Molecular Basis of Hcp-Dependent Toxin Delivery during Interbacterial Competition

The core T6SS structural protein Hcp forms the inner tube and mediates the loading and delivery of diverse effectors. Yet, how wide-ranging effectors that lack classical secretion signals are selectively recruited to Hcp remains poorly understood.

To better understand, using Pseudomonas aeruginosa H1-T6SS as a model, we performed deep mutational scanning to determine how Hcp accommodates and delivers distinct effectors.