Journal article
Clostridium difficile Extracytoplasmic Function σ Factor σV Regulates Lysozyme Resistance and Is Necessary for Pathogenesis in the Hamster Model of Infection
Infection and immunity, Vol.82(6), pp.2345-2355
06/2014
DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01483-13
PMCID: PMC4019185
PMID: 24664503
Abstract
Clostridium difficile
is a clinically important pathogen and the most common cause of hospital-acquired infectious diarrhea. Expression of the
C. difficile
gene
csfV
, which encodes σ
V
, an extracytoplasmic function σ factor, is induced by lysozyme, which damages the peptidoglycan of bacteria. Here we show that σ
V
is required for lysozyme resistance in
C. difficile
. Using microarray analysis, we identified the
C. difficile
genes whose expression is dependent upon σ
V
and is induced by lysozyme. Although the peptidoglycan of wild-type
C. difficile
is intrinsically highly deacetylated, we have found that exposure to lysozyme leads to additional peptidoglycan deacetylation. This lysozyme-induced deacetylation is dependent upon σ
V
. Expression of
pdaV
, which encodes a putative peptidoglycan deacetylase, was able to increase lysozyme resistance of a
csfV
mutant. The
csfV
mutant strain is severely attenuated compared to wild-type
C. difficile
in a hamster model of
C. difficile
-associated disease. We conclude that the σ
V
signal transduction system, which senses the host innate immune defense enzyme lysozyme, is required for lysozyme resistance and is necessary during
C. difficile
infection.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Clostridium difficile Extracytoplasmic Function σ Factor σV Regulates Lysozyme Resistance and Is Necessary for Pathogenesis in the Hamster Model of Infection
- Creators
- Theresa D Ho - Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USAKyle B Williams - Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USAYan Chen - Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USARichard F Helm - Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USADavid L Popham - Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USACraig D Ellermeier - Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection and immunity, Vol.82(6), pp.2345-2355
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- DOI
- 10.1128/IAI.01483-13
- PMID
- 24664503
- PMCID
- PMC4019185
- ISSN
- 0019-9567
- eISSN
- 1098-5522
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2014
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Record Identifier
- 9984083276302771
Metrics
30 Record Views