Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common nosocomial infection in the United States and is caused by a range of uropathogens. Biofilm formation by uropathogens that cause CAUTI is often mediated by cell s...
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| Format: | Article |
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BMC
2010-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Microbiology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/10/183 |
| _version_ | 1818346562018869248 |
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| author | McEwan Alastair G Forestier Christiane Totsika Makrina Beatson Scott A Ong Cheryl-lynn Y Schembri Mark A |
| author_facet | McEwan Alastair G Forestier Christiane Totsika Makrina Beatson Scott A Ong Cheryl-lynn Y Schembri Mark A |
| author_sort | McEwan Alastair G |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common nosocomial infection in the United States and is caused by a range of uropathogens. Biofilm formation by uropathogens that cause CAUTI is often mediated by cell surface structures such as fimbriae. In this study, we characterised the genes encoding type 3 fimbriae from CAUTI strains of <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>, <it>Klebsiella oxytoca</it>, <it>Citrobacter koseri </it>and <it>Citrobacter freundii</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phylogenetic analysis of the type 3 fimbrial genes (<it>mrkABCD</it>) from 39 strains revealed they clustered into five distinct clades (A-E) ranging from one to twenty-three members. The majority of sequences grouped in clade A, which was represented by the <it>mrk </it>gene cluster from the genome sequenced <it>K. pneumoniae </it>MGH78578. The <it>E. coli </it>and <it>K. pneumoniae mrkABCD </it>gene sequences clustered together in two distinct clades, supporting previous evidence for the occurrence of inter-genera lateral gene transfer. All of the strains examined caused type 3 fimbriae mediated agglutination of tannic acid treated human erythrocytes despite sequence variation in the <it>mrkD</it>-encoding adhesin gene. Type 3 fimbriae deletion mutants were constructed in 13 representative strains and were used to demonstrate a direct role for type 3 fimbriae in biofilm formation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The expression of functional type 3 fimbriae is common to many Gram-negative pathogens that cause CAUTI and is strongly associated with biofilm growth. Our data provides additional evidence for the spread of type 3 fimbrial genes by lateral gene transfer. Further work is now required to substantiate the clade structure reported here by examining more strains as well as other bacterial genera that make type 3 fimbriae and cause CAUTI.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:20:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-822c052eef0b45b4a73d6e540ea3b82e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2180 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T17:20:14Z |
| publishDate | 2010-06-01 |
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| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-822c052eef0b45b4a73d6e540ea3b82e2022-12-21T23:37:19ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802010-06-0110118310.1186/1471-2180-10-183Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>speciesMcEwan Alastair GForestier ChristianeTotsika MakrinaBeatson Scott AOng Cheryl-lynn YSchembri Mark A<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common nosocomial infection in the United States and is caused by a range of uropathogens. Biofilm formation by uropathogens that cause CAUTI is often mediated by cell surface structures such as fimbriae. In this study, we characterised the genes encoding type 3 fimbriae from CAUTI strains of <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>, <it>Klebsiella oxytoca</it>, <it>Citrobacter koseri </it>and <it>Citrobacter freundii</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phylogenetic analysis of the type 3 fimbrial genes (<it>mrkABCD</it>) from 39 strains revealed they clustered into five distinct clades (A-E) ranging from one to twenty-three members. The majority of sequences grouped in clade A, which was represented by the <it>mrk </it>gene cluster from the genome sequenced <it>K. pneumoniae </it>MGH78578. The <it>E. coli </it>and <it>K. pneumoniae mrkABCD </it>gene sequences clustered together in two distinct clades, supporting previous evidence for the occurrence of inter-genera lateral gene transfer. All of the strains examined caused type 3 fimbriae mediated agglutination of tannic acid treated human erythrocytes despite sequence variation in the <it>mrkD</it>-encoding adhesin gene. Type 3 fimbriae deletion mutants were constructed in 13 representative strains and were used to demonstrate a direct role for type 3 fimbriae in biofilm formation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The expression of functional type 3 fimbriae is common to many Gram-negative pathogens that cause CAUTI and is strongly associated with biofilm growth. Our data provides additional evidence for the spread of type 3 fimbrial genes by lateral gene transfer. Further work is now required to substantiate the clade structure reported here by examining more strains as well as other bacterial genera that make type 3 fimbriae and cause CAUTI.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/10/183 |
| spellingShingle | McEwan Alastair G Forestier Christiane Totsika Makrina Beatson Scott A Ong Cheryl-lynn Y Schembri Mark A Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species BMC Microbiology |
| title | Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species |
| title_full | Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species |
| title_fullStr | Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species |
| title_short | Molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Klebsiella </it>and <it>Citrobacter </it>species |
| title_sort | molecular analysis of type 3 fimbrial genes from it escherichia coli it it klebsiella it and it citrobacter it species |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/10/183 |
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