Legionella pneumophila Growth in Macrophages from Susceptible Mice is Genetically Controlled

Abstract

Abstract

Growth of the intracellular opportunistic bacterium Legionella pneumophila in macrophages from A/J mice is as vigorous as growth in macrophages from susceptible guinea pigs and human monocytes, whereas growth is inhibited in macrophages from other mouse strains, such as nonpermissive BALB/c mice. Permissiveness versus nonpermissiveness of macrophages from A/J versus BALB/c mice appeared to be controlled by a genetic mechanism dependent upon a single gene or a closely clustered family of genes. Susceptibility versus resistance of macrophages from F₁ offspring of these two strains of mice and macrophages from backcrossed mice prepared from F ₁ hybrids and the original parental strain showed a segregation of permissiveness for growth of Legionella in vitro, consistent with genetic control.