title: Isolation and characterization of a Vibrio vulnificus mutant deficient in both extracellular metalloprotease and cytolysin.
abstract: We isolated a Vibrio vulnificus mutant that was deficient in both metalloprotease and cytolysin by allelic exchange. The virulence of this mutant in mice and its cytotoxicity for HEp-2 cells were comparable to those of the wild-type strain, indicating that neither factor was essential for these properties. The cytolysin, but not the protease, seemed to be important for causing damage in the alimentary tract of the mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Hor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014733:Vibrio / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003603:Cytotoxins; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C070101:vvP protein, Vibrio vulnificus