Alteration of flagellar phenotype of Escherichia coli strain P12b, the standard type strain for flagellar antigen H17, possessing a new non-fliC flagellin gene flnA, and possible loss of original flagellar phenotype and genotype in the course of subculturing through semisolid media |
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Authors: | Yuliy A Ratiner Leila M Sihvonen Yanqun Liu Lei Wang Anja Siitonen |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Microbiology, Mechnikov Research Institute for Vaccines and Sera of The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 5-a Pereulok Maly Kazenny, 105064 Moscow, Russia;(2) Bacteriology Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), P.O. Box 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland;(3) TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Nankai University, TEDA, 300457 Tianjin, People’s Republic of China;(4) Present address: College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, 110161 Shenyang, People’s Republic of China |
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Abstract: | A practically important phenomenon, resulting in the loss of the original flagellar phenotype (genotype) of bacteria, is described
in the Escherichia coli H17 type strain P12b possessing two distinct genes for H17 and H4 flagellins, respectively. By PCR, sequencing, and phylogenetic
investigation, the H17 gene (originally expressed) was considered a new non-fliC flagellin gene and assigned flnA, while the H4 gene (originally cryptic) was reaffirmed as fliC. H17 and H4 flagella differed morphologically. The phenomenon consisted in the replacement of H17 cells by H4 cells during
subculturing through certain semisolid media and resulted from the excision of flnA
H17 entirely or in part. The substitution rate depended on the density and nutrient composition of media and reached 100% even
after a single passage through 0.3% LB agar. Such phenomenon can lead to an unexpected loss of original H17 phenotype. Our
review of the literature showed that the loss of the original flagellar genotype (phenotype) of P12b has occurred in some
laboratories while the authors continued to consider their cultures H17. We showed how to distinguish these alternative flagellin
genotypes using popular fliC primers. Attention was also paid to possible discrepancies between serological and molecular results in flagellar typing
of E. coli. |
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