An in vivo expression technology (IVET) was applied to screen s.flexneri 2a genes induced after invasion of epithelial cells, and virulence-related genes were further identified by mutational analysis. Thirteen intracellular induced genes were identified with a HeLa cell infection model. Of these, two were identified as alkylation-related genes; one was related to metabolism; one encoded a transcriptional regulator; three were identified as insertion elements; three ap- peared to be antisense to genes involved in the transmethylation,biosyntheseis, and phos- photransferase system;and three were predicted to encode polypeptides with unknown functions. Intracellular survival assavs showed that the mutants of alkA,citC and wcaJ genes had lower capability of intracellular replication or survival than the the wild-type strain.The results indicated that alkA, citC and wcaJ genes could take part in the intracellular survival or replication of S. flexneri 2a and the capability of intracellular survival or replication could be one of the major virulence elements. However, the yaiC mutant was able to survive in the murine infection assay but almost not in HeLa cell infection assay. Very possibly, yaiC gene was involved in the other mechanism of S. flexneri virulence. This study might lead to a better understanding of the intra- cellular survival or proliferation process of S. flexneri 2a and perhaps provide insights into the pathogenicity of this pathogen.
SHI Zhaoxing WANG Hengliang HU Kun FENG Erling YAO Xiao HUANG Liuyu SU Guofu HUNAG Peitang HUANG Cuifen
Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) microarray analysis was used to compare the genomic compositions of all eighteen Shigella boydii serotype representative strains. The results indicated the genomic “backbone” of this subgroup contained 2552 ORFs homologous to nonpatho-genic E. coli K12. Compared with the genome of K12199 ORFs were found to be absent in all S. boydii serotype representatives, including mainly outer membrane protein genes and O-antigen bio-synthesis genes. Yet the specific ORFs of S. boydii subgroup contained basically bacteriophage genes and the function unknown (FUN) genes. Some iron metabolism, transport and type II secretion system related genes were found in most representative strains. According to the CGH phylogenetic analysis, the eighteen S. boydii serotype representatives were divided into four groups, in which se-rotype C13 strain was remarkably distinguished from the other serotype strains. This grouping result corresponded to the distribution of some metabolism related genes. Furthermore, the analysis of genome backbone genes, specific genes, and the phylogenetic trees allowed us to discover the evo-lution laws of S. boydii and to find out important clues to pathogenesis research, vaccination and the therapeutic medicine development.
WANG Jing1*, ZHANG Xiaobing1*, PENG Junping1, YANG E2, BIN Wen3, YANG Jian1, DONG Jie1, SUN Lilian1, XU Xingye1 & JIN Qi1 1. State Key Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Genetic Engineering, Beijing 100176, China
