The Role of PdpC in determination of the virulence of Francisella tularensis

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Role of pathogenicity determinant protein C (PdpC) in determining the virulence of the Francisella tularensis was examined using the pdpC knockout and the complemented strains. These data showed that PdpC was an essential element determining F. tularensis pathogenicity. Especially, three C-terminal lysine residues at amino acid positions 1303, 1309 and 1324 of PdpC molecule were indispensable for the pathogenicity. The lysates of macrophages inoculated with F. tularensis were immunoprecipitated with anti-PdpC antibody to determine the interactive molecules with Franicsella PdpC. The data indicated that Francisella PdpC molecule would bind to nucleic acid. In addition, it was suggested that Francisella PdpC molecule in the macrophages inoculated with virulent Francisella tularensis strain could suppress the gene expression to eliminate the intracellular bacteria by microarray analysis.