Role of the flagellar basal-body protein, FlgC, in the binding of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis to host cells.

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) infection in humans is often associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry products. Binding of the bacterium to the intestinal mucosa is a major pathogenic mechanism of Salmonella in poultry. Transposon mutagenesis identified flgC as a potential binding mutant of SE. Therefore, we hypothesize FlgC which plays a significant role in the binding ability of SE to the intestinal mucosa of poultry. To test our hypothesis, we created a mutant of SE in which flgC was deleted. We then tested the in vitro and in vivo binding ability of ∆flgC when compared to the wild-type SE strain. Our data showed a significant decrease in the binding ability of ∆flgC to intestinal epithelial cells as well as in the small intestine and cecum of poultry. Furthermore, the decrease in binding correlated to a defect in invasion as shown by a cell culture model using intestinal epithelial cells and bacterial recovery from the livers and spleens of chickens. Overall, these studies indicate FlgC is a major factor in the binding ability of Salmonella to the intestinal mucosa of poultry.

Role of StdA in adhesion of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 8 to host intestinal epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella is often implicated in foodborne outbreaks, and is a major public health concern in the United States and throughout the world. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) infection in humans is often associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry products. Adhesion to epithelial cells in the intestinal mucosa is a major pathogenic mechanism of Salmonella in poultry. Transposon mutagenesis identified stdA as a potential adhesion mutant of SE. Therefore, we hypothesize StdA plays a significant role in adhesion of SE to the intestinal mucosa of poultry. METHODS AND RESULTS: To test our hypothesis, we created a mutant of SE in which stdA was deleted. Growth and motility were assayed along with the in vitro and in vivo adhesion ability of the ∆stdA when compared to the wild-type SE strain. Our data showed a significant decrease in motility in ∆stdA when compared to the wild-type and complemented strain. A decrease in adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells as well as in the small intestine and cecum of poultry was observed in ∆stdA. Furthermore, the lack of adhesion correlated to a defect in invasion as shown by a cell culture model using intestinal epithelial cells and bacterial recovery from the livers and spleens of chickens. CONCLUSIONS: These studies suggest StdA is a major contributor to the adhesion of Salmonella to the intestinal mucosa of poultry.

GidA expression in Salmonella is modulated under certain environmental conditions.

Glucose-inhibited division (GidA) protein is widely distributed in nature, and is highly conserved among bacteria and eukarya. In our previous study, a gidA mutant was attenuated in both in vitro and in vivo models of Salmonella infection. Furthermore, deletion of gidA resulted in a marked reduction in the expression of many virulence genes and proteins, suggesting a role for GidA in the regulation of Salmonella virulence. In this study, the effect of different environmental conditions (glucose, EDTA, and pH 5) on GidA expression in Salmonella was examined. Transcriptional analysis using real-time RT-PCR and a ß-galactosidase assay, displayed no differences in gidA transcription and promoter activity in different environmental conditions. Conversely, semiquantitative Western blot analysis revealed a significant increase in the GidA expression in Salmonella when grown under different environmental conditions. Salmonella in vitro virulence assays showed an increased virulence potential in the environmental conditions correlating to the increase in GidA expression. Together, our data indicate that GidA expression is modulated under different environmental conditions which correlate to increased Salmonella in vitro virulence.

Virulence characteristics of Salmonella following deletion of genes encoding the tRNA modification enzymes GidA and MnmE.

Salmonella is an important foodborne pathogen causing major public health problems throughout the world due to the consumption of contaminated food. Our previous studies have shown that deletion of glucose-inhibited division (gidA) gene significantly altered Salmonella virulence in both in vitro and in vivo models of infection. In Escherichia coli, GidA and MnmE have been shown to modify several bacterial factors by a post-transcriptional mechanism to modify tRNA. Therefore, we hypothesize that GidA and MnmE complex together to modulate virulence genes in Salmonella using a similar mechanism. To test our hypothesis, and to examine the relative contribution of GidA and MnmE in modulation of Salmonella virulence, we constructed gidA and mnmE single mutants as well as a gidA mnmE double mutant strain of Salmonella. Results from the in vitro data displayed a reduction in growth, motility, intracellular replication, and invasion of T84 intestinal epithelial cells in the mutant strains compared to the wild-type Salmonella strain. The in vivo data showed a significant attenuation of the mutant strains as indicated by the induction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as in the severity of histopathological lesions in the liver and spleen, compared to mice infected with the wild-type strain. Also, a significant increase in the LD50 was observed in mice infected with the mutant strains, and mice immunized with the mutants were protected against a lethal dose of wild-type Salmonella. A pull-down assay indicated that Salmonella GidA and MnmE bind together, and HPLC analysis revealed that deletion of gidA and/or mnmE altered Salmonella tRNA modification. Overall, the data suggest MnmE and GidA bind together and use a post-transcriptional mechanism to modify tRNA to regulate Salmonella pathogenesis.

Deletion of gene encoding methyltransferase (gidB) confers high-level antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella.

The glucose-inhibited division gene (gid)B, which resides in the gid operon, was thought to have a role in the modulation of genes similar to that of gidA. Recent studies have indicated that GidB is a methyltransferase enzyme that is involved in the methylation of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in Escherichia coli. In this study, we investigated the role of GidB in susceptibility to antibiotics and the overall biology of Salmonella. A gidB isogenic mutant of Salmonella was constructed and subsequently characterized under different conditions. Our data indicated that growth and invasion characteristics of the gidB mutant were similar to those of the wild type (WT). The gidB mutant was outgrown by the WT in a competitive growth assay, indicating a compromised overall bacterial fitness. Under the stress of nalidixic acid, the gidB mutant's motility was significantly reduced. Similarly, the mutant showed a filamentous morphology and smaller colony size compared with the rod-shaped and large colonies of the WT in the presence of nalidixic acid. Most importantly, deletion of gidB conferred high-level resistance to the aminoglycoside antibiotics streptomycin and neomycin. A primer extension assay determined the methylation site for the WT to be at G527 of the 16S rRNA. A lack of methylation in the mutant indicated that GidB is required for this methylation. Taken together, these data indicate that the GidB enzyme has a significant role in the alteration of antibiotic susceptibility and the modulation of growth and morphology under stress conditions in Salmonella.

Deletion of glucose-inhibited division (gidA) gene alters the morphological and replication characteristics of Salmonella enterica Serovar typhimurium.

Salmonella is an important food-borne pathogen that continues to plague the United States food industry. Characterization of bacterial factors involved in food-borne illnesses could help develop new ways to control salmonellosis. We have previously shown that deletion of glucose-inhibited division gene (gidA) significantly altered the virulence potential of Salmonella in both in vitro and in vivo models of infection. Most importantly, the gidA mutant cells displayed a filamentous morphology compared to the wild-type Salmonella cells. In our current study, we investigated the role of GidA in Salmonella cell division using fluorescence and electron microscopy, transcriptional, and proteomic assays. Scanning electron microscopy data indicated a filamentous morphology with few constrictions in the gidA mutant cells. The filamentation of the gidA mutant cells is most likely due to the defect in chromosome segregation, with little to no sign of septa formation observed using fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, deletion of gidA altered the expression of many genes and proteins responsible for cell division and chromosome segregation as indicated by global transcriptional profiling and semi-quantitative western blot analysis. Taken together, our data indicate GidA as a potential regulator of Salmonella cell division genes.

Biological and virulence characteristics of the YqhC mutant of Salmonella.

Previous work by the present authors indicated a murein lipoprotein mutant of Salmonella shows a marked down-regulation in expression of yqhC. Because YqhC is a putative DNA-binding protein, it is likely involved in modulation of Salmonella genes. Deletion of yqhC renders Salmonella defective in invasion of intestinal epithelial cells, motility, and induction of cytotoxicity. In the present study, further attenuation in induction of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and histopathological lesions was seen in mice infected with the yqhC mutant. On the other hand, deletion of yqhC did not significantly affect the LD(50) in mice or the ability of Salmonella to survive and replicate in vivo. To better understand how YqhC affects Salmonella virulence and to identify factors potentially modulated by YqhC, comparative transcriptome and proteome analysis of the yqhC mutant and the WT Salmonella was performed. Data from these experiments indicate that deletion of yqhC significantly alters the transcription of several genes associated with the SPI-1 encoded T3SS and flagellar regulons, correlating with the yqhC mutant phenotype. Overall, this study indicates that deletion of the yqhC gene causes a number of virulence-related defects in vitro, but has a modest effect in vivo, despite affecting induction of inflammatory cytokines and histopathology.

Biological and virulence characteristics of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium following deletion of glucose-inhibited division (gidA) gene.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a frequent cause of enteric disease due to the consumption of contaminated food. Identification and characterization of bacterial factors involved in Salmonella pathogenesis would help develop effective strategies for controlling salmonellosis. To investigate the role of glucose-inhibited division gene (gidA) in Salmonella virulence, we constructed a Salmonella mutant strain in which gidA was deleted. Deletion of gidA rendered Salmonella deficient in the invasion of intestinal epithelial cells, bacterial motility, intracellular survival, and induction of cytotoxicity in host cells. Deletion of gidA rendered the organism to display a filamentous morphology compared to the normal rod-shaped nature of Salmonella. Furthermore, a significant attenuation in the induction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, histopathological lesions, and systemic infection was observed in mice infected with the gidA mutant. Most importantly, a significant increase in LD(50) was observed in mice infected with the gidA mutant, and mice immunized with the gidA mutant were able to survive a lethal dose of wild-type Salmonella. Additionally, deletion of gidA significantly altered the expression of several bacterial factors associated with pathogenesis as indicated by global transcriptional and proteomic profiling. Taken together, our data indicate GidA as a potential regulator of Salmonella virulence genes.