Enterococcal surface protein Esp does not facilitate intestinal colonization or translocation of Enterococcus faecalis in clindamycin-treated mice.
Enterococcal surface protein (Esp) is a cell wall-associated protein of Enterococcus faecalis that has been identified as a potential virulence factor. We used a mouse model to examine whether Esp facilitates intestinal colonization or translocation of E. faecalis to mesenteric lymph nodes. After clindamycin treatment, similar levels of high-density colonization were established after orogastric inoculation of an E. faecalis isolate containing the esp gene within a large pathogenicity island and an isogenic mutant created by allelic replacement of the esp gene with a chloramphenicol resistance cassette (P=0.7); translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes was detected in 3 of 12 (25%) mice in both groups. Isogenic mutants of FA2-2 (a plasmid-free derivative of E. faecalis strain JH2) with or without the esp gene failed to establish colonization of clindamycin-treated mice. These results suggest that Esp does not facilitate intestinal colonization or translocation of E. faecalis.
Pultz
Nicole J
NJ
Infectious Diseases Section (111W), Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, 10701 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Shankar
Nathan
N
Baghdayan
Arto S
AS
Donskey
Curtis J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C116707:enterococcal surface protein, esp; D002981:Clindamycin