Regulation of Lipid A Modifications by Salmonella typhimurium Virulence Genes phoP-phoQ

L Guo, KB Lim, JS Gunn, B Bainbridge, RP Darveau… - Science, 1997 - science.org
L Guo, KB Lim, JS Gunn, B Bainbridge, RP Darveau, M Hackett, SI Miller
Science, 1997science.org
Bacterial pathogenesis requires proteins that sense host microenvironments and respond by
regulating virulence gene transcription. For Salmonellae, one such regulatory system is
PhoP-PhoQ, which regulates genes required for intracellular survival and resistance to
cationic peptides. Analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that Salmonella typhimurium
PhoP-PhoQ regulated structural modifications of lipid A, the host signaling portion of
lipopolysaccharide (LPS), by the addition of aminoarabinose and 2-hydroxymyristate …
Bacterial pathogenesis requires proteins that sense host microenvironments and respond by regulating virulence gene transcription. For Salmonellae, one such regulatory system is PhoP-PhoQ, which regulates genes required for intracellular survival and resistance to cationic peptides. Analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that Salmonella typhimurium PhoP-PhoQ regulated structural modifications of lipid A, the host signaling portion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), by the addition of aminoarabinose and 2-hydroxymyristate. Structurally modified lipid A altered LPS-mediated expression of the adhesion molecule E-selectin by endothelial cells and tumor necrosis factor–α expression by adherent monocytes. Thus, altered responses to environmentally induced lipid A structural modifications may represent a mechanism for bacteria to gain advantage within host tissues.
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