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Role of Legionella pneumophila-Specific Genes in Pathogenesis, Page 1 of 2
< Previous page Next page > /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555815660/9781555813901_Chap62-1.gif /docserver/preview/fulltext/10.1128/9781555815660/9781555813901_Chap62-2.gifAbstract:
Several studies have compared the virulence traits of different Legionella spp., yet little is known about the genetic basis of these phenotypic differences. To investigate genetic differences between L. pneumophila and L. micdadei, the authors performed a low stringency genomic subtractive hybridization between a serogroup 1 isolate of L. pneumophila and a clinical isolate of L. micdadei. Subtractive hybridization revealed 151 open reading frames (ORFs) present in L. pneumophila 02/41 and absent in L. micdadei 02/42. LadC is predicted to be an adenylate cyclase, as it possesses an intact HAMP signal transduction region and the catalytic domain for adenylate cyclases. There are several mechanisms by which LadC, as a putative adenylate cyclase, could influence the invasion of host cells. LadC, through control of cAMP levels within the bacterial cell, may influence the regulation of L. pneumophila virulence determinants or it may play a direct role in host-pathogen interactions. This investigation has demonstrated that L. pneumophila possesses virulence determinants that are absent in other Legionella species.