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Construction of a urease-negative mutant of Proteus mirabilis: analysis of virulence in a mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Construction of a urease-negative mutant of Proteus mirabilis: analysis of virulence in a mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection

Bradley D Jones, C Virginia Lockatell, David E Johnson, John W Warren and Harry L T Mobley
Infection and immunity, Vol.58(4), pp.1120-1123
04/1990
DOI: 10.1128/iai.58.4.1120-1123.1990
PMCID: PMC258592
PMID: 2180821
url
https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.58.4.1120-1123.1990View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Proteus mirabilis, a urease-producing uropathogen, causes serious urinary tract infections in humans. To specifically evaluate the contribution of urease to virulence, a mutation was introduced into P. mirabilis HI4320 by homologous recombination. Virulence was assessed in the CBA mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection. Twenty mice each were challenged transurethrally with P. mirabilis HI4320 and its urease-negative derivative (1 x 10(9) to 2 x 10(9) CFU). At 48 h animals were sacrificed and the mean log10 CFU per milliliter of urine (parent, 6.23; mutant, 4.19; P = 0.0014) or per gram of bladder (parent, 6.29; mutant, 4.28; P = 0.0002), left kidney (parent, 4.11; mutant, 1.02; P = 0.00009), and right kidney (parent, 4.11; mutant, 2.43; P = 0.036) were all shown to be significantly different. These data demonstrate a role for urease as a critical virulence determinant for uropathogenic P. mirabilis.

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