<i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> Mutations Affecting Virulence in the <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> Model Host

Abstract

Enterococcus faecalis transposon insertion mutants were screened for attenuated killing of the nematode model host Caenorhabditis elegans. The genes disrupted in the attenuated mutants encode a variety of factors including transcriptional regulators, transporters, and damage control and repair systems. Five of nine mutants tested were attenuated in a mouse peritonitis model.