title: Functional genome analysis of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 reveals type IVb tight adherence (Tad) pili as an essential and conserved host-colonization factor.
abstract: Development of the human gut microbiota commences at birth, with bifidobacteria being among the first colonizers of the sterile newborn gastrointestinal tract. To date, the genetic basis of Bifidobacterium colonization and persistence remains poorly understood. Transcriptome analysis of the Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 2.42-Mb genome in a murine colonization model revealed differential expression of a type IVb tight adherence (Tad) pilus-encoding gene cluster designated "tad(2003)." Mutational analysis demonstrated that the tad(2003) gene cluster is essential for efficient in vivo murine gut colonization, and immunogold transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of Tad pili at the poles of B. breve UCC2003 cells. Conservation of the Tad pilus-encoding locus among other B. breve strains and among sequenced Bifidobacterium genomes supports the notion of a ubiquitous pili-mediated host colonization and persistence mechanism for bifidobacteria.
authors.affiliation: Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland. m.oconnellmotherway@ucc.ie
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connell Motherway
authors.forename: Aldert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zomer
authors.forename: Sinead C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Leahy
authors.forename: Justus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reunanen
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bottacini
authors.forename: Marcus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Claesson
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Kiera
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: Patrick G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Jose Antonio Moreno
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Munoz
authors.forename: Breda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: Aileen M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Houston
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Mahony
authors.forename: Des G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Fergus
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shanahan
authors.forename: Airi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palva
authors.forename: Willem M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.forename: Gerald F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.forename: Douwe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Sinderen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054892:Metagenome; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009154:Mutation; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C113731:Flp protein, bacteria