IDENTIFICATION OF ANCILLARY FIM GENES AFFECTING FIMA EXPRESSION IN SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM

Regulation of the gene, fimA, encoding the major fimbrial subunit of S. typhimurium S6704 was examined by using a lambafimA-lacZ lysogen. Transformation of the lambdafimA-lacz lysogen with various derivatives of the recombinant plasmid that encodes type 1 fimbrial expression, pISF101, indicated that two regions of this plasmid alter beta-galactosidase production. One plasmid is a deletion resulting in the loss of a 28-kDa polypeptide downstream of fimA, while the other plasmid encodes a 24- and a 27-kDa polypeptide. Northern (RNA) blot analyses indicated that the steady-state fimA mRNA levels of these transformants were high. In addition, phenotypic expression of type 1 fimbriae by agar-grown cultures is observed only in those transformants bearing plasmids which show increased beta-galactosidase and fimA mRNA levels.