REVIEW article
Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Physiology and Metabolism
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1663945
Beyond pathogenicity: the Applications of the Type III Secretion System (T3SS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Provisionally accepted
- Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China
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Abstract: The Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa employs its type III secretion system (T3SS) as a pivotal factor in facilitating the injection of effector proteins into host cells. This process disrupts cellular machinery and immune responses, thereby increasing the pathogen's survival rates. Recent advancements across multiple disciplines have broadened the scope of T3SS research, extending beyond mechanistic investigations to encompass diverse applications in anti-infective therapies, vaccine development, and protein delivery systems. This comprehensive review analyzes the molecular structure and regulatory mechanisms of T3SS, while also exploring its emerging biomedical applications, which include: (1) the development of antimicrobial agents that target T3SS; (2) T3SS-based vaccines; and (3) T3SS-mediated delivery systems. Furthermore, the review discusses current challenges, particularly focusing on the translational hurdles that hinder clinical application.
Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, type III secretion system, Therapeutictarget, Protein delivery system, Vaccine
Received: 14 Jul 2025; Accepted: 19 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Su, Zhang, Shen, Qian, Guo and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Zhenpeng Li, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China
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