ArticleMolecular microbiology2008
Phase-locked mutants of Mycoplasma agalactiae: defining the molecular switch of high-frequency Vpma antigenic variation.
Article in Molecular microbiology, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Phenotypic Divergence and Potential Microevolution of a DominantMicroorganisms · 2026Article
- Comparative genomic analysis of Mycoplasma agalactiae strain GM139 highlights unique surface architecture and pathogenic determinants.Veterinary research · 2025Article
- Review
- Serum Resistance ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Sheep Infection Trials with 'Phase-Locked' Vpma Expression Variants ofMicroorganisms · 2022Article
- Predominant Single Stable VpmaV Expression in Strain GM139 and Major Differences withAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Article
- Mycoplasma agalactiae ST35: a new sequence type with a minimal accessory genome primarily affecting goats.BMC veterinary research · 2022Article
- Construction ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2021Article
- Random transposon insertion in the Mycoplasma hominis minimal genome.Scientific reports · 2019Article
- Novel Candidates for Vaccine Development AgainstVaccines · 2019Review
- Article
- Vpma phase variation is important for survival and persistence of Mycoplasma agalactiae in the immunocompetent host.PLoS pathogens · 2017Article
- Genetic loci of Mycoplasma agalactiae involved in systemic spreading during experimental intramammary infection of sheep.Veterinary research · 2016Article
- Simultaneous Identification of Potential Pathogenicity Factors of Mycoplasma agalactiae in the Natural Ovine Host by Negative Selection.Infection and immunity · 2015Article
- Intrinsic terminators in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae transcription.BMC genomics · 2015Article
- Heterologous expression and processing of the flavescence dorée phytoplasma variable membrane protein VmpA in Spiroplasma citri.BMC microbiology · 2015Article
- Article
- Development and host compatibility of plasmids for two important ruminant pathogens, Mycoplasma bovis and Mycoplasma agalactiae.PloS one · 2015Article
- In vitro and in vivo cell invasion and systemic spreading of Mycoplasma agalactiae in the sheep infection model.International journal of medical microbiology : IJMM · 2014Article
- Experimental infections with Mycoplasma agalactiae identify key factors involved in host-colonization.PloS one · 2014Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Mycoplasma agalactiae, an important pathogen of small ruminants, exhibits antigenic diversity by switching the expression of multiple surface lipoproteins called Vpmas (Variable proteins of M. agalactiae). Although phase variation has been shown to play important roles in many host-pathogen interactions, the biological significance and the mechanism of Vpma oscillations remain largely unclear. Here, we demonstrate that all six Vpma proteins are expressed in the type strain PG2 and all undergo phase variation at an unusually high frequency. Furthermore, targeted gene disruption of the xer1 gene encoding a putative site-specific recombinase adjacent to the vpma locus was accomplished via homologous recombination using a replicon-based vector. Inactivation of xer1 abolished further Vpma switching and the 'phase-locked' mutants (PLMs) continued to steadily express only a single Vpma product. Complementation of the wild-type xer1 gene in PLMs restored Vpma phase variation thereby proving that Xer1 is essential for vpma inversions. The study is not only instrumental in enhancing our ability to understand the role of Vpmas in M. agalactiae infections but also provides useful molecular approaches to study potential disease factors in other 'difficult-to-manipulate' mycoplasmas.
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