Identification of OxyR as an activator of type 1 fimbriae (fim) in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

Abstract

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) encodes 14 fimbrial gene clusters, including the mannose-binding type 1 fimbriae known as Fim. Type 1 fimbriae have been implicated in biofilm formation and adhesion to host cells in Salmonella. However, their regulation in S. Typhi remains largely unknown. To identify genes affecting the regulation of fim in S. Typhi, we employed both a targeted and a genome-wide transposon-based screening approach. Overall, we identified 18 potential regulators of fim expression: 10 activators and 8 repressors. Two genes involved in the electron transport chain, yqiC and ndh, which encode the type II NADH dehydrogenase NDH-2, were identified. Both YqiC and NDH-2 contribute to the production of reactive oxygen species, prompting an investigation into the roles of oxidative stress response regulators OxyR and SoxR. We found that only OxyR regulates fim expression, which was specific to S. Typhi. OxyR acts by directly binding to the fimA promoter region. This study paves the way for future development of anti-adhesion strategies through the identification of 14 novel regulators for the most prominent fimbriae of S. Typhi.IMPORTANCEAdhesion mediated by fimbriae is one of the critical steps in the infection process. Therefore, it is essential to better understand the regulation of type 1 fimbriae (fim) in the human-specific pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, the etiologic agent of typhoid fever. In this study, we identified 18 distinct mutants with altered regulation of fim. Furthermore, we confirmed that the DNA-binding protein OxyR directly regulates fim expression. Importantly, we also demonstrated regulatory differences in fim expression between S. Typhi and S. Typhimurium, as six of the genes identified altering fim expression in S. Typhi either did not affect fim expression in S. Typhimurium or had the contrary effect. This highlights fundamental differences between these serovars and emphasizes the need to investigate and compare aspects of gene regulation in S. Typhi.