Open AccessThe MgtE Mg 2+ transport protein is involved in Aeromonas hydrophila adherence
Author(s) -
Merino Susana,
Gavı́n Rosalina,
Altarriba Marı́a,
Izquierdo Luis,
Maguire Michael E.,
Tomás Juan M.
Publication year - 2001
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.1574-6968.2001.tb10641.x
Subject(s) - aeromonas hydrophila , microbiology and biotechnology , swarming (honey bee) , biofilm , swarming motility , plasmid , mutant , biology , salmonella , in vitro , chemistry , bacteria , gene , genetics , quorum sensing
Aeromonas hydrophila AH‐3 strains carrying mutations in mgtE , which encodes a Mg 2+ and Co 2+ transport system, showed a 50% reduction of in vitro adherence to HEp‐2 cells, a reduction in swarming in semisolid swarming agar, and decrease in biofilm formation of over 60% in comparison to the wild‐type strain. The cloned A. hydrophila mgtE expressed from a plasmid complements a Salmonella typhimurium strain deleted for all Mg 2+ transporters both phenotypically and by measurement of 57 Co 2+ uptake. Likewise, plasmid‐borne mgtE was able to complement the changes observed in A. hydrophila mgtE mutants. We suggest that MgtE and thus Mg 2+ and possibly Co 2+ have a role in A. hydrophila related to their swarming ability and related consequences such as adherence and biofilm formation.