Compositions and methods for bacterial delivery of polypeptides

Abstract

The methods and compositions described herein relate to the delivery of polypeptides to a target cell, e.g. by utilizing engineered non-pathogenic bacteria comprising a type three secretion system (T3SS) and T3SS-compatible substrates. In one aspect, described herein are non-pathogenic microbial cells that have been engineered to express both a functional type three secretion system (T3SS) and at least one polypeptide that is compatible with the T3SS. Due to the wide variety of polypeptides that can be delivered to a target eukaryotic cell using the compositions and systems described herein, a commensurately wide variety of applications is contemplated, e.g. therapeutics and reprogramming.

1 . An engineered non-pathogenic microbial cell comprising:
 a first nucleic acid sequence comprising genes encoding a functional type three secretion system (T3SS);   a second nucleic acid sequence encoding an T3SS-compatible polypeptide;   wherein the engineered microbial cell is non-pathogenic with respect to the target cell or target organism.   
     
     
         2 .- 56 . (canceled)