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A colonization factor links Vibrio cholerae environmental survival and human infection

Nature volume 438, pages 863–866 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Many bacteria that cause diseases must be able to survive inside and outside the host. Attachment to and colonization of abiotic or biotic surfaces is a common mechanism by which various microorganisms enhance their ability to survive in diverse environments1. Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative aquatic bacillus that is often found in the environment attached to the chitinous exoskeletons of zooplankton2,3. It has been suggested that attachment to zooplankton enhances environmental survival of Vibrio spp., probably by providing both an abundant source of carbon and nitrogen and protection from numerous environmental challenges4. On ingestion by humans, some serogroups of V. cholerae cause the diarrhoeal disease cholera5. The pathophysiology of cholera is a result of the effects of cholera toxin on intestinal epithelial cells. For sufficient quantities of cholera toxin to reach the intestinal epithelium and to produce clinical symptoms, colonization of the small bowel must occur. Because most V. cholerae do not colonize humans, but all probably require strategies for survival in the environment, we considered that colonization factors selected for in the environment may be the same as those required for intestinal colonization of humans. In support of this hypothesis, here we have identified a single protein required for efficient intestinal colonization that mediates attachment to both zooplankton and human epithelial cells by binding to a sugar present on both surfaces.

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Figure 1: VCA0811 encodes a putative chitin-binding protein (GbpA) required for epithelial cell attachment.
Figure 2: GbpA is a GlcNAc-sensitive chitin-binding protein.
Figure 3: GbpA is important for environmental and intestinal colonization.
Figure 4: GbpA is a secreted protein that requires EPS for extracellular localization.

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Acknowledgements

We thank C. Sandoe for technical assistance. This work was supported by the NIH and a Rosalind Borison memorial fellowship.

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Author notes

  1. Thomas J. Kirn

    Present address: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, 6 Founders, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA

  2. Thomas J. Kirn and Brooke A. Jude: *These authors contributed equally to this work

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, New Hampshire, 03755, Hanover, USA

    Thomas J. Kirn, Brooke A. Jude & Ronald K. Taylor

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Correspondence to Ronald K. Taylor.

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Kirn, T., Jude, B. & Taylor, R. A colonization factor links Vibrio cholerae environmental survival and human infection. Nature 438, 863–866 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04249

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