American Society for Microbiology, Journal of Bacteriology, 6(195), p. 1320-1326, 2013
DOI: 10.1128/jb.01632-12
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ABSTRACT A transposon-based, genomewide mutagenesis screen exploiting the killing activity of a lytic ViII bacteriophage was used to identify Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi genes that contribute to Vi polysaccharide capsule expression. Genes enriched in the screen included those within the viaB locus ( tviABCDE and vexABCDE ) as well as oxyR , barA/sirA , and yrfF , which have not previously been associated with Vi expression. The role of these genes in Vi expression was confirmed by constructing defined null mutant derivatives of S . Typhi, and these were negative for Vi expression as determined by agglutination assays with Vi-specific sera or susceptibility to Vi-targeting bacteriophages. Transcriptome analysis confirmed a reduction in expression from the viaB locus in these S . Typhi mutant derivatives and defined regulatory networks associated with Vi expression.