RfaH is essential for virulence and adaptive responses in <i>Yersinia pseudotuberculosis</i> infection.

ABSTRACT: We previously suggested that increased expression of the gene encoding transcriptional antiterminator RfaH during Yersinia pseudotuberculosis transcriptional reprogramming is necessary for adapting to persistent infection. In this study, we examined the role of RfaH in virulence and bacterial physiology under infection-relevant stress conditions, and identified genes differentially regulated in the absence of RfaH in Y. pseudotuberculosis. We employed a mouse infection model and phenotypic assays to test RfaH's role in virulence and physiology, as well as RNA sequencing, including O-antigen biosynthesis-deficient strains. Our findings demonstrate that loss of RfaH significantly attenuates virulence, reducing the capacity of Y. pseudotuberculosis to establish persistent

SUBMITTER: Waititu JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12607645 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature