Genomic and phenotypic changes of Campylobacter jejuni strains after passage of the chicken gut

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 2009-04, Vol.136 (1), p.121-129
• Main Authors: Hänel, I., Borrmann, E., Müller, J., Müller, W., Pauly, B., Liebler-Tenorio, E.M., Schulze, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bacterial Adhesion; bacterial colonization; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Caco-2 Cells; Campylobacter Infections - microbiology; Campylobacter Infections - veterinary; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter jejuni - genetics; Campylobacter jejuni - growth & development; Campylobacter jejuni - pathogenicity; Campylobacter jejuni - physiology; campylobacteriosis; Cattle; cell invasion; Cell Movement - immunology; Chicken colonization; Chickens; disease reservoirs; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field - veterinary; epidemiological studies; food pathogens; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gastrointestinal system; genetic recombination; genomics; human diseases; Humans; in vitro studies; Intestinal Diseases - microbiology; Intestinal Diseases - veterinary; Invasion; Microbiology; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission - veterinary; Miscellaneous; pathotypes; phenotype; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; poultry diseases; Poultry Diseases - microbiology; Random Allocation; risk assessment; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; strain differences; strains; Typing; virulence; Virulence Factors - genetics
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.10.018

The ability to colonize the chicken gut was determined for 17 Campylobacter jejuni strains of human and bovine origin. The level of colonization varied according to the strain used for experimental infection. Two Campylobacter isolates from patients suffering from gastroenteritis were found in the group of non-colonizing strains, suggesting that other reservoirs as poultry are also important sources of human Campylobacter infections. Bovine Campylobacter isolates can also effective colonize the chicken intestine and may be a source for poultry infection. The invasion ability of the strains as determined in the cell culture model using Caco-2 cells correlates with their colonization capacity in the chicken gut. The genomic and phenotypic stability of the selected strains were evaluated by analysis of their pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, flaA-typing and in vitro determination of motility, adhesion and invasion abilities after colonizing chickens for up to 21 days. Changes were identified in flaA-types of six isolates and three isolates from chicken showed different patterns by PFGE using SmaI or KpnI as restriction enzymes. One isolate showed phenotypic differences after in vivo passage which were seen in enhancement of adherence to eukaryotic cells, decrease of motility and changes in morphology. These phenotypic changes were not associated with the observed genomic instabilities.