FlgN plays important roles in the adhesion of Aeromonas hydrophila to host mucus

Genet Mol Res. 2015 Jun 11;14(2):6376-86. doi: 10.4238/2015.June.11.13.

Abstract

Adhesion to the host mucus is a crucial step in the early infection stage of pathogenic bacteria. To investigate the mechanisms of the adhesion of Aeromonas hydrophila to its host mucus, a mutant library was constructed using the mini-Tn10 transposon mutagenesis system. Of 276 individual colonies, the mutant strain with the most attenuated adhesion ability in this study was screened out and designated A77. Molecular analysis showed that a 414-bp sequence flanking mini-Tn10 in A77 had the highest identity (97%) with the bacterial flagellar protein gene flgN. A complemented strain flgN+ was constructed and the biological characteristics of the wild-type, mutant A77, and complemented flgN+ strains were investigated. The results showed that the decreased abilities of motility, adhesion to mucus, and biofilm formation in the mutant strain were partially recovered in the complemented flgN+ strain, which suggested that flgN plays an important role in the adhesion of A. hydrophila to its host.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aeromonas hydrophila / genetics*
  • Aeromonas hydrophila / pathogenicity
  • Amino Acid Sequence / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Cell Adhesion / genetics*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / genetics*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics
  • Humans
  • Mucus / metabolism
  • Mucus / microbiology
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Mutation

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • FlgN protein, Bacteria