scholarly journals Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cell-to-Cell Signaling Is Required for Virulence in a Model of Acute Pulmonary Infection

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 4331-4334 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Pearson ◽  
Matthew Feldman ◽  
Barbara H. Iglewski ◽  
Alice Prince
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Cell Signaling ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Pulmonary Infection ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Neonatal Mice ◽  
Mutant Strains

ABSTRACT Cell-to-cell signaling controls many virulence genes inPseudomonas aeruginosa. We tested the virulence oflas and rhl quorum-sensing mutants in neonatal mice. A lasI rhlI double mutant was nearly avirulent, and the respective single mutant strains were reduced in virulence compared with the wild-type strain. Quorum sensing plays a role in P. aeruginosa pneumonia in neonatal mice.

scholarly journals Identification and Testing of Porphyromonas gingivalis Virulence Genes with a pPGIVET System

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 928-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Wu ◽  
Seok-Woo Lee ◽  
Jeffrey D. Hillman ◽  
Ann Progulske-Fox
Keyword(s):  
Mutant Strain ◽  
Porphyromonas Gingivalis ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Receptor Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Kb Cells ◽  
Mutant Strains

ABSTRACT An in vivo expression technology (IVET) system was designed to identify previously unknown virulence genes of Porphyromonas gingivalis. Fourteen ivi (for in vivo induced) genes that are induced during infection in a mouse abscess model were identified in our study. Of these, seven had homology to genes in the NCBI database, and the rest had no homology to reported DNA sequences. In order to determine virulence-related properties of these genes, three mutant strains, deleted of ivi8 (no homology to genes in the database), ivi10 (homologous to a putative TonB-dependent outer membrane receptor protein), and ivi11 (an immunoreactive 33-kDa antigen PG125 in P. gingivalis), were created. The mutants were tested in a mouse abscess model for alterations in virulence relative to the wild type by a competition assay in BALB/c mice. After 5 days we observed the enrichment of the wild-type strain over mutant strains Δivi10 and Δivi11, which indicated that mutant strains Δivi10 and Δivi11 are less able to survive in this model than the wild-type strain, while Δivi8 survives as well as the wild-type strain. We propose that knockout of these ivi genes reduced the ability of the mutated P. gingivalis to survive and cause infection compared to the wild-type strain at the site of injection. Also, in separate experiments, groups of mice were challenged with subcutaneous injections of each individual mutant strain (Δivi8, Δivi10, and Δivi11) or with the wild-type strain alone and were then examined to assess their general health status. The results showed that knockout of these ivi genes conferred a reduction in virulence. The ability of the mutants to invade KB cells compared to the wild type was also determined. Interestingly, the CFU counts of the mutant strain Δivi10 recovered from KB cells were eight times lower than those of the wild type, indicating that this mutant has a lower capacity for invasion. These results demonstrate that IVET is a powerful tool in discovering virulence genes and the significant role that ivi genes play in the pathogenesis of this species.

scholarly journals Posttranscriptional Control of Quorum-Sensing-Dependent Virulence Genes by DksA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (12) ◽  
pp. 3558-3566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Jude ◽  
Thilo Köhler ◽  
Pavel Branny ◽  
Karl Perron ◽  
Matthias P. Mayer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Posttranscriptional Control ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Sensing Systems ◽  
Regulator Genes ◽  
Virulence Factor Production

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa controls the secretion of extracellular virulence factors, including rhamnolipids and LasB elastase, by the las and rhl quorum-sensing systems. Here, we mutated the dksA gene of P. aeruginosa by insertion of an Ω-Hg cassette. The mutant displayed growth rates similar to that of the wild type in rich medium but was impaired in growth in defined minimal medium. Production of rhamnolipids and LasB elastase by the dksA mutant was only 4 and 10%, respectively, of wild-type levels. These defects could be partially complemented by introduction of the plasmid-encoded dksA genes from P. aeruginosa or Escherichia coli. In the dksA mutant, the expression of rhlI was increased early during exponential growth, but expression of other quorum-sensing regulator genes—lasR, lasI, and rhlR—was not affected. Although the transcription of the lasB and rhlAB genes was comparable between the dksA mutant and the wild-type strain in peptone tryptic soy broth medium, we observed reduced translation of both genes in the dksA mutant. Similarly, we found that full translation of lasB and rhlAB genes in E. coli also requires the dksA gene. DksA is therefore a novel regulator involved in the posttranscriptional control of extracellular virulence factor production in P. aeruginosa.

scholarly journals Quorum Sensing Is a Global Regulatory Mechanism in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7

2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (17) ◽  
pp. 5187-5197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Sperandio ◽  
Alfredo G. Torres ◽  
Jorge A. Girón ◽  
James B. Kaper
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Regulatory Mechanism ◽  
Sos Response ◽  
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli ◽  
Trna Genes ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
E Coli

ABSTRACT Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 is responsible for outbreaks of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome in many countries. EHEC virulence mechanisms include the production of Shiga toxins (Stx) and formation of attaching and effacing (AE) lesions on intestinal epithelial cells. We recently reported that genes involved in the formation of the AE lesion were regulated by quorum sensing through autoinducer-2, which is synthesized by the product of the luxS gene. In this study we hybridized an E. coli gene array with cDNA synthesized from RNA that was extracted from EHEC strain 86-24 and its isogenicluxS mutant. We observed that 404 genes were regulated by luxS at least fivefold, which comprises approximately 10% of the array genes; 235 of these genes were up-regulated and 169 were down-regulated in the wild-type strain compared to in theluxS mutant. Down-regulated genes included several involved in cell division, as well as ribosomal and tRNA genes. Consistent with this pattern of gene expression, theluxS mutant grows faster than the wild-type strain (generation times of 37.5 and 60 min, respectively, in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium). Up-regulated genes included several involved in the expression and assembly of flagella, motility, and chemotaxis. Using operon::lacZ fusions to class I, II, and III flagellar genes, we were able to confirm this transcriptional regulation. We also observed fewer flagella by Western blotting and electron microscopy and decreased motility halos in semisolid agar in the luxS mutant. The average swimming speeds for the wild-type strain and the luxS mutant are 12.5 and 6.6 μm/s, respectively. We also observed an increase in the production of Stx due to quorum sensing. Genes encoding Stx, which are transcribed along with λ-like phage genes, are induced by an SOS response, and genes involved in the SOS response were also regulated by quorum sensing. These results indicate that quorum sensing is a global regulatory mechanism for basic physiological functions of E. coli as well as for virulence factors.

Identification of pilin pools in the membranes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1982 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 687-691
Author(s):  
T H Watts ◽  
E A Worobec ◽  
W Paranchych
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Outer Membranes

The proteins of purified inner and outer membranes obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAK and PAK/2Pfs were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose, and treated with antiserum raised against pure pili. Bound antipilus antibodies were visualized by reaction with 125I-labeled protein A from Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that there are pools of pilin in both the inner and outer membranes of P. aeruginosa and that the pool size in the multipiliated strain is comparable with that of the wild-type strain.

Effect of lipopolysaccharide mutations and temperature on plasmid transformation efficiency in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1986 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 436-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Berry ◽  
Andrew M. Kropinski
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Growth Temperature ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Transformation Efficiency ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Plasmid Transformation

We have isolated, and characterized electrophoretically, two new lipopolysaccharide-defective (rough) mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO. These strains, AK1401 and AK1414, together with two previously characterized isolates, AK1012 and AK1282, were used as recipients in transformation experiments with plasmid pR01614 DNA. The roughest mutant, AK1282, was not transformable, while the transformation efficiency of AK1012, and to a lesser extent the wild-type strain, was dependent upon the growth temperature. The two new isolates which are less rough than AK1012 were transformed at a frequency equivalent to that of the wild type-strain.

scholarly journals Cloning, Sequencing, and Characterization of the SdeAB Multidrug Efflux Pump of Serratia marcescens

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1495-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayush Kumar ◽  
Elizabeth A. Worobec
Keyword(s):  
Serratia Marcescens ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Genomic Library ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Encoding Genes

ABSTRACT Serratia marcescens is an important nosocomial agent known for causing various infections in immunocompromised individuals. Resistance of this organism to a broad spectrum of antibiotics makes the treatment of infections very difficult. This study was undertaken to identify multidrug resistance efflux pumps in S. marcescens. Three mutant strains of S. marcescens were isolated in vitro by the serial passaging of a wild-type strain in culture medium supplemented with ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, or ofloxacin. Fluoroquinolone accumulation assays were performed to detect the presence of a proton gradient-dependent efflux mechanism. Two of the mutant strains were found to be effluxing norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin, while the third was found to efflux only ofloxacin. A genomic library of S. marcescens wild-type strain UOC-67 was constructed and screened for RND pump-encoding genes by using DNA probes for two putative RND pump-encoding genes. Two different loci were identified: sdeAB, encoding an MFP and an RND pump, and sdeCDE, encoding an MFP and two different RND pumps. Northern blot analysis revealed overexpression of sdeB in two mutant strains effluxing fluoroquinolones. Analysis of the sdeAB and sdeCDE loci in Escherichia coli strain AG102MB, deficient in the RND pump (AcrB), revealed that gene products of sdeAB are responsible for the efflux of a diverse range of substrates that includes ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, chloramphenicol, sodium dodecyl sulfate, ethidium bromide, and n-hexane, while those of sdeCDE did not result in any change in susceptibilities to any of these agents.

Inactivation of the Crp/Fnr Family of Regulatory Genes in Listeria monocytogenes Strain F2365 Does Not Alter Its Heat Resistance at 60°C†

2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 2758-2760 ◽  
Author(s):  
DARRELL O. BAYLES ◽  
GAYLEN A. UHLICH
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Heat Resistance ◽  
Thermal Tolerance ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Transcriptional Control ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Gene Cassette ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Virulence Regulator

A surprising facet of the Listeria monocytogenes genome is the presence of 15 genes that code for regulators in the Crp/Fnr family and include the virulence regulator PrfA. The genes under the transcriptional control of these regulators are currently undetermined, with the exception of some genes controlled by the major virulence regulator PrfA. Using 12 strains of L. monocytogenes, each with an inserted gene cassette that interrupts and renders nonfunctional a different L. monocytogenes strain F2365 Crp/Fnr regulator, we heat challenged each strain at 60°C with an immersed-coil heating apparatus, modeled the survivor data to calculate the underlying mean and mode of the heat resistance distribution for each strain, and compared the thermal tolerance of each mutant to the wild-type strain to determine if any of the Crp/Fnr mutants demonstrated altered heat tolerance. All 12 of the Crp/Fnr mutant strains tested had heat resistance characteristics similar to the wild-type strain (P > 0.05), indicating that mutations in these Crp/Fnr genes neither increased nor decreased the sensitivity of L. monocytogenes strain F2365 to mild heat.

scholarly journals Role of CpALS4790 and CpALS0660 in Candida parapsilosis Virulence: Evidence from a Murine Model of Vaginal Candidiasis

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Marina Zoppo ◽  
Fabrizio Fiorentini ◽  
Cosmeri Rizzato ◽  
Mariagrazia Di Luca ◽  
Antonella Lupetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Murine Model ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Candida Parapsilosis ◽  
Vaginal Candidiasis ◽  
Phenotypic Characterization ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mutant Strains

The Candida parapsilosis genome encodes for five agglutinin-like sequence (Als) cell-wall glycoproteins involved in adhesion to biotic and abiotic surfaces. The work presented here is aimed at analyzing the role of the two still uncharacterized ALS genes in C. parapsilosis, CpALS4790 and CpALS0660, by the generation and characterization of CpALS4790 and CpALS066 single mutant strains. Phenotypic characterization showed that both mutant strains behaved as the parental wild type strain regarding growth rate in liquid/solid media supplemented with cell-wall perturbing agents, and in the ability to produce pseudohyphae. Interestingly, the ability of the CpALS0660 null mutant to adhere to human buccal epithelial cells (HBECs) was not altered when compared with the wild-type strain, whereas deletion of CpALS4790 led to a significant loss of the adhesion capability. RT-qPCR analysis performed on the mutant strains in co-incubation with HBECs did not highlight significant changes in the expression levels of others ALS genes. In vivo experiments in a murine model of vaginal candidiasis indicated a significant reduction in CFUs recovered from BALB/C mice infected with each mutant strain in comparison to those infected with the wild type strain, confirming the involvement of CpAls4790 and CpAls5600 proteins in C. parapsilosis vaginal candidiasis in mice.

scholarly journals Genetic analysis of amidase mutants ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

1974 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan L. Betz ◽  
Jane E. Brown ◽  
Patricia H. Clarke ◽  
Martin Day
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Genetic Analysis ◽  
Structural Gene ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Relative Order ◽  
Regulator Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Growth Phenotype

SUMMARYMutants ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, which differed in amide growth phenotype from the wild-type strain, were subjected to genetic analysis using the generalized transducing phage F116. The map order of some mutational sites was determined by 3-factor crosses in which a mutation in the linked regulator geneamiRwas used as the outside marker to determine the relative order of mutations in the amidase structural geneamiE. Acetamide-positive transductants were recovered in crosses between amidase-negative strains and strains PhB3(PAC377), V2(PAC353) and V5(PAC356) producing mutant amidases which hydrolyse phenylacetamide and valeramide but not acetamide. Some recombinants carried the mutationamiE16 determining the properties of the mutant B amidase produced by strain B6(PAC351) from which both PhB and V class mutants were derived, while other recombinants produced A amidase determined by the wild-typeamiEgene.

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