In diderm bacteria, multiple secretion systems have evolved to transfer proteins across the entire cell envelope. One of these systems, type V secretion, uses a relatively simple two-step mechanism for secretion and surface display of virulence factors. It is also known as Autotransport as it functions relatively autonomously and has therefore attracted attention for recombinant protein secretion and display.
We have investigated the mechanics of type V secretion but in this talk I will focus on applications of this basic research that relate to the development of antimicrobials. First, I will discuss how we use the system for surface display of heterologous antigens to create live recombinant vaccines and derived Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs). Second, I will describe how we use the system to develop a stress-based high throughput assay that can identify inhibitors of type V secretion and outer membrane protein biogenesis.