The molecular genetics of type-4 fimbriae in Pseudomonas aeruginosa - A review

Mattick, JS; Whitchurch, CB; Alm, RA

The molecular genetics of type-4 fimbriae in Pseudomonas aeruginosa - A review

Mattick, JS Whitchurch, CB

Alm, RA

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Gene, 1996, 179 (1), pp. 147 - 155
Issue Date:: 1996-11-07

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	2008000888OK.pdf		942.77 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Mattick, JS	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Whitchurch, CB https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2296-3791	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Alm, RA	en_US
dc.date.issued	1996-11-07	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Gene, 1996, 179 (1), pp. 147 - 155	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0378-1119	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9763
dc.description.abstract	Type-4 fimbriae (or pili) are filaments found at the poles of a wide range of bacterial pathogens, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Moraxella bovis, Dichelobacter nodosus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They are composed of a small subunit which is highly conserved among different species and appear to mediate adhesion and translocation across epithelial surfaces via a phenomenon termed 'twitching motility'. These fimbriae are key host colonisation factors and important protective antigens. We have analysed the genetics and biosynthesis of type-4 fimbriae in P. aeruginosa, which is an opportunistic pathogen of compromised individuals, including those suffering cystic fibrosis, AIDS or burns. A library of P. aeruginosa transposon mutants was constructed which exhibited loss of twitching motility, as determined by altered colony morphology. Analysis of these mutants, and of similar collections by other groups, have revealed that there are at least 22 genes involved in type-4 fimbrial assembly and function. A large number (pilA, B, C, D, E, M, N, O, P, Q, T, U, V and Z) appear to be involved in the biogenesis of the fimbriae and to represent a subset of a supersystem involved in the assembly of surface-associated protein complexes. Homologs of at least some of these genes have subsequently been identified in other type-4 fimbriate bacteria. In P. aeruginosa, the system is also regulated via two signal transduction pathways - a classic sensor-regulator system (encoded by pilS, pilR and rpoN) which controls transcription of the fimbrial subunit, presumably in response to host cues, and a chemotactic system (encoded by pilG, H, I, J, K and L) which may be involved in the directional or rate control of twitching motility in response to local environmental variables.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Gene	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/S0378-1119(96)00441-6	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Developmental Biology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Fimbriae, Bacterial	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pseudomonas aeruginosa	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Bacterial Proteins	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Signal Transduction	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Genes, Bacterial	en_US
dc.title	The molecular genetics of type-4 fimbriae in Pseudomonas aeruginosa - A review	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	179	en_US
utslib.for	1108 Medical Microbiology	en_US
utslib.for	0604 Genetics	en_US
utslib.for	0606 Physiology	en_US
dc.location.activity	ISI:A1996VV67600020	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ithree - Institute of Infection, Immunity and Innovation
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	179	en_US

Abstract:

Type-4 fimbriae (or pili) are filaments found at the poles of a wide range of bacterial pathogens, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Moraxella bovis, Dichelobacter nodosus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They are composed of a small subunit which is highly conserved among different species and appear to mediate adhesion and translocation across epithelial surfaces via a phenomenon termed 'twitching motility'. These fimbriae are key host colonisation factors and important protective antigens. We have analysed the genetics and biosynthesis of type-4 fimbriae in P. aeruginosa, which is an opportunistic pathogen of compromised individuals, including those suffering cystic fibrosis, AIDS or burns. A library of P. aeruginosa transposon mutants was constructed which exhibited loss of twitching motility, as determined by altered colony morphology. Analysis of these mutants, and of similar collections by other groups, have revealed that there are at least 22 genes involved in type-4 fimbrial assembly and function. A large number (pilA, B, C, D, E, M, N, O, P, Q, T, U, V and Z) appear to be involved in the biogenesis of the fimbriae and to represent a subset of a supersystem involved in the assembly of surface-associated protein complexes. Homologs of at least some of these genes have subsequently been identified in other type-4 fimbriate bacteria. In P. aeruginosa, the system is also regulated via two signal transduction pathways - a classic sensor-regulator system (encoded by pilS, pilR and rpoN) which controls transcription of the fimbrial subunit, presumably in response to host cues, and a chemotactic system (encoded by pilG, H, I, J, K and L) which may be involved in the directional or rate control of twitching motility in response to local environmental variables.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9763