| Title: | "Enterococcus faecalis pCF10-encoded surface proteins PrgA, PrgB (aggregation substance) and PrgC contribute to plasmid transfer, biofilm formation and virulence" |
| Author(s): | Bhatty M; Cruz MR; Frank KL; Gomez JA; Andrade F; Garsin DA; Dunny GM; Kaplan HB; Christie PJ; |
| Address: | "Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1365-2958 (Electronic) 0950-382X (Print) 0950-382X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Enterococcus faecalis pCF10 transfers at high frequencies upon pheromone induction of the prgQ transfer operon. This operon codes for three cell wall-anchored proteins - PrgA, PrgB (aggregation substance) and PrgC - and a type IV secretion system through which the plasmid is delivered to recipient cells. Here, we defined the contributions of the Prg surface proteins to plasmid transfer, biofilm formation and virulence using the Caenorhabditis elegans infection model. We report that a combination of PrgB and extracellular DNA (eDNA), but not PrgA or PrgC, was required for extensive cellular aggregation and pCF10 transfer at wild-type frequencies. In addition to PrgB and eDNA, production of PrgA was necessary for extensive binding of enterococci to abiotic surfaces and development of robust biofilms. However, although PrgB is a known virulence factor in mammalian infection models, we determined that PrgA and PrgC, but not PrgB, were required for efficient killing in the worm infection model. We propose that the pheromone-responsive, conjugative plasmids of E. faecalis have retained Prg-like surface functions over evolutionary time for attachment, colonization and robust biofilm development. In natural settings, these biofilms are polymicrobial in composition and constitute optimal environments for signal exchange, mating pair formation and widespread lateral gene transfer" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Bacterial Proteins/genetics/*metabolism Biofilms/*growth & development Caenorhabditis elegans/*microbiology Conjugation, Genetic Enterococcus faecalis/*genetics/*pathogenicity/physiology Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Membrane Proteins/gene;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineBhatty, Minny Cruz, Melissa R Frank, Kristi L Gomez, Jenny A Laverde Andrade, Fernando Garsin, Danielle A Dunny, Gary M Kaplan, Heidi B Christie, Peter J eng R01GM48746/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R21AI105454/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01GM49530/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R01 GM049530/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R56 AI110432/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 GM048746/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R21 AI105454/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01AI076406/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 AI076406/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R56AI110432/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01DE021394/DE/NIDCR NIH HHS/ R01 DE021394/DE/NIDCR NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural England 2014/11/29 Mol Microbiol. 2015 Feb; 95(4):660-77. doi: 10.1111/mmi.12893. Epub 2014 Dec 30" |
