The Yersinia pestis autotransporter YapC mediates host cell binding, autoaggregation and biofilm formation.
YapC, a putative Yersinia pestis autotransporter protein, shows strong homology to the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli adhesin TibA. As a potentially important surface protein of Y. pestis, we analysed YapC for several activities. When expressed in the non-pathogenic Fim(-) E. coli strain AAEC185, YapC mediated attachment to both murine-derived macrophage-like cells (RAW264.7) and human-derived epithelial-like cells (HEp-2). In addition, expression of YapC on the surface of E. coli led to autoaggregation in DMEM tissue culture medium, a phenomenon associated with virulence in Yersinia species. YapC also mediated formation of biofilm-like deposits by E. coli AAEC185. Deletion of yapC in Y. pestis strain KIM5 resulted in no change in adhesion to either RAW264.7 or HEp-2 cells, or in biofilm formation. Lack of a phenotype for the Y. pestis DeltayapC mutant may reflect the relatively low level of yapC expression in vitro, as assessed by RT-PCR, and/or redundant functions expressed in vitro. These data demonstrate several activities for YapC that may function during Y. pestis infection.
Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA.
Suleyman
S
Felek
Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Matthew B
MB
Lawrenz
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0620, USA.|Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA.
Eric S
ES
Krukonis
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002460:Cell Line; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; C081814:pH 6 antigen, Yersinia