title: Identification of a conjunctivitis-associated gene locus from the virulence plasmid of Yersinia enterocolitica.
abstract: The virulence plasmid (pYV) of Yersinia enterocolitica is necessary for production of conjunctivitis in guinea pigs and for mouse lethality. To identify the genes responsible for production of conjunctivitis in guinea pigs, we subcloned the BamHI and SalI restriction fragments of the virulence plasmid of Y. enterocolitica A2635 (serotype O:8) into derivatives of the broad-host-range plasmid pRK290 and introduced the constructions into plasmid-negative Y. enterocolitica strains. A mild, transient conjunctivitis was evident 24 h after inoculation with strains containing a 2.8-kilobase (kb) BamHI fragment of pYV. These strains were cytotoxic to HEp-2 cells but did not cause death in iron-loaded adult mice. When the 2.8- and adjacent 0.5-kb BamHI fragments were deleted from the virulence plasmid of a fully virulent Y. enterocolitica isolate, the resultant strain did not cause conjunctivitis in guinea pigs and was not cytotoxic to HEp-2 cells. However, the strain with the deletion appeared to be more virulent for mice, with more rapid dissemination after orogastric inoculation, compared with that of the parent strain. When the deletion was complemented by introduction of a plasmid containing the 2.8-kb BamHI fragment, the strain again caused conjunctivitis but had decreased virulence for mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Miliotis
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cianciosi
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Robins-Browne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D003234:Conjunctivitis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins