Identification of a conserved chromosomal region encoding Klebsiella pneumoniae type 1 and type 3 fimbriae and assessment of the role of fimbriae in pathogenicity.

ABSTRACT: Type 3 fimbriae are expressed by most clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and mediate adhesion to host structures in vitro. However, the role of type 3 fimbriae in K. pneumoniae virulence has not been evaluated by use of in vivo infection models. In this study, the type 3 fimbrial gene cluster (mrk) of the clinical isolate C3091 is described in detail. The mrk gene cluster was revealed to be localized in close proximity to the type 1 fimbrial gene cluster. Thus, a 20.4-kb fimbria-encoding region was identified and found to be highly conserved among different K. pneumoniae isolates. Interestingly, a homologue to PecS, known as a global regulator of virulence in Erwinia chrysanthemi, was identified in the fimbria-encoding region. Comparison to the previously characterized plasmid encoded

SUBMITTER: Struve C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2772557 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature