Molecular cloning of Proteus mirabilis uroepithelial cell adherence (uca) genes.

Proteus mirabilis bacteria are a common cause of hospital-acquired urinary tract infection. In a previous study, we described a P. mirabilis fimbrial protein, UCA, that adhered to human uroepithelial cells. Genes sufficient for expression of UCA adherence were cloned into Escherichia coli K-12. E. coli bacteria that contained the uca recombinant plasmid adhered to human uroepithelial cells. In addition, the ucaA gene encoding the structural component of UCA pili was subcloned, and its DNA sequence was determined. Amino acid sequence homology (30 to 50%) was found between mature UcaA protein and pilins from pathogenic bacteria representing several genera, including E. coli F17, G, and type 1C pilins, Haemophilus M43 pilin, and a Bordetella pilin.