Eikenella corrodens is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobe which is associated with a variety of significant human infections, including periodontal diseases, endocarditis, and wound infections. An interesting characteristic of E. corrodens is that it exhibits colony dimorphism. It has been suggested that this results from phase variation (or a similar genetic process) of pilin gene expression. Recently, we have shown that a Neisseria gonorrhoeae pilin gene probe hybridizes to E. corrodens genomic DNA; in addition, we have seen structures resembling pili in electron micrographs. Several presumptive pilin gene clones have been isolated from an E. corrodens library. The goals of this project are to purify and characterize E. corrodens pili and pilin, to clone and characterize E. corrodens pilin gene(s), and to determine whether pilin gene expression undergoes phase variation. Biochemical, molecular genetic and immunological approaches will be used to address these issues.
| Villar, M T; Hirschberg, R L; Schaefer, M R (2001) Role of the Eikenella corrodens pilA locus in pilus function and phase variation. J Bacteriol 183:55-62 |
| Villar, M T; Helber, J T; Hood, B et al. (1999) Eikenella corrodens phase variation involves a posttranslational event in pilus formation. J Bacteriol 181:4154-60 |
| Hood, B L; Hirschberg, R (1995) Purification and characterization of Eikenella corrodens type IV pilin. Infect Immun 63:3693-6 |
