Mutation of wbtJ, a N-formyltransferase involved in O-antigen synthesis, results in biofilm formation, phase variation and attenuation in Francisella tularensis.

ABSTRACT: Two clinically important subspecies, Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis (type A) and F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (type B) are responsible for most tularaemia cases, but these isolates typically form a weak biofilm under in vitro conditions. Phase variation of the F. tularensis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been reported in these subspecies, but the role of variation is unclear as LPS is crucial for virulence. We previously demonstrated that a subpopulation of LPS variants can constitutively form a robust biofilm in vitro, but it is unclear whether virulence was affected. In this study, we show that biofilm-forming variants of both fully virulent F. tularensis subspecies were highly attenuated in the murine tularaemia model by

SUBMITTER: Mlynek KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10924466 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature