The MgtE Mg2+ transport protein is involved in Aeromonas hydrophila adherence |
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Authors: | Susana Merino Rosalina Gav&#x;n Mar&#x;a Altarriba Luis Izquierdo Michael E Maguire Juan M Tomás |
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Institution: | Departamento Microbiologia, Facultad Biología, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain. |
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Abstract: | Aeromonas hydrophila AH-3 strains carrying mutations in mgtE, which encodes a Mg2+ and Co2+ 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 Mg2+ transporters both phenotypically and by measurement of 57Co2+ uptake. Likewise, plasmid-borne mgtE was able to complement the changes observed in A. hydrophila mgtE mutants. We suggest that MgtE and thus Mg2+ and possibly Co2+ have a role in A. hydrophila related to their swarming ability and related consequences such as adherence and biofilm formation. |
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Keywords: | MgtE Adherence Swarming Magnesium Transport Aeromonas hydrophila |
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