Open AccessIn Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging of the Murine Pathogen Citrobacter rodentium
Author(s) -
Siouxsie Wiles,
Karen Pickard,
Katian Peng,
Thomas T. MacDonald,
Gad Frankel
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.00848-06
Subject(s) - citrobacter rodentium , bioluminescence , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , bioluminescence imaging , pathogen , in vivo , enteropathogenic escherichia coli , escherichia coli , ecology , luciferase , transfection , biochemistry , genetics , gene , cell culture
Citrobacter rodentium is a natural mouse pathogen related to enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli . We have previously utilized bioluminescence imaging (BLI) to determine the in vivo colonization dynamics ofC. rodentium . However, due to the oxygen requirement of the bioluminescence system and the colonic localization ofC. rodentium , in vivo localization studies were performed using harvested organs. Here, we report the detection of bioluminescentC. rodentium and commensalE. coli during colonization of the gastrointestinal tract in intact living animals. Bioluminescence was dependent on intact blood circulation, suggesting that the colonic environment is not anaerobic but nanaerobic. In addition, BLI revealed thatC. rodentium colonizes the rectum, a site previously unreported for this pathogen.