Effect of Inactivation of the HtrA-Like Serine Protease DegQ on the Virulence of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Mice

DegQ is a serine protease that is highly homologous to HtrA, an important virulence determinant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. We examined if DegQ is involved in serovar Typhimurium pathogenesis. A serovar Typhimurium degQ mutant was as virulent as the wild-type strain in mice. However, a serovar Typhimurium htrA degQ mutant survived less well in murine organs, particularly in the liver, than a serovar Typhimurium htrA mutant. DegQ is not essential for serovar Typhimurium pathogenesis but may play a small role during salmonella growth at systemic sites.