Phasevarion-Regulated Virulence in the Emerging Pediatric Pathogen Kingella kingae.

ABSTRACT: Kingella kingae is a common etiological agent of pediatric osteoarticular infections. While current research has expanded our understanding of K. kingae pathogenesis, there is a paucity of knowledge about host-pathogen interactions and virulence gene regulation. Many host-adapted bacterial pathogens contain phase variable DNA methyltransferases (mod genes), which can control expression of a regulon of genes (phasevarion) through differential methylation of the genome. Here, we identify a phase variable type III mod gene in K. kingae, suggesting that phasevarions operate in this pathogen. Phylogenetic studies revealed that there are two active modK alleles in K. kingae Proteomic analysis of secreted and surface-associated proteins, quantitative PCR, and a heat shock assay comparing the wild

SUBMITTER: Srikhanta YN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5695113 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature