Role of ornibactin biosynthesis in the virulence of Burkholderia cepacia: characterization of pvdA, the gene encoding L-ornithine N(5)-oxygenase.

ABSTRACT: Burkholderia cepacia is a frequent cause of respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis patients. B. cepacia has been shown to produce at least four siderophores which may play a role in the virulence of this organism. To characterize genes involved in the synthesis of siderophores, Tn5-OT182 mutants were isolated in strain K56-2, which produces two siderophores, salicylic acid (SA) and ornibactins. Two mutants were characterized that did not produce zones on Chrome Azurol S agar in a commonly used assay to detect siderophore activity. These mutants were determined to produce sevenfold more SA than K56-2 yet did not produce detectable amounts of ornibactins. These mutants, designated I117 and T10, had a transposon insertion in genes with significant homology to pyoverdine biosynthesis genes

SUBMITTER: Sokol PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC96763 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature