This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Zuppardo, A. B.
Right arrow Articles by Siebeling, R. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Zuppardo, A. B.
Right arrow Articles by Siebeling, R. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect Immun, June 1998, p. 2601-2606, Vol. 66, No. 6
0019-9567/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

An Epimerase Gene Essential for Capsule Synthesis in Vibrio vulnificus

Amy B. Zuppardo* and Ronald J. Siebeling

Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Received 7 January 1998/Returned for modification 12 March 1998/Accepted 20 March 1998

The extracellular capsule polysaccharide (CPS) of Vibrio vulnificus is a primary virulence factor which allows survival of the bacteria in the human host. To study the genes involved in expression of the capsule, we generated mutants that lost the ability to produce CPS following the insertion of a minitransposon into the genome of an encapsulated, clinical strain of V. vulnificus. A genomic region, from one nonencapsulated mutant, containing the transposon and flanking V. vulnificus DNA was cloned, and a probe complementary to the chromosomal DNA immediately adjacent to the transposon was used to locate this fragment in the genome of the encapsulated parent strain. The fragment, which contained a putative capsule gene, was cloned and, when supplied in trans, complemented the mutation in the nonencapsulated mutant to restore capsule production. In addition, virulence studies, using the 50% lethal dose assay, showed that the restoration of capsule production also restored the virulence of the organism. Sequence analysis of the gene disrupted by the transposon revealed that it matched a nucleotide-sugar epimerase of Vibrio cholerae O139, with 75 and 85% identities at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. In addition, computer analysis recognized epimerases of various organisms as highly similar to the putative epimerase of V. vulnificus. Finally, a combination of PCR amplification and Southern blotting showed that this epimerase is common to at least 10 strains of V. vulnificus that each express a serologically distinct CPS. Our results indicate that the epimerase gene is essential for capsule expression in V. vulnificus.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biological Sciences, 508 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Phone: (504) 388-2598. Fax: (504) 388-2597. E-mail: azuppar{at}tiger.lsu.edu.

Infect Immun, June 1998, p. 2601-2606, Vol. 66, No. 6
0019-9567/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Jeong, H. G., Oh, M. H., Kim, B. S., Lee, M. Y., Han, H. J., Choi, S. H. (2009). The Capability of Catabolic Utilization of N-Acetylneuraminic Acid, a Sialic Acid, Is Essential for Vibrio vulnificus Pathogenesis. Infect. Immun. 77: 3209-3217 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jones, M. K., Oliver, J. D. (2009). Vibrio vulnificus: Disease and Pathogenesis. Infect. Immun. 77: 1723-1733 [Full Text]  
  • Grau, B. L., Henk, M. C., Garrison, K. L., Olivier, B. J., Schulz, R. M., O'Reilly, K. L., Pettis, G. S. (2008). Further Characterization of Vibrio vulnificus Rugose Variants and Identification of a Capsular and Rugose Exopolysaccharide Gene Cluster. Infect. Immun. 76: 1485-1497 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nakhamchik, A., Wilde, C., Rowe-Magnus, D. A. (2007). Identification of a Wzy Polymerase Required for Group IV Capsular Polysaccharide and Lipopolysaccharide Biosynthesis in Vibrio vulnificus. Infect. Immun. 75: 5550-5558 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Young Goo, S., Han, Y. S., Kim, W. H., Lee, K.-H., Park, S.-J. (2007). Vibrio vulnificus IlpA-induced Cytokine Production Is Mediated by Toll-like Receptor 2. J. Biol. Chem. 282: 27647-27658 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Goo, S. Y., Lee, H.-J., Kim, W. H., Han, K.-L., Park, D.-K., Lee, H.-J., Kim, S. M., Kim, K.-S., Lee, K.-H., Park, S.-J. (2006). Identification of OmpU of Vibrio vulnificus as a Fibronectin-Binding Protein and Its Role in Bacterial Pathogenesis.. Infect. Immun. 74: 5586-5594 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Park, N. Y., Lee, J. H., Kim, M. W., Jeong, H. G., Lee, B. C., Kim, T. S., Choi, S. H. (2006). Identification of the Vibrio vulnificus wbpP Gene and Evaluation of Its Role in Virulence. Infect. Immun. 74: 721-728 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Grau, B. L., Henk, M. C., Pettis, G. S. (2005). High-Frequency Phase Variation of Vibrio vulnificus 1003: Isolation and Characterization of a Rugose Phenotypic Variant. J. Bacteriol. 187: 2519-2525 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chen, C.-Y., Wu, K.-M., Chang, Y.-C., Chang, C.-H., Tsai, H.-C., Liao, T.-L., Liu, Y.-M., Chen, H.-J., Shen, A. B.-T., Li, J.-C., Su, T.-L., Shao, C.-P., Lee, C.-T., Hor, L.-I, Tsai, S.-F. (2003). Comparative Genome Analysis of Vibrio vulnificus, a Marine Pathogen. Genome Res 13: 2577-2587 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Smith, A. B., Siebeling, R. J. (2003). Identification of Genetic Loci Required for Capsular Expression in Vibrio vulnificus. Infect. Immun. 71: 1091-1097 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wright, A. C., Powell, J. L., Kaper, J. B., Morris, J. G. Jr. (2001). Identification of a Group 1-Like Capsular Polysaccharide Operon for Vibrio vulnificus. Infect. Immun. 69: 6893-6901 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Starks, A. M., Schoeb, T. R., Tamplin, M. L., Parveen, S., Doyle, T. J., Bomeisl, P. E., Escudero, G. M., Gulig, P. A. (2000). Pathogenesis of Infection by Clinical and Environmental Strains of Vibrio vulnificus in Iron-Dextran-Treated Mice. Infect. Immun. 68: 5785-5793 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Boyce, J. D., Adler, B. (2000). The Capsule Is a Virulence Determinant in the Pathogenesis of Pasteurella multocida M1404 (B:2). Infect. Immun. 68: 3463-3468 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Paton, A. W., Paton, J. C. (1999). Molecular Characterization of the Locus Encoding Biosynthesis of the Lipopolysaccharide O Antigen of Escherichia coli Serotype O113. Infect. Immun. 67: 5930-5937 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Genthner, F. J., Volety, A. K., Oliver, L. M., Fisher, W. S. (1999). Factors Influencing In Vitro Killing of Bacteria by Hemocytes of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65: 3015-3020 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»