Campylobacter protein glycosylation affects host cell interactions

Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni 81-176 pgl mutants impaired in general protein glycosylation showed reduced ability to adhere to and invade INT407 cells and to colonize intestinal tracts of mice.

FIG. 1.

Growth curve of 81-176 and pgl mutants. Bacterial cultures were adjusted to an OD₆₀₀ of 0.1 and grown in MH broth under microaerophilic conditions with shaking at 37°C. The relationship of OD₆₀₀ to viable count was equivalent for all strains examined. The mean doubling time of each strain from two or three experiments is shown. The growth curve shown is an example of one experiment.

FIG. 2.

Colonization of Hsd:ICR mice by C. jejuni. Each group contained 12 to 16 mice in two separate experiments except the group fed pglE(pCS101), which contained eight mice in a single experiment. Data are means ± standard errors. Black bar, 81-176; lightly stippled bar, pglB strain; white bar, pglE strain; heavily stippled bar, pglE strain carrying pCS101. The pglB and pglE mutants showed a statistically significant reduction in colonization (P < 0.001) compared to the wild type at all time points.