Project description:The recent detection and isolation of the aflagellate Campylobacter ureolyticus (previously known as Bacteroides ureolyticus) from intestinal biopsy specimens and fecal samples of children with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease led us to investigate the pathogenic potential of this bacterium. Adherence and gentamicin protection assays were employed to quantify the levels of adherence to and invasion into host cells. C. ureolyticus UNSWCD was able to adhere to the Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cell line with a value of 5.341% ± 0.74% but was not able to invade the Caco-2 cells. The addition of two proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ), to the cell line did not affect attachment or invasion, with attachment levels being 4.156% ± 0.61% (P = 0.270) for TNF-α and 6.472% ± 0.61% (P = 0.235) for IFN-γ. Scanning electron microscopy visually confirmed attachment and revealed that C. ureolyticus UNSWCD colonizes and adheres to intestinal cells, inducing cellular damage and microvillus degradation. Purification and identification of the C. ureolyticus UNSWCD secretome detected a total of 111 proteins, from which 29 were bioinformatically predicted to be secretory proteins. Functional classification revealed three putative virulence and colonization factors: the surface antigen CjaA, an outer membrane fibronectin binding protein, and an S-layer RTX toxin. These results suggest that C. ureolyticus has the potential to be a pathogen of the gastrointestinal tract.
Project description:The emerging pathogen Campylobacter ureolyticus has been isolated from human and animal genital infections, human periodontal disease, domestic and food animals, and from cases of human gastroenteritis. We report the whole-genome sequence of the human clinical isolate RIGS 9880, which is the first closed genome for C. ureolyticus.
Project description:The recent detection and isolation of C. ureolyticus from patients with diarrhoeal illness and inflammatory bowel diseases warrants further investigation into its role as an emerging pathogen of the human gastrointestinal tract. Regarding the pathogenic mechanisms employed by this species we provide the first whole genome analysis of two C. ureolyticus isolates including the type strain. Comparative analysis, subtractive hybridisation and gene ontology searches against other Campylobacter species identifies the high degree of heterogenicity between C. ureolyticus isolates, in addition to the identification of 106 putative virulence associated factors, 52 of which are predicted to be secreted. Such factors encompass each of the known virulence tactics of pathogenic Campylobacter spp. including adhesion and colonisation (CadF, PEB1, IcmF and FlpA), invasion (ciaB and 16 virB-virD4 genes) and toxin production (S-layer RTX and ZOT). Herein, we provide the first virulence catalogue for C. ureolyticus, the components of which theoretically provide this emerging species with sufficient arsenal to establish pathology.
Project description:Draft genome sequences of a Campylobacter curvus and three Campylobacter ureolyticus strains isolated from human colonic mucosal tissue
Project description:Campylobacter jejuni and coli are collectively regarded as the most prevalent cause of bacterial foodborne illness worldwide. An emerging species, Campylobacter ureolyticus has recently been detected in patients with gastroenteritis, however, the source of this organism has, until now, remained unclear. Herein, we describe the molecular-based detection of this pathogen in bovine faeces (1/20) and unpasteurized milk (6/47) but not in poultry (chicken wings and caeca). This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of the presence of this potential gastrointestinal pathogen in an animal source, possibly suggesting a route for its transmission to humans.