title: Role of exotoxin A and elastase in the pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO experimental mouse burn infection.
abstract: We examined the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO and xcp (extracellular proteins deficient) and xch (extracellular proteins hyperproducing) mutants derived from strain PAO in an experimental mouse burn infection model. The results showed that xcp mutants, which produced little or no extracellular elastase and exotoxin A, were as virulent as their corresponding xcp+ strains. The xch mutants produced more elastase and exotoxin A than the wild type strain, however, they had significantly lower virulence, probably due to reduced ability of these strains to take up iron. Treatment of mice with ferric ammonium citrate had no effect on the wild type strain but enhanced mortality in mice challenged with xch mutants. Neither elastase nor exotoxin A seem to play any role in burn infections with P. aeruginosa strain PAO. However, ability for iron uptake is an important virulence factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology, Danderyd Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wretlind
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Björklind
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Pavlovskis
mesh_terms: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000235:genetics*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
chemical_list: D036002:ADP Ribose Transferases; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D037521:Virulence Factors; D000097668:Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A