AUTHOR=Repizo Guillermo D. , Espariz Martín , Seravalle Joana L. , Salcedo Suzana P. 

TITLE=Bioinformatic Analysis of the Type VI Secretion System and Its Potential Toxins in the Acinetobacter Genus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02519

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2019.02519

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Several <italic>Acinetobacter</italic> strains are important nosocomial pathogens, with <italic>Acinetobacter baumannii</italic> as the species of greatest concern worldwide due to its multi-drug resistance and recent appearance of hyper-virulent strains in the clinical setting. <italic>Acinetobacter</italic> colonization of the environment and the host is associated with a multitude of factors which remain poorly characterized. Among them, the secretion systems (SS) encoded by <italic>Acinetobacter</italic> species confer adaptive advantages depending on the niche occupied. Different SS have been characterized in this group of microorganisms, including T6SS used by several <italic>Acinetobacter</italic> species to outcompete other bacteria and in some <italic>A. baumannii</italic> strains for <italic>Galleria mellonella</italic> colonization. Therefore, to better understand the distribution of the T6SS in this genus we carried out an in-depth comparative genomic analysis of the T6SS in 191 sequenced strains. To this end, we analyzed the gene content, sequence similarity, synteny and operon structure of each T6SS loci. The presence of a single conserved T6SS-main cluster (T6SS-1), with two different genetic organizations, was detected in the genomes of several ecologically diverse species. Furthermore, a second main cluster (T6SS-2) was detected in a subgroup of 3 species of environmental origin. Detailed analysis also showed an impressive genetic versatility in T6SS-associated islands, carrying VgrG, PAAR and putative toxin-encoding genes. This <italic>in silico</italic> study represents the first detailed intra-species comparative analysis of T6SS-associated genes in the <italic>Acinetobacte</italic>r genus, that should contribute to the future experimental characterization of T6SS proteins and effectors.</p>