Characterization of a Campylobacter jejuni VirK protein homolog as a novel virulence determinant.
Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of food-borne illness in the United States. Despite significant recent advances, its mechanisms of pathogenesis are poorly understood. A unique feature of this pathogen is that, with some exceptions, it lacks homologs of known virulence factors from other pathogens. Through a genetic screen, we have identified a C. jejuni homolog of the VirK family of virulence factors, which is essential for antimicrobial peptide resistance and mouse virulence.
Novik
Veronica
V
Section of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06536, USA.
Hofreuter
Dirk
D
Galán
Jorge E
JE
D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D019556:COS Cells; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D051379:Mice; D050296:Microbial Viability; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C545240:Cjj81176_1087 protein, Campylobacter jejuni; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D037521:Virulence Factors