Affiliation:
1. Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
P. aeruginosa
is a problematic opportunistic pathogen that causes diseases in those with compromised host defenses, such as those suffering from cystic fibrosis. This bacterium produces a number of virulence factors, including a serotype-specific O antigen. Here, we identified and characterized the gene clusters that produce the O15 and O17 O antigens and show that they utilize a pathway for synthesis that is distinct from that of the 18 other known serotypes. We also provide evidence that these clusters have acquired mutations in specific biosynthesis genes and have undergone extensive horizontal gene transfer within the
P. aeruginosa
population. These findings expand on our understanding of O antigen biosynthesis in Gram-negative bacteria and the mechanisms that drive O antigen diversity.
Funder
Gouvernement du Canada | Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Molecular Biology,Microbiology
Cited by
9 articles.
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