The chemotactic response of Vibrio anguillarum to fish intestinal mucus is mediated by a combination of multiple mucus components.

ABSTRACT: Chemotactic motility has previously been shown to be essential for the virulence of Vibrio anguillarum in waterborne infections of fish. To investigate the mechanisms by which chemotaxis may function during infection, mucus was isolated from the intestinal and skin epithelial surfaces of rainbow trout. Chemotaxis assays revealed that V. anguillarum swims towards both types of mucus, with a higher chemotactic response being observed for intestinal mucus. Work was performed to examine the basis, in terms of mucus composition, of this chemotactic response. Intestinal mucus was analyzed by using chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques, and the compounds identified were tested in a chemotaxis assay to determine the attractants present. A number of mucus-associated components, in parti

SUBMITTER: O'Toole R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC93933 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature