Identification of Legionella pneumophila rcp, a pagP-like gene that confers resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides and promotes intracellular infection.

ABSTRACT: In the course of characterizing a locus involved in heme utilization, we identified a Legionella pneumophila gene predicted to encode a protein with homology to the product of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium pagP gene. In Salmonella, pagP increases resistance to the bactericidal effects of cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs). Mutants with insertions in the L. pneumophila pagP-like gene were generated and showed decreased resistance to different structural classes of CAMPs compared to the wild type; hence, this gene was designated rcp for resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides. Furthermore, Legionella CAMP resistance was induced by growth in low-magnesium medium. To determine whether rcp had any role in intracellular survival, mutants were tested in the two most relev

SUBMITTER: Robey M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC98497 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature