Genome-wide screen for temperature-regulated genes of the obligate intracellular bacterium, Rickettsia typhi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The ability of rickettsiae to survive in multiple eukaryotic host environments provides a good model for studying pathogen-host molecular interactions. Rickettsia typhi, the etiologic agent of murine typhus, is a strictly intracellular gram negative alpha-proteobacterium, which is transmitted to humans by its arthropod vector, the oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis. Thus, R. typhi must cycle between mammalian and flea hosts, two drastically different environments. We hypothesize that temperature plays a role in regulating host-specific gene expression, allowing R. typhi to survive in mammalian and arthropod hosts. In this study, we used Affymetrix microarrays to screen for temperature-induced genes upon a temperature shift from 37 degrees C to 25 degrees C, mimicking

SUBMITTER: Dreher-Lesnick SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2335108 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature