title: Significance of tagI and mfd genes in the virulence of non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae.
abstract: Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is an opportunist pathogen well adapted to the human upper respiratory tract and responsible for many respiratory diseases. In the human airway, NTHi is exposed to pollutants, such as alkylating agents, that damage its DNA. In this study, we examined the significance of genes involved in the repair of DNA alkylation damage in NTHi virulence. Two knockout mutants, tagI and mfd, encoding N³-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase I and the key protein involved in transcription-coupled repair, respectively, were constructed and their virulence in a BALB/c mice model was examined. This work shows that N³-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase I is constitutively expressed in NTHi and that it is relevant for its virulence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Denis A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spricigo
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cortés
authors.affiliation: Network Biomedical Research. Respiratory Diseases and Health Research Foundation Balearic Island, Joan March Hospital, Bunyola, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moranta
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbé
authors.affiliation: Network Biomedical Research. Respiratory Diseases and Health Research Foundation Balearic Island, Joan March Hospital, Bunyola, Spain.|Centre for Infection and Immunity, Queens University Belfast. Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bengoechea
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagostera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045647:DNA Glycosylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D045647:DNA Glycosylases
keywords: Haemophilus influenzae; alkylating agents; genes tagI and mfd; virulence