Aggregation and binding substances enhance pathogenicity in a rabbit model of Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis

P M Schlievert; G M Dunny; J A Stoehr; A P Assimacopoulos

doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_186

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Aggregation and binding substances enhance pathogenicity in a rabbit model of Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis

Book chapter

Peer reviewed

Aggregation and binding substances enhance pathogenicity in a rabbit model of Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis

P M Schlievert, G M Dunny, J A Stoehr and A P Assimacopoulos

Streptococci and the Host, Vol.418, pp.789-791

Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 418, Springer

1997

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_186

PMID: 9331770

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Abstract

We investigated the importance of Aggregation Substance (AS) and Binding Substance (BS) in a rabbit model of Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis. Aggregation substance (AS), a pheromone inducible, surface protein of E. faecalis, promotes mating aggregate formation during bacterial conjugation and is thought to be a virulence factor in enterococcal infections by promoting binding to a variety of eukaryotic cell surfaces2. AS is not produced constitutively, but may be induced by eukaryotic factors in serum. AS contains the amino acid motifs Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser and Arg-Gly-Asp-Val, found in fibronectin and other proteins which mediate adhesion to eukaryotic cell surfaces2. Binding Substance (BS) is the site recognized by AS and is also necessary for mating aggregate formation. Lipotechoic acid (LTA) inhibits aggregate formation and may function as enterococcal BS2. Because of the increasing frequency with which enterococci are identified as nosocomial pathogens and because of the increasing incidence of vancomycin and other antibiotic resistance among these organisms, greater attention is focusing on the pathogenesis of enterococcal infections. AS and BS are thought to play an important role in enterococcal infections.

Amino Acid Sequence

Rabbits

Enterococcus faecalis - pathogenicity

Endocarditis, Bacterial - etiology

Enterococcus faecalis - genetics

Virulence

Bacterial Proteins - genetics

Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections - etiology

Bacterial Proteins - physiology

Sex Attractants - physiology

Animals

Sex Attractants - genetics

Binding Sites

Enterococcus faecalis - physiology

Disease Models, Animal

Details

Title: Subtitle: Aggregation and binding substances enhance pathogenicity in a rabbit model of Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis
Creators: P M Schlievert - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, USA
G M Dunny
J A Stoehr
A P Assimacopoulos
Resource Type: Book chapter
Publication Details: Streptococci and the Host, Vol.418, pp.789-791
Publisher: Springer; Boston, MA
Series: Advances in experimental medicine and biology; 418
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4899-1825-3_186
PMID: 9331770
ISSN: 0065-2598
Grant note: HL51987 / NHLBI NIH HHS 2-T32-HD-07381 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 1997
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984001158602771

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