Open AccessGenomics of the 35‐kb pvd locus and analysis of novel pvdIJK genes implicated in pyoverdine biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Author(s) -
Lehoux Dario E,
Sanschagrin François,
Levesque Roger C
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2000.tb09276.x
Subject(s) - pyoverdine , siderophore , biology , mutant , virulence , gene , locus (genetics) , microbiology and biotechnology , pseudomonas aeruginosa , genetics , bacteria
Novel putative pyoverdine synthetase pvdIJK genes were found upstream of pvdD in the 6.2‐Mb chromosome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1. These genes formed a locus implicated in pyoverdine biosynthesis. Sequence analysis showed that the product of these genes shared 43%, 60% and 57% identity with PvdD. PvdIJK are thought to be implicated in synthesis of pyoverdine, a siderophore chelating Fe 3+ . A pvdI mutant was obtained by gene disruption mutagenesis and confirmed by Southern hybridization. The pvdI mutant produced gave no significant growth on solid media supplemented with the iron chelator 2,2‐dipyridyl; while the PvdI − phenotype abolished pyoverdine fluorescence. The role of PvdI in pathogenicity was tested by measuring the in vivo growth of P. aeruginosa wild‐type and mutant strains in a chronic lung infection rat model, and by measuring the competitive infectivity index into a neutropenic mice model. The data obtained confirmed the importance of PvdI in virulence and iron uptake.