Influence of Plasmid Type on the Replication of Rhodococcus equi in Host Macrophages.

ABSTRACT: The soil-dwelling, saprophytic actinomycete Rhodococcus equi is a multihost, facultative intracellular pathogen of macrophages. When inhaled by susceptible foals, it causes severe bronchopneumonia. It is also a pathogen of pigs, which may develop submaxillary lymphadenitis upon exposure. R. equi isolates obtained from foals and pigs possess conjugative plasmids housing a pathogenicity island (PAI) containing a novel family of genes of unknown function called the virulence-associated protein or vap family. The PAI regions of the equine and swine plasmids differ in vap gene composition, with equine isolates possessing six vap genes, including the major virulence determinant vapA, while the PAIs of swine isolates house vapB and five other uniqu

SUBMITTER: Willingham-Lane JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5061997 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature