Construction of a Vibrio alginolyticus hopPmaJ (hop) mutant and evaluation of its potential as a live attenuated vaccine in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides).

Vibrio alginolyticus, a bacterial pathogen in fish and humans, expresses a type III secretion system (T3SS) that is critical for pathogen virulence and disease development. However, little is known about the associated effectors (T3SEs) and their physiological role. In this study, the T3SE gene hopPmaJ (hop) was cloned from V.