Identification of Campylobacter jejuni Genes Involved in Its Interaction with Epithelial Cells

• Published in: Infection and Immunity Vol. 78; no. 8; pp. 3540 - 3553
• Main Authors: Novik, Veronica, Hofreuter, Dirk, Galán, Jorge E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.08.2010; American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
• Subjects: Animals; Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Campylobacter Infections - microbiology; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter jejuni - genetics; Campylobacter jejuni - pathogenicity; Cell Line; Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular Interactions; Cercopithecus aethiops; Colony Count, Microbial; Cytoplasm - microbiology; DNA Transposable Elements; Epithelial Cells - microbiology; Feces - microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Knockout Techniques; Humans; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Microbial Viability; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Mutagenesis, Insertional; Virulence Factors - genetics; Gene; Campylobacteraceae; Bacteria; Epithelial cell; Identification; Immunity; Campylobacter jejuni
• ISSN: 0019-9567; 1098-5522
• DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00109-10

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of infectious gastroenteritis in industrialized nations. Its ability to enter and survive within nonphagocytic cells is thought to be very important for pathogenesis. However, little is known about the C. jejuni determinants that mediate these processes. Through an extensive transposon mutagenesis screen, we have identified several loci that are required for C. jejuni efficient entry and survival within epithelial cells. Among these loci, insertional mutations in aspA, aspB, and sodB resulted in drastic reduction in C. jejuni entry and/or survival within host cells and a severe defect in colonization in an animal model. The implications of these findings for the understanding of C. jejuni-host cell interactions are discussed.