Characterization of the Phase-Variable Autotransporter Lav Reveals a Role in Host Cell Adherence and Biofilm Formation in Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Infect Immun 2022 Apr 21;90(4):e0056521
Date
03/09/2022Pubmed ID
35258316Pubmed Central ID
PMC9022572DOI
10.1128/iai.00565-21Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85128634430 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 2 CitationsAbstract
Lav is an autotransporter protein found in pathogenic Haemophilus and Neisseria species. Lav in nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is phase-variable: the gene reversibly switches ON-OFF via changes in length of a locus-located GCAA(n) simple DNA sequence repeat tract. The expression status of lav was examined in carriage and invasive collections of NTHi, where it was predominantly not expressed (OFF). Phenotypic study showed lav expression (ON) results in increased adherence to human lung cells and denser biofilm formation. A survey of Haemophilus species genome sequences showed lav is present in ∼60% of NTHi strains, but lav is not present in most typeable H. influenzae strains. Sequence analysis revealed a total of five distinct variants of the Lav passenger domain present in Haemophilus spp., with these five variants showing a distinct lineage distribution. Determining the role of Lav in NTHi will help understand the role of this protein during distinct pathologies.
Author List
Phillips ZN, Garai P, Tram G, Martin G, Van Den Bergh A, Husna AU, Staples M, Grimwood K, Jennison AV, Guillon P, von Itzstein M, Jennings MP, Brockman KL, Atack JMAuthor
Kenneth Brockman PhD Assistant Professor in the Microbiology and Immunology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
BiofilmsHaemophilus Infections
Haemophilus influenzae
Humans
Type V Secretion Systems
