The live oral typhoid vaccine Ty21a is a rpoS mutant and is susceptible to various environmental stresses

Abstract The rpoS (katF) gene, which encodes a RNA polymerase σ factor ( σ ^s ), regulates the virulence of Salmonella typhimurium in mice. In the present study, we show that rpoS mutants can be frequently found among laboratory strains of Salmonella . In addition, a rpoS mutation was identified in the S. typhi live oral vaccine Ty21a. Introduction of a wild-type rpoS gene in Ty21a allowed the bacteria to survive better under starvation conditions and increased their resistance to other stresses. These results contribute to a better understanding of the genetic background of the live typhoid oral vaccine Ty21a and suggest that the rpoS mutation may contribute to the safety of this strain in humans.