title: Identification of potential virulence factors of Cronobacter sakazakii isolates by comparative proteomic analysis.
abstract: Cronobacter is a group of important foodborne pathogens associated with neonatal meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Among Cronobacter species, Cronobacter sakazakii is the most common species in terms of isolation frequency. However, the molecular basis involved in virulence differences among C. sakazakii isolates is still unknown. In this study, based on the determination of virulence differences of C. sakazakii G362 (virulent isolate) and L3101 (attenuated isolate) through intraperitoneal injection, histopathologic analysis (small intestine, kidney, and liver) further confirmed virulence differences. Thereafter, the potential virulence factors were determined using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with MALDI/TOP/TOF mass spectrometry. Among a total of 36 protein spots showing differential expression (fold change>1.2), we identified 31 different proteins, of which the expression abundance of 22 was increased in G362. These up-regulated proteins in G362 mainly contained DNA starvation/stationary phase protection protein Dps, OmpA, LuxS, ATP-dependent Clp protease ClpC, and ABC transporter substrate-binding proteins, which might be involved in virulence of C. sakazakii. This is the first report to determine the potential virulence factors of C. sakazakii isolates at the proteomic levels.
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China (the Ministry-Province Joint Development), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou 510070, China.
authors.forename: Yingwang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China (the Ministry-Province Joint Development), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou 510070, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
authors.forename: Yongjia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China (the Ministry-Province Joint Development), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou 510070, China. Electronic address: wuqp203@163.com.
authors.forename: Qingping
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China (the Ministry-Province Joint Development), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou 510070, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoke
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
authors.forename: Jina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013437:Carbon-Sulfur Lyases / Q000235:genetics*; D044083:Cronobacter sakazakii / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000473:pathology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D051379:Mice; D040901:Proteomics; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C083911:DPS protein, Bacteria; D037521:Virulence Factors; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins; D013437:Carbon-Sulfur Lyases; C117753:LuxS protein, Bacteria
keywords: Comparative proteomic analysis; Cronobacter sakazakii; Histologic analysis; Virulence factors