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Infection and Immunity, January 2009, p. 317-326, Vol. 77, No. 1
0019-9567/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01206-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A Novel Autotransporter Adhesin Is Required for Efficient Colonization during Bubonic Plague{triangledown}

Matthew B. Lawrenz,1 Jonathan D. Lenz,1 and Virginia L. Miller1,2*

Departments of Molecular Microbiology,1 Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 27599-72902

Received 29 September 2008/ Accepted 13 October 2008

Many proteins secreted by the type V secretion system (autotransporters) have been linked to virulence in gram-negative bacteria. Several putative conventional autotransporters are present in the Yersinia pestis genome, but only one, YapE, is conserved in the other pathogenic Yersinia species. Here, we introduce YapE and demonstrate that it is secreted via a type V mechanism. Inactivation of yapE in Y. pestis results in decreased efficiency in colonization of tissues during bubonic infection. Coinfection with wild-type bacteria only partially compensates for this defect. Analysis of the host immune response suggests that YapE is required for either efficient colonization at the inoculation site or dissemination to draining lymph nodes. YapE also demonstrates adhesive properties capable of mediating interactions with bacteria and eukaryotic cells. These findings support a role for YapE in modulating host-pathogen interactions that are important for colonization of the mammalian host.

* Corresponding author. Present address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, 804 Mary Ellen Jones, CB# 7290, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7290. Phone: (919) 966-9956. Fax: (919) 962-8103. E-mail: vlmiller{at}med.unc.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 20 October 2008.

Editor: V. J. DiRita

Infection and Immunity, January 2009, p. 317-326, Vol. 77, No. 1
0019-9567/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.01206-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Li, B., Zhou, L., Guo, J., Wang, X., Ni, B., Ke, Y., Zhu, Z., Guo, Z., Yang, R. (2009). High-Throughput Identification of New Protective Antigens from a Yersinia pestis Live Vaccine by Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay. Infect. Immun. 77: 4356-4361 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hu, Y.-h., Liu, C.-s., Hou, J.-h., Sun, L. (2009). Identification, Characterization, and Molecular Application of a Virulence-Associated Autotransporter from a Pathogenic Pseudomonas fluorescens Strain. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 4333-4340 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Zhou, D., Yang, R. (2009). Molecular Darwinian Evolution of Virulence in Yersinia pestis. Infect. Immun. 77: 2242-2250 [Full Text]  


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