flp1, flp2, and flp3 encode proteins with predicted molecular weights of 9.3 kDa, 8.9 kDa, and 9.9 kDa, respectively.

Western blot analysis with a polyclonal sera selleck compound that binds to Flp1 and Flp2 confirmed that 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK) lacked the ability to express the Flp1 and Flp2 proteins (Figure 1, lane 2) compared to 35000HP(pLSSK) (Figure 1, lane 1). Complementation of 35000HPΔflp1-3 with plasmid pJW1 resulted in restoration of the expression of the Flp1 and Flp2 proteins as determined by Western blot (Figure 1, lane 3). Figure 1 Western Blot analysis of Flp1 and Flp2 expression by wild type, mutant, and complemented H. ducreyi strains. Whole-cell lysates were probed with polyclonal rabbit Flp1 antiserum as the primary antibody. Lanes: 1, wild-type 35000HP(pLSSK); 2, 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK); 3, 35000HPΔflp1-3(pJW1). Molecular markers are shown on the left. 35000HP(pLSSK), 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK), and 35000HPΔflp1-3(pJW1) were also tested for their abilities to bind confluent HFF monolayers. 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK) significantly Dinaciclib in vivo attached to HFF cells

at lower levels (geomean ± standard deviation, 26.0% ± 15.0%) than did 35000HP(pLSSK) (100% ± 29.0%) (P = 0.018) (Figure 2). 35000HPΔflp1-3(pJW1) adhered to HFF cells (92.0% ± 18.0%) at significantly higher levels than 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK) (P = 0.010) and at similar levels as 35000HP(pLSSK) (P = 0.32) (Figure 2). Figure 2 Quantitative measurement of the binding of wild type, mutant, and complemented H. ducreyi strains to HFF cells. Assays were performed as described in Materials and Methods. The data represented are a composite of five separate experiments. Bars: 1, wild-type 35000HP(pLSSK); 2, 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK); 3, 35000HPΔflp1-3(pJW1). 35000HP(pLSSK), 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK), and 35000HPΔflp1-3(pJW1) were also compared for their abilities to form microcolonies after 24 h incubation with confluent HFF monolayers. 35000HP formed numerous, densely populated microcolonies on the surfaces of HFF cells [4] (Figure 3A). 35000HPΔflp1-3(pLSSK) formed sparse and very small microcolonies (Figure 3B) when compared to 35000HP; the complemented mutant demonstrated a restored phenotype similar

to 35000HP(pLSSK) (Figure 3C). Thus, complementation of the mutant restored the parental phenotypes. Figure 4��8C 3 Microcolony formation by (A) wild type 35000HP(pLSSK), (B) flp1-3 mutant 35000HPΔ flp1-3 (pLSSK), and (C) complemented flp1-3 mutant 35000HPΔ flp1-3 (pJW1). Magnification ×400. Discussion For this study, we focused on whether the expression of the Flp proteins was necessary for virulence of H. ducreyi. We constructed an unmarked, in frame deletion mutant lacking the flp1flp2flp3 genes in 35000HP using a recombineering strategy [8, 9] and found that 35000HPΔflp1-3 was significantly impaired in its ability to cause disease in the human model of infection. flp1-3 joins hgbA, dsrA, ncaA, lspA1-lspA2, pal, tadA sapBC and cpxA as the ninth gene required for full virulence by H.