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MgtC as a horizontally-acquired virulence factor of intracellular bacterial pathogens: evidence from molecular

Anne-Béatrice Blanc-Potard, Bénédicte Lafay

    Journal of Molecular Evolution
    |January 8, 2004
    PubMed

    Insights

    The MgtC virulence factor aids bacterial survival in macrophages. This study found MgtC-like genes spread through horizontal gene transfer, suggesting a common function in pathogens like Salmonella and Mycobacterium.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Genetics
    • Evolutionary Biology

    Background:

    • MgtC is a virulence factor crucial for intramacrophage survival and growth in low magnesium conditions for Salmonella typhimurium and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
    • The mgtC gene in S. typhimurium is located on the SPI-3 pathogenicity island, with limited distribution among enterobacteria.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the presence and evolutionary history of mgtC-like sequences across diverse bacterial genomes.
    • To understand the functional significance of MgtC in various pathogenic bacteria.

    Main Methods:

    • Bioinformatic analysis of eubacterial genomes to identify mgtC-like sequences.
    • Phylogenetic analysis of MgtC-like proteins and their chromosomal context.
    • Comparative genomics to infer gene acquisition events.

    Main Results:

    • MgtC-like sequences were identified across various bacterial species.
    • Phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis of repeated horizontal gene transfer of mgtC.
    • A distinct subgroup of MgtC proteins, including those from S. typhimurium, M. tuberculosis, B. melitensis, and Y. pestis, was identified.

    Conclusions:

    • The mgtC gene has been acquired multiple times through horizontal gene transfer during bacterial evolution.
    • MgtC likely provides a conserved function, enabling pathogens to survive and grow in low magnesium environments within host macrophages.

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