Involvement of in vivo induced cheY-4 gene of Vibrio cholerae in motility, early adherence to intestinal epithelial cells and regulation of virulence factors

Using a global transcription profile approach cheY-4 of Vibrio cholerae was identified as an in vivo induced gene. In the present study, duplication of the gene in the chromosome resulted in increased motility, increased chemotactic response towards isolated intestinal mucus layer and stronger adhesion to human intestinal epithelial cell line at an early phase of infection compared to wild type and a null mutant strain. In contrast to the cheY-4 null mutant, duplication of cheY-4 gene resulted in increased expression of ctxAB and tcpA, the two major virulence genes of V. cholerae.