The HtrA stress response protease contributes to resistance of Brucella abortus to killing by murine phagocytes

Abstract

Compared with virulent Brucella abortus 2308, the isogenic htrA mutant PHE1 shows decreased resistance to killing by cultured murine neutrophils and macrophages and significant attenuation during the early stages of infection in the BALB/c mouse model. These findings further define the contributions of the htrA gene product to the pathogenesis of B. abortus infections.