[Objective] To investigate the role of dppC2 in the survival of Yersinia pestis in macrophages. [Methods] The strain (201-ΔdppC2) with traceless knockout of dppC2 was constructed with a suicide plasmid via homologous recombination based on Y. pestis biovar Microtus strain 201. Phenotypes were compared between 201-ΔdppC2 and the wild type (201-WT) by the acid survival assay, hydrogen peroxide survival assay, macrophage intracellular survival assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, and cytotoxicity and mouse challenge assays. The gene expression was compared between 201-ΔdppC2 and 201-WT by transcriptomics analysis and RT-qPCR. [Results] Compared with 201-WT, 201-ΔdppC2 exhibited multiple phenotypic alterations, including significantly increases in intracellular survival rates in RAW264.7 and THP-1 cells and under acidic and hydrogen peroxide conditions, upregulation of the acid resistance gene hdeD and the catalase-related genes katA and katG, enhancement of catalase and peroxidase activities, and declines in intracellular ROS levels in 201-ΔdppC2 and RAW264.7 cells infected with the mutant. Furthermore, 201-ΔdppC2 showed reduced cytotoxicity to HeLa cells but no change in the virulence in mice. [Conclusion] The deletion of dppC2 has been demonstrated to enhance the fitness of Y. pestis to acidic and hydrogen peroxide environments, which promote the survival and replication of Y. pestis in macrophages.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |