Galleria mellonella as an infection model to investigate virulence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

ABSTRACT: Non-toxigenic V. parahaemolyticus isolates (tdh^-/trh^-/T3SS2^-) have recently been isolated from patients with gastroenteritis. In this study we report that the larvae of the wax moth (Galleria mellonella) are susceptible to infection by toxigenic or non-toxigenic clinical isolates of V. parahaemolyticus. In comparison larvae inoculated with environmental isolates of V. parahaemolyticus did not succumb to disease. Whole genome sequencing of clinical non-toxigenic isolates revealed the presence of a gene encoding a nudix hydrolase, identified as mutT. A V. parahaemolyticus mutT mutant was unable to kill G. mellonella at 24 h post inoculation, indicating a role of this gene in virulence. Our findings show that G. mellonella is a valuable model for investigating

SUBMITTER: Wagley S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5801645 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature