The secreted effector protein of Salmonella dublin, SopA, is translocated into eukaryotic cells and influences the induction of enteritis

Salmonella-induced enteritis is associated with the induction of an acute i ntestinal inflammatory response and net fluid secretion into the lumen of i nfected mucosa. Proteins secreted by the Inv/Spa type III secretion system of Salmonella play a key role in the induction of these responses. We have demonstrated recently that the Inv/Spa-secreted SopB and SopD effector prot eins are translocated into eukaryotic cells via a Sip-dependent pathway and act in concert to mediate inflammation and fluid secretion in infected ile al mucosa. Mutations of both sopB and sopD significantly reduced, but did n ot abrogate, the enteropathogenic phenotype, This indicated that other viru lence factors are involved in the induction of enteritis. In this work, we characterize SopA, a secreted protein belonging to the family of Sop effect ers of Salmonella dublin. We demonstrate that SopA is translocated into euk aryotic cells and provide evidence suggesting that SopA has a role in the i nduction of enteritis.