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A tdcA mutation reduces the invasive ability of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium

Molecules and Cells volume 28, pages 389–395 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

We previously observed that the transcription of some flagellar genes decreased in Salmonella Typhimurium tdcA mutant, which is a gene encoding the transcriptional activator of the tdc operon. Since flagella-mediated bacterial motility accelerates the invasion of Salmonella, we have examined the effect of tdcA mutation on the invasive ability as well as the flagellar biosynthesis in S. Typhimurium. A tdcA mutation caused defects in motility and formation of flagellin protein, FliC in S. Typhimurium. Invasion assays in the presence of a centrifugal force confirmed that the defect of flagellum synthesis decreases the ability of Salmonella to invade into cultured epithelial cells. In addition, we also found that the expression of Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 (SPI1) genes required for Salmonella invasion was down-regulated in the tdcA mutant because of the decreased expression of fliZ, a positive regulator of SPI1 transcriptional activator, hilA. Finally, the virulence of a S. Typhimurium tdcA mutant was attenuated compared to a wild type when administered orally. This study implies the role of tdcA in the invasion process of S. Typhimurium.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Center for Agricultural Biomaterials, and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-921, Korea

    Minjeong Kim & Sangryeol Ryu

  2. Radiation Research Center for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup, 580-185, Korea

    Sangyong Lim & Dongho Kim

  3. Genome Research Center for Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Research Institute of Vibrio Infection and Department of Microbiology, Chonnam National University Medical College, Gwangju, 501-746, Korea

    Hyon E. Choy

Authors
  1. Minjeong Kim
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  2. Sangyong Lim
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  3. Dongho Kim
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  4. Hyon E. Choy
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  5. Sangryeol Ryu
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Correspondence to Sangryeol Ryu.

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These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Kim, M., Lim, S., Kim, D. et al. A tdcA mutation reduces the invasive ability of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium. Mol Cells 28, 389–395 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-009-0133-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10059-009-0133-9

Keywords

  • flagella
  • invasion
  • Salmonella pathogenicity island
  • tdcA