Third-party-funded project
Title:
Evolution of pathogenic properties in the genus Bordetella
Project management at the University of Würzburg:
- Prof. Dr. Roy Gross
,Tel: (931) 888 4403,Fax: (931) 888 4402,Mail: roy@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de
Participating scientists:
Abstract:
The project deals with the characterization of evolutionary processes which lead to the expression of different pathogenic properties in various Bordetella species. The genus Bordetella comprises several pathogenic species, which cause infections in man and several animals. The most prominent member of the genus is B. pertussis, the etiological agent of whooping cough, which despite the availability of effective vaccines still is a major health problem in particular in the less developed countries. In our project we compare the genetic and the virulence properties of the so-called "classical" Bordetella species including B. pertussis, B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica with the respective properties of the "new" Bordetella species including B. holmesii, B. hinzii B. avium and B. trematum. These new species have been recognized only recently to be infectious agents of man or several animals, respectively. Of particular interest is a new Bordetella species, Bordetella petrii, which we have recently isolated from a river sediment and which represents the first Bordetella species of environmental origin. The species specific virulence properties investigated in the project mainly comprise strategies of intracellular survival of the bacteria after their uptake in professional phagocytes or their resistance against antimicrobial compounds produced by the host such as cationic peptides. In addition genetic differences between these species are identified and characterized.
Key words:
Evolution
Bordetella
Projekt period:
from 01.1998 to 12.2003
Funding institution:
DFG
Preceding project:
DFG GR1243-3/1
Publications:
- Schneider, B., and R. Gross.
(2001). Bordetella pertussis: increasing problems with a well-known pathogen and its relatives.. (monograph)
- Middendorf, B., and R. Gross.
(1999). Representational difference analysis identifies a strain-specific LPS biosynthesis locus in Bordetella spp.. Molecular and General Genetics 262: 189-198, (scientific article)
- Fuchs, T.M., Schneider B., Krumbach, K., Eggeling, L., and R. Gross.
(2000). The characterization of a Bordetella pertussis diaminopimelate biosynthesis locus identifies a novel gene coding for an N-succinyl-L,L-DAP aminotransferase.. Journal of Bacteriology 182: 3626-3631, (scientific article)
- Schneider, B., Gross, R., and A. Haas.
(2000). Phagosome acidification has opposite effects on intracellular survival of Bordetella pertussis and B. bronchiseptica.. Infection and Immunity 68:7039-7048, (scientific article)
- von Wintzingerode, F., Schattke, A., Siddiqui, R.A., Rösick, U., Göbel, U.B., and R. Gross.
(2001). Description of Bordetella petrii sp. nov., isolated from an anaerobic bioreactor and emended description of the genus Bordetella.. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 51:1257-1265, (scientific article)
- Gerlach, G., von Wintzingerode, F., Middendorf, B., and R. Gross.
(2001). Evolutionary trends in the genus Bordetella.. Microbes and Infection 3: 61-72, (scientific article)
- Fuchs, T.M., and R. Gross.
(2001). Die molekularen Talente des Keuchhustenerregers Bordetella pertussis.. Biologie in unserer Zeit 31: 10-20, (scientific article)
- von Wintzingerode, F., Gerlach, G., Schneider, B. and R. Gross.
(2002). Phylogenetic relationships and virulence evolution in the genus Bordetella.. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 264/2: 177-200, (scientific article)
- Schneider, B., Stübs, D., and R. Gross.
(2002). Identification and genomic organization of gene loci negatively controlled by the virulence regulatory BvgAS two-component system in Bordetella bronchiseptica.. Molecular Genetics and Genomics 267: 526-535, (scientific article)
