The PagN protein of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is an adhesin and invasin
2008

The Role of PagN Protein in Salmonella Typhimurium

publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lambert Matthew A, Smith Stephen GJ

Primary Institution: Trinity College Dublin

Hypothesis

PagN may function as an adhesin and invasin in Salmonella Typhimurium.

Conclusion

PagN is an outer membrane protein that contributes to the virulence of Salmonella Typhimurium by mediating adhesion to and invasion of mammalian cells.

Supporting Evidence

  • PagN can agglutinate red blood cells when expressed in E. coli.
  • S. Typhimurium pagN mutants show reduced adhesion to and invasion of epithelial cells.
  • Over-expression of PagN can partially compensate for the lack of a functional invasasome.

Takeaway

PagN helps Salmonella stick to and invade cells in the body, which is important for the bacteria's ability to cause disease.

Methodology

The study involved expressing the PagN protein in E. coli and testing its ability to agglutinate red blood cells and invade mammalian cells.

Limitations

The study primarily used E. coli models and may not fully represent Salmonella behavior in natural infections.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2180-8-142

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