Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Urer, The Transcriptional Activator Of The Proteus Mirabilis Urease Gene Cluster, Is Required For Urease Activity And Virulence In Experimental Urinary Tract Infections, Jonathan D. Dattelbaum, C. Virginia Lockatell, David E. Johnson, Harry L.T. Mobley

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Proteus mirabilis, a cause of complicated urinary tract infection, produces urease, an essential virulence factor for this species. UreR, a member of the AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators, positively activates expression of the ure gene cluster in the presence of urea. To specifically evaluate the contribution of UreR to urease activity and virulence in the urinary tract, a ureR mutation was introduced into P. mirabilis HI4320 by homologous recombination. The isogenic ureR::aphA mutant, deficient in UreR production, lacked measurable urease activity. Expression was not detected in the UreR-deficient strain by Western blotting with monoclonal antibodies raised against UreD. Urease …