Transcriptional analysis of virulence-related genes in enterococci from distinct origins

The role of enterococci in food fermentation and as probiotics counteracts with their increasing importance as human pathogens. Over the years, several virulence factors have been described, mainly in clinical strains but also in food isolates. However, differential expression of such traits may mod...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied microbiology 2010-05, Vol.108 (5), p.1563-1575
Main Authors: Carlos, A.R, Semedo-Lemsaddek, T, Barreto-Crespo, M.T, Tenreiro, R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
clinical strains
enterococci
Enterococcus
Enterococcus - classification
Enterococcus - genetics
Enterococcus - isolation & purification
Environment
Female
Food Microbiology
food strains
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression Profiling
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
Genes, Bacterial - genetics
Humans
Microbiology
RT-PCR
Virulence - genetics
virulence-related genes
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Summary:The role of enterococci in food fermentation and as probiotics counteracts with their increasing importance as human pathogens. Over the years, several virulence factors have been described, mainly in clinical strains but also in food isolates. However, differential expression of such traits may modulate the pathogenic potential of the harbouring enterococci. To further unravel such differential response, this study aims to identify environmental cues responsible for triggering the expression of virulence-related genes. The differential expression of eight virulence-related genes (cylMBAI, agg, esp, efaAfs and efaAfm) in 16 enterococci from distinct origins, grown in conditions simulating environmental colonization and infection sites, was analysed by reverse transcriptase PCR. The expression profiles were environmental and strain-dependent, because no constant response was observed neither for clinical nor food enterococci. Virulence expression profiles are strain-specific and unrelated with strain's origin or species allocation. The current study constitutes the first approach aimed at the evaluation of the differential expression of enterococcal virulence-related genes combining so many growth environments, enterococcal species and origins. So, with this investigation, we intend to contribute to the clarification of enterococcal pathogenicity potential, especially for food strains.
ISSN:1364-5072
1365-2672
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04551.x