Selection for nonspecific adhesion is a driver of FimH evolution increasing Escherichia coli biofilm capacity.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial interactions with surfaces rely on the coordinated expression of a vast repertoire of surface-exposed adhesins. However, how bacteria dynamically modulate their adhesion potential to achieve successful surface colonization is not yet well understood. Here, we investigated changes in adhesion capacity of an initially poorly adherent Escherichia coli strain using experimental evolution and positive selection for mutations improving adhesion and biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces. We showed that all identified evolved populations and clones acquired mutations located almost exclusively in the lectin domain of fimH, the gene coding for the α-d-mannose-specific tip adhesin of type 1 fimbriae, a key E. coli virulence factor. While most of these fimH mutan

SUBMITTER: Yoshida M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10117834 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature