Bacterial type IV secretion: Conjugation systems adapted to deliver effector molecules to host cells

Peter J. Christie, Joseph P. Vogel

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

402 Scopus citations

Abstract

Several bacterial pathogens utilize conjugation machines to export effector molecules during infection. Such systems are members of the type IV or 'adapted conjugation' secretion family. The prototypical type IV system is the Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-DNA transfer machine, which delivers oncogenic nucleoprotein particles to plant cells. Other pathogens, including Bordetella pertussis, Legionella pneumophila, Brucella spp. and Helicobacter pylori, use type IV machines to export effector proteins to the extracellular milieu or the mammalian cell cytosol.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)354-360
Number of pages7
JournalTrends in Microbiology
Volume8
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2000

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