Identification and Characterization of Putative Translocated Effector Proteins of the Edwardsiella ictaluri Type III Secretion System

Abstract

The bacterial pathogen Edwardsiella ictaluri causes enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), an economically significant disease of farm-raised channel catfish. Commercial catfish production accounts for the majority of the total fin fish aquaculture in the United States, with almost 300,000 tons produced annually, and ESC is the leading cause of disease loss in the industry. We have demonstrated the survival and replication of E. ictaluri within channel catfish cells and identified a secretion system that is essential for E. ictaluri intracellular replication and virulence. We have also identified nine proteins encoded in the E. ictaluri genome that we believe are actively transferred from the bacterium to the cytoplasm of the host cell and act to manipulate host cell physiology to the advantage of the bacterium. The data presented here confirm that the proteins are actually transferred during an infection, which will lead to further work on approaches to preventing or controlling ESC.