Role of IS1 in the conversion of virulence (Vi) antigen expression in Enterobacteriaceae.

When Escherichia coli HB101 harbors pWR127, a plasmid comprising the viaB gene from Citrobacter freundii WR7004 and the ColE1-derived pACKC1, the strain produces the virulence (Vi) antigen. Vi antigen expression is abolished (Vi- phenotype), however, when an IS1 or IS1-like DNA element inserts into the viaB region. To determine the sites of IS1 insertion, pWR127 DNAs extracted from 95 independently isolated Vi- strains were analyzed by digestion with the restriction endonuclease PstI and agarose gel electrophoresis. Ten insertion sites were found distributed non-randomly in an area of about 1.3 kb. Nine Vi+ strains (two Citrobacter, two E. coli, and five Salmonella strains), four of which contain pWR127, were then tested for the presence of IS1 by DNA-DNA hybridization. Of the nine strains, five were stable Vi+ and did not contain IS1. The other four which generated Vi- strains, contained IS1. When pRR134, a plasmid that contains IS1 was transferred into a stable Vi+ Salmonella typhimurium strain carrying pWR127 (OU5140), Vi- strains were produced from which pWR127 derivatives carrying IS1 inserts could be isolated. It appears, therefore, that the presence of an IS1 or IS1-like element in a strain is required for conversion of the Vi+ expression state to the Vi- expression state.