T. Palmer

Multiple variants of the type VII secretion system in Gram-positive bacteria

This study identifies eight new subtypes of the type VII secretion system in Gram-positive bacteria, revealing unexpected diversity in their composition and potential functions.

Characterisation of anhydro-sialic acid transporters from mucosa-associated bacteria

The paper identifies and characterizes anhydro-sialic acid transporters in bacteria, showing their specific or promiscuous substrate preferences.

Identification of novel tail-anchored membrane proteins integrated by the bacterial twin-arginine translocase

The paper identifies novel tail-anchored Tat substrates in bacterial genomes through bioinformatics and experimental validation, revealing new iron-sulphur proteins and candidate substrates without cofactors.

An interbacterial lipase toxin with an unprecedented reverse domain arrangement defines a new class of type VII secretion system effector

The paper identifies a new class of T7SS effector, TslA, with a reverse domain arrangement and describes its secretion mechanism and functional properties.

Shield co-opts an RmuC domain to mediate phage defence across Pseudomonas species.

This paper identifies and characterizes a novel anti-phage system called Shield in Pseudomonas species, showing it can mediate bacterial immunity against phages through a membrane-bound protein with an RmuC domain.

A high throughput assay provides novel insight into type VII secretion in Staphylococcus aureus

The paper develops a high-throughput bioluminescence assay to measure T7SSb-dependent protein secretion in S. aureus and identifies three accessory proteins required for TspA secretion.

SpliceMutr enables pan-cancer analysis of splicing-derived neoantigen burden in tumors

SpliceMutr quantifies splicing-derived neoantigens across cancers, finding correlations with immune biomarkers and treatment response.

Three small partner proteins facilitate the type VII-dependent secretion export of an antibacterial nuclease

The paper identifies three small proteins that facilitate the export of an antibacterial nuclease via the type VIIb secretion system in Staphylococcus aureus.

A novel variant of the Listeria monocytogenes type VII secretion system EssC component is associated with an Rhs toxin

This study identifies a novel EssC variant in Listeria monocytogenes associated with an Rhs toxin and expands the known diversity of T7SS components across the genus.

Characterisation of key genotypic and phenotypic traits of clinical cystic fibrosis Staphylococcus aureus isolates

This study characterizes the genotypic and phenotypic traits of 25 clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates from cystic fibrosis patients, revealing genetic and phenotypic variation and antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Homologous recombination between tandem paralogues drives evolution of a subset of Type VII secretion system immunity genes in firmicute bacteria

Consistent predictors of microbial community composition across scales in grasslands reveal low context-dependency

The paper identifies consistent predictors of microbial community composition across grassland scales, finding low context-dependency and predictable variation linked to productivity.

Multiple evolutionary origins reflect the importance of sialic acid transporters in the colonisation potential of bacterial pathogens and commensals.

This study identifies multiple evolutionary origins of sialic acid transporters in bacteria, highlighting their role in host-microbe interactions and microbial colonization.

A membrane-depolarising toxin substrate of the Staphylococcus aureus Type VII secretion system mediates intra-species competition

This paper identifies TspA as a new T7SS substrate in S. aureus, showing it mediates intra-species competition by membrane depolarization and growth inhibition in vivo.

Controlling and co-ordinating chitinase secretion in a Serratia marcescens population

This paper investigates the role of ChiR in coordinating chitinase secretion and bimodal gene expression in S. marcescens, showing that ChiR increases chitinase expression in over 60% of the population and links chitin breakdown to nitrogen metabolism.

EssC is a specificity determinant for Staphylococcus aureus type VII secretion

The paper shows that different variants of EssC in Staphylococcus aureus determine the specificity of T7SS-mediated protein secretion, with EssC2, EssC3, and EssC4 unable to secrete EsxC but capable of secreting EsxA.

EsaB is a core component of the Staphylococcus aureus Type VII secretion system

This study shows EsaB is essential for T7SS secretion in S. aureus but not for substrate production, and has both T7SS-dependent and -independent roles.

Signal Peptide Hydrophobicity Modulates Interaction With The Twin-Arginine Translocase

The paper shows that signal peptide hydrophobicity can compensate for loss of twin-arginine motifs in Tat substrate targeting, and that Sec signal peptides can also use Tat pathways.

Substrate-triggered position-switching of TatA and TatB is an essential step in the Escherichia coli Tat protein export pathway.

A unifying mechanism for the biogenesis of prokaryotic membrane proteins co-operatively integrated by the Sec and Tat pathways

This paper identifies a unifying mechanism for the biogenesis of prokaryotic membrane proteins that require both Sec and Tat pathways for insertion, showing that low hydrophobicity and C-terminal charges dictate Sec release.