Open AccessVIRULENCE PROPERTIES OF Aeromonas salmonicida
Author(s) -
Trust Trevor J.,
Ishiguro Edward E.,
Chart Henrik,
Kay William W.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of the world mariculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0735-0147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.1983.tb00075.x
Subject(s) - virulence , aeromonas salmonicida , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathogen , lactoferrin , organism , fish <actinopterygii> , gene , biochemistry , fishery , genetics
Aeromonas salmonicida is an important fish pathogen whose virulence is beginning to be understood at the molecular level. The primary virulence property of this organism is a surface protein array (A‐layer) of tetragonal symmetry. Biochemical and immunochemical analysis of this structure and its isolated A‐protein monomer have shown that this virulence property is highly conserved. The surface protein array protects A. salmonicida from the fishes' defense mechanisms and so gives the organism a pathogenic advantage. This advantage is further enhanced by the ability of A. salmonicida to sequester ferric iron from the high affinity iron chelators lactoferrin and transferrin. This allows the pathogen to grow under the iron‐limiting growth conditions normally found in fish tissues, and clearly is another important virulence attribute.