The Salmonella typhimurium flgM gene, which encodes a negative regulator of flagella synthesis and is involved in virulence, is present and functional in other Salmonella species.
FlgM inhibits the flagella-specific sigma factor FliA and is involved in the mouse-virulence of Salmonella typhimurium. In recent experiments, we observed that: (i) a flgM gene that could function to negatively regulate flagella synthesis was present in a variety of salmonellae; and (ii) the flgM gene derived from Salmonella species that are not normally virulent in mice could complement the S. typhimurium flgM mutant for virulence. Our results suggest that a functional flgM has been retained in most, and perhaps all, Salmonella species, regardless of the motility or virulence phenotype of the strain.
Schmitt
C K
CK
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hèbert School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799, USA.
Darnell
S C
SC
O'Brien
A D
AD
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D005407:Flagella / Q000235:genetics*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012475:Salmonella / Q000235:genetics*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014774:Virulence
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C071266:FlgM protein, Bacteria