Protection and attachment of Vibrio cholerae mediated by the toxin-coregulated pilus in the infant mouse model.

ABSTRACT: Colonization of the human small intestine by Vibrio cholerae is an essential step in pathogenesis that requires the type IV toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). To date, three functions of TCP have been characterized: it serves as the CTXΦ receptor, secretes the colonization factor TcpF, and functions in microcolony formation by mediating bacterium-bacterium interactions. Although type IV pili in other pathogenic bacteria have been characterized as playing a major role in attachment to epithelial cells, there are very few studies to suggest that TCP acts as an attachment factor. Taking this into consideration, we investigated the function of TCP in attachment to Caco-2 cells and found that mutants lacking TCP were defective in attachment compared to the wild type. Overexpression of ToxT, the act

SUBMITTER: Krebs SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3187450 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature