Ordered expression of virulence genes in Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium

Abstract

Using transcriptional promoter fusions, we investigated the expression of selected SPI-1 and SPI-2 genes of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium). Promoters of genes related to the invasion of the epithelial cell (hilA, hilC, hilD, invF, sicA, sopA, sopB and sopE2) were active in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium and LB with butyrate but were suppressed by bile salts and in glucose minimal (M9) medium. Genes related to S. Typhimurium intracellular survival (phoP, ssrA, ssaB, ssaG, sifA, sifB and pipB) were characterized by their expression in stationary phase in LB and M9 medium. Activity of phoP and ssrA promoters indicated that these might be expressed inside the gut. SPI-1 genes were expressed on the transition to stationary phase while SPI-2 genes were expressed in stationary phase. Among SPI-1 genes, those with regulatory functions preceded in expression the effector genes and sop genes were expressed in the order of sopA, sopB and sopE2, showing hierarchy in the expression of S. Typhimurium virulence genes.