A tale of two plasmids: maintenance of virulence in Shigella species
Bacteria of the genus Shigella carry a large, low-copy virulence plasmid that encodes a type III secretion system required to cause enteroinvasive disease. Loss of the plasmid occurs readily in the laboratory and renders the bacteria avirulent. Critically, plasmid loss occurs at different rates depending upon the Shigella species, and correlates with differences in those species’ socioeconomic distribution. We have identified a novel toxin-antitoxin system that is present on the S. flexneri virulence plasmid but absent in a related species, S. sonnei. This TA system is responsible for plasmid maintenance at temperatures encountered outside of the human host, and its absence likely reflects an apparent “niche restriction” observed in S. sonnei.
Date:
8 December 2015, 13:00 (Tuesday, 9th week, Michaelmas 2015)
Venue:
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, South Parks Road OX1 3RE
Venue Details:
EPA seminar room
Speaker:
Gareth McVicker (University of Oxford)
Organising department:
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology
Organisers:
Rebecca Moore (University of Oxford),
Helen Farr (University of Oxford),
Joanna Miller (University of Oxford),
Eva Gluenz (University of Oxford),
Kenny Moore (University of Oxford),
Rachel Exley (University of Oxford)
Part of:
Bug Sessions in infectious disease
Booking required?:
Not required
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editor:
Rebecca Moore
