Pseudomonas aeruginosa ExsA Regulates a Metalloprotease, ImpA, That Inhibits Phagocytosis of Macrophages [Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular Interactions]

In this study, we found that an extracellular metalloprotease encoded by impA (PA0572) is under the regulation of ExsA. An ExsA consensus binding sequence was identified upstream of the impA gene, and direct binding of the site by ExsA was demonstrated via an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. We further demonstrate that secreted ImpA cleaves the macrophage surface protein CD44, which inhibits the phagocytosis of the bacterial cells by macrophages. Combined, our results reveal a novel ExsA-regulated virulence factor that cooperatively inhibits the functions of macrophages with the T3SS.

Source: Infection and Immunity - November 17, 2019 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tian, Z., Cheng, S., Xia, B., Jin, Y., Bai, F., Cheng, Z., Jin, S., Liu, X., Wu, W. Tags: Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular Interactions Source Type: research