Heterologous expression of pathogen-specific genes ligA and ligB in the saprophyte Leptospira biflexaconfers enhanced adhesion to cultured cells and fibronectin
Figueira CP, Croda J, Choy HA, Haake DA, Reis MG, Ko AI, Picardeau M. Heterologous expression of pathogen-specific genes ligA and ligB in the saprophyte Leptospira biflexaconfers enhanced adhesion to cultured cells and fibronectin. BMC Microbiology 2011, 11: 129. PMID: 21658265, PMCID: PMC3133549, DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-11-129.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHeterologous expressionL. biflexaFunctional genetic analysisCultured cellsPathogen-specific proteinsVirulence-associated phenotypesSaprophytic L. biflexaPathogenesis of leptospirosisImmunoglobulin-like proteinEukaryotic cellsKey virulence factorsExtracellular matrix componentsLeptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteinsSurrogate hostLig geneLeptospira biflexa serovar patocMolecular basisReplicative plasmidGenetic analysisLig proteinsSurface localizationCell adhesionSurface proteinsVirulence factorsLigB