Genomic island 2 of Brucella melitensis is a major virulence determinant: functional analyses of genomic islands.

ABSTRACT: Brucella genomic islands (GIs) share similarities in their genomic organization to pathogenicity islands from other bacteria and are likely acquired by lateral gene transfer. Here, we report the identification of a GI that is important for the pathogenicity of Brucella melitensis. The deletion of GI-1, GI-5, or GI-6 did not affect bacterial growth in macrophages as well as their virulence in interferon regulatory factor 1-deficient (IRF-1(-/-)) mice, suggesting that these islands do not contribute to Brucella virulence. However, the deletion of GI-2 resulted in the attenuation of bacterial growth in macrophages and virulence in IRF-1(-/-) mice. The GI-2 mutant also displayed a rough lipopolysaccharide (LPS) phenotype indicated by acriflavin agglutination, suggesting that in vitro and in vi

SUBMITTER: Rajashekara G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2546784 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature