My project focus is the identification and functional characterization of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and the type vi secretion system (T6SS) of Pectobacterium brasiliense 1692. OMV production is a critical and evolutionarily conserved process in Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) for survival in favorable and stressful environments. Our interest in the OMVs is due to their unique ability to secrete proteins of all the six secretion systems known to GNB including the T6SS providing the systems with relief from the arduous task of protein secretion. Both systems are signal peptide independent and appear essential for the virulence and survival of Pbr1692. Therefore, we seek to have a comprehensive picture of their role in the biology of the aggressive soft rot bacteria Pbr1692.