Gene expression analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa wild type, delta-gbdR, and delta-plcHR deletion mutants

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a virulent opportunistic pathogen responsible for high morbity in COPD, burns , implanted medical devices and cystic fibrosis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a problematic colonizer of the human lung. P. aeruginosa produces a phospholipase C (PlcH) that degrades choline-containing lipids such as phosphatidylcholine and sphingomylein that are found in lung surfactant and in host membranes. In this study, we analyzed gene expression in mutants defective in PlcH production (delta-plcH and delta-gbdR) and the wild type when growing in medium with lung surfactant. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cultured in liquid cultures with aeration in a defined medium with Survanta, a lung surfactant replacement. Cultures were harvested during mid-exponential phase, and RNA was isolated for microarray analysis. The P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 wild type gene expression was compared to expression profiles from delta-gbdR and delta-plcHR deletion mutants, two mutants defective in PlcH production.