Bile-induced curing of the virulence plasmid in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

J Bacteriol. 2006 Nov;188(22):7963-5. doi: 10.1128/JB.00995-06. Epub 2006 Sep 8.

Abstract

Exposure to bile induces curing of the virulence plasmid in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (pSLT). Disruption of the ccdB gene increases pSLT curing, both spontaneous and induced by bile, suggesting that the pSLT ccdAB genes may encode a homolog of the CcdAB addiction module previously described in the F sex factor. Unlike the F sex factor, synthesis of pSLT-encoded pili does not confer bile sensitivity. These observations may provide insights into the evolution of virulence plasmids in Salmonella subspecies I, as well as the causes of virulence plasmid loss in other Salmonella subspecies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Bacterial Proteins / physiology
  • Bile*
  • DNA Repair
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gene Deletion
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Plasmids / genetics*
  • Salmonella typhimurium / genetics*
  • Salmonella typhimurium / pathogenicity
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • CcdA protein, Arabidopsis
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Membrane Proteins