A novel ColV plasmid encoding type IV pili.
Many septicaemic Escherichia coli strains harbour ColV virulence plasmids. This paper describes pO78V, a conjugative ColV plasmid from an avian pathogenic E. coli strain that encodes type IV pili in addition to other virulence-related genes and tetracycline resistance. Plasmid location of type IV pili genes was demonstrated using Southern hybridization and expression of the pili was demonstrated using RT-PCR and phage sensitivity assays. This is a first report of a ColV plasmid encoding type IV pili. Plasmid pO78V is a mosaic plasmid containing replicons and other genes typical to both IncI1 and IncFII groups. As type IV pili of Gram-negative bacteria are involved in several stages of infection, their presence on a ColV virulence plasmid could expand the repertoire of pathogenesis-related genes.
Gophna
Uri
U
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Parket
Anat
A
Hacker
Joerg
J
Ron
Eliora Z
EZ
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens; D003087:Colicins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D012093:Replicon; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D003087:Colicins; D037521:Virulence Factors