Open AccessIsolation and characterization of a human neutrophil aggregation defective mutant of Fusobacterium nucleatum
Author(s) -
Guo Ming,
Reynolds Homer,
Stinson Murray,
Nardin Ernesto
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2000.tb01436.x
Subject(s) - fusobacterium nucleatum , mutant , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , human pathogen , phagocytosis , phenotype , mutation , pathogen , bacteria , polymerase chain reaction , genetics , gene , porphyromonas gingivalis
Fusobacterium nucleatum is known to adhere to human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and cause them to aggregate. In this study, we isolated a spontaneously occurring aggregation defective (AGG − ) mutant and this mutant will be used for future study of the interactions between this bacterium and human PMN. Genomic DNA fingerprinting by random‐primed polymerase chain reaction method revealed a difference between the parent strain and the AGG − mutant. This mutant also showed an altered phenotype in both microbicidal and phagocytic assays, suggesting that the bacterial factor involved in the aggregation may also be very important for the phagocytosis and, subsequently, the killing by human PMNs. Further study of this mutant may help to clarify the molecular mechanisms of the interaction between this pathogen and human PMNs.