Functional Characterization of Multiple Ehrlichia chaffeensis Sodium (Cation)/Proton Antiporter Genes Involved in the Bacterial pH Homeostasis.

ABSTRACT: Ehrlichia chaffeensis causes human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Little is known about how this and other related tick-borne rickettsia pathogens maintain pH homeostasis in acidified phagosomes and the extracellular milieu. The membrane-bound sodium (cation)/proton antiporters are found in a wide range of organisms aiding pH homeostasis. We recently reported a mutation in an antiporter gene of E. chaffeensis (ECH_0379) which causes bacterial in vivo attenuation. The E. chaffeensis genome contains 10 protein coding sequences encoding for predicted antiporters. We report here that nine of these genes are transcribed during the bacterial growth in macrophages and tick cells. All E. chaffeensis antiporter genes functionally complemented antiporter deficient Escherichia

SUBMITTER: Wei L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8395091 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature