title: Identification and Characterization of anAeromonas hydrophilaOligopeptidase GenepepFNegatively Related to Biofilm Formation.
abstract: Bacterial biofilms are involved in adaptation to complex environments and are responsible for persistent bacterial infections. Biofilm formation is a highly complex process during which multifarious genes work together regularly. In this study, we screened the EZ-Tn5 transposon mutant library to identify genes involved in biofilm formation ofAeromonas hydrophila. A total of 24 biofilm-associated genes were identified, the majority of which encoded proteins related to cell structure, transcription and translation, gene regulation, growth and metabolism. The mutant strain TM90, in which a gene encoding oligopeptidase F (pepF) was disturbed, showed significant upregulation of biofilm formation compared to the parental strain. The TM90 colony phenotype was smaller, more transparent, and splendent. The adhesive ability of TM90 to HEp-2 cells was significantly increased compared with the parental strain. Fifty percent lethal dose (LD50) determinations in zebrafish demonstrated that the enhanced-biofilm mutant TM90 was highly attenuated relative to the wild-type strain. In conclusion, thepepFgene is demonstrated for the first time to be a negative factor for biofilm formation and is involved inA. hydrophilapathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Hechao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Maoda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yuhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yafeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Nannan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Furqan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Awan
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Chengping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Aeromonas hydrophila; biofilm; oligopeptidase F (pepF); transposon mutant library; virulence