Extracytoplasmic stress response systems in S. Typhimurium

Lewis, Claire (2008) Extracytoplasmic stress response systems in S. Typhimurium. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Salmonella species can cause wide-ranging disease from mild food-poisoning enteritis
to a systemic, sometimes fatal typhoid infection.
These bacteria have evolved to survive in different environments within and outside the host and do so through the regulation of differential gene expression following activation of certain stress response systems. In gram negative bacteria such as Salmonella, envelope stress responses (ESR) are response systems that target stresses affecting components of the cell envelope such as the periplasm and outer membrane proteins. The two best characterised ESRs are the RpoE stress response system and the CpxAR two-component signal transduction system. Two further ESRs, the BaeSR response and the phage shock response have also recently been identified.

The intention of this thesis was to characterise the ESR systems of S. Typhimurium to widen our current knowledge of genes involved in these systems and their role in the pathogenesis of S. Typhimurium with the ultimate aim of identifying possible candidate vaccine genes that may be used in future therapeutics against Salmonella infection. Firstly, extensive mutagenesis and phenotypic analysis studies were undertaken to characterise genes thought to be members of the RpoE regulon. Study of the phage shock response was initiated through mutagenesis, characterisation and regulation studies.
A microarray experiment was designed in collaboration with colleagues at the Sanger Centre to identify members of the S. Typhimurium CpxAR regulon, with several members of this regulon being characterised further. The structural components of HtrA, an important ESR protein in S. Typhimurium, were analysed and finally work within this thesis was involved in the investigation of potential overlaps between both the RpoE and CpxAR systems. This led to the establishment of preliminary studies to investigate the vaccine potential of the tol - pal genes in S. Typhimurium.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Supervisor's Name: Roberts, Prof. Mark
• Date of Award: 2008
• Depositing User: Miss Fiona Riggans
• Unique ID: glathesis:2008-362
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 29 Aug 2008
• Last Modified: 15 Mar 2019 14:22
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/362