Impact of anatomic site on growth, efflux-pump expression, cell structure, and stress responsiveness of Bacteroides fragilis.
This study investigated whether B. fragilis from various human sites acquired stable traits enabling it to express certain efflux pumps (EPs), adopt a particular cell structure, and tolerate certain stressors. Isolates from blood, abscess, and stool (n = 11 each) were investigated. Bacteria from various sites portrayed different ultrastructres and EP expression. Blood isolates were tolerant to nutrient limitation and stool isolates to NaCl and bile salt stress. Stressors significantly increased EP expression. These data demonstrate that (1) B. fragilis acquires stable traits from various in vivo microenvironments; (2) that EPs are involved in stress responsiveness; and (3) that EP expression is tightly controlled and site dependent.
Pumbwe
Lilian
L
Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration Healthcare Systems, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. lilskil@ucla.edu
Skilbeck
Christopher A
CA
Wexler
Hannah M
HM
D000038:Abscess / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001442:Bacteroides Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins