Transposon mutagenesis of Rickettsia felis sca1 confers a distinct phenotype during flea infection.

ABSTRACT: Since its recognition in 1994 as the causative agent of human flea-borne spotted fever, Rickettsia felis, has been detected worldwide in over 40 different arthropod species. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is a well-described biological vector of R. felis. Unique to insect-borne rickettsiae, R. felis can employ multiple routes of infection including inoculation via salivary secretions and potentially infectious flea feces into the skin of vertebrate hosts. Yet, little is known of the molecular interactions governing flea infection and subsequent transmission of R. felis. While the obligate intracellular nature of rickettsiae has hampered the function of large-scale mutagenesis strategies, studies have shown the efficiency of mariner-based transposon systems in Rickettsiales. Thus, thi

SUBMITTER: Laukaitis HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9815595 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature