Open AccessArcobacter spp. possess two very short flagellins of which FlaA is essential for motility
Author(s) -
Ho Hoa T.K.,
Lipman Len J.A.,
Wösten Marc M.S.M.,
Van Asten Alphons J.A.M.,
Gaastra Wim
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2008.00405.x
Subject(s) - biology , arcobacter , microbiology and biotechnology , motility , flagellin , bacteria , campylobacter , genetics
Like Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp., Arcobacter spp. possess two flagellin genes ( flaA and flaB ) located adjacent to each other. The aim of this study was to characterize the flagellin proteins of Arcobacter spp., because these proteins are known virulence factors in the Epsilonproteobacteria , to which these three species belong. With the exception of Arcobacter nitrofigilis , Arcobacter flagellins are almost half the size of those in other Epsilonproteobacteria . Arcobacter flagellin proteins lack a large part of the variable central region. The low homology observed among flagellins of different Arcobacter species indicates genetic heterology between the members of this genus. Unlike in other Epsilonproteobacteria , the transcription of flagellin genes is not regulated by σ 28 ‐ or σ 54 ‐dependent promoters, which suggests that transcription must be regulated in a different way in Arcobacter spp. Mutational studies revealed that only FlaA is needed for the motility of Arcobacter spp. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that transcription of flaB is higher at 30 °C than at 37 °C. Mutation of flaB had no effect on motility or on flaA transcription while mutation of flaA abolished motility and increased the transcription of flaB . These results underline that the genus Arcobacter is an unusual taxon in the epsilon subdivision of the Proteobacteria .