Peptidoglycan Acetylation of Campylobacter jejuni Is Essential for Maintaining Cell Wall Integrity and Colonization in Chicken Intestines.

Abstract

The importance of peptidoglycan (PG) acetylation in Gram-negative bacteria has not been fully elucidated. The genes encoding putative PG acetyltransferase A (PatA) and B (PatB) are highly conserved in Campylobacter jejuni, the predominant cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide. We evaluated the importance of these enzymes using isogenic mutants. The results of this study suggest that PatA and PatB of C. jejuni play important roles in maintaining cell wall integrity. The loss of these factors caused multiple phenotypic changes, leading to colonization deficiency in chicken infection. These data should be useful in developing novel control measures to prevent chicken colonization by C. jejuni Inhibitors of the PG acetylation enzymes PatA and PatB might serve as potent anti-C. jejuni agents.