuit of host invasion. The T3SS works to the advantage of the pathogen and acts like a syringe, cleverly bypassing any of the host immune responses, which injects effector proteins (virulence factors) into a host cell. Burkholderia pseudomallei is a bacterium of high concern to the health of the human population. B. pseudomallei is a human pathogen which is tasteless, odorless, and colorless. It is transmittable subcutaneously, through contaminated food and water, and through the air if aerosolized. B. pseudomallei can survive harsh conditions and is intrinsically highly antibiotic resistant. Historically, a strain of the Burkholderia family has been utilized as a biological weapon during World War I. Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a disease that impacts humans along with some animals. Melioidosis causes severe infections that have diverse manifestations. Melioidosis infection is very difficult to diagnose and treat causing victim’s long periods of suffering. Infection of melioidosis has a high mortality rate making finding more efficient treatments critical. The tip of the Burkholderia pseudomallei T3SS is essential in docking and so is a possible target for treatment development or molecular manipulation. Located on the tip of the T3SS needle complex are Bsa translocators BipB, BipC, and BipD. These Bsa translocators form a pore in which facilitates the delivery of effector proteins into the host cell. BipD makes up the tip of the needle, BipB is the major translocase, and BipC is the minor translocase. Major and minor translocator proteins form a pore for bacterial effector transfer. BipC is predicted to be the minor translocase in Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is postulated that BipC, minor translocase, collaborates with BipB, major translocase, to function as the translocator proteins of the B. pseudomallei T3SS as two unique proteins are needed in the T3SSs Analysis and understanding needs more consideration. Burkholderia pseudomallei employs many virulence factors in the pursuit of gaining entry to host cells, replicating, and dissemination throughout the host. Analysis and understanding these virulence factors such as the T3SS and its docking site could give us novel points of target to guide the development of treatments or vaccines.
Molecular biology, BipC, Burkholderia, melioidosis, membrane protein, translocase, Type III Secretion System
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