SdsA1, a secreted sulfatase, contributes to the in vivo virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice

Abstract

Mucin is a glycoprotein that is the primary component of the mucus overlaying the epithelial tissues. Because mucin functions as a first line of the innate immune system, Pseudomonas aeruginosa appears to require interaction with mucin to establish infection in the host. However, the interactions between P. aeruginosa and mucin have been poorly understood. In this study, using in vivo expression technology (IVET), we attempted to identify mucin-inducible promoters that are likely to be involved in the establishment of P. aeruginosa infection. The IVET analysis revealed that the genes encoding glycosidases, sulfatases, and peptidases that are thought to be required for the utilization of mucin as a nutrient are present in 13 genes downstream of the identified promoters. Our results indicated that, among them, sdsA1 encoding a secreted sulfatase plays a central role in the degradation of mucin. It was then demonstrated that disruption of sdsA1 leads to a decreased release of sulfate from mucin and sulfated sugars. Furthermore, the sdsA1 mutant showed a reduction in the ability of mucin gel penetration and an attenuation of virulence in leukopenic mice compared with the wild-type strain. Collectively, these results suggest that SdsA1 plays an important role as a virulence factor of P. aeruginosa. K E Y W O R D Sin vivo expression technology, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, sulfatase, virulence

Nutritional Interactions between Bacterial Species Colonising the Human Nasal Cavity: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects

“…P. aeruginosa secretes a sulphatase that promotes mucin degradation, which facilitates invasion of the mucus barrier and promotes virulence in a systemic mouse infection model [54].…”

Current concepts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa interaction with human airway epithelium

“…sdsA1 mutant showed a decreased mucin gel penetration and an attenuation of P . aeruginosa virulence in leukopenic mice intraperitoneally infected [ 236 ].…”