This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Belas, R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Belas, R

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1994 December; 176(23): 7169-7181

research-article

Expression of multiple flagellin-encoding genes of Proteus mirabilis.

Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, Baltimore 21202.

ABSTRACT

The overproduction of flagella is a distinguishing characteristic of Proteus mirabilis swarmer cell differentiation. The synthesis of flagellin, the principal protein composing the flagellar filament, is coordinately regulated as part of a larger regulon of genes whose expression is a prerequisite in urinary pathogenesis. In this report, the regulation of expression of the flaA locus, comprising flaA and flaB, two tandemly linked and nearly identical copies of flagellin-encoding genes, is examined. Transcriptional expression studies reveal that flaA, but not flaB, is expressed by wild-type cells, and flaA transcription increases eightfold during differentiation. The flaA transcriptional start site for both swimmer and swarmer cells was determined to be located at a guanine, 8 bases downstream of the flaA sigma 28 promoter. FlaA- mutants are nonmotile and undifferentiated and do not synthesize flagellin, while FlaB- mutants are wild type, thus verifying that FlaA is the sole flagellin produced by wild-type cells and that flaB is silent. FlaA- mutants frequently revert to a Mot+ phenotype that is antigenically distinct from that of wild-type cells. Southern blot analysis of the flaA Mot+ revertants reveals a deletion of between 2 and 7kb in the flaA locus. Biochemical analyses of revertant flagellin indicate major changes in protein size and composition but conservation of the first 28 N-terminal residues. The result of this process is to produce an antigenically distinct flagellum that may be significant in ensuring the survival of P. mirabilis during pathogenesis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Nielubowicz, G. R., Smith, S. N., Mobley, H. L. T. (2008). Outer Membrane Antigens of the Uropathogen Proteus mirabilis Recognized by the Humoral Response during Experimental Murine Urinary Tract Infection. Infect. Immun. 76: 4222-4231 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Clemmer, K. M., Rather, P. N. (2008). The Lon protease regulates swarming motility and virulence gene expression in Proteus mirabilis. J Med Microbiol 57: 931-937 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jacobsen, S. M., Stickler, D. J., Mobley, H. L. T., Shirtliff, M. E. (2008). Complicated Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Due to Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 21: 26-59 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Stevenson, L. G., Rather, P. N. (2006). A Novel Gene Involved in Regulating the Flagellar Gene Cascade in Proteus mirabilis. J. Bacteriol. 188: 7830-7839 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Belas, R., Suvanasuthi, R. (2005). The Ability of Proteus mirabilis To Sense Surfaces and Regulate Virulence Gene Expression Involves FliL, a Flagellar Basal Body Protein. J. Bacteriol. 187: 6789-6803 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jansen, A. M., Lockatell, V., Johnson, D. E., Mobley, H. L. T. (2004). Mannose-Resistant Proteus-Like Fimbriae Are Produced by Most Proteus mirabilis Strains Infecting the Urinary Tract, Dictate the In Vivo Localization of Bacteria, and Contribute to Biofilm Formation. Infect. Immun. 72: 7294-7305 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Manos, J., Belas, R. (2004). Transcription of Proteus mirabilis flaAB. Microbiology 150: 2857-2863 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Manos, J., Artimovich, E., Belas, R. (2004). Enhanced motility of a Proteus mirabilis strain expressing hybrid FlaAB flagella. Microbiology 150: 1291-1299 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jansen, A. M., Lockatell, C. V., Johnson, D. E., Mobley, H. L. T. (2003). Visualization of Proteus mirabilis Morphotypes in the Urinary Tract: the Elongated Swarmer Cell Is Rarely Observed in Ascending Urinary Tract Infection. Infect. Immun. 71: 3607-3613 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Prigent-Combaret, C., Vidal, O., Dorel, C., Lejeune, P. (1999). Abiotic Surface Sensing and Biofilm-Dependent Regulation of Gene Expression in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 181: 5993-6002 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Belas, R., Schneider, R., Melch, M. (1998). Characterization of Proteus mirabilis Precocious Swarming Mutants: Identification of rsbA, Encoding a Regulator of Swarming Behavior. J. Bacteriol. 180: 6126-6139 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ratiner, Y. A. (1998). New Flagellin-Specifying Genes in Some Escherichia coli Strains. J. Bacteriol. 180: 979-984 [Abstract] [Full Text]