Project description:Comparison of gene expression between the virulent Rickettsia rickettsii R strain and avirulent Rickettsia rickettsii Iowa. Keywords: virulent vs avirulent Virulent Rickettsia rickettsii R strain in triplicate was compared to avirulent Rickettsia rickettsii Iowa in triplicate
Project description:Six sequencing libraries was prepared from S. Typhi planktonic cells and biofilm cells using Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencing to investigate differential gene expression between the two conditions. The transcriptome was processed using Cufflinks and there were a total of 35 up-regulated genes and 29 down-regulated genes log2-fold change values of greater than 2 and less than negative 2. The differentially expressed genes were identified using BLAST and the functions was analysed. This study provides an overview of the genes that are differentially expressed in S. Typhi when it transitions from the planktonic to the biofilm phenotype. The data will provide a basis for further study is necessary to uncover the mechanisms of biofilm formation in S. Typhi and discovery of novel gene functions or pathways associated with the development of the typhoid carrier state. This data may also be used to elucidate the effect of biofilm on the virulence and pathogenicity of S. Typhi in chronic carriers.
Project description:Comparison of gene expression between the virulent Rickettsia rickettsii R strain and avirulent Rickettsia rickettsii Iowa. Keywords: virulent vs avirulent
Project description:Rickettsia spp. can cause mild to severe human disease. These intracellular bacteria are associated with arthropods, nematodes and trematodes, and usually, are efficiently transmitted transovarially to the progeny of the invertebrate host. We recently demonstrated foreign gene acquisition by lateral gene transfer in Rickettsia genomes. The unexpected presence of laterally transferred toxin-antitoxin (TA) genetic elements (including vapBC) in several Rickettsia genomes has not been connected with the pathogenic process or the host-bacteria relationship. We suspect that vapBC are selfish genetic elements that addict eukaryotic hosts to Rickettsia. We identified a statistical link between the transovarial transmission of Rickettsia in invertebrate hosts and the presence of TA operons, specifically vapBC, in the Rickettsia genome. These TA are neighboring to type IV secretion genes. Tunel assays and whole-genome expression of infected cells showed that antibiotic eradication of TA-containing Rickettsia from the host in cell culture initiates a proapoptotic program. Rickettsia VapC toxins inhibit the growth of transformed Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Rickettsia toxin presents in vitro RNase activity. Annexin-V staining and time-lapse video showed that intracytoplasmic injections of VapC toxins in cells cause apoptosis. These data demonstrate that host cells may develop a dependence on Rickettsia spp. expressing the vapBC operon. This would constitute a new evolutionary “mafia strategy” of intracellular bacteria based on host addiction.
Project description:The green rice leafhopper Nephotettix cincticeps have two mutualistic symbiotic bacteria (Candidatus Sulcia muelleri and Candidatus Nasuia deltocephalinicola) in its symbiont special organ bacteriome and are also infected to rickettsia. In order to determine immune challenge is induced or not by rickettsia infection in N. cincticeps, we investigated gene expression between rickettsia-infected and rifampicin treated uninfected N. cincticeps colonies.
