TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of a gene cluster of Enterococcus faecalis involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis
AU - Xu, Yi
AU - Singh, Kavindra V.
AU - Qin, Xiang
AU - Murray, Barbara E.
AU - Weinstock, George M.
PY - 2000/2
Y1 - 2000/2
N2 - Previously, we described a gene cluster of Enterococcus faecalis OG1RF that produced an antigenic polysaccharide when cloned in Escherichia coli. The polysaccharide antigen was not detectable in E. faecalis strains, however. Here, we show by reverse transcriptase-PCR that the 16 genes in this region are transcribed in OG1RF. Gene disruption of orfde4, encoding a putative glycosyl transferase, and orfde6, a putative dTDP-rhamnose biosynthesis gene, generated two OG1RF mutants. The mutants showed delayed killing and a higher 50% lethal dose in a mouse peritonitis model. In addition, two mucoid E. faecalis isolates from patients with chronic urinary tract infections were found to produce the polysaccharide antigen.
AB - Previously, we described a gene cluster of Enterococcus faecalis OG1RF that produced an antigenic polysaccharide when cloned in Escherichia coli. The polysaccharide antigen was not detectable in E. faecalis strains, however. Here, we show by reverse transcriptase-PCR that the 16 genes in this region are transcribed in OG1RF. Gene disruption of orfde4, encoding a putative glycosyl transferase, and orfde6, a putative dTDP-rhamnose biosynthesis gene, generated two OG1RF mutants. The mutants showed delayed killing and a higher 50% lethal dose in a mouse peritonitis model. In addition, two mucoid E. faecalis isolates from patients with chronic urinary tract infections were found to produce the polysaccharide antigen.
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U2 - 10.1128/IAI.68.2.815-823.2000
DO - 10.1128/IAI.68.2.815-823.2000
M3 - Article
C2 - 10639451
AN - SCOPUS:0033969554
VL - 68
SP - 815
EP - 823
JO - Infection and Immunity
JF - Infection and Immunity
SN - 0019-9567
IS - 2
ER -