We have identified an approximately 22-kb region of the pgm locus of Yersinia pestis KIM6+ which encodes a number of iron-regulated proteins involved in the biosynthesis of the Y. pestis cognate siderophore, yersiniabactin (Ybt), and which is located immediately upstream of the pesticin/yersiniabactin receptor gene (psn). Sequence analysis and the construction of insertion and deletion mutants allowed us to determine the putative location of the irp1 gene and the positions of irp2, ybtT, and ybtE within the ybt operon. Mutations in the irp1, irp2, or ybtE gene yielded strains defective in siderophore production. Mutant strains were unable to grow on iron-deficient media at 37 degrees C but could be cross-fed by culture supernatants from yersiniabactin-producing strains of Y. pestis grown under iron-limiting conditions. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of whole-cell extracts from Ybt+ and Ybt- strains grown in iron-deficient media revealed that expression of ybt-encoded proteins is not only iron regulated but also influenced by the presence of the siderophore itself. Finally, Y. pestis strains with mutations in either the psn or irp2 gene were avirulent in mice when inoculated subcutaneously.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC175193PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/iai.65.5.1659-1668.1997DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

yersinia pestis
8
iron-deficient media
8
pestis
5
strains
5
genetic organization
4
organization yersiniabactin
4
yersiniabactin biosynthetic
4
biosynthetic region
4
region construction
4
construction avirulent
4

Similar Publications

Live Plague Vaccine Development: Past, Present, and Future.

Vaccines (Basel)

January 2025

Laboratory for Plague Microbiology, Especially Dangerous Infections Department, State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 142279 Obolensk, Russia.

During the last 100 years, vaccine development has evolved from an empirical approach to one of the more rational vaccine designs where the careful selection of antigens and adjuvants is key to the desired efficacy for challenging pathogens and/or challenging populations. To improve immunogenicity while maintaining a favorable reactogenicity and safety profile, modern vaccine design must consider factors beyond the choice of target antigen alone. With new vaccine technologies currently emerging, it will be possible to custom-design vaccines for optimal efficacy in groups of people with different responses to vaccination.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Bacterial ghosts (BGs), non-living empty envelopes of bacteria, are produced either through genetic engineering or chemical treatment of bacteria, retaining the shape of their parent cells. BGs are considered vaccine candidates, promising delivery systems, and vaccine adjuvants. The practical use of BGs in vaccine development for humans is limited because of concerns about the preservation of viable bacteria in BGs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rapid detection assays for Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, and Brucella spp. via triplex-recombinase polymerase amplification.

Mol Biol Rep

January 2025

State Key Laboratory of Pathogens and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, 20 Dongdajie Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China.

Background: Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis), Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), and Brucella spp.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

CprA is a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) that contributes to resistance against colistin and antimicrobial peptides. The cprA gene is conserved across Pseudomonas aeruginosa clades and its expression is directly regulated by the two-component system PmrAB. We have shown that cprA expression leads to the production of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that block autophagic flux and have a greater capacity to activate the non-canonical inflammasome pathway.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Point of need diagnostics provide efficient testing capability for remote or austere locations, decreasing the time to answer by minimizing travel or sample transport requirements. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an appealing technology for point-of-need diagnostics due to its rapid analysis time and minimal instrumentation requirements.

Methods: Here, we designed and optimized nine LAMP assays that are sensitive and specific to targeted bacterial select agents including Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, and Brucella spp.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!