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==Molecular Insights into the Symbiosis==
==Molecular Insights into the Symbiosis==


B. bronchiseptica expresses many protein factors, such as filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin and fimbriae. Specifically, FHA binds directly to the ciliary membrane host-receptor glycospingolipids, allowing B. bronchiseptica to attach to the host's cells. B. bronchiseptica also produces many toxins such as bifunctional adenylate cyclase and dermonecrotic toxins. All of the virulence factors of B. bronchiseptica allow it to weaken the host's immune defenses, leading to infection. BvgA and BvgS, two-component regulatory systems, regulate these virulence factors [5]
"B. bronchiseptica" expresses many protein factors, such as filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin and fimbriae. Specifically, FHA binds directly to the ciliary membrane host-receptor glycospingolipids, allowing "B. bronchiseptica" to attach to the host's cells. "B. bronchiseptica" also produces many toxins such as bifunctional adenylate cyclase and dermonecrotic toxins. All of the virulence factors of "B. bronchiseptica" allow it to weaken the host's immune defenses, leading to infection. BvgA and BvgS, two-component regulatory systems, regulate these virulence factors [5]


==Ecological and Evolutionary Aspects ==
==Ecological and Evolutionary Aspects ==

Revision as of 05:34, 5 December 2011

Ex. [[]]

Characteristics of the symbiont/pathogen

"Bordetella bronchiseptica", stain RB50, is a small (0.4 by 8.0 um), gram negative, rod shaped beta-proteobacteria belonging to the Bordetellae family. "B. bronchiseptica" is nonsporeforming and pleomorphic, with or without flagella depending on the environment for which motility is needed. The average diameter of the flagella when present is 13.9 nm. "B. bronchiseptica" bacteria colonize within the respiratory tracts of mammals, commonly canines and felines, causing tracheobronchitis also known as "kennel cough". "B. bronchiseptica" is closely related to "Bordetella pertussis" and "Bordetella parapertussis", causing pertussis or whooping cough in humans [2]. "B. bronchiseptica" does not express the pertussis toxin, the virulence factor of "B. pertussis". However, "B. bronchiseptica" has the genes to express the toxin which shows that "B. bronchiseptica" is closely related to "B. pertussis" [4].


"B. bronchiseptica" consists of 5,339,179 base pairs with 5,011 coding sequences. Its average gene size is 982 bp and it has 18 pseudogenes. The gene responsible for virulence is BvgAS [6].

Characteristics of the host

Bordetella bronchiseptica [1]

"Bordetella bronchiseptica" can infect a wide range of hosts causing different diseases and is most commonly found in canines, pigs, and laboratory animals [2]. "B. bronchiseptica" infects its host by attaching to hamster lung fibroblasts when inhaled [4]. The bacterium is capable of living outside of a host most likely in areas where animals are kept in close confinement. "B. brochiseptica" causes swine atrophic rhinitis and pneumonia in pigs, deforming and stunting the growth of the turbinates in the snout. "B. brochiseptica" is the primary pathogen of swine. "B. bronchiseptica" causes acute tracheobronchitis, otherwise known as kennel cough, in cats and dogs. It is unknown whether "B. bronchiseptica" is passed from farm to companion animals [2] and humans are rarely infected [4].

Host-Symbiont Interaction

The interaction between "B. bronchiseptica" and its host is pathogenic. Infection of "B. bronchiseptica" causes kennel cough in canines and is of high morbidity and low mortality [2]. The bacterium is characterized as a facultative parasite in which it is capable of surviving for an extensive amount of time outside of a host. The host acquires "B. bronchiseptica" when exposed to an infected surface, specifically where an already infected host has been. Usually canines come in contact with the bacterium when boarded in a close confined area such as a kennel. The host inhales "B. bronchiseptica" and colonizes on the muccous membranes lining the respiratory tract and produces factors that counteract the host's defense mechanisms. "B. bronchiseptica" infects healthy ciliated epithelial cells whereas most respiratory pathogens cannot. A host transmits the symbiont by coughing and therefore infected a surface. As the host's defenses become weak, they are vulnerable to other infections. [5].

Molecular Insights into the Symbiosis

"B. bronchiseptica" expresses many protein factors, such as filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin and fimbriae. Specifically, FHA binds directly to the ciliary membrane host-receptor glycospingolipids, allowing "B. bronchiseptica" to attach to the host's cells. "B. bronchiseptica" also produces many toxins such as bifunctional adenylate cyclase and dermonecrotic toxins. All of the virulence factors of "B. bronchiseptica" allow it to weaken the host's immune defenses, leading to infection. BvgA and BvgS, two-component regulatory systems, regulate these virulence factors [5]

Ecological and Evolutionary Aspects

What is the evolutionary history of the interaction? Do particular environmental factors play a role in regulating the symbiosis?

Recent Discoveries

Describe two findings on the symbiosis published within the last two years.

References

[[2] Binns, S. H., Corkill, J. E., Dawson, S., Gaskell, R. M., Hart, C. A., Kariuki, S., Osborn, A. M., Saunders, J. R., and Speakman, A. J. 1997. Characterization of antibiotic resistance plasmids from "Bordetella bronchiseptica". Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 40: 811-816.]

[[3] Appel J. G. M., Bemis, A. D., and Greisen, A. H. 1977. Pathogenesis of canine bordetellosis. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 135: 753-762.]

[[4] Goodnow, R. 1980. Biology of "Bordetella bronchiseptica". Microbiological Reviews. 44: 722-738.]

[[5] Roberts, M., and Stevenson, A. 2003. Use of "Bordetella bronchiseptica" and "Bordetella pertussis" as live vaccines and vectors for heterologous antigens. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology. 37: 121-128.]

[[6] Arico, B. and Rappuoli, R. "Bordetella parapertussis" and "Bordetella bronchiseptica" contain transcriptionally silent pertussis toxin genes. 1987. Journal of Bacteriology. 169: 2847-2853.]

[[7] Yuk, M. H., Harvill, E. T., and Miller, J. F. 1998. The BvgAS virulence control system regulates type III secretion in Bordetella bronchiseptica. Molecular Microbiology. 28: 945-959.

Edited by [Schuyler Jones], students of Grace Lim-Fong