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[Effect of plasmids on the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in experiments on mice]

A S Ianenko, V N Krylov, E S Stanislavskiĭ

    Zhurnal Mikrobiologii, Epidemiologii I Immunobiologii
    |July 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Plasmids in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO strains significantly reduce bacterial virulence in mice. Specific bacterial mutations also decrease virulence, but the effect is negated when plasmids are reintroduced into mutated strains.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Bacterial Genetics
    • Infectious Diseases

    Background:

    • Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO) is an opportunistic pathogen.
    • Plasmids can influence bacterial traits, including virulence.
    • Understanding plasmid-bacterial interactions is crucial for controlling infections.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the impact of plasmids on the virulence of P. aeruginosa PAO strains.
    • To characterize the biological properties of virulence-affecting plasmids.
    • To examine the role of specific bacterial mutations (rpm) in virulence and plasmid stability.

    Main Methods:

    • Comparative virulence studies in a mouse model.
    • Isolation and characterization of plasmids from P. aeruginosa PAO strains.
    • Selection and analysis of bacterial mutations (rpm) affecting plasmid stability.
    • Introduction of plasmids into mutated bacterial strains.

    Main Results:

    • Plasmids present in P. aeruginosa PAO strains reduced bacterial virulence in mice by 3-7 fold.
    • Virulence-modifying plasmids exhibited diverse biological properties.
    • Bacterial mutations (rpm), selected for RP4 plasmid stabilization, also decreased bacterial virulence.
    • Reintroduction of plasmids into rpm-mutated PAO cells did not result in decreased virulence.

    Conclusions:

    • Plasmids can act as significant attenuating factors for P. aeruginosa PAO virulence.
    • Bacterial mutations affecting plasmid stability can independently impact virulence.
    • The interplay between bacterial mutations and plasmid presence influences overall bacterial pathogenicity.

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