Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The Cytotoxin YopT of Yersinia enterocoliticaInduces Modification and Cellular Redistribution of the Small GTP-binding Protein RhoA

1999; Elsevier BV; Volume: 274; Issue: 41 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1074/jbc.274.41.29289

1083-351X

Robert Zumbihl, Martin Aepfelbacher, Andreas Andor, Christoph A. Jacobi, Klaus Ruckdeschel, Bruno Rouot, Jürgen Heesemann,

Chromatography in Natural Products

Pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica produces two virulence plasmid-encoded cytotoxins, YopE and YopT, that are translocated into target cells where they disrupt the actin cytoskeleton. Here we show that infection of cells with wild type Y. enterocolitica and a yopE mutant, but not with a yopT mutant, induces an increase in the electrophoretic mobility of the small GTPase RhoA. As tested by isoelectric focusing, YopT-dependent modification resulted in an acidic shift of RhoA. Furthermore, RhoA modification induced by YopT was accompanied by redistribution of membrane-bound RhoA toward the cytosol. Finally, a yopE mutant of Y. enterocolitica expressing the cytotoxic activity of YopT specifically disrupted RhoA-controlled actin stress fibers. These findings provide evidence for inactivation of RhoA by the translocated Y. enterocolitica cytotoxin YopT and suggest a novel inhibitory modification of RhoA by a bacterial virulence factor.