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Acidic environments induce differentiation of Proteus mirabilis into swarmer morphotypes
Author(s) -
Fujihara Masatoshi,
Obara Hisato,
Watanabe Yusaku,
Ono Hisaya K.,
Sasaki Jun,
Goryo Masanobu,
Harasawa Ryô
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2011.00345.x
Subject(s) - proteus mirabilis , urease , biology , urea , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , flagellum , biochemistry , genetics , staphylococcus aureus
Although swarmer morphotypes of Proteus mirabilis have long been considered to result from surfaced‐induced differentiation, the present findings show that, in broth medium containing urea, acidic conditions transform some swimmer cells into elongated swarmer cells. This study has also demonstrates that P. mirabilis cells grown in acidic broth medium containing urea enhance virulence factors such as flagella production and cytotoxicity to human bladder carcinoma cell line T24, though no significant difference in urease activity under different pH conditions was found. Since there is little published data on the behavior of P. mirabilis at various hydrogen‐ion concentrations, the present study may clarify aspects of cellular differentiation of P. mirabilis in patients at risk of struvite formation due to infection with urease‐producing bacteria, as well as in some animals with acidic or alkaline urine.