title: Acidic environments induce differentiation of Proteus mirabilis into swarmer morphotypes.
abstract: Although swarmer morphotypes of Proteus mirabilis have long been considered to result from surfaced-induced differentiation, the present findings show that, in broth medium containing urea, acidic conditions transform some swimmer cells into elongated swarmer cells. This study has also demonstrates that P. mirabilis cells grown in acidic broth medium containing urea enhance virulence factors such as flagella production and cytotoxicity to human bladder carcinoma cell line T24, though no significant difference in urease activity under different pH conditions was found. Since there is little published data on the behavior of P. mirabilis at various hydrogen-ion concentrations, the present study may clarify aspects of cellular differentiation of P. mirabilis in patients at risk of struvite formation due to infection with urease-producing bacteria, as well as in some animals with acidic or alkaline urine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujihara
authors.forename: Hisato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Obara
authors.forename: Yusaku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hisaya K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goryo
authors.forename: Ryô
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harasawa
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D011513:Proteus mirabilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D003470:Culture Media; D037521:Virulence Factors; D014508:Urea