The Enterococcus faecalis fsrB gene, a key component of the fsr quorum-sensing system, is associated with virulence in the rabbit endophthalmitis model.
We used a rabbit endophthalmitis model to explore the role of fsrB, a gene required for the function of the fsr quorum-sensing system of Enterococcus faecalis, in pathogenicity. A nonpolar deletion mutant of fsrB had significantly reduced virulence compared to wild type. Complementation of mutation restored virulence. These data corroborate the role of fsrB in E. faecalis pathogenesis and suggest that the rabbit endophthalmitis model can be used to study the in vivo role of quorum sensing.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
Eleftherios
E
Mylonakis
Michael
M
Engelbert
Xiang
X
Qin
Costi D
CD
Sifri
Barbara E
BE
Murray
Frederick M
FM
Ausubel
Michael S
MS
Gilmore
Stephen B
SB
Calderwood
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D009877:Endophthalmitis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005123:Eye / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D014774:Virulence; D014785:Vision, Ocular
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C409032:FsrB protein, Enterococcus