title: Characterization of genes encoding type 1 fimbriae of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, and Serratia marcescens.
abstract: With a minicell system, the organization of genes encoding type 1 fimbriae of Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens was determined. In all cases multiple gene products were necessary for the phenotypic expression of fimbriae; thus fimbrial expression in these strains is similar to that in Escherichia coli. The type 1 fimbrial subunit gene was detected by the ability of its product to react with specific antiserum. At least six genes were found to be involved in the expression of type 1 fimbriae by S. typhimurium, and at least four genes constituted the fimbrial gene cluster of K. pneumoniae. In the case of S. marcescens, a minimum of three detectable polypeptides was required for the production of fimbriae. Also, a gene probe consisting in part of nucleotide sequences from the E. coli fimbrial subunit gene hybridized to a discrete DNA fragment derived from the plasmid encoding K. pneumoniae fimbriae. Such a fragment was assumed to contain a gene encoding the structural component of the type 1 fimbriae. Each of the three cloned systems encoded a number of polypeptides which varied in size; thus, the organization and molecular weight of fimbrial accessory proteins of each genus were not identical.
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics*; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins