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Smiley MK, Sekaran DC, Forouhar F, Wolin E, Jovanovic M, Price-Whelan A, Dietrich LEP. MpaR-driven expression of an orphan terminal oxidase subunit supports Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm respiration and development during cyanogenesis. mBio 2024; 15:e0292623. [PMID: 38112469 PMCID: PMC10790758 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02926-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Cyanide is an inhibitor of heme-copper oxidases, which are required for aerobic respiration in all eukaryotes and many prokaryotes. This fast-acting poison can arise from diverse sources, but mechanisms by which bacteria sense it are poorly understood. We investigated the regulatory response to cyanide in the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which produces cyanide as a virulence factor. Although P. aeruginosa has the capacity to produce a cyanide-resistant oxidase, it relies primarily on heme-copper oxidases and even makes additional heme-copper oxidase proteins specifically under cyanide-producing conditions. We found that the protein MpaR controls expression of cyanide-inducible genes in P. aeruginosa and elucidated the molecular details of this regulation. MpaR contains a DNA-binding domain and a domain predicted to bind pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin B6), a compound that is known to react spontaneously with cyanide. These observations provide insight into the understudied phenomenon of cyanide-dependent regulation of gene expression in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina K. Smiley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Doran C. Sekaran
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Farhad Forouhar
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Erica Wolin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marko Jovanovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexa Price-Whelan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lars E. P. Dietrich
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Smiley MK, Sekaran DC, Price-Whelan A, Dietrich LE. Cyanide-dependent control of terminal oxidase hybridization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa MpaR. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.31.543164. [PMID: 37398129 PMCID: PMC10312525 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.543164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common, biofilm-forming pathogen that exhibits complex pathways of redox metabolism. It produces four different types of terminal oxidases for aerobic respiration, and for one of these-the cbb3-type terminal oxidases-it has the capacity to produce at least 16 isoforms encoded by partially redundant operons. It also produces small-molecule virulence factors that interact with the respiratory chain, including the poison cyanide. Previous studies had indicated a role for cyanide in activating expression of an "orphan" terminal oxidase subunit gene called ccoN4 and that the product contributes to P. aeruginosa cyanide resistance, fitness in biofilms, and virulence-but the mechanisms underlying this process had not been elucidated. Here, we show that the regulatory protein MpaR, which is predicted to be a pyridoxal phosphate-binding transcription factor and is encoded just upstream of ccoN4, controls ccoN4 expression in response to endogenous cyanide. Paradoxically, we find that cyanide production is required to support CcoN4's contribution to respiration in biofilms. We identify a palindromic motif required for cyanide- and MpaR-dependent expression of ccoN4 and co-expressed, adjacent loci. We also characterize the regulatory logic of this region of the chromosome. Finally, we identify residues in the putative cofactor-binding pocket of MpaR that are required for ccoN4 expression. Together, our findings illustrate a novel scenario in which the respiratory toxin cyanide acts as a signal to control gene expression in a bacterium that produces the compound endogenously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina K. Smiley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025
| | - Doran C. Sekaran
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025
| | - Alexa Price-Whelan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025
| | - Lars E.P. Dietrich
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025
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3
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Chunxiao D, Ma F, Wu W, Li S, Yang J, Chen Z, Lian S, Qu Y. Metagenomic analysis reveals indole signaling effect on microbial community in sequencing batch reactors: Quorum sensing inhibition and antibiotic resistance enrichment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115897. [PMID: 37054839 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Indole is an essential signal molecule in microbial studies. However, its ecological role in biological wastewater treatments remains enigmatic. This study explores the links between indole and complex microbial communities using sequencing batch reactors exposed to 0, 15, and 150 mg/L indole concentrations. A concentration of 150 mg/L indole enriched indole degrader Burkholderiales, while pathogens, such as Giardia, Plasmodium, and Besnoitia were inhibited at 15 mg/L indole concentration. At the same time, indole reduced the abundance of predicted genes in the "signaling transduction mechanisms" pathway via the Non-supervised Orthologous Groups distributions analysis. Indole significantly decreased the concentration of homoserine lactones, especially C14-HSL. Furthermore, the quorum-sensing signaling acceptors containing LuxR, the dCACHE domain, and RpfC showed negative distributions with indole and indole oxygenase genes. Signaling acceptors' potential origins were mainly Burkholderiales, Actinobacteria, and Xanthomonadales. Meanwhile, concentrated indole (150 mg/L) increased the total abundance of antibiotic resistance genes by 3.52 folds, especially on aminoglycoside, multidrug, tetracycline, and sulfonamide. Based on Spearman's correlation analysis, the homoserine lactone degradation genes which were significantly impacted by indole negatively correlated with the antibiotic resistance gene abundance. This study brings new insights into the effect of indole signaling on in biological wastewater treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Chunxiao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Fang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
| | - Weize Wu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Shuzhen Li
- Aquatic Eco-Health Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Shengyang Lian
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) and Dalian POCT Laboratory, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China.
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Cui G, Zhang Y, Xu X, Liu Y, Li Z, Wu M, Liu J, Gan J, Liang H. PmiR senses 2-methylisocitrate levels to regulate bacterial virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd4220. [PMID: 36475801 PMCID: PMC9728974 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add4220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
To adapt to changes in environmental cues, Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces an array of virulence factors to survive the host immune responses during infection. Metabolic products contribute to bacterial virulence; however, only a limited number of these signaling receptors have been explored in detail for their ability to modulate virulence in bacteria. Here, we characterize the metabolic pathway of 2-methylcitrate cycle in P. aeruginosa and unveil that PmiR served as a receptor of 2-methylisocitrate (MIC) to govern bacterial virulence. Crystallographic studies and structural-guided mutagenesis uncovered several residues crucial for PmiR's allosteric activation by MIC. We also demonstrated that PmiR directly repressed the pqs quorum-sensing system and subsequently inhibited pyocyanin production. Moreover, mutation of pmiR reduces bacterial survival in a mouse model of acute pneumonia infection. Collectively, this study identified P. aeruginosa PmiR as an important metabolic sensor for regulating expression of bacterial virulence genes to adapt to the harsh environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyan Cui
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Yixi Zhang
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Xuejie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Yingying Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Zhuang Li
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Jianling Liu
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Jianhua Gan
- Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Haihua Liang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, ShaanXi, China
- College of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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Letizia M, Mellini M, Fortuna A, Visca P, Imperi F, Leoni L, Rampioni G. PqsE Expands and Differentially Modulates the RhlR Quorum Sensing Regulon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0096122. [PMID: 35604161 PMCID: PMC9241726 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00961-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, many virulence traits are finely regulated by quorum sensing (QS), an intercellular communication system that allows the cells of a population to coordinate gene expression in response to cell density. The key aspects underlying the functionality of the complex regulatory network governing QS in P. aeruginosa are still poorly understood, including the interplay between the effector protein PqsE and the transcriptional regulator RhlR in controlling the QS regulon. Different studies have focused on the characterization of PqsE- and RhlR-controlled genes in genetic backgrounds in which RhlR activity can be modulated by PqsE and pqsE expression is controlled by RhlR, thus hampering identification of the distinct regulons controlled by PqsE and RhlR. In this study, a P. aeruginosa PAO1 mutant strain with deletion of multiple QS elements and inducible expression of pqsE and/or rhlR was generated and validated. Transcriptomic analyses performed on this genetic background allowed us to unambiguously define the regulons controlled by PqsE and RhlR when produced alone or in combination. Transcriptomic data were validated via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and transcriptional fusions. Overall, our results showed that PqsE has a negligible effect on the P. aeruginosa transcriptome in the absence of RhlR, and that multiple RhlR subregulons exist with distinct dependency on PqsE. Overall, this study contributes to untangling the regulatory link between the pqs and rhl QS systems mediated by PqsE and RhlR and clarifying the impact of these QS elements on the P. aeruginosa transcriptome. IMPORTANCE The ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cause difficult-to-treat infections relies on its capacity to fine-tune the expression of multiple virulence traits via the las, rhl, and pqs QS systems. Both the pqs effector protein PqsE and the rhl transcriptional regulator RhlR are required for full production of key virulence factors in vitro and pathogenicity in vivo. While it is known that PqsE can stimulate the ability of RhlR to control some virulence factors, no data are available to allow clear discrimination of the PqsE and RhlR regulons. The data produced in this study demonstrate that PqsE mainly impacts the P. aeruginosa transcriptome via an RhlR-dependent pathway and splits the RhlR regulon into PqsE-dependent and PqsE-independent subregulons. Besides contributing to untangling of the complex QS network of P. aeruginosa, our data confirm that both PqsE and RhlR are suitable targets for the development of antivirulence drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Mellini
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Visca
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Imperi
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Livia Leoni
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Giordano Rampioni
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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6
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Xu X, Yan Y, Huang J, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Wu M, Liang H. Regulation of uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism by UgmR protein in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3242-3255. [PMID: 35702827 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa has evolved several systems to adapt to complex environments. The GntR family proteins play important roles in the regulation of metabolic processes and bacterial pathogenesis. In this study, we uncovered that the gene clusters of PA1513-PA1518 and PA1498-PA1502 in P. aeruginosa are required for uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism, respectively. We also identified a GntR family regulator UgmR that is involved in regulation of uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism. Promoter activity measurement and biochemical assays revealed that the UgmR directly represses the transcriptional activity of PA1513-PA1518 and PA1498-PA1502, and this inhibition was relieved by the addition of uric acid. Importantly, further experiments showed that UgmR also participates in the glyoxylate shunt. Collectively, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the UgmR factor involved in uric acid and glyoxylate metabolism, which provide insights into the complex metabolic pathways in P. aeruginosa. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Yunfang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Jiadai Huang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Zihao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China
| | - Zhihan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
| | - Haihua Liang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, ShaanXi, China.,College of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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7
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Liaudanskaya AI, Vychik PV, Maximova NP, Verameyenka KG. Genome analysis of Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aurantiaca mutant strains with increased production of phenazines. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:247. [PMID: 35397008 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02648-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Genomes of three strains-phenazine producers-Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aurantiaca (B-162 (wild type), mutant strain B-162/255, and its derivative B-162/17) were sequenced and compared. Comparison of a wild-type strain and B-162/255 mutant genomes revealed 32 mutations. 19 new mutations were detected in the genome of B-162/17. Further bioinformatics analysis allowed us to predict mutant protein functions and secondary structures of five gene products, mutations which might potentially influence phenazine synthesis and secretion in Pseudomonas bacteria. These genes encode phenylalanine hydroxylase transcriptional activator PhhR, type I secretion system permease/ATPase, transcriptional regulator MvaT, GacA response regulator, and histidine kinase. Amino acid substitutions were found in domains of studied proteins. One deletion in an intergenic region could affect a potential transcription factor binding site that participates in the regulation of gene that encodes ABC transporter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pavel V Vychik
- Belarusian State University, Nezavisimisty Ave. 4, 220030, Minsk, Belarus
| | - Natalia P Maximova
- Belarusian State University, Nezavisimisty Ave. 4, 220030, Minsk, Belarus
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An SQ, Lopes BS, Connolly JPR, Sharp C, Nguyen TKL, Kirkpatrick CL. Going virtual: a report from the sixth Young Microbiologists Symposium on 'Microbe Signalling, Organisation and Pathogenesis'. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2021; 167. [PMID: 33529149 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The sixth Young Microbiologists Symposium on 'Microbe Signalling, Organisation and Pathogenesis' was scheduled to be held at the University of Southampton, UK, in late August 2020. However, due to the health and safety guidelines and travel restrictions as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the symposium was transitioned to a virtual format, a change embraced enthusiastically as the meeting attracted over 200 microbiologists from 40 countries. The event allowed junior scientists to present their work to a broad audience and was supported by the European Molecular Biology Organization, the Federation of European Microbiological Societies, the Society of Applied Microbiology, the Biochemical Society, the Microbiology Society and the National Biofilms Innovation Centre. Sessions covered recent advances in all areas of microbiology including: Secretion and transport across membranes, Gene regulation and signalling, Host-microbe interactions, and Microbial communities and biofilm formation. This report focuses on several of the highlights and exciting developments communicated during the talks and poster presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Qi An
- School of Biological Sciences, National Biofilms Innovation Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | | | - Connor Sharp
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Clare Louise Kirkpatrick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Tram G, Jennings MP, Blackall PJ, Atack JM. Streptococcus suis pathogenesis-A diverse array of virulence factors for a zoonotic lifestyle. Adv Microb Physiol 2021; 78:217-257. [PMID: 34147186 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Streptococcus suis is a major cause of respiratory tract and invasive infections in pigs and is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the pig industry. S. suis is also a significant cause of bacterial meningitis in humans, particularly in South East Asia. S. suis expresses a wide array of virulence factors, and although many are described as being required for disease, no single factor has been demonstrated to be absolutely required. The lack of uniform distribution of known virulence factors among individual strains and lack of evidence that any particular virulence factor is essential for disease makes the development of vaccines and treatments challenging. Here we review the current understanding of S. suis virulence factors and their role in the pathogenesis of this important zoonotic pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Tram
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael P Jennings
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Patrick J Blackall
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - John M Atack
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
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