A Unified Nomenclature for Injectisome-Type Type III Secretion Systems
Samuel Wagner, Andreas Diepold
Pages 1-10
Transcriptional and Post-transcriptional Regulatory Mechanisms Controlling Type III Secretion
Marcel Volk, Ines Vollmer, Ann Kathrin Heroven, Petra Dersch
Pages 11-33
Assembly and Post-assembly Turnover and Dynamics in the Type III Secretion System
Andreas Diepold
Pages 35-66
The Structure of the Type III Secretion System Needle Complex
Sean Miletic, Nikolaus Goessweiner-Mohr, Thomas C. Marlovits
Pages 67-90
Molecular Organization and Assembly of the Export Apparatus of Flagellar Type III Secretion Systems
Tohru Minamino, Akihiro Kawamoto, Miki Kinoshita, Keiichi Namba
Pages 91-107
Structures of Type III Secretion System Needle Filaments
Birgit Habenstein, Nadia El Mammeri, James Tolchard, Gaëlle Lamon, Arpita Tawani, Mélanie Berbon et al.
Pages 109-131
The Type III Secretion System Sorting Platform
María Lara-Tejero
Pages 133-142
Export Mechanisms and Energy Transduction in Type-III Secretion Machines
Thibaud T. Renault, Alina Guse, Marc Erhardt
Pages 143-159
Flagellar Hook/Needle Length Control and Secretion Control in Type III Secretion Systems
Shin-Ichi Aizawa
Pages 161-172
The Tip Complex: From Host Cell Sensing to Translocon Formation
William D. Picking, Michael L. Barta
Pages 173-199
Diversity and Evolution of Type III Secreted Effectors: A Case Study of Three Families
Donald Patrick Bastedo, Timothy Lo, Bradley Laflamme, Darrell Desveaux, David S. Guttman
Pages 201-230

One of the most exciting developments in the field of bacterial pathogenesis in recent years is the discovery that many pathogens utilize complex nanomachines to deliver bacterially encoded effector proteins into eukaryotic and prokaryotic target cells to modulate a variety of cellular functions for the pathogen’s benefit. These protein-delivery machines include the type III secretion system (T3SS), which is widespread in nature and encoded not only by bacteria pathogenic to vertebrates or plants, but also by bacteria that are symbiotic to plants or insects. Because they are essential virulence factors for many important human pathogens, these systems are emerging as a prime target for the development of new-generation, anti-infective drugs.
This book reviews our current understanding of these intriguing injection machines as well as of the closely related T3SS that serves in flagella assembly.
Individual chapters focus on regulation, assembly, structure, and function of the type III secretion machine and on the evolution of the secreted effector proteins. Given its scope, this book will appeal to a broad readership, including researchers and teachers in the fields of infectious diseases, host pathogen interactions, plant and animal pathogenesis, and symbiosis.