title: Outer membrane defect and stronger biofilm formation caused by inactivation of a gene encoding for heptosyltransferase I in Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC BAA-894.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure in the stability of outer membrane and the ability of biofilm formation in Cronobacter sakazakii.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A C. sakazakii mutant strain LWW02 was constructed by inactivating the gene ESA_04107 encoding for heptosyltransferase I. LPS were purified from LWW02, and changes in their structure were confirmed by thin-layer chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Comparing with the wild-type strain BAA-894, slower growth, higher membrane permeability, higher surface hydrophobicity, stronger ability of autoaggregation and biofilm formation were observed for the mutant strain LWW02.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gene ESA_04107 encodes heptosyltransferase I in C. sakazakii ATCC BAA-894. The cleavage of LPS in C. sakazakii could cause its outer membrane defects and increase its ability to form biofilms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study is important for understanding the pathogenic mechanism and efficient control of C. sakazakii.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D044083:Cronobacter sakazakii / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018390:Gene Targeting; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; C086735:heptosyltransferase; C080934:lipooligosaccharide 1,5-heptosyltransferase