DEAD-box protein DhR1 is a global regulator involved in bacterial fitness and the virulence of Riemerella anatipestifer

R. anatipestifer strain Yb2 has six putative DEAD/H box RNA helicases, but their biological functions remain to be determined. In this study, we demonstrate that DhR1 is required for R. anatipestifer tolerance for cold, acid, alkali, detergent and oxidative stress, and necessary for the biofilm formation, iron utilization, and the virulence to ducklings, suggesting DhR1 is a multifunctional protein in R. anatipestifer.