Document Detail


The putative penicillin-binding proteins 1 and 2 are important for viability, growth and cell morphology of Brucella melitensis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18809265     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) are enzymes that regulate the assembly of the peptidoglycan layer of the bacterial cell wall. The genome of Brucella melitensis strain 16M possesses seven pbp genes: three in pbp-1 family (designated as 1A, 1B, and 1C); one in pbp-2 family; and three in pbp-6 family (designated as 6A, 6B, and 6C). We investigated the importance of pbp-1 and pbp-2 genes to viability, cell morphology and infectivity of B. melitensis. A recombinant B. melitensis strain (designated 16MDeltapbp1C) was generated by disrupting the pbp-1C of strain 16M by allelic exchange. This strain produced nearly 20% smaller colonies on trypticase soy agar plates, and grew slower in trypticase soy broth compared to the strain 16M. Electron microscopy revealed that strain 16M exhibited native cocco-bacillus morphology, while 16MDeltapbp1C possessed a spherical morphology. Strain 16MDeltapbp1C did not differ from strain 16M in terms of recovery from infected mouse macrophage cell line J774.1, or recovery from spleens of infected BALB/c mice, suggesting that pbp-1C is dispensable for intracellular persistence of B. melitensis. Expression of mRNA of fixR, the gene downstream of pbp-1C was similar between the strains 16M and 16MDeltapbp1C suggesting that disruption of pbp-1C did not induce any polar effects. Multiple attempts to mutate pbp-1A, pbp-1B, or pbp-2 genes failed, most probably because these genes are indispensable for viability of B. melitensis. Our findings suggest that pbp-1C regulates in vitro growth and cell morphology, whereas pbp-1A, pbp-1B, and pbp-2 are essential for viability of B. melitensis.
Authors:
Aloka B Bandara; Gerhardt G Schurig; Nammalwar Sriranganathan; Rajeev Prasad; Stephen M Boyle
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2008-08-05
Journal Detail:
Title:  Veterinary microbiology     Volume:  133     ISSN:  0378-1135     ISO Abbreviation:  Vet. Microbiol.     Publication Date:  2009 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-01-09     Completed Date:  2009-04-07     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7705469     Medline TA:  Vet Microbiol     Country:  Netherlands    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  387-93     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0910, USA. abandara@vt.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Brucella melitensis / cytology*,  genetics,  metabolism*
Cell Line
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / physiology
Macrophages
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Penicillin-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Penicillin-Binding Proteins

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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