Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of human whooping cough (pertussis) produces a complex array of virulence factors in order to establish efficient infection in the host. The RNA chaperone Hfq and small regulatory RNAs are key players in posttranscriptional regulation in bacteria and have been shown to play an essential role in virulence of a broad spectrum of bacterial pathogens. This study represents the first attempt to characterize the Hfq regulon of the human pathogen B. pertussis under laboratory conditions as well as upon passage in the host and indicates that loss of Hfq has a profound effect on gene expression in B. pertussis. Comparative transcriptional profiling revealed that Hfq is required for expression of several virulence factors in B. pertussis cells including the Type III secretion system (T3SS). In striking contrast to the wt strain, T3SS did not become operational in the hfq mutant passaged either through mice or macrophages thereby proving that Hfq is required for the functionality of the B. pertussis T3SS. Likewise, expression of virulence factors vag8 and tcfA encoding autotransporter and tracheal colonization factor, respectively, was strongly reduced in the hfq mutant. Importantly, for the first time we demonstrate that B. pertussis T3SS can be activated upon contact with macrophage cells in vitro.

Institute of Microbiology of the ASCR ; Prague Czech Republic

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An IS element-driven antisense RNA attenuates the expression of serotype 2 fimbriae and the cytotoxicity of Bordetella pertussis

T3SS chaperone of the CesT family is required for secretion of the anti-sigma factor BtrA in Bordetella pertussis

Avirulent phenotype promotes Bordetella pertussis adaptation to the intramacrophage environment

Omics Analysis of Blood-Responsive Regulon in Bordetella pertussis Identifies a Novel Essential T3SS Substrate

Bordetella Type III Secretion Injectosome and Effector Proteins

Transcriptional profiling of human macrophages during infection with Bordetella pertussis

Comparative Integrated Omics Analysis of the Hfq Regulon in Bordetella pertussis

Signal transduction-dependent small regulatory RNA is involved in glutamate metabolism of the human pathogen Bordetella pertussis