Enterococcus faecium TIR-Domain Genes Are Part of a Gene Cluster Which Promotes Bacterial Survival in Blood.

This study identified a gene cluster, which includes genes encoding bacterial Toll/interleukin-1 receptor- (TIR-) domain-containing proteins (TirEs). The cluster was found to be unique to nosocomial strains and to be located on a putative mobile genetic element of phage origin. The three genes within the cluster appeared to be expressed as an operon. Expression was detected in bacterial culture media and in the presence of human blood. TirEs are released into the bacterial supernatant, and TirE2 is associated with membrane vesicles. Furthermore, the tirE-gene cluster promotes bacterial proliferation in human blood, indicating that TirE may contribute to the pathogenesis of bacteremia. PMID: 30631364 [PubMed]
Source: International Journal of Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Tags: Int J Microbiol Source Type: research