Bordetella avium hemagglutination and motility mutants: isolation, characterization, and pathogenicity.
Transposon mutagenesis was used to produce Bordetella avium mutants, which were screened for the lack of potential virulence factors, including a hemagglutinin, flagella, pili, and toxins. A mini-Tn10 transposon containing a kanamycin-resistance gene was introduced into the chromosomal DNA of the virulent 002/S isolate by electroporation. A hemagglutination-negative (HA-) mutant and a motility-negative mutant were obtained. Southern blot analysis showed that only the motility-negative mutant contained the transposon, whereas the HA- mutant was a spontaneous kanamycin-resistant mutant. Both mutants were stable in vitro and in vivo. Following inoculation of 2-week-old poults, the HA- mutant was determined to be less virulent than the 002/S parent, whereas the motility-negative mutant was similar in virulence to the 002/S parent. These results indicate that the hemagglutinin of B. avium is a virulence factor, but motility does not appear to contribute to virulence.
Moore
K M
KM
Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602.
Jackwood
M W
MW
Brown
T P
TP
Dreesen
D W
DW
D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001884:Bordetella / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D001885:Bordetella Infections / Q000473:pathology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006384:Hemagglutination; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology; D014422:Turkeys
D003470:Culture Media; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial