title: The Lly protein protects Legionella pneumophila from light but does not directly influence its intracellular survival in Hartmannella vermiformis.
abstract: The lly locus (legiolysin) mediates the browning of the culture medium of Legionella pneumophila in the late stationary growth phase, presumably as a result of synthesis of homogentisic acid. Mutagenesis of the lly gene of the L. pneumophila Philadelphia I derivative JR32 did not affect intracellular replication in the natural host Hartmannella vermiformis. The Lly-negative mutant, however, showed a markedly decreased resistance to ordinary light. The cloned lly gene conferred an increased resistance to light in recombinant L. pneumophila and Escherichia coli K-12, indicating a contribution of the Lly protein to ecological adaptation of Legionella species.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekulare Infektionsbiologie, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Engelhard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flügel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wintermeyer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hacker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006249:Hartmannella / Q000382:microbiology*; D016952:Legionella pneumophila / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C094283:Lly protein, Legionella pneumophila