The extracellular metalloprotease of Vibrio tubiashii is a major virulence factor for pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae.

ABSTRACT: Vibrio tubiashii is a recently reemerging pathogen of larval bivalve mollusks, causing both toxigenic and invasive disease. Marine Vibrio spp. produce an array of extracellular products as potential pathogenicity factors. Culture supernatants of V. tubiashii have been shown to be toxic to oyster larvae and were reported to contain a metalloprotease and a cytolysin/hemolysin. However, the structural genes responsible for these proteins have yet to be identified, and it is uncertain which extracellular products play a role in pathogenicity. We investigated the effects of the metalloprotease and hemolysin secreted by V. tubiashii on its ability to kill Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae. While V. tubiashii supernatants treated with metalloprotease inhibitors severely reduced the toxici

SUBMITTER: Hasegawa H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2446533 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature