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A High-throughput, High-content, Liquid-based C. elegans Pathosystem
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Virulence factors of the human opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens identified by in vivo screening

C Léopold Kurz1, Sophie Chauvet, Emmanuel Andrès

  • 1Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille Luminy, INSERM/CNRS/Université de la Méditerranée, Case 906, 13288 Marseille cedex 9, France.

The EMBO Journal
|March 28, 2003
PubMed

Insights

This study identified genes essential for Serratia marcescens virulence using Caenorhabditis elegans. Key factors include lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, iron uptake, and hemolysin production, advancing our understanding of this pathogen.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogen Research
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen causing public health concerns.
  • It infects a broad range of hosts, including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
  • Understanding S. marcescens virulence factors is crucial for developing effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify genes and pathways critical for Serratia marcescens virulence in vivo.
  • To leverage the C. elegans model for high-throughput screening of bacterial mutants.
  • To discover novel virulence factors conserved across different bacterial pathogens.

Main Methods:

  • Screening of transposon-induced Serratia marcescens mutants in a C. elegans infection model.
  • Validation of attenuated virulence in insect and murine infection models.
  • Identification of transposon insertion sites to pinpoint essential virulence genes.

Main Results:

  • Isolated 23 Serratia marcescens mutants with attenuated virulence in C. elegans.
  • Nine mutants showed reduced virulence in an insect model; three had reduced in vitro cytotoxicity.
  • One mutant exhibited significantly attenuated virulence in a murine lung infection model.
  • Identified genes involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis, iron uptake, and hemolysin production as crucial for virulence.
  • Discovered conserved virulence factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity.

Conclusions:

  • Caenorhabditis elegans serves as a valuable in vivo model for studying bacterial virulence.
  • Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis, iron uptake, and hemolysin production are key to Serratia marcescens pathogenicity.
  • This research enhances the molecular understanding of S. marcescens virulence and identifies potential therapeutic targets.

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