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Transmission of Yersinia pestis from an infectious biofilm in the flea vector

Clayton O Jarrett1, Eszter Deak, Karen E Isherwood

  • 1Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840, USA.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|July 24, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Plague transmission by fleas requires Yersinia pestis hemin storage (hms) genes for biofilm formation in the flea

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Vector-borne diseases
  • Bacterial pathogenesis

Background:

  • Plague transmission relies on Yersinia pestis infection of the flea proventricular valve.
  • The hemin storage (hms) genes are known to be essential for this proventricular infection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Y. pestis hms genes in biofilm formation and proventricular infection.
  • To determine if quorum-sensing systems influence biofilm development and transmission.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro biofilm assays.
  • Analysis of hms gene function in Y. pestis.
  • Microscopic examination of flea proventriculus.

Main Results:

  • The hms genes are required for Y. pestis to form an extracellular matrix and biofilm in vitro.
  • Biofilm development and proventricular infection were independent of Y. pestis quorum-sensing systems.
  • Flea blood meal components were incorporated into the Y. pestis biofilm.
  • Bacteria released from the biofilm exhibited increased resistance to human immune cells.

Conclusions:

  • A Y. pestis biofilm on the flea proventriculus is crucial for transmissible plague.
  • Arthropod-borne transmission is a newly identified function of bacterial biofilms.

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