Open AccessTracking elusive cargo: Illuminating spatio‐temporal Type 3 effector protein dynamics using reporters
Author(s) -
O'Boyle Nicky,
Connolly James P. R.,
Roe Andrew J.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
cellular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.542
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1462-5822
pISSN - 1462-5814
DOI - 10.1111/cmi.12797
Subject(s) - effector , biology , secretion , function (biology) , computational biology , dynamics (music) , microbiology and biotechnology , process (computing) , gain of function , computer science , genetics , phenotype , gene , physics , biochemistry , acoustics , operating system
Type 3 secretion systems form an integral part of the arsenal of many pathogenic bacteria. These injection machines, together with their cargo of subversive effector proteins, are capable of manipulating the cellular environment of the host in order to ensure persistence of the pathogen. In order to fully appreciate the functions of Type 3 effectors, it is necessary to gain spatio‐temporal knowledge of each effector during the process of infection. A number of genetic modifications have been exploited in order to reveal effector protein secretion, translocation and subsequent activity, and localisation within host cells. In this review, we will discuss the many available approaches for tracking effector protein dynamics and discuss the challenges faced to improve the current technologies and gain a clearer picture of effector protein function.