Authors | Clements, M.O., Eriksson, S., Thompson, A., Lucchini, S., Hinton, J.C.D., Normark, S.J. and Rhen, M. |
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Abstract | For many pathogens, the ability to regulate their replication in host cells is a key element in establishing persistency. Here, we identified a single point mutation in the gene for polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) as a factor affecting bacterial invasion and intracellular replication, and which determines the alternation between acute or persistent infection in a mouse model for Salmonella enterica infection. In parallel, with microarray analysis, PNPase was found to affect the mRNA levels of a subset of virulence genes, in particular those contained in Salmonella pathogenicity islands 1 and 2. The results demonstrate a connection between PNPase and Salmonella virulence and show that alterations in PNPase activity could represent a strategy for the establishment of persistency. Copyright (2002) National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. |
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