Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Molecular biology of rickettsiae

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Our understanding of the biology of the rickettsiae, organisms that are the archetype of the obligate intracytoplasmic bacterial parasites, remains muddy and fragmentary. For example although we all appreciate that the rickettsiae can exploit their unique environment, the host cell cytoplasm, but are unable to grow axenically, the basis of this fact is still one of microbiology's central mysteries. It is unfortunate, but true, that because of the inherent difficulty of working within this system, progress on the answers to such questions will be slow and laborious. However, with the application of molecular biological methods, that is, the powerful modern approaches of genetics and biochemistry, the rickettsiology community has the realistic prospect that this field is far from being at a stand-still and that significant increases in our comprehension of the fundamental problems of rickettsial biology are occurring and will continue to occur at ever accelerating rates. Some examples, both in terms of scientific conclusions and technical approaches, of the progress made in recent years and expectations for the near future will be presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. AndersonB.E. (1990): The 17-kilodalton protein antigens of spotted fever and typhus group rickettsiae. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 326–333.

    Google Scholar 

  2. AndersonB.E., BaumstarkB.R. and BelliniW.J. (1988): Expression of the gene encoding the 17-kilodalton antigen from Rickettsia rickettsii: transcription and posttranslational modification. - J. Bacteriol. 170: 4493–4500.

    Google Scholar 

  3. AndersonB.E., RegneryR.L., CarloneG.M., TzianabosT.; McDadeJ.E., FuZ. Y. and BelliniW.J. (1987): Sequence analysis of the 17-kilodalton-antigen gene from Rickettsia rickettsii. - J. Bacteriol. 169: 2385–2390.

    Google Scholar 

  4. AndersonB.E., RegneryR.L., CarloneG.M., TzianbosT., McDadeJ.E., FuZ. Y. and BelliniW.J. (1987): Sequence analysis of the 17-kilodalton-antigen gene from Rickettsia rickettsii. - J. Bacteriol. 169: 2385–2390.

    Google Scholar 

  5. AndersonB.E. and TzianabosT. (1989): Comparative sequence analysis of genus-common rickettsial antigen gene. - J. Bacteriol. 171: 5199–5201.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Artem'evM.I. and BalayevaN.M. (1987): [Homology between the ribosomal and RNA-polymerase genes of E. coli and vaccine strain E of Rickettsia prowazekii] K voprosu o gomologii mezhdu ribosomnymi i RNK-polimeraznymi genami E. coli i vaktsinnogo shtamma E rikketsii Provacheka. - Mol. Gen. Mikrobiol. Virusol. 5: 34–36.

    Google Scholar 

  7. AustinF.E., TurcoJ. and WinklerH.H. (1987): Rickettsia prowazekii requires host cell serine and glycine for growth. - Infect. Immun. 55: 240–244.

    Google Scholar 

  8. AustinF.E. and WinklerH.H. (1988): Proline incorporation into protein by Rickettsia prowazekii during growth in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-Kl) cells. - Infect. Immun. 56: 3167–3172.

    Google Scholar 

  9. AzadA.F., WebbL., CarlM. and DaschG.A. (1990): Detection of rickettsiae in arthropod vectors by DNA amplification using the polymerase chain reaction. -Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 557–563.

    Google Scholar 

  10. BalayevaN.M. (1985): [Biochemical and genetical study of Rickettsia] Biokhimicheskoe i geneticheskoe izuchenie rikketsii. - Mol. Gen. Mikrobiol. Virusol. 4: 3–15.

    Google Scholar 

  11. BalayevaN.M., RydkinaE.B., ArtemievM.I. and IgnatovichV.F. (1989): Restriction endonuclease analysis of the DNA of Rickettsia prowazekii vaccine strain E and its revertant. - Acta Virol. 33: 454–464.

    Google Scholar 

  12. CarlM., TibbsC. W., DobsonM.E., PaparelloS. and DaschG.A. (1990): Diagnosis of acute typhus infection using the polymerase chain reaction. - J. Infect. Dis. 161: 791–793.

    Google Scholar 

  13. ChenS.-Y., HooverT.A., ThompsonH.A. and WilliamsJ.C. (1990): Characterization of the origin of DNA replication of the Coxiella burnetii chromosome. -Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590. 491–503.

    Google Scholar 

  14. ChingW.-M., DaschG.A., CarlM. and DobsonM.E. (1990): Structural analyses of the 120-kDa serotype protein antigens of typhus group rickettsiae: Comparison with other S-layer proteins. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 334–351.

    Google Scholar 

  15. DoschG.A., BuransJ.P., DobsonM.E., RollwagenF.M. and MisitiJ. (1984): Approaches to subunit vaccines against the typhus rickettsiae, Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia prowazekii, p. 251–256. In L. Leive and D. Schlessinger (ed.), Microbiology-1984. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  16. FrazierME., MallaviaL.P., SamuelJ.E. and BacaO.G. (1990): DNA probes for the identification of Coxiella burnetii strains. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 445–467.

    Google Scholar 

  17. FuerstP.A., PoetterK.P., PretzmanC. and PerlmanP.S. (1990): Molecular genetics of populations of intracellular bacteria: The spotted fever group rickettsiae. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 430–438.

    Google Scholar 

  18. GilmoreR.D.Jr., JosteN. and McDonaldG.A. (1989): Cloning, expression and sequence analysis of the gene encoding the 120 kD surface-exposed protein of Rickettsia rickettsii. - Mol. Mikrobiol. 3: 1579–1586.

    Google Scholar 

  19. HeinzenR., StieglerG.L., WhitingL.L., SchmittS.A., MallaviaL.P. and FrazierM.E. (1990): Use of pulsed field gel electrophoresis to differentiate Coxiella burnetii strains. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 504–513.

    Google Scholar 

  20. HeinzenR.A. and MallaviaL.P. (1987): Cloning and functional expression of the Coxiella burnetii citrate synthase gene in Escherichia coli. - Infect. Immun. 55: 848–855.

    Google Scholar 

  21. HendrixL.R., SamuelJ.E. and MallaviaL.P. (1990): Identification and cloning of a 27-kDa Coxiella Burnetii immunoreactive protein. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 534–540.

    Google Scholar 

  22. HoowerT.A. and WilliamsJ. C. (1990): Characterization of Coxiella burnetii pyrB. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 485–490.

    Google Scholar 

  23. KellyD.J., MaranaD.P., StoverC.K., OaksE. V. and CarlM. (1990): Detection of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi by gene amplification using polymerase chain reaction techniques. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 564–571.

    Google Scholar 

  24. KrauseD.C., WinklerH.H. and WoodD.O. (1985): Cloning and expression of the Rickettsia prowazekii ADP/ATP translocator in Escherichia coli. - Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 82: 3015–3019.

    Google Scholar 

  25. KrauseD.C., WinklerH.H. and WoodD.0. (1985): Cosmid cloning of Rickettsia prowazekii antigens in Escherichia coli K-12. - Infect. Immun. 47: 157–165.

    Google Scholar 

  26. MallaviaL.P., SamuelJ.E, KahnM.L., ThomashauL.S. and FrazierM.E. (1984): Coxiella burnetii plasmid DNA, p. 293–296. In L. Leive and D. Schlessinger (ed.), Microbiology-1984. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  27. MallaviaL.P., WhitingL.L., MinnickM.F.HeinzenR., ReschkeD., ForemanM., BacaO.G. and FrazierM.E. (1990): Strategy for detection and differentiation of Coxiella burnetii strains using the polymerase hain reaction. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 572–581.

    Google Scholar 

  28. MarksG.L. and WoodD.O. (1990): Screening the Rickettsia prowazekii genome for rpoD homologs. -Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 478–482.

    Google Scholar 

  29. McDonaldG.A., AnackerR.L. and GarjianK. (1987): Cloned gene of Rickettsia rickettsii surface antigen: candidate vaccine for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.- Science 235: 83–85.

    Google Scholar 

  30. MinnickM.F., HeinzenR.A., MallaviaL.P. and FrzierM.E. (1990): Analysis of QpRS-specific sequences from Coxiella Burnetii strains. -Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 514–522.

    Google Scholar 

  31. MinnickM.F., HeinzenR.A., FrazierM.E. and MallaviaL.P. (1990) Characterization and expression of the cbbE′ gene of Coxiella burnetii. J. Gen. Microbiol. 136: 1099–1107.

    Google Scholar 

  32. OaksE.V., Rice R.M., KellyD.J. and StoverCK. (1989): Antigenic and genetic relatedness of eight Rickettsia tsutsugamushi antigens. - Infec. Immun. 57: 3116–3122.

    Google Scholar 

  33. OaksE.V., StoverC.K. and RiceR.M. (1987): Molecular cloning and expression of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi genes for two major protein antigens in Escherichia coli. - Infect. Immun. 55: 1156–1162.

    Google Scholar 

  34. OgarkovaO.A., TurovaT.P. and BalayevaN.M. (1985): The use of molecular hybridization to evaluate the divergence of some altered Rickettsia prowazekii strains. - Acta Virol. 29: 329–333.

    Google Scholar 

  35. ORourkeA. T., PeacockM., SamuelJ.E., FrazierM.E., NatvigD.O., MallaviaL.P. and BacaO. (1985): Genomic analysis of phase I and II Coxiella burnetii with restriction endonucleases. - J. Gen. Microbiol. 131: 1543–1546.

    Google Scholar 

  36. PhibbsP. V.Jr. and WinklerH.H. (1982): Regulatory properties of citrate synthase from Rickettsia prowazekii. - J. Bacteriol. 149: 718–725

    Google Scholar 

  37. PlanoG. V., WoodD.O. and WinklerH.H. (1990): Rickettsia prowazekii and ATP/ADP translocase: analysis of gene fusions encoding β-galactosidase ATP/ADP translocase fusion protein. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 397–407.

    Google Scholar 

  38. PolicastroP., AndersonB.E. and McDonaldG.A. (1990): Promoter structure and expression of the 155-KDa surface antigen gene of Rickettsia rickettsii. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 468–476.

    Google Scholar 

  39. RalphD., PretzmanC., DaughertyN. and PoetterK. (1990): Genetic relationships among the members of the family rickettsiaceae as shown by DNA restriction fragment polymorphism analysis. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 541–552.

    Google Scholar 

  40. RegneryR. (1990): Use of DNA probes for differentiation of spotted fever group and other rickettsiae. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 422–429.

    Google Scholar 

  41. RegneryR.L., FuZ. Y. and SpruillC.L. (1986): Flying squirrel-associated Rickettsia prowazekii (epidemic typhus rickettsiae) characterized by a specific DNA fragment produced by restriction endonuclease digestion. - J. Clin. Microbiol. 23: 189–191.

    Google Scholar 

  42. RegneryR.L., TzianabosT., EspositoJ.J. and McDadeJ.E. (1983): Strain differentiation of epidemic typhus rickettsiae (Rickettsia prowazekii) by DNA restriction endonuclease analysis. - Current Microbiol. 8: 355–358.

    Google Scholar 

  43. SamuelJ.E., FrazierM.E., KahnM.L., ThomashowL.S. and MallaviaL.P. (1983): Isolation and characterization of a plasmid from phase I Coxiella burnetii. - Infect. Immun. 41: 488–493.

    Google Scholar 

  44. SamuelJ.E., FrazierM.E. and MallaviaL.P. (1985): Correlation of plasmid type and disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. - Infect. Immun. 49: 775–779.

    Google Scholar 

  45. SamuelJ.E, FrazierM.E. and MallaviaL.P. (1988): Stability of plasmid sequences in an acute Q-fever strain of Coxiella burnetii. - J. Gen. Microbiol. 134: 1795–1805.

    Google Scholar 

  46. SavinelliE.A. and L.P.Mallavia (1990): Comparison of Coxiella burnetii plasmids to homologous chromosomal sequences present in a plasmidless endocarditis-causing isolate. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 523–533.

    Google Scholar 

  47. SpruillC.L. and RegneryR.L. (1990): Analysis of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi amplified DNA that encodes an antigenic gene product. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 483–484.

    Google Scholar 

  48. StoverC.K., MaranaD.P., CarterJ.M, RoeB.A., MardisE. and OaksE. V. (1990): The 56-kilodalton major protein antigen of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi: Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the sta56 gene and precise identification of a strain-specific epitope. - Infect. Immun. 58: 2076–2084.

    Google Scholar 

  49. StoverC.K., MaranaD.P., DaschG.A. and OakesE. V. (1990): Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of the Sta58 major antigen gene of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi: sequence homology and antigenic comparison of Sta58 to the 60-kilodalton family of stress proteins. - Infect. Immun. 58: 1360–1368.

    Google Scholar 

  50. StoverC.K., VodkinM.H. and OaksE. V. (1987): Use of conversion adaptors to clone antigen genes in lambda gtll. - Anal. Biochem. 163: 398–407.

    Google Scholar 

  51. TzianabosT., AndersonB.E. and McDadeJ.E. (1989): Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii DNA in clinical specimens by using polymerase chain reaction technology. - J. Clin. Microbiol. 27: 2866–2868.

    Google Scholar 

  52. TzianabosT., AndersonB.E. and McDadeJ.E. (1990): Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii DNA in clinical specimens by enzymatic amplification using polymerase chain reaction tecnology. - Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 590: 553–556.

    Google Scholar 

  53. VodkinM.H. and WilliamsJ.C. (1986): Overlapping deletion in two spontaneous phase variants of Coxiella burnetii. - J. Gen. Microbiol. 132: 2587–2594.

    Google Scholar 

  54. VodkinM.H. and WilliamsJ.C. (1988): A heat shock operon in Coxiella burnetii produces a major antigen homologous to a protein in both mycobacteria and Escherichia coli. - J. Bacteriol. 170: 1227–1234.

    Google Scholar 

  55. VodkinM.H., WilliamsJ.C. and StephensonE.H. (1986): Genetic heterogeneity among isolates of Coxiella burnetii. - J. Gen. Microbiol. 132: 455–463.

    Google Scholar 

  56. WebbL., CarlM., MalloyD. C., DaschG.A. and AzadA.F. (1990): Detection of murine typhus infection in fleas by using the polymerase chain reaction. - J. Clin. Microbiol. 28: 530–534.

    Google Scholar 

  57. WeisburgW.G., DobsonM.E., SamuelJ.E., DaschG.A., MallaviaL.P., BacaO., MandelcoL., SechrestJ.E., WeissE. and (1989): Phylogenetic diversity of the Rickettsiae. - J. Bacteriol. 171: 4202–4206.

    Google Scholar 

  58. WeisburgW.G., WoeseC.R., DobsonM.E. and WeissE. (1985): A common origin of rickettsiae and certain plant pathogens. - Science 230: 556–558.

    Google Scholar 

  59. WilliamsJ.C. and YodkinM.H. (1987): Metabolism and genetics of chlamydias and rickettsias. -Onderstepoort. J. Vet. Res. 54: 211–221.

    Google Scholar 

  60. WilliamsonL.R., PlanoG. V., WinklerH.H., KrauseD. C. and WoodD.O. (1989): Nucleotide sequence of the Rickettsia prowazekii ATP/ADP translocaseencoding gene. - Gene 80: 269–278.

    Google Scholar 

  61. WilsonK.H., BlitchingtonR., ShahP., McDonaldG., GilmoreR.D. and MallaviaL.P. (1989): Probe directed at a segment of Rickettsia rickettsii rRNA amplified with polymerase chain reaction. - J. Clin. Microbiol. 27: 2692–2696.

    Google Scholar 

  62. WinklerH.H. (1976): Rickettsial permeability: an ADP-ATP transport system. - J. Biol. Chem. 251: 389–396.

    Google Scholar 

  63. WinklerH.H. (1990): Rickettsia species as organisms. -Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 44: 131–153.

    Google Scholar 

  64. WinklerH.H. and DaughertyR.M. (1984): Proline transport and metabolism in Rickettsia prowazekii. J. Bacteriol. 158: 460–463.

    Google Scholar 

  65. WinklerH.H. and WoodD.O. (1988): Codon usage in selected AT-rich bacteria. - Biochimie 70: 977–986.

    Google Scholar 

  66. WoodD.O. (1989): A preview of rickettsial gene structure and function, p. 94–103. In J.W. Moulder (ed.), Intracellular parasitism. - CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton.

    Google Scholar 

  67. WoodD.O., AtkinsonW.H., Sikorski and WinklerH.H. (1983): Expression of the Rickettsia prowazekii citrate synthase gene in Escherichia coli. - J. Bacteriol. 155: 412–416.

    Google Scholar 

  68. WoodD.O., SikorskiR.S., AtkinsonW.H., KrauseD.C. and WinklerH.H. (1984): Cloning Rickettsia prowazekii genes in Escherichia coli K-12, p. 301–304. In L. Leive, and D. Schlessinger (ed.), Microbiology-1984.- American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  69. WoodD.O., WilliamsonL.R., WinklerH.H. and KrauseD.C. (1987): Nucleotide sequence of the Rickettsia prowazekii citrate synthase gene. - J. Bacteriol. 169: 3564–3572.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular Biology - Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 36688, Mobile, Alabama, USA

    H. H. Winkler

Authors
  1. H. H. Winkler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Winkler, H.H. Molecular biology of rickettsiae. Eur J Epidemiol 7, 207–212 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145668

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145668

Key words

Search

Navigation