Identification and Sequence Analysis of a 27-Kilobase Chromosomal Fragment Containing a Salmonella Pathogenicity Island Located at 92 Minutes on the Chromosome Map of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium LT2

摘要

Using a genomic approach, we have identified a newSalmonella pathogenicity island, SPI-4, which is the fourthSalmonella pathogenicity island to be identified. SPI-4 was located at 92 min on the chromosome map and was flanked by thessb and soxSR loci. The DNA sequence covering the entire SPI-4 and both boundaries was determined. The size of SPI-4 was about 25 kb and it contains 18 putative open reading frames (ORFs). Three of these ORFs encode proteins that have significant homology with proteins involved in toxin secretion. Another five ORFs encode proteins that have significant homology with hypothetical proteins fromSynechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 or Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. The rest of the ORFs encode novel proteins, one of which has five membrane-spanning domains. SPI-4 is likely to carry a type I secretion system involved in toxin secretion. Furthermore, a previously identified locus (ims98), which is required for intramacrophage survival, was also mapped within the SPI-4 region. These findings suggested that SPI-4 is needed for intramacrophage survival.