Molecular Characterization of Vibrio Cholerae Genes FLGO and FLGP

摘要

Vibrio cholerae, a human pathogen and causative agent of the human diarrheal disease cholera, is a highly motile bacterium by virtue of a single, sheathed, polar flagellum. Motility has been inferred to play an important role in virulence and two genes were previously identified by our lab that appeared to be regulated by the flagellar regulatory protein FlrC, VC2207 and the gene immediately downstream VC2206 (annotated as flgO and flgP, respectively). In an effort to determine the roles of FIgO and FlgP, in frame chromosomal deletions were constructed in the coding sequences of flgO and flgP of V. cholerae. A deletion removing the entire coding sequence for FlgO (DELTAflgO) was constructed in wild-type (KKV598) and the same done for FlgP (DELTAflgP). Our results demonstrate that FlgO is a secreted protein that plays a role in transcription of Class IV fiagellins, is required for a motile phenotype and does not play a significant role in colonization of the infant mouse small intestine. FlgP is an outer membrane lipoprotein that is required for a motile phenotype, and plays a significant role in colonization of the infant mouse small intestine.