The MgtE Mg2+ transport protein is involved in Aeromonas hydrophila adherence

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 198; no. 2; pp. 189 - 195
• Main Authors: Merino, Susana, Gavı́n, Rosalina, Altarriba, Marı́a, Izquierdo, Luis, Maguire, Michael E., Tomás, Juan M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.05.2001; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adherence; Aeromonas hydrophila; Aeromonas hydrophila - genetics; Aeromonas hydrophila - physiology; agar; Antiporters - genetics; Antiporters - metabolism; Bacterial Adhesion - physiology; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacteriology; biofilm; Biofilms; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Transport; Cloning, Molecular; cobalt; Cobalt - metabolism; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - physiology; Experimental bacterial diseases and models; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic Complementation Test; human cell lines; Humans; Infectious diseases; Magnesium; Magnesium - metabolism; Medical sciences; MgtE; Microbiology; Movement - physiology; mutants; Mutation; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; plasmids; Restriction Mapping; Salmonella Typhimurium; Salmonella typhimurium - genetics; Salmonella typhimurium - physiology; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Swarming; Transport; transporters; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Adherence; Aeromonas hydrophila; Magnesium; Swarming; Transport; MgtE; Agar; Adhesion; In vitro; Salmonella typhimurium; Strain; Infection; Type; Decrease; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Vibrionaceae; Salmonellosis; Mutation; Cell; Formation; Carrier protein; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1097(01)00145-8

Aeromonas hydrophila AH-3 strains carrying mutations in mgtE, which encodes a Mg2+ and Co2+ transport system, showed a 50% reduction of in vitro adherence to HEp-2 cells, a reduction in swarming in semisolid swarming agar, and decrease in biofilm formation of over 60% in comparison to the wild-type strain. The cloned A. hydrophila mgtE expressed from a plasmid complements a Salmonella typhimurium strain deleted for all Mg2+ transporters both phenotypically and by measurement of 57Co2+ uptake. Likewise, plasmid-borne mgtE was able to complement the changes observed in A. hydrophila mgtE mutants. We suggest that MgtE and thus Mg2+ and possibly Co2+ have a role in A. hydrophila related to their swarming ability and related consequences such as adherence and biofilm formation.