Patricia Guerry

Evidence for a system of general protein glycosylation in Campylobacter jejuni

A genetic locus from Campylobacter jejuni 81‐176 (O:23, 36) has been characterized that appears to be involved in glycosylation of multiple proteins, including flagellin. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core of Escherichia coli DH5α containing some of these genes is modified such that it becomes immunoreactive with O:23 and O:36 antisera and loses reactivity with the lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). Site‐specific mutation of one of these genes in the E. coli host causes loss of O:23 and O:36 antibody reactivity and restores reactivity with WGA. However, site‐specific mutation of each of the seven genes in 81‐176 failed to show any detectable changes in LPS. Multiple proteins from various cellular fractions of each mutant showed altered reactivity by Western blot analyses using O:23 and O:36 antisera. The changes in protein antigenicity could be restored in one of the mutants by the presence of the corresponding wild‐type allele in trans on a shuttle vector. Flagellin, which is known to be a glycoprotein, was one of the proteins that showed altered reactivity with O:23 and O:36 antiserum in the mutants. Chemical deglycosylation of protein fractions from the 81‐176 wild type suggests that the other proteins with altered antigenicity in the mutants are also glycosylated.

Involvement of a plasmid in virulence of Campylobacter jejuni 81-176.

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni strain 81-176 contains two, previously undescribed plasmids, each of which is approximately 35 kb in size. Although one of the plasmids, termed pTet, carries atetO gene, conjugative transfer of tetracycline resistance to another strain of C. jejuni could not be demonstrated. Partial sequence analysis of the second plasmid, pVir, revealed the presence of four open reading frames which encode proteins with significant sequence similarity to Helicobacter pyloriproteins, including one encoded by the cag pathogenicity island. All four of these plasmid-encoded proteins show some level of homology to components of type IV secretion systems. Mutation of one of these plasmid genes, comB3, reduced both adherence to and invasion of INT407 cells to approximately one-third that seen with wild-type strain 81-176. Mutation of comB3 also reduced the natural transformation frequency. A mutation in a second plasmid gene, a virB11 homolog, resulted in a 6-fold reduction in adherence and an 11-fold reduction in invasion compared to the wild type. The isogenic virB11 mutant of strain 81-176 also demonstrated significantly reduced virulence in the ferret diarrheal disease model. The virB11 homolog was detected on plasmids in 6 out of 58 fresh clinical isolates of C. jejuni, suggesting that plasmids are involved in the virulence of a subset ofC. jejuni pathogens.

A phase-variable capsule is involved in virulence of Campylobacter jejuni 81-176

Campylobacter jejuni strain 81‐176 (HS36, 23) synthesizes two distinct glycan structures, as visualized by immunoblotting of proteinase K‐digested whole‐cell preparations. A site‐specific insertional mutant in the kpsM gene results in loss of expression of a high‐molecular‐weight (HMW) glycan (apparent Mr 26 kDa to > 85 kDa) and increased resolution of a second ladder‐like glycan (apparent Mr 26–50 kDa). The kpsM mutant of 81‐176 is no longer typeable in either HS23 or HS36 antisera, indicating that the HMW glycan structure is the serodeterminant of HS23 and HS36. Both the kpsM‐dependent HMW glycan and the kpsM‐independent ladder‐like structure appear to be capsular in nature, as both are attached to phospholipid rather than lipid A. Additionally, the 81‐176 kpsM gene can complement a deletion in Escherichia coli kpsM, allowing the expression of an α2,8 polysialic acid capsule in E. coli. Loss of the HMW glycan in 81‐176 kpsM also increases the surface hydrophobicity and serum sensitivity of the bacterium. The kpsM mutant is also significantly reduced in invasion of INT407 cells and reduced in virulence in a ferret diarrhoeal disease model. The expression of the kpsM‐dependent capsule undergoes phase variation at a high frequency.

Isolation of motile and non-motile insertional mutants of Campylobacter jejuni: the role of motility in adherence and invasion of eukaryotic cells.

A method of insertional mutagenesis for naturally transformable organisms has been adapted from Haemophilus influenzae and applied to the study of the pathogenesis of Campylobacter jejuni. A series of kanamycin‐resistant Insertional mutants of C. jejuni 81–176 has been generated and screened for loss of ability to invade INT407 cells. Eight noninvasive mutants were identified which showed 18‐200‐fold reductions in the level of invasion compared with the parent. Three of these eight show defects in motility, and five are fully motile. The three mutants with motility defects were further characterized to evaluate the method. One mutant, K2–32, which is non‐adherent and non‐invasive, has an insertion of the kanamycin‐resistance cassette into the flaA flagellin gene and has greatly reduced motility and a truncated flagellar filament typical of flaA mutants. The adherent non‐invasive mutants K2–37 and K2–55 are phenotypically paralysed, i.e. they have a full‐length flagellar filament but are non‐motile. All three mutants show an aberration in flagellar structure at the point at which the filament attaches to the cell. Mutants K2–37 and K2–55 represent overlapping deletions affecting the same gene, termed pflA (paralysed flagella). This gene encodes a predicted protein of 788 amino acid residues and a molecular weight of 90 977 with no significant homology to known proteins. Site‐specific insertional mutants into this open reading frame result in the same paralysed flagellar phenotype and the same invasion defects as the original mutants.

Construction of New Campylobacter Cloning Vectors and a New Mutational Cat Cassette

We have developed new Campylobacter shuttle vectors which are 6.5-6.8-kb plasmids carrying Campylobacter and Escherichia coli replicons, a multiple cloning site (MCS), the lacZ alpha gene, oriT and either a kanamycin or chloramphenicol resistance-encoding gene (KmR or CmR) from Campylobacter which functions in both hosts. These vectors can be mobilized efficiently from E. coli into C. jejuni or C. coli, and stably maintained in these hosts. Plasmids pRY107 and pRY108 carry a KmR marker and 17 unique cloning sites in two different orientations in lacZ alpha, allowing easy blue/white color selection. Plasmids pRY111 and pRY112 contain a CmR gene and 17 unique sites in both orientations. In addition, MCS are flanked by T7 and T3 late promoters and M13 forward and reverse primer sites, facilitating expression in T7 or T3 expression systems and sequence analysis. A Campylobacter CmR gene cartridge, bracketed by six restriction sites, has been developed for use in site-specific mutagenesis of Campylobacter genes.

Campylobacter Protein Glycosylation Affects Host Cell Interactions

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 pgl mutants impaired in general protein glycosylation showed reduced ability to adhere to and invade INT407 cells and to colonize intestinal tracts of mice.

Changes in flagellin glycosylation affect Campylobacter autoagglutination and virulence

Analysis of the complete flagellin glycosylation locus of Campylobacter jejuni strain 81–176 revealed a less complex genomic organization than the corresponding region in the genome strain, C. jejuni NCTC 11168. Twenty‐four of the 45 genes found between Cj1293 and Cj1337 in NCTC 11168 are missing in 81–176. Mutation of six new genes, in addition to three previously reported, resulted in a non‐motile phenotype, consistent with a role in synthesis of pseudaminic acid (PseAc) or transfer of PseAc to flagellin. Mutation of Cj1316c or pseA had been shown to result in loss of the acetamidino form of pseudaminic acid (PseAm). Mutation of a second gene also resulted in loss of PseAm, as well as a minor modification that appears to be PseAm extended with N‐acetyl‐glutamic acid. Previously described mutants in C. jejuni 81–176 and Campylobacter coli VC167 that produced flagella lacking PseAm or PseAc failed to autoagglutinate. This suggests that interactions between modifications on adjacent flagella filaments are required for autoagglutination. Mutants (81–176) defective in autoagglutination showed a modest reduction in adherence and invasion of INT407 cells. However, there was a qualitative difference in binding patterns to INT407 cells using GFP‐labelled 81–176 and mutants lacking PseAm. A mutant lacking PseAm was attenuated in the ferret diarrhoeal disease model.

Phase variation of Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 lipooligosaccharide affects ganglioside mimicry and invasiveness in vitro.

ABSTRACT The outer cores of the lipooligosaccharides (LOS) of many strains of Campylobacter jejuni mimic human gangliosides in structure. A population of cells of C. jejuni strain 81-176 produced a mixture of LOS cores which consisted primarily of structures mimicking GM2 and GM3 gangliosides, with minor amounts of structures mimicking GD1b and GD2. Genetic analyses of genes involved in the biosynthesis of the outer core of C. jejuni 81-176 revealed the presence of a homopolymeric tract of G residues within a gene encoding CgtA, an N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase. Variation in the number of G residues within cgtA affected the length of the open reading frame, and these changes in cgtA corresponded to a change in LOS structure from GM2 to GM3 ganglioside mimicry. Site-specific mutation of cgtA in 81-176 resulted in a major LOS core structure that lacked GalNAc and resembled GM3 ganglioside. Compared to wild-type 81-176, the cgtA mutant showed a significant increase in invasion of INT407 cells. In comparison, a site-specific mutation of the neuC1 gene resulted in the loss of sialic acid in the LOS core and reduced resistance to normal human serum but had no affect on invasion of INT407 cells.

Campylobacter jejuni Cytolethal Distending Toxin Mediates Release of Interleukin-8 from Intestinal Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACT Live cells of Campylobacter jejuni andCampylobacter coli can induce release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) from INT407 cells. Additionally, membrane fractions of C. jejuni 81-176, but not membrane fractions of C. colistrains, can also induce release of IL-8. Membrane preparations from 81-176 mutants defective in any of the three membrane-associated protein subunits of cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) were unable to induce IL-8. The presence of the three cdt genes on a shuttle plasmid in trans restored both CDT activity and the ability to release IL-8 to membrane fractions. However, CDT mutations did not affect the ability of 81-176 to induce IL-8 during adherence to or invasion of INT407 cells. When C. jejuni cdt genes were transferred on a shuttle plasmid into a C. coli strain lacking CDT, membrane preparations became positive in both CDT and IL-8 assays. Growth of C. jejuni in physiological levels of sodium deoxycholate released all three CDT proteins, as well as CDT activity and IL-8 activity, from membranes into supernatants. Antibodies against recombinant forms of each of the three CDT subunit proteins neutralized both CDT activity and the activity responsible for IL-8 release. The data suggest that C. jejuni can induce IL-8 release from INT407 cells by two independent mechanisms, one of which requires adherence and/or invasion and the second of which requires CDT.

CHEY-MEDIATED MODULATION OF CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI VIRULENCE

Four motile, non‐adherent and non‐invasive mutants of Campylobacter jejuni 81‐176 generated by a site‐specific insertional mutagenesis scheme were characterized at the molecular level and all contained a duplication of the same region of the chromosome. When this region was cloned from wild‐type 81‐176 and transferred into 81‐176 on a shuttle plasmid, the same non‐invasive phenotype as the original mutants was observed, suggesting that the region contained a repressor of adherence and invasion. The smallest piece of DNA identified which was capable of repressing adherence and invasion was a 0.8 kb fragment encoding the cheY gene of C. jejuni. To confirm further that CheY was responsible for the observed non‐adherent and non‐invasive phenotypes, the cheY gene was inserted into the arylsulfatase gene of 81‐176 to generate a strain with two chromosomal copies of cheY. This diploid strain displayed the same non‐adherent and non‐invasive phenotype as the original mutants. Insertional inactivation of the cheY gene in 81‐176 resulted in an approx. threefold increase in adherence and invasion in vitro, but this strain was unable to colonize or cause disease in animals. The diploid cheY strain, although able to colonize mice, was attenuated in a ferret disease model.