Involvement of PhoP-PhoS homologs in Enterococcus faecalis virulence

Fang Teng, Ling Wang, Kavindra V. Singh, Barbara E. Murray, George M. Weinstock

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

70 Scopus citations

Abstract

Eleven PhoP-PhoS homolog pairs were identified by searching the Enterococcus faecalis V583 genome sequence database at The Institute for Genomic Research with the Bacillus subtilis PhoP-PhoS sequences. Each pair appears to be a potential two-component system composed of a response regulator and a sensor kinase. Seven of the homologs were disrupted in E. faecalis strain OG1RF. TX10293, a mutant disrupted in one of these genes (etaR, the first gene of the gene pair designated etaRS), showed delayed killing and a higher 50% lethal dose in a mouse peritonitis model. The predicted EtaR protein sequence showed greatest similarity to LisR of Listeria monocytogenes (77%) and CsrR of Streptococcus pyogenes (70%); EtaS is 53% similar to LisK and 54% similar to CsrS. When grown in vitro, the TX10293 mutant was more sensitive to low pH (pH 3.4) and more resistant to high temperature (55°C) than wild-type OG1RF. In conclusion, many potential two-component systems are identified for E. faecalis, one of which, EtaRS, was shown to be involved in stress response and virulence.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1991-1996
Number of pages6
JournalInfection and Immunity
Volume70
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

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