This proposal uses molecular genetic techniques to explore the basis of intracellular infection by Legionella pneumophila, the etiologic agent of Legionnaires' disease. After isolating mutations in genes that encode structures in the bacterial cell envelope of this organism, mutant will be analyzed for impaired infectivity in a tissue culture model of intracellular infection, and those found to be impaired will be tested for virulence in an animal model of infection. Mutations will be isolated by three complementary techniques: i) Site-specific mutations will be introduced into the genes for two previously cloned surface antigens of L. pneumophila using genetic techniques developed in this laboratory. ii) L. pneumophila mutagenized by random insertion of a mini-Mu transposon (Mud 4041) will be screened for loss of three phenotypes that may be associated with intracellular survival (loss of flagella or LPS O-side chains will be detected by in situ immunoassay using specific monoclonal antibodies and loss of acid phosphatase by an in situ enzyme assay). iii) Mutations in genes encoding secreted proteins of L. pneumophila will be constructed by shuttle mutagenesis with TnphoA (i.e., genes from a genomic cosmid library in E. coli that produce a PhoA+ fusion after insertion of TnphoA will be transferred to L. pneumophila and exchanged for the wild type gene). All mutants will be screened for loss of infectivity in the U937 cell model of intracellular infection. Genes found to be necessary for full infectivity will be used to reconstruct the mutation, by allelic exchange, in a virulent animal-passaged isolate of L. pneumophila. Then, this isolate will be compared in U937 cell model with each specific mutant and with each mutant after complementation (by reintroduction of the wild type gene) to confirm the attenuated phenotype. Mutants that are attenuated in tissue culture infection will then be compared with parent and complemented strains for lethality in intratracheally-inoculated guinea pigs. In addition to identifying factors necessary for the intracellular life cycle and animal virulence by answering """"""""molecular Koch's postulates"""""""", these studies will provide significant additional evidence for the hypothesis that intracellular infection is a prerequisite for Legionnaires' disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AI026232-01A2
Application #
3139940
Study Section
Bacteriology and Mycology Subcommittee 2 (BM)
Project Start
1989-12-01
Project End
1993-11-30
Budget Start
1989-12-01
Budget End
1990-11-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
791277940
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
McClain, M S; Engleberg, N C (1996) Construction of an alkaline phosphatase fusion-generating transposon, mTn10phoA. Gene 170:147-8
McClain, M S; Hurley, M C; Brieland, J K et al. (1996) The Legionella pneumophila hel locus encodes intracellularly induced homologs of heavy-metal ion transporters of Alcaligenes spp. Infect Immun 64:1532-40
Brieland, J; McClain, M; Heath, L et al. (1996) Coinoculation with Hartmannella vermiformis enhances replicative Legionella pneumophila lung infection in a murine model of Legionnaires' disease. Infect Immun 64:2449-56
Engleberg, N C (1994) Molecular methods: applications for clinical infectious diseases. Ann Emerg Med 24:490-502
Abu Kwaik, Y; Engleberg, N C (1994) Cloning and molecular characterization of a Legionella pneumophila gene induced by intracellular infection and by various in vitro stress conditions. Mol Microbiol 13:243-51
Kim, M J; Rogers, J E; Hurley, M C et al. (1994) Phosphatase-negative mutants of Legionella pneumophila and their behavior in mammalian cell infection. Microb Pathog 17:51-62
abu Kwaik, Y; Fields, B S; Engleberg, N C (1994) Protein expression by the protozoan Hartmannella vermiformis upon contact with its bacterial parasite Legionella pneumophila. Infect Immun 62:1860-6
Arroyo, J; Hurley, M C; Wolf, M et al. (1994) Shuttle mutagenesis of Legionella pneumophila: identification of a gene associated with host cell cytopathicity. Infect Immun 62:4075-80
Abu Kwaik, Y; Eisenstein, B I; Engleberg, N C (1993) Phenotypic modulation by Legionella pneumophila upon infection of macrophages. Infect Immun 61:1320-9
Rogers, J E; Jones, G W; Engleberg, N C (1993) Growth and phenotypic characterization of Legionella species on semisolid media made with washed agar. J Clin Microbiol 31:149-51

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