The minor flagellin of Campylobacter jejuni (FlaB) confers defensive properties against bacteriophage infection

Lis, Lukas; Connerton, Ian F.

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.01908

The minor flagellin of Campylobacter jejuni (FlaB) confers defensive properties against bacteriophage infection

Lis, Lukas; Connerton, Ian F.

Authors

Lukas Lis

Professor IAN CONNERTON IAN.CONNERTON@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
NORTHERN FOODS PROFESSOR OF FOOD SAFETY

Abstract

A screen of bacteriophages infecting a panel of Campylobacter jejuni PT14 gene knock-out mutants identified a role for the minor flagellin encoded by the flaB gene, in the defense of the host against CP8unalikevirus bacteriophage CP_F1 infection. Inactivation of the flaB gene resulted in an increase in the susceptibility of PT14 cultures to infection by CP_F1 and an increase in bacteriophage yields. Infection of wild type PT14 with CP_F1 produces turbid plaques in bacterial lawns, from which 78% of the resistant isolates recovered exhibit either attenuation or complete loss of motility. CP_F1 produces clear plaques on the flaB mutant with no regrowth in the lysis zones. Complementation of the mutant restored overgrowth and the development of resistance at the expense of motility. Further analyses revealed an increase in bacteriophage adsorption constant of nearly two-fold and burst-size three-fold, relative to the wild type. Motility analysis showed no major reduction in swarming motility in the flaB mutant. Thus we propose a new role for FlaB in the defense of campylobacters against bacteriophage infection.

Citation

Lis, L., & Connerton, I. F. (in press). The minor flagellin of Campylobacter jejuni (FlaB) confers defensive properties against bacteriophage infection. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01908

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Nov 15, 2016
Online Publication Date	Nov 29, 2016
Deposit Date	Nov 18, 2016
Publicly Available Date	Nov 29, 2016
Journal	Frontiers in Microbiology
Electronic ISSN	1664-302X
Publisher	Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	7
DOI	https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01908
Keywords	Campylobacter, Bacteriophages, Flagellin, flaB, Phage escape
Public URL	https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/826631
Publisher URL	http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01908/full
Contract Date	Nov 18, 2016