Distribution of virulence-associated genes in Vibrio mimicus isolates from clinical and environmental origins.
Distribution of virulence-associated genes in Vibrio mimicus was studied including the toxin genes ctxA, tdh, st and vmh and the genes necessary for regulation of toxin production, toxR, toxS, toxT, tcpA and tcpP. Approximately half of clinical V. mimicus isolates possessed one or more genes encoding V. cholerae enterotoxic factors such as ctxA, tdh and st. All of the clinical and environmental isolates possessed vmh encoding V. mimicus hemolysin (VMH). The ctxA encoding cholera toxin was detected in only 2 strains, 5% of the clinical isolates. Furthermore, there were very few strains possessing tcpP and toxT needed for the expression of ctxA. These results may suggest that VMH is a more important pathogenic factor than well recognized toxins such as cholera toxin (CT) in V. mimicus infection.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Okayama 700-8530, Japan. shinoda@pharm.okayama-u.ac.jp
Sumio
S
Shinoda
Tomoko
T
Nakagawa
Lei
L
Shi
Kewei
K
Bi
Yasuko
Y
Kanoh
Ken-ichi
K
Tomochika
Shin-ichi
S
Miyoshi
Toshio
T
Shimada
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D014733:Vibrio / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C105588:VmhA protein, Vibrio mimicus; C068489:thermostable direct hemolysin; D002772:Cholera Toxin