Molecular and functional characterization of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium poxA gene: effect on attenuation of virulence and protection

Multimodal vaccination targeting the receptor binding domains of Clostridioides difficile toxins A and B with an attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium vector (YS1646) protects mice from lethal challenge

Developing a vaccine against Clostridioides difficile is a key strategy to protect the elderly. Two candidate vaccines using a traditional approach of intramuscular (IM) delivery of recombinant antigens targeting C. difficile toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB) failed to meet their primary endpoints in large phase 3 trials. To elicit a mucosal response against C. difficile, we repurposed an attenuated strain of Salmonella Typhimurium (YS1646) to deliver the receptor binding domains (rbd) of TcdA and TcdB to the gut-associated lymphoid tissues, to elicit a mucosal response against C. difficile. In this study, YS1646 candidates with either rbdA or rbdB expression cassettes integrated into the bacterial chromosome at the attTn7 site were generated and used in a short-course multimodal vaccination strategy that combined oral delivery of the YS1646 candidate(s) on days 0, 2, and 4 and IM delivery of recombinant antigen(s) on day 0. Five weeks after vaccination, mice had high serum IgG titers and increased intestinal antigen-specific IgA titers. Multimodal vaccination increased the IgG avidity compared to the IM-only control. In the mesenteric lymph nodes, we observed increased IL-5 secretion and increased IgA+ plasma cells. Oral vaccination skewed the IgG response toward IgG2c dominance (vs IgG1 dominance in the IM-only group). Both oral alone and multimodal vaccination against TcdA protected mice from lethal C. difficile challenge (100% survival vs 30% in controls). Given the established safety profile of YS1646, we hope to move this vaccine candidate forward into a phase I clinical trial.IMPORTANCEClostridioides difficile remains a major public health threat, and new approaches are needed to develop an effective vaccine. To date, the industry has focused on intramuscular vaccination targeting the C. difficile toxins. Multiple disappointing results in phase III trials have largely confirmed that this may not be the best strategy. As C. difficile is a pathogen that remains in the intestine, we believe that targeting mucosal immune responses in the gut will be a more successful strategy. We have repurposed a highly attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium (YS1646), originally pursued as a cancer therapeutic, as a vaccine vector. Using a multimodal vaccination strategy (both recombinant protein delivered intramuscularly and YS1646 expressing antigen delivered orally), we elicited both systemic and local immune responses. Oral vaccination alone completely protected mice from lethal challenge. Given the established safety profile of YS1646, we hope to move these vaccine candidates forward into a phase I clinical trial.

Characterization of the Chromosome Dimer Resolution Site in Caulobacter crescentus

Chromosome dimers occur in bacterial cells as a result of the recombinational repair of DNA. In most bacteria, chromosome dimers are resolved by XerCD site-specific recombination at the dif (deletion-induced filamentation) site located in the terminus region of the chromosome. Caulobacter crescentus, a Gram-negative oligotrophic bacterium, also possesses Xer recombinases, called CcXerC and CcXerD, which have been shown to interact with the Escherichia coli dif site in vitro Previous studies on Caulobacter have suggested the presence of a dif site (referred to in this paper as dif1_CC ), but no in vitro data have shown any association with this site and the CcXer proteins. Using recursive hidden Markov modeling, another group has proposed a second dif site, which we call dif2_CC , which shows more similarity to the dif consensus sequence. Here, by using a combination of in vitro experiments, we compare the affinities and the cleavage abilities of CcXerCD recombinases for both dif sites. Our results show that dif2_CC displays a higher affinity for CcXerC and CcXerD and is bound cooperatively by these proteins, which is not the case for the original dif1_CC site. Furthermore, dif2_CC nicked substrates are more efficiently cleaved by CcXerCD, and deletion of the site results in about 5 to 10% of cells showing an altered cellular morphology.IMPORTANCE Bacteria utilize site-specific recombination for a variety of purposes, including the control of gene expression, acquisition of genetic elements, and the resolution of dimeric chromosomes. Failure to resolve dimeric chromosomes can lead to cell division defects in a percentage of the cell population. The work presented here shows the existence of a chromosomal resolution system in C. crescentus Defects in this resolution system result in the formation of chains of cells. Further understanding of how these cells remain linked together will help in the understanding of how chromosome segregation and cell division are linked in C. crescentus.

yqhG Contributes to Oxidative Stress Resistance and Virulence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli and Identification of Other Genes Altering Expression of Type 1 Fimbriae

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections and the vast majority of UTIs are caused by extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains referred to as uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). Successful colonization of the human urinary tract by UPEC is mediated by secreted or surface exposed virulence factors-toxins, iron transport systems, and adhesins, such as type 1 fimbriae (pili). To identify factors involved in the expression of type 1 fimbriae, we constructed a chromosomal transcriptional reporter consisting of lux under the control of the fimbrial promoter region, fimS and this construct was inserted into the reference UPEC strain CFT073 genome at the attTn7 site. This fimS reporter strain was used to generate a Tn10 transposon mutant library, coupled with high-throughput sequencing to identify genes that affect the expression of type 1 fimbriae. Transposon insertion sites were linked to genes involved in protein fate and synthesis, energy metabolism, adherence, transcriptional regulation, and transport. We showed that YqhG, a predicted periplasmic protein, is one of the important mediators that contribute to the decreased expression of type 1 fimbriae in UPEC strain CFT073. The ΔyqhG mutant had reduced expression of type 1 fimbriae and a decreased capacity to colonize the murine urinary tract. Reduced expression of type 1 fimbriae correlated with an increased bias for orientation of the fim switch in the OFF position. Interestingly, the ΔyqhG mutant was more motile than the WT strain and was also significantly more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide. Taken together, loss of yqhG may decrease virulence in the urinary tract due to a decrease in production of type 1 fimbriae and a greater sensitivity to oxidative stress.

Selection of Surrogate Bacteria for Use in Food Safety Challenge Studies: A Review

Nonpathogenic surrogate bacteria are prevalently used in a variety of food challenge studies in place of foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Clostridium botulinum because of safety and sanitary concerns. Surrogate bacteria should have growth characteristics and/or inactivation kinetics similar to those of target pathogens under given conditions in challenge studies. It is of great importance to carefully select and validate potential surrogate bacteria when verifying microbial inactivation processes. A validated surrogate responds similar to the targeted pathogen when tested for inactivation kinetics, growth parameters, or survivability under given conditions in agreement with appropriate statistical analyses. However, a considerable number of food studies involving putative surrogate bacteria lack convincing validation sources or adequate validation processes. Most of the validation information for surrogates in these studies is anecdotal and has been collected from previous publications but may not be sufficient for given conditions in the study at hand. This review is limited to an overview of select studies and discussion of the general criteria and approaches for selecting potential surrogate bacteria under given conditions. The review also includes a list of documented bacterial pathogen surrogates and their corresponding food products and treatments to provide guidance for future studies.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi siderophore production is elevated and Fur inactivation causes cell filamentation and attenuation in macrophages

Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium are two closely related bacteria causing different types of infection in humans. Iron acquisition is considered essential for virulence. Siderophores are important iron chelators and production of enterobactin and salmochelins by these serovars was quantified. Overall, Salmonella Typhi produced higher levels of siderophores than Salmonella Typhimurium. The role of the global regulator Fur, involved in iron homeostasis, present and conserved in both these serovars, was then investigated. Deletion of the fur gene led to distinct phenotypes in these serovars. Defective growth in iron-rich and iron-limiting conditions and formation of filamentous cells was only observed in the S. Typhi fur mutant. Furthermore, Fur was required for optimal motility in both serovars, but motility was more reduced for the fur mutant of S. Typhi compared to S. Typhimurium. During interaction with human-cultured macrophages, Fur was more important for S. Typhi, as the fur mutant had severe defects in uptake and survival. Globally, these results demonstrate that Fur differentially affects the physiology and the virulence phenotypes of the two strains and is more critical for S. Typhi growth, morphology, motility and interaction with host cells than it is for S. Typhimurium.

Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases in the Bacterial World

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are modular enzymes globally conserved in the three kingdoms of life. All catalyze the same two-step reaction, i.e., the attachment of a proteinogenic amino acid on their cognate tRNAs, thereby mediating the correct expression of the genetic code. In addition, some aaRSs acquired other functions beyond this key role in translation. Genomics and X-ray crystallography have revealed great structural diversity in aaRSs (e.g., in oligomery and modularity, in ranking into two distinct groups each subdivided in 3 subgroups, by additional domains appended on the catalytic modules). AaRSs show huge structural plasticity related to function and limited idiosyncrasies that are kingdom or even species specific (e.g., the presence in many Bacteria of non discriminating aaRSs compensating for the absence of one or two specific aaRSs, notably AsnRS and/or GlnRS). Diversity, as well, occurs in the mechanisms of aaRS gene regulation that are not conserved in evolution, notably between distant groups such as Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria. The review focuses on bacterial aaRSs (and their paralogs) and covers their structure, function, regulation, and evolution. Structure/function relationships are emphasized, notably the enzymology of tRNA aminoacylation and the editing mechanisms for correction of activation and charging errors. The huge amount of genomic and structural data that accumulated in last two decades is reviewed, showing how the field moved from essentially reductionist biology towards more global and integrated approaches. Likewise, the alternative functions of aaRSs and those of aaRS paralogs (e.g., during cell wall biogenesis and other metabolic processes in or outside protein synthesis) are reviewed. Since aaRS phylogenies present promiscuous bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryal features, similarities and differences in the properties of aaRSs from the three kingdoms of life are pinpointed throughout the review and distinctive characteristics of bacterium-like synthetases from organelles are outlined.

Elongation factor P: Function and effects on bacterial fitness

The elongation phase of translation is promoted by three universal elongation factors, EF-Tu, EF-Ts, and EF-G in bacteria and their homologs in archaea and eukaryotes. Recent findings demonstrate that the translation of a subset of mRNAs requires a fourth elongation factor, EF-P in bacteria or the homologs factors a/eIF5A in other kingdoms of life. EF-P prevents the ribosome from stalling during the synthesis of proteins containing consecutive Pro residues, such as PPG, PPP, or longer Pro clusters. The efficient and coordinated synthesis of such proteins is required for bacterial growth, motility, virulence, and stress response. EF-P carries a unique post-translational modification, which contributes to its catalytic proficiency. The modification enzymes, which are lacking in higher eukaryotes, provide attractive new targets for the development of new, highly specific antimicrobials.

Regulation and production of Tcf, a cable-like fimbriae from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi

tcf (Typhi colonization factor) is one of the 12 putative chaperone/usher fimbrial clusters present in the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi genome. We investigated the production, expression and regulation of tcf as well as its role during interaction with human cells. The tcf gene cluster was cloned and induced in Escherichia coli and S. Typhi, and the production of intertwined fibres similar to the Cbl (cable) pili of Burkholderia cepacia was observed on the bacterial surface by electron microscopy. In S. Typhi, tcf was expressed more after growth in M63 minimal medium than in standard Luria-Bertani medium. Analysis of the promoter region identified putative binding sites for the global regulators RcsB, ArgR and Fur. The expression of tcf was measured in isogenic strains lacking these global regulators. Under the conditions tested, the results showed that tcf expression was higher in the fur mutant and was regulated by iron concentration. Fur may regulate these fimbriae indirectly via the small RNAs RyhB1 and RyhB2. An isogenic mutant harbouring a deletion of the tcf cluster did not demonstrate any defect in adhesion or invasion of human epithelial cells, or in phagocytosis or survival in macrophages, when compared to the WT serovar Typhi strain. However, the tcf cluster contributed to adherence to human epithelial cells when introduced into E. coli. Thus, tcf genes encode functional fimbriae that can act as an adhesin and may contribute to colonization during typhoid fever.

Neisseria meningitidis Translation Elongation Factor P and Its Active-Site Arginine Residue Are Essential for Cell Viability

Translation elongation factor P (EF-P), a ubiquitous protein over the entire range of bacterial species, rescues ribosomal stalling at consecutive prolines in proteins. In Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, the post-translational β-lysyl modification of Lys34 of EF-P is important for the EF-P activity. The β-lysyl EF-P modification pathway is conserved among only 26–28% of bacteria. Recently, it was found that the Shewanella oneidensis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa EF-P proteins, containing an Arg residue at position 32, are modified with rhamnose, which is a novel post-translational modification. In these bacteria, EF-P and its Arg modification are both dispensable for cell viability, similar to the E. coli and S. enterica EF-P proteins and their Lys34 modification. However, in the present study, we found that EF-P and Arg32 are essential for the viability of the human pathogen, Neisseria meningitidis. We therefore analyzed the modification of Arg32 in the N. meningitidis EF-P protein, and identified the same rhamnosyl modification as in the S. oneidensis and P. aeruginosa EF-P proteins. N. meningitidis also has the orthologue of the rhamnosyl modification enzyme (EarP) from S. oneidensis and P. aeruginosa. Therefore, EarP should be a promising target for antibacterial drug development specifically against N. meningitidis. The pair of genes encoding N. meningitidis EF-P and EarP suppressed the slow-growth phenotype of the EF-P-deficient mutant of E. coli, indicating that the activity of N. meningitidis rhamnosyl–EF-P for rescuing the stalled ribosomes at proline stretches is similar to that of E. coli β-lysyl–EF-P. The possible reasons for the unique requirement of rhamnosyl–EF-P for N. meningitidis cells are that more proline stretch-containing proteins are essential and/or the basal ribosomal activity to synthesize proline stretch-containing proteins in the absence of EF-P is lower in this bacterium than in others.

Catecholate siderophore esterases Fes, IroD and IroE are required for salmochelins secretion following utilization, but only IroD contributes to virulence of extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli

Salmochelins are glucosylated forms of enterobactin (enterochelin) and contribute to the virulence of Salmonella enterica and some extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC). Fes, IroD and IroE esterases degrade salmochelins and enterobactin to release iron. We investigated the apparently redundant role of these esterases in virulence and in salmochelin production and utilization of the ExPEC strain χ7122. The ΔiroD, ΔfesΔiroD and ΔfesΔiroDΔiroE mutants displayed attenuated virulence phenotypes in an avian systemic infection model. Growth of ΔfesΔiroD and ΔfesΔiroDΔiroE mutants was severely reduced in the presence of conalbumin, and although enterobactin was produced, no salmochelins were detected in the culture supernatants of these mutants. Elimination of catecholate synthesis via an entA deletion in a ΔfesΔiroDΔiroE restored growth in the presence of conalbumin, but only partially restored the virulence of the strain. Salmochelin production was reestablished by reintroducing active esterases. Intracellular accumulation of cyclic mono-glucosylated enterobactin was observed in the triple mutant ΔfesΔiroDΔiroE, and deletion of fepC, required for catecholate import into the cytoplasm, restored salmochelin detection in supernatants. These results suggest that in the absence of esterases, cyclic salmochelins are synthesized and secreted, but remain cell-bound after internalization indicating that esterase-mediated degradation is required for re-secretion of catecholate siderophore molecules following their utilization.

The bacterial translation stress response

Throughout their life, bacteria need to sense and respond to environmental stress. Thus, such stress responses can require dramatic cellular reprogramming, both at the transcriptional as well as the translational level. This review focuses on the protein factors that interact with the bacterial translational apparatus to respond to and cope with different types of environmental stress. For example, the stringent factor RelA interacts with the ribosome to generate ppGpp under nutrient deprivation, whereas a variety of factors have been identified that bind to the ribosome under unfavorable growth conditions to shut-down (RelE, pY, RMF, HPF and EttA) or re-program (MazF, EF4 and BipA) translation. Additional factors have been identified that rescue ribosomes stalled due to stress-induced mRNA truncation (tmRNA, ArfA, ArfB), translation of unfavorable protein sequences (EF-P), heat shock-induced subunit dissociation (Hsp15), or antibiotic inhibition (TetM, FusB). Understanding the mechanism of how the bacterial cell responds to stress will not only provide fundamental insight into translation regulation, but will also be an important step to identifying new targets for the development of novel antimicrobial agents.

eIF5A and EF-P: two unique translation factors are now traveling the same road

Translational control is extremely important in all organisms, and some of its aspects are highly conserved among all primary kingdoms, such as those related to the translation elongation step. The previously classified translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) and its bacterial homologue elongation factor P (EF-P) were discovered in the late 70's and have recently been the object of many studies. eIF5A and EF-P are the only cellular proteins that undergo hypusination and lysinylation, respectively, both of which are unique posttranslational modifications. Herein, we review all the important discoveries related to the biochemical and functional characterization of these factors, highlighting the implication of eIF5A in translation elongation instead of initiation. The findings that eIF5A and EF-P are important for specific cellular processes and play a role in the relief of ribosome stalling caused by specific amino acid sequences, such as those containing prolines reinforce the hypothesis that these factors are involved in specialized translation. Although there are some divergences between these unique factors, recent studies have clarified that they act similarly during protein synthesis. Further studies may reveal their precise mechanism of ribosome activity modulation as well as the mRNA targets that require eIF5A and EF-P for their proper translation.

The deoxyhypusine synthase mutant dys1-1 reveals the association of eIF5A and Asc1 with cell wall integrity

The putative eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is a highly conserved protein among archaea and eukaryotes that has recently been implicated in the elongation step of translation. eIF5A undergoes an essential and conserved posttranslational modification at a specific lysine to generate the residue hypusine. The enzymes deoxyhypusine synthase (Dys1) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (Lia1) catalyze this two-step modification process. Although several Saccharomyces cerevisiae eIF5A mutants have importantly contributed to the study of eIF5A function, no conditional mutant of Dys1 has been described so far. In this study, we generated and characterized the dys1-1 mutant, which showed a strong depletion of mutated Dys1 protein, resulting in more than 2-fold decrease in hypusine levels relative to the wild type. The dys1-1 mutant demonstrated a defect in total protein synthesis, a defect in polysome profile indicative of a translation elongation defect and a reduced association of eIF5A with polysomes. The growth phenotype of dys1-1 mutant is severe, growing only in the presence of 1 M sorbitol, an osmotic stabilizer. Although this phenotype is characteristic of Pkc1 cell wall integrity mutants, the sorbitol requirement from dys1-1 is not associated with cell lysis. We observed that the dys1-1 genetically interacts with the sole yeast protein kinase C (Pkc1) and Asc1, a component of the 40S ribosomal subunit. The dys1-1 mutant was synthetically lethal in combination with asc1Δ and overexpression of TIF51A (eIF5A) or DYS1 is toxic for an asc1Δ strain. Moreover, eIF5A is more associated with translating ribosomes in the absence of Asc1 in the cell. Finally, analysis of the sensitivity to cell wall-perturbing compounds revealed a more similar behavior of the dys1-1 and asc1Δ mutants in comparison with the pkc1Δ mutant. These data suggest a correlated role for eIF5A and Asc1 in coordinating the translational control of a subset of mRNAs associated with cell integrity.

Translation elongation factor EF-P alleviates ribosome stalling at polyproline stretches

Translation elongation factor P (EF-P) is critical for virulence in bacteria. EF-P is present in all bacteria and orthologous to archaeal and eukaryotic initiation factor 5A, yet the biological function has so far remained enigmatic. Here, we demonstrate that EF-P is an elongation factor that enhances translation of polyproline-containing proteins: In the absence of EF-P, ribosomes stall at polyproline stretches, whereas the presence of EF-P alleviates the translational stalling. Moreover, we demonstrate the physiological relevance of EF-P to fine-tune the expression of the polyproline-containing pH receptor CadC to levels necessary for an appropriate stress response. Bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic cells have hundreds to thousands of polyproline-containing proteins of diverse function, suggesting that EF-P and a/eIF-5A are critical for copy-number adjustment of multiple pathways across all kingdoms of life.

Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases in the Bacterial World

Aminoacyl-tRNAsynthetases (aaRSs) are modular enzymesglobally conserved in the three kingdoms of life. All catalyze the same two-step reaction, i.e., the attachment of a proteinogenic amino acid on their cognate tRNAs, thereby mediating the correct expression of the genetic code. In addition, some aaRSs acquired other functions beyond this key role in translation.Genomics and X-ray crystallography have revealed great structural diversity in aaRSs (e.g.,in oligomery and modularity, in ranking into two distinct groups each subdivided in 3 subgroups, by additional domains appended on the catalytic modules). AaRSs show hugestructural plasticity related to function andlimited idiosyncrasies that are kingdom or even speciesspecific (e.g.,the presence in many Bacteria of non discriminating aaRSs compensating for the absence of one or two specific aaRSs, notably AsnRS and/or GlnRS).Diversity, as well, occurs in the mechanisms of aaRS gene regulation that are not conserved in evolution, notably betweendistant groups such as Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria.Thereview focuses on bacterial aaRSs (and their paralogs) and covers their structure, function, regulation,and evolution. Structure/function relationships are emphasized, notably the enzymology of tRNA aminoacylation and the editing mechanisms for correction of activation and charging errors. The huge amount of genomic and structural data that accumulatedin last two decades is reviewed,showing how thefield moved from essentially reductionist biologytowards more global and integrated approaches. Likewise, the alternative functions of aaRSs and those of aaRSparalogs (e.g., during cellwall biogenesis and other metabolic processes in or outside protein synthesis) are reviewed. Since aaRS phylogenies present promiscuous bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryal features, similarities and differences in the properties of aaRSs from the three kingdoms of life are pinpointedthroughout the reviewand distinctive characteristics of bacterium-like synthetases from organelles are outlined.

Lys34 of translation elongation factor EF-P is hydroxylated by YfcM

Lys34 of the conserved translation elongation factor P (EF-P) is post-translationally lysinylated by YjeK and YjeA--a modification that is critical for bacterial virulence. Here we show that the currently accepted Escherichia coli EF-P modification pathway is incomplete and lacks a final hydroxylation step mediated by YfcM, an enzyme distinct from deoxyhypusine hydroxylase that catalyzes the final maturation step of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A, the eukaryotic EF-P homolog.

Selection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi genes involved during interaction with human macrophages by screening of a transposon mutant library

The human-adapted Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) causes a systemic infection known as typhoid fever. This disease relies on the ability of the bacterium to survive within macrophages. In order to identify genes involved during interaction with macrophages, a pool of approximately 10⁵ transposon mutants of S. Typhi was subjected to three serial passages of 24 hours through human macrophages. Mutants recovered from infected macrophages (output) were compared to the initial pool (input) and those significantly underrepresented resulted in the identification of 130 genes encoding for cell membrane components, fimbriae, flagella, regulatory processes, pathogenesis, and many genes of unknown function. Defined deletions in 28 genes or gene clusters were created and mutants were evaluated in competitive and individual infection assays for uptake and intracellular survival during interaction with human macrophages. Overall, 26 mutants had defects in the competitive assay and 14 mutants had defects in the individual assay. Twelve mutants had defects in both assays, including acrA, exbDB, flhCD, fliC, gppA, mlc, pgtE, typA, waaQGP, SPI-4, STY1867-68, and STY2346. The complementation of several mutants by expression of plasmid-borne wild-type genes or gene clusters reversed defects, confirming that the phenotypic impairments within macrophages were gene-specific. In this study, 35 novel phenotypes of either uptake or intracellular survival in macrophages were associated with Salmonella genes. Moreover, these results reveal several genes encoding molecular mechanisms not previously known to be involved in systemic infection by human-adapted typhoidal Salmonella that will need to be elucidated.

Loss of elongation factor P disrupts bacterial outer membrane integrity

Elongation factor P (EF-P) is posttranslationally modified at a conserved lysyl residue by the coordinated action of two enzymes, PoxA and YjeK. We have previously established the importance of this modification in Salmonella stress resistance. Here we report that, like poxA and yjeK mutants, Salmonella strains lacking EF-P display increased susceptibility to hypoosmotic conditions, antibiotics, and detergents and enhanced resistance to the compound S-nitrosoglutathione. The susceptibility phenotypes are largely explained by the enhanced membrane permeability of the efp mutant, which exhibits increased uptake of the hydrophobic dye 1-N-phenylnaphthylamine (NPN). Analysis of the membrane proteomes of wild-type and efp mutant Salmonella strains reveals few changes, including the prominent overexpression of a single porin, KdgM, in the efp mutant outer membrane. Removal of KdgM in the efp mutant background ameliorates the detergent, antibiotic, and osmosensitivity phenotypes and restores wild-type permeability to NPN. Our data support a role for EF-P in the translational regulation of a limited number of proteins that, when perturbed, renders the cell susceptible to stress by the adventitious overexpression of an outer membrane porin.

The tRNA synthetase paralog PoxA modifies elongation factor-P with (R)-β-lysine

The lysyl-tRNA synthetase paralog PoxA modifies elongation factor P (EF-P) with α-lysine at low efficiency. Cell-free extracts contained non-α-lysine substrates of PoxA that modified EF-P by a change in mass consistent with β–lysine, a substrate also predicted by genomic analyses. EF-P was efficiently, functionally, modified with (R)-β-lysine but not (S)-β-lysine or genetically encoded α-amino acids, indicating that PoxA has evolved an activity orthogonal to that of the canonical aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Elongation factor P mediates a novel post-transcriptional regulatory pathway critical for bacterial virulence

Bacterial pathogens detect and integrate multiple environmental signals to coordinate appropriate changes in gene expression including the selective expression of virulence factors, changes to metabolism and the activation of stress response systems. Mutations that abolish the ability of the pathogen to respond to external cues are typically attenuating. Here we discuss our recent discovery of a novel post-transcriptional regulatory pathway critical for Salmonella virulence and stress resistance. The enzymes PoxA and YjeK coordinately attach a unique beta-amino acid onto a highly conserved lysine residue in the translation factor elongation factor P (EF-P). Strains in which EF-P is unmodified due to the absence of PoxA or YjeK are attenuated for virulence and display highly pleiotropic phenotypes, including hypersusceptibility to a wide range of unrelated antimicrobial compounds. Work from our laboratory and others now suggests that EF-P, previously thought to be essential, instead plays an ancillary role in translation by regulating the synthesis of a relatively limited subset of proteins. Other observations suggest that the eukaryotic homolog of EF-P, eIF5A, may illicit similar changes in the translation machinery during stress adaptation, indicating that the role of these factors in physiology may be broadly conserved.

A mutation in the poxA gene of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium alters protein production, elevates susceptibility to environmental challenges, and decreases swine colonization

Control of foodborne Salmonella within the farm-retail continuum is a complex issue since over 2500 serovars of Salmonella exist, the host range of Salmonella spp. varies greatly, and Salmonella is environmentally ubiquitous. To identify Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella Typhimurium) genes important for pathogen survival, our research group previously screened a signature-tagged mutagenesis bank in an ex vivo swine stomach content assay. A mutation in the poxA gene, a member of the gene family encoding class-II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, decreased survival of Salmonella Typhimurium in the ex vivo swine stomach content assay. In the current study, complementation with a plasmid-encoded poxA gene restored survival of the poxA mutant to the level of the parental, wild-type strain. In vivo analysis of the poxA mutant in the natural porcine host revealed significantly reduced fecal shedding of Salmonella, decreased colonization of the tonsils, and decreased detection of the mutant strain in the cecal contents of the pigs at 7 days postinoculation (p < 0.05). Body temperature (fever) of the pigs inoculated with wild-type Salmonella Typhimurium was significantly higher than that of pigs inoculated with the poxA mutant (p < 0.05). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed characteristic differences in the protein profile of the poxA mutant relative to the wild-type strain, indicating that deletion of poxA in Salmonella Typhimurium exerts selective effects on translation and/or posttranslational modifications of mRNA species that are necessary for stress survival and colonization of the natural swine host.

Increased Pho regulon activation correlates with decreased virulence of an avian pathogenic Escherichia coli O78 strain

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains are associated with respiratory infections, septicemia, cellulitis, peritonitis, and other conditions, since colibacillosis manifests in many ways. The Pho regulon is jointly controlled by the two-component regulatory system PhoBR and by the phosphate-specific transport (Pst) system. To determine the specific roles of the PhoBR regulon and the Pst system in the pathogenesis of the APEC O78 strain χ7122, different phoBR and pst mutant strains were tested in vivo in chickens and in vitro for virulence traits. Mutations resulting in constitutive activation of the Pho regulon rendered strains more sensitive than the wild type to hydrogen peroxide and to the bactericidal effects of rabbit serum. In addition, production of type 1 fimbriae was also impaired in these strains. Using a chicken competitive infection model, all PhoB constitutive mutants were outcompeted by the wild-type parent, including strains containing a functional Pst system. Cumulative inactivation of the Pst system and the PhoB regulator resulted in a restoration of virulence. In addition, loss of the PhoB regulator alone did not affect virulence in the chicken infection model. Interestingly, the level of attenuation of the mutant strains correlated directly with the level of activation of the Pho regulon. Overall, results indicate that activation of the Pho regulon rather than phosphate transport by the Pst system plays a major role in the attenuation of the APEC O78 strain χ7122.

Intracellular survival of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in human macrophages is independent of Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI)-2

For successful infection, Salmonella enterica secretes and injects effector proteins into host cells by two distinct type three secretion systems (T3SSs) located on Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPIs)-1 and -2. The SPI-2 T3SS is involved in intracellular survival of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium and systemic disease. As little is known regarding the function of the SPI-2 T3SS from S. enterica serovar Typhi, the aetiological agent of typhoid fever, we investigated its role for survival in human macrophages. Mutations in the translocon (sseB), basal secretion apparatus (ssaR) and regulator (ssrB) did not result in any reduction in survival under many of the conditions tested. Similar results were obtained with another S. Typhi strain or by using human primary cells. Results were corroborated based on complete deletion of the SPI-2 T3SS. Surprisingly, the data suggest that the SPI-2 T3SS of S. Typhi is not required for survival in human macrophages.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic study of GenX, a lysyl-tRNA synthetase paralogue from Escherichia coli, in complex with translation elongation factor P

GenX, a lysyl-tRNA synthetase paralogue from Escherichia coli, was overexpressed in E. coli, purified by three chromatographic steps and cocrystallized with a lysyl adenylate analogue (LysAMS) by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 4000 as a precipitant. The GenX-LysAMS crystals belonged to the triclinic space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a=54.80, b=69.15, c=94.08 A, alpha=95.47, beta=106.51, gamma=90.46 degrees, and diffracted to 1.9 A resolution. Furthermore, GenX was cocrystallized with translation elongation factor P (EF-P), which is believed to be a putative substrate of GenX, and LysAMS using PEG 4000 and ammonium sulfate as precipitants. The GenX-EF-P-LysAMS crystals belonged to the monoclinic space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a=105.93, b=102.96, c=119.94 A, beta=99.4 degrees, and diffracted to 2.5 A resolution. Structure determination of the E. coli GenX-LysAMS and GenX-EF-P-LysAMS complexes by molecular replacement was successful and structure refinements are now in progress.

PoxA, yjeK, and elongation factor P coordinately modulate virulence and drug resistance in Salmonella enterica

We report an interaction between poxA, encoding a paralog of lysyl tRNA-synthetase, and the closely linked yjeK gene, encoding a putative 2,3-beta-lysine aminomutase, that is critical for virulence and stress resistance in Salmonella enterica. Salmonella poxA and yjeK mutants share extensive phenotypic pleiotropy, including attenuated virulence in mice, an increased ability to respire under nutrient-limiting conditions, hypersusceptibility to a variety of diverse growth inhibitors, and altered expression of multiple proteins, including several encoded on the SPI-1 pathogenicity island. PoxA mediates posttranslational modification of bacterial elongation factor P (EF-P), analogous to the modification of the eukaryotic EF-P homolog, eIF5A, with hypusine. The modification of EF-P is a mechanism of regulation whereby PoxA acts as an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase that attaches an amino acid to a protein resembling tRNA rather than to a tRNA.

A bacterial ortholog of class II lysyl-tRNA synthetase activates lysine

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases produce aminoacyl-tRNAs, essential substrates for accurate protein synthesis. Beyond their central role in translation some of these enzymes or their orthologs are recruited for alternative functions, not always related to their primary cellular role. We investigate here the enzymatic properties of GenX (also called PoxA and YjeA), an ortholog of bacterial class II lysyl-tRNA synthetase. GenX is present in most Gram-negative bacteria and is homologous to the catalytic core of lysyl-tRNA synthetase, but it lacks the amino terminal anticodon binding domain of the latter enzyme. We show that, in agreement with its well-conserved lysine binding site, GenX can activate in vitro l-lysine and lysine analogs, but does not acylate tRNA(Lys) or other cellular RNAs.

A genomics method to identify pathogenicity-related proteins. Application to aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-like proteins

During their extended evolution genes coding for aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARS) have experienced numerous instances of duplication, insertion and deletion of domains. The ARS-related proteins that have resulted from these genetic events are generally known as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-like proteins (ARS-like). This heterogeneous group of polypeptides carries out an equally varied number of functions that need not be related to gene translation. Several of these proteins remain uncharacterized. At least 16 different ARS-like proteins have been identified to date, but their functions remain incompletely understood. Here we review the individual phylogenetic distribution of these proteins in bacteria, and apply a new genomics method to determine their potential implication in pathogenicity.

Predicting the pathway involved in post-translational modification of elongation factor P in a subset of bacterial species

Background

The bacterial elongation factor P (EF-P) is strictly conserved in bacteria and essential for protein synthesis. It is homologous to the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A). A highly conserved eIF5A lysine is modified into an unusual amino acid derived from spermidine, hypusine. Hypusine is absolutely required for eIF5A's role in translation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The homologous lysine of EF-P is also modified to a spermidine derivative in Escherichia coli. However, the biosynthesis pathway of this modification in the bacterial EF-P is yet to be elucidated.

Presentation of the Hypothesis

Here we propose a potential mechanism for the post-translational modification of EF-P. By using comparative genomic methods based on physical clustering and phylogenetic pattern analysis, we identified two protein families of unknown function, encoded by yjeA and yjeK genes in E. coli, as candidates for this missing pathway. Based on the analysis of the structural and biochemical properties of both protein families, we propose two potential mechanisms for the modification of EF-P.

Testing the hypothesis

This hypothesis could be tested genetically by constructing a bacterial strain with a tagged efp gene. The tag would allow the purification of EF-P by affinity chromatography and the analysis of the purified protein by mass spectrometry. yjeA or yjeK could then be deleted in the efp tagged strain and the EF-P protein purified from each mutant analyzed by mass spectrometry for the presence or the absence of the modification. This hypothesis can also be tested by purifying the different components (YjeK, YjeA and EF-P) and reconstituting the pathway in vitro.

Implication of the hypothesis

The requirement for a fully modified EF-P for protein synthesis in certain bacteria implies the presence of specific post-translational modification mechanism in these organisms. All of the 725 bacterial genomes analyzed, possess an efp gene but only 200 (28%) possess both yjeA and yjeK genes. In the other organisms, EF-P may be modified by another pathway or the translation machinery must have adapted to the lack of EF-P modification. Our hypotheses, if confirmed, will lead to the discovery of a new post-translational modification pathway.

Reviewers

This article was reviewed by Céline Brochier-Armanet, Igor B. Zhulin and Mikhail Gelfand. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' reports section.

A novel PhoP-regulated locus encoding the cytolysin ClyA and the secreted invasin TaiA of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is involved in virulence

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi causes a human-restricted systemic infection called typhoid fever. We have identified a Typhi genomic region encoding two ORFs, STY1498 and STY1499, that are expressed during infection of human macrophages and organized in an operon. STY1498 corresponds to clyA, which encodes a pore-forming cytolysin, and STY1499 encodes a 27 kDa protein, without any attributed function, which we have named TaiA (Typhi-associated invasin A). In order to evaluate the roles of these genes in Typhi pathogenesis, isogenic Typhi strains harbouring a non-polar mutation of either clyA or taiA were constructed. In macrophages, taiA was involved in increasing phagocytosis, as taiA deletion reduced bacterial uptake, whereas clyA reduced or controlled bacterial growth, as clyA deletion enhanced Typhi survival within macrophages without affecting cytotoxicity. In epithelial cells, deletion of taiA had no effect on invasion, whereas deletion of clyA enhanced the Typhi invasion rate, and reduced cytotoxicity. Overexpression of taiA in Typhi or in Escherichia coli resulted in a higher invasion rate of epithelial cells. We have demonstrated that TaiA is secreted independently of both the Salmonella pathogenicity island (SPI)-1 and the SPI-2 type three secretion systems. We have shown that this operon is regulated by the virulence-associated regulator PhoP. Moreover, our results revealed that products of this operon might be involved in promoting the use of macrophages as a sheltered reservoir for Typhi and allowing long-term persistence inside the host.

Full sequence and comparative analysis of the plasmid pAPEC-1 of avian pathogenic E. coli chi7122 (O78:K80:H9)

Background

Extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), including Avian Pathogenic E. coli (APEC), are very diverse. They cause a complex of diseases in Human, animals, and birds. Even though large plasmids are often associated with the virulence of ExPEC, their characterization is still in its infancy.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We fully sequenced and analyzed the large plasmid pAPEC-1 (103,275-bp) associated with the APEC strain χ7122, from worldwide serogroup O78∶K80∶H9. A putative virulence region spanning an 80-kb region of pAPEC-1 possesses four iron acquisition systems (iutA iucABCD, sitABCD, iroBCDN, and temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin tsh), a colicin V operon, increasing serum sensitivity iss, ompT, hlyF, and etsABC. Thirty three ORFs in pAPEC-1 are identified as insertion sequences (ISs) that belong to nine families with diverse origins. The full length of the transfer region in pAPEC-1 (11 kb) is shorter compared to the tra region of other sequenced F plasmids; the absence of some tra genes in pAPEC-1 affects its self-transferability, and the conjugative function of the plasmid was effective only in the presence of other plasmids. Two-replicon systems, repFIIA-repFIC and repFIB, and two post-segregational systems, srnB and hok/sok, are also present in the sequence of pAPEC-1. The comparison of the pAPEC-1 sequence with the two available plasmid sequences reveals more gene loss and reorganization than previously appreciated. The presence of pAPEC-1-associated genes is assessed in human ExPEC by PCR. Many patterns of association between genes are found.

Conclusions/Significance

The pathotype typical of pAPEC-1 was present in some human strains, which indicates a horizontal transfer between strains and the zoonotic risk of APEC strains. ColV plasmids could have common virulence genes that could be acquired by transposition, without sharing genes of plasmid function.

Contribution of the stg fimbrial operon of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi during interaction with human cells

Salmonella serovars contain a wide variety of putative fimbrial systems that may contribute to colonization of specific niches. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is the etiologic agent of typhoid fever and is a pathogen specific to humans. In a previous study, we identified a gene, STY3920 (stgC), encoding the predicted usher of the stg fimbrial operon, that was expressed by serovar Typhi during infection of human macrophages. The stg genes are located in the glmS-pstS intergenic region in serovar Typhi and certain Escherichia coli strains, but they are absent in other S. enterica serovars. We cloned the stg fimbrial operon into a nonfimbriate E. coli K-12 strain and into S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. We demonstrated that the stg fimbrial operon contributed to increased adherence to human epithelial cells. Transcriptional fusion assays with serovar Typhi suggested that stg is preferentially expressed in minimal medium. Deletion of stg reduced adherence of serovar Typhi to epithelial cells. However, deletion of stg increased uptake of serovar Typhi by human macrophages, and overexpression of stg in serovar Typhi and serovar Typhimurium strains reduced phagocytosis by human macrophages. These strains survived inside macrophages as well as the wild-type parent. Although the stgC gene contains a premature stop codon that disrupts the expected open reading frame encoding the usher and is therefore considered a pseudogene, our results show that the stg operon may encode a functional fimbria. Thus, this serovar Typhi-specific fimbrial operon contributes to interactions with host cells, and further characterization is important for understanding the role of the stg fimbrial cluster in typhoid fever pathogenesis.

A minimalist glutamyl-tRNA synthetase dedicated to aminoacylation of the tRNAAsp QUC anticodon

Escherichia coli encodes YadB, a protein displaying 34% identity with the catalytic core of glutamyl-tRNA synthetase but lacking the anticodon-binding domain. We show that YadB is a tRNA modifying enzyme that evidently glutamylates the queuosine residue, a modified nucleoside at the wobble position of the tRNA(Asp) QUC anticodon. This conclusion is supported by a variety of biochemical data and by the inability of the enzyme to glutamylate tRNA(Asp) isolated from an E.coli tRNA-guanosine transglycosylase minus strain deprived of the capacity to exchange guanosine 34 with queuosine. Structural mimicry between the tRNA(Asp) anticodon stem and the tRNA(Glu) amino acid acceptor stem in prokaryotes encoding YadB proteins indicates that the function of these tRNA modifying enzymes, which we rename glutamyl-Q tRNA(Asp) synthetases, is conserved among prokaryotes.

When contemporary aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases invent their cognate amino acid metabolism

Faithful protein synthesis relies on a family of essential enzymes called aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, assembled in a piecewise fashion. Analysis of the completed archaeal genomes reveals that all archaea that possess asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) also display a second ORF encoding an AsnRS truncated from its anticodon binding-domain (AsnRS2). We show herein that Pyrococcus abyssi AsnRS2, in contrast to AsnRS, does not sustain asparaginyl-tRNAAsn synthesis but is instead capable of converting aspartic acid into asparagine. Functional analysis and complementation of an Escherichia coli asparagine auxotrophic strain show that AsnRS2 constitutes the archaeal homologue of the bacterial ammonia-dependent asparagine synthetase A (AS-A), therefore named archaeal asparagine synthetase A (AS-AR). Primary sequence- and 3D-based phylogeny shows that an archaeal AspRS ancestor originated AS-AR, which was subsequently transferred into bacteria by lateral gene transfer in which it underwent structural changes producing AS-A. This study provides evidence that a contemporary aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase can be recruited to sustain amino acid metabolism.

Contribution of proton-translocating proteins to the virulence of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium, Gallinarum, and Dublin in chickens and mice

We investigated the attenuating effects of a range of respiratory chain mutations in three Salmonella serovars which might be used in the development of live vaccines. We tested mutations in nuoG, cydA, cyoA, atpB, and atpH in three serovars of Salmonella enterica: Typhimurium, Dublin, and Gallinarum. All three serovars were assessed for attenuation in their relevant virulence assays of typhoid-like infections. Serovar Typhimurium was assessed in 1-day-old chickens and the mouse. Serovar Gallinarum 9 was assessed in 3-week-old chickens, and serovar Dublin was assessed in 6-week-old mice. Our data show variation in attenuation for the nuoG, cydA, and cyoA mutations within the different serovar-host combinations. However, mutations in atpB and atpH were highly attenuating for all three serovars in the various virulence assays. Further investigation of the mutations in the atp operon showed that the bacteria were less invasive in vivo, showing reduced in vitro survival within phagocytic cells and reduced acid tolerance. We present data showing that this reduced acid tolerance is due to an inability to adapt to conditions rather than a general sensitivity to reduced pH. The data support the targeting of respiratory components for the production of live vaccines and suggest that mutations in the atp operon provide suitable candidates for broad-spectrum attenuation of a range of Salmonella serovars.

Identification of Salmonella typhi genes expressed within macrophages by selective capture of transcribed sequences (SCOTS)

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. typhi) is a human-restricted pathogen which causes typhoid fever. Relatively little is known about S. typhi host interaction as animal models of this disease are severely limited by the lack of virulence of S. typhi in other hosts. The virulence of other Salmonella serovars in animal models is dependent on the abilities of these bacteria to survive within host macrophages. We have used selective capture of transcribed sequences (SCOTS) to identify S. typhi genes expressed during growth in human macrophages. This positive cDNA selection technique identified 28 distinct clones representing previously identified as well as novel, uncharacterized and hypothetical gene sequences that are expressed intracellularly. Transcripts for the Vi capsular antigen and genes whose products are involved in stress responses and nutrient acquisition were obtained from intracellular bacteria using SCOTS. Most of these clones are present in the S. typhimurium genome and are also expressed in murine macrophages. Nineteen of these gene sequences were disrupted insertionally in S. typhi, and most of the resulting mutants exhibited a lower level of survival within macrophages compared with the wild-type parent strain. Mutant strains, transformed with a copy of a wild-type gene, exhibited a macrophage survival level similar to that of the parental strain.

Pyruvate oxidase contributes to the aerobic growth efficiency of Escherichia coli

The metabolic importance of pyruvate oxidase (PoxB), which converts pyruvate directly to acetate and CO(2), was assessed using an isogenic set of genetically engineered strains of Escherichia coli. In a strain lacking the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), PoxB supported acetate-independent aerobic growth when the poxB gene was expressed constitutively or from the IPTG-inducible tac promoter. Using aerobic glucose-limited chemostat cultures of PDH-null strains, it was found that steady-states could be maintained at a low dilution rate (0.05 h(-1)) when PoxB is expressed from its natural promoter, but not at higher dilution rates (up to at least 0.25 h(-1)) unless expressed constitutively or from the tac promoter. The poor complementation of PDH-deficient strains by poxB plasmids was attributed to several factors including the stationary-phase-dependent regulation of the natural poxB promoter and deleterious effects of the multicopy plasmids. As a consequence of replacing the PDH complex by PoxB, the growth rate (mu(max)), growth yield (Y(max)) and the carbon conversion efficiency (flux to biomass) were lowered by 33%, 9-25% and 29-39% (respectively), indicating that more carbon has to be oxidized to CO(2) for energy generation. Extra energy is needed to convert PoxB-derived acetate to acetyl-CoA for further metabolism and enzyme analysis indicated that acetyl-CoA synthetase is induced for this purpose. In similar experiments with a PoxB-null strain it was shown that PoxB normally makes a significant contribution to the aerobic growth efficiency of E. coli. In glucose minimal medium, the respective growth rates (mu(max)), growth yields (Y(max)) and carbon conversion efficiencies were 16%, 14% and 24% lower than the parental values, and correspondingly more carbon was fluxed to CO(2) for energy generation. It was concluded that PoxB is used preferentially at low growth rates and that E. coli benefits from being able to convert pyruvate to acetyl-CoA by a seemingly wasteful route via acetate.

Relationship between the Tsh autotransporter and pathogenicity of avian Escherichia coli and localization and analysis of the Tsh genetic region

The temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin Tsh is a member of the autotransporter group of proteins and was first identified in avian-pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strain chi7122. The prevalence of tsh was investigated in 300 E. coli isolates of avian origin and characterized for virulence in a 1-day-old chick lethality test. Results indicate that among the tsh-positive APEC isolates, 90.6% belonged to the highest virulence class. Experimental inoculation of chickens with chi7122 and an isogenic tsh mutant demonstrated that Tsh may contribute to the development of lesions within the air sacs of birds but is not required for subsequent generalized infection manifesting as perihepatitis, pericarditis, and septicemia. Conjugation and hybridization experiments revealed that the tsh gene is located on a ColV-type plasmid in many of the APEC strains studied, including strain chi7122, near the colicin V genes in most of these strains. DNA sequences flanking the tsh gene of strain chi7122 include complete and partial insertion sequences and phage-related DNA sequences, some of which were also found on virulence plasmids and pathogenicity islands present in various E. coli pathotypes and other pathogenic members of the Enterobacteriaceae. These results demonstrate that the tsh gene is frequently located on the ColV virulence plasmid in APEC and suggest a possible role of Tsh in the pathogenicity of E. coli for chickens in the early stages of infection.

Bacterial infections of the small intestine and colon

Bacterial infections of the small and large intestine are widespread and continue to be topics of active research. Surveys document the importance of diarrheal disease in many settings. Major breakthroughs in the understanding of pathogenic mechanisms (especially the interactions of bacteria and intestinal cells) continue, particularly with respect to shigella, salmonella, Yersinia species, and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Pathogenic mechanisms of other bacteria, such as campylobacter and entero-aggregative E. coli, are not well defined. Vaccines for cholera and typhoid fever are available, and new vaccines are in various stages of development ranging from synthesis of novel constructs to large-scale field trials. Several candidate vaccines are being exploited as carriers of antigens from other pathogens. Extraintestinal complications from salmonella, shigella, campylobacter, Yersinia species, and Shiga toxin-expressing E. coli are receiving much attention. Genomic sequencing of several of these pathogens is underway. The impact of this work is hard to predict, but expectations are high.