title: Insights into the virulence-related genes of Edwardsiella tarda isolated from turbot in Europe: genetic homogeneity and evidence for vibrioferrin production.
abstract: Edwardsiella tarda has long been known as a pathogen that causes severe economic losses in aquaculture industry. Insights gained on E. tarda pathogenesis may prove useful in the development of new methods for the treatment of infections as well as preventive measures against future outbreaks. In this report, we have established the correlation between the presence of virulence genes, related with three aspects typically involved in bacterial pathogenesis (chondroitinase activity, quorum sensing and siderophore-mediated ferric uptake systems), in the genome of E. tarda strains isolated from turbot in Europe and their phenotypic traits. A total of 8 genes were tested by PCR for their presence in 73 E. tarda isolates. High homogeneity was observed in the presence/absence pattern of all the strains. Positive results in the amplification of virulence-related genes were correlated with the detection of chondroitinase activity in agar plates, in vivo AHL production during fish infection and determination of type of siderophore produced by E. tarda. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study carried out with European strains on potential virulence factors. Furthermore, we demonstrated for the first time that E. tarda produces the siderophore vibrioferrin.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Biología-CIBUS, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Acuicultura, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Osorio
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Biología-CIBUS, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buján
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias y Centro de Investigaciones de Ciencias Avanzadas (CICA), Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias y Centro de Investigaciones de Ciencias Avanzadas (CICA), Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Biología-CIBUS, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Fundamental, Facultad de Ciencias y Centro de Investigaciones de Ciencias Avanzadas (CICA), Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Biología-CIBUS, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Toranzo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Biología-CIBUS, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magariños
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002951:Citrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D020609:Edwardsiella tarda / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005060:Europe; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002951:Citrates; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D037521:Virulence Factors; C090126:vibrioferrin
keywords: chondroitinase; pathogenicity; quorum sensing; siderophore; turbot; virulence-related genes