title: Identification and Characterization of a Putative Chemotaxis Protein, CheY, from the Oral PathogenCampylobacter rectus.
abstract: Campylobacter rectusis an understudied oral bacterium that contributes to periodontitis. Processes that contribute to the disease-causing capabilities of pathogens, such as chemotaxis, are largely unknown inC. rectus. The aim of this study was to better understandC. rectuschemotaxis, by examining theC. rectusgenome for the presence of acheYgene. CheY proteins play a part in chemotaxis by acting as two-component response regulators. Significantly, CheY proteins from several pathogens, including the related speciesCampylobacter jejuni,have been shown to contribute to bacterial virulence. Degenerate PCR, RT-PCR, sequence analyses, and structural modeling showed thatC. rectusencodes a gene (Cr-CheY) which shares significant homology with previously characterized CheY proteins. Functional studies of a recombinant form of the protein supports a likely role of Cr-CheY inC. rectuschemotaxis.Cr-CheYis the first CheY characterized from the oral campylobacters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: LaGier
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Ihor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bilokopytov
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cockerill
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Threadgill
keywords: Campylobacter rectus; cheY; chemotaxis; periodontitis