In vitro, ex vivo and clinical characterization of novel Salmonella virulence genes

Non-typhoidal Salmonella is an important bacterial pathogen causing worldwide morbidity and mortality. Early interactions between Salmonella Typhimurium and intestinal epithelium have been demonstrated in animal models, but little is known in humans. After HEp-2 cell infection and extraction of genomic DNA using 1,440 transposon mutants of Salmonella Typhimurium, Transposon Directed Insertion-site Sequencing (TraDIS) identified 6 novel Salmonella virulence genomic loci responsible for adhesion/invasion (intergenic sucD-cydA, glyA, yqiC, wzxE, and rfaI) and intracellular replication (speG).